Anchor Bay Schools Scores Free Detroit Symphony Orchestra Concert

The internationally acclaimed Detroit Symphony Orchestra will hold a free concert at 8 p.m. Sept. 21 at .

Tickets for the event presented by the DTE Energy Foundation are available starting Aug. 27 at dso.org/dtemusic.

This is the second-consecutive year DTE Energy Foundation sponsored free DSO community concerts. This first series of concerts in the 2012-2013 season aim to expose the world-class symphony to remote metro Detroit communities.

Anchor Bay Stars Glee Club, Anchor Bay Community Foundation and the Anchor Bay schools rallied to support this event. 

"I believe this event can be life-changing for our community," Blair Cremeens, Executive Director of Anchor Bay Stars Glee Club wrote in his proposal letter to the DSO. “Hosting the world-renowned DSO in the New Baltimore area is the most significant performing arts event in our community's history. We hope the orchestra's performance will inspire a renaissance of new growth in our local performing arts."

For the DSO Concert, Cremeens will lead a team of volunteers who are passionate about music, the community, and the DSO. An "orchestrated" team effort of more than 100 people is required to make the concert possible, he said.

Five concert venues for the free concert series were selected from nearly 100 nominees and 5,000 support comments from communities. A selection committee of five community members ultimately picked Anchor Bay High School in St. Clair County, Clarkston High School in Oakland County, Mount Clemens High School in Macomb County, Pioneer High School in Washtenaw County, and Wayne Memorial High School in Wayne County, according to the DTE Energy Foundation.

“We are thrilled with the public response to the DSO and DTE Energy Foundation’s initiative to make classical music as accessible as possible,” selection committee member Mike Chriss, DTE Energy Director-Corporate and Governmental Affairs said in a news release. “We are grateful for the opportunity to remind the neighboring communities that Detroit’s gems are available to them, too.”

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with a student centered warm-up performance at 7 p.m. inside the Anchor Bay Performing Arts Center in the high school. The DSO will take the stage at 8 p.m. for a 90-minute concert. Guests are encouraged to arrive early to ensure a seat.