Friday nights are normally quiet nights at my house because it is usually the first night all week my wife and I are both home at a decent hour. A few Fridays ago, November 4th to be exact, we broke our routine of a nice dinner at home to venture out to Orchestra Hall for the first night of the new Detroit Passport to the Arts (DP2A) season.
We both walked away that night elated we broke form.
We arrived around 6:30 pm for an 8 pm performance because DP2A had arranged for the featured performer, classical guitarist Xuefei Yang, to address Passport holders at 7 pm. Yang piqued my curiosity, mostly because I think of Jimmy Page, Steve Vai or Russell Malone when I think of a guitarist. Combining the words classical and guitarist in the same sentence never really occurred to me before.
Photo courtesy of DP2A
Yang proved to be well-worth arriving early to hear, especially when she started talking about meeting her idol Joaquín Rodrigo shortly before he passed away in 1999. She spoke for almost half an hour about her childhood in China, how she learned to play the guitar, why she has 14 guitars at home and why she feels fortunate to have strong finger nails (classical guitarists do not use guitar picks).
It was fitting then that Yang chose to perform Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, considered by many to be one of the best examples of Spanish music.
After talking with Jorja Fleezanis when she was in town, I should have probably dropped the notion that all conductors are stuffy, stoic people making swift motions with a baton to lead the orchestra. After watching the animated guest conductor Joana Carneiro use every square inch of the conductor’s podium to energize the orchestra, I have banished that notion forever.
Following the performance was a reception for Passport holders with a taste of Spain that included flamenco dancing. This was a treat for my wife as she recalled how fascinated she was by traditional flamenco dancing as a kid in Spain. When I saw that glint of excitement in her eyes, I knew we made a great choice for an evening out.
The staff at DP2A did exactly what they set out to do, create an experience that was unique and engaging to attract a new audience to some of our region’s cultural treasures.
Natalie Bruno, Vice President for Marketing and Development at Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings points out there has been a lot of research about what keeps people from attending events at arts organizations. Common barriers for people tend to be price, perceptions of elitism and a sense that audiences are always much older.
“Younger generations want to engage, they want to experience unique things, they like flexibility, they want to attend with their peers and they need the arts to be affordable. DP2A hopes by breaking down these barriers, over the years, thousands of people will be exposed to the strong arts community in Detroit,” she says.
Photo courtesy of DP2A
By keeping a full season of six distinct events at $139 for the general public and $119 for students, the affordability barrier has been addressed. As far as unique experiences go, they aim to host a pre-performance talk when possible and there is always an after party. The after parties seem to be a hit with the performers as well, with about 30 members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra joining us in enjoying a small taste of Spain. Bruno mentioned the actors at the Hillberry Theater and the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble dancers enjoy the energy of the DP2A passport holders too.
That other barrier, wanting to attend events with peers, seems to be taking care of itself with 315 passports being sold so far with room to sell many more. Which begs the question, of the six Passport “destinations” being offered this year, will Spain, the North Pole, Old Hollywood, the Deep South, Sri Lanka or Russia be your favorite?
Pingback: Detroit Passport to the Arts » Passport Destination 1