Heigh ho, heigh ho, it's off to the Pops we go! Get ready to wish upon a star as the Detroit Symphony Orchestra presents an all-encompassing retrospective of music from the great Disney songbook. Featuring selections from 70 years of classic Disney animated and live action films, "The Magical Music of Disney" continues the DSO's 2007-08 DTE Energy Foundation Pops Series with concerts that are suitable for the whole family.
Led by favorite Pops conductor Erich Kunzel and featuring the Wayne State University Concert Chorale, the performances also include a trio of top vocal soloists including soprano Kristine Reese, tenor Billy Tighe, and baritone Michael Lowe. The concerts take place in Orchestra Hall at the Max M. Fisher Music Center on Thursday, November 1 at 10:45 a.m. and 8 p.m.; Friday, November 2 at 8:30 p.m.; Saturday, November 3 at 8:30 p.m.; and Sunday, November 4 at 3 p.m.
In 1937, with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Walt Disney began making films that blended fairy tales and other children's stories with music, creating a new, unique and wholly magical genre. The formula proved irresistible to children and adults alike and resulted in some of the most well-known songs of the last 70 years, including "Zip a Dee Doo Dah" from Song of the South (1946), "A Spoonful of Sugar" from Mary Poppins (1964) and "The Circle of Life" from The Lion King (1994).
Now Erich Kunzel, one of America's most beloved Pops conductors and arrangers, has brought together a vast spectrum of favorite Disney hits for a unique symphony production that appeals to all ages. From Peter Pan and Cinderella to Aladdin and The Little Mermaid, "The Magical Music of Disney" features songs from nearly every Disney musical and presents an enchanted overview of a very special part of 20th century pop culture.
Erich Kunzel's distinguished career is personified by his 2006 National Medal of Arts, presented by President and Mrs. Bush in a ceremony in the Oval Office at The White House. Kunzel's credits include an unprecedented catalog of 83 Pops recordings on the Telarc label; four consecutive years as Billboard Magazine's Classical Crossover Artist of the Year; eight nationally televised Pops specials on PBS; and national and international appearances with the Pops, including 10 Carnegie Hall concerts, two tours to Taiwan, three tours to Japan and an historic tour to China. This season marks Kunzel's 30th anniversary season as Conductor of the Cincinnati Pops and will be celebrated by two new releases on Telarc: Masters and Commanders and The Nutcracker.
The Wayne State University Concert Chorale is directed by Norah Duncan IV. A mixed ensemble of 20-plus voices, this highly select choral ensemble performs literature of the 16th through the 21st centuries, including compositions with orchestra and works in contemporary formats. The Concert Chorale strives, through its diverse and demanding repertoire, to bring its audiences the best choral literature performed with the highest possible artistry and professionalism. The Concert Chorale has performed and recorded internationally, including featured performances at festivals in Central and Eastern Europe. -- www.detroitsymphony.com
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