Author: marketw3

Music on the Plaza Celebrates 30 Years in The Village

 

Presented by St. John Hospital & Medical Center

GROSSE POINTE, Mich., May 11, 2017 – Recognized as “Grosse Pointe’s original summer music series,” Music on the Plaza opens its 30th concert season on Thursday, June 8 with a spectacular double header program that features concert performances by the Grosse Pointe North High School jazz band and the Grosse Pointe South High School jazz band.

The Music on the Plaza concert series is produced by the Grosse Pointe Village Downtown Development Authority and sponsored by St. John Hospital & Medical Center with support from individuals and organizations of the community.

Concerts take place on Thursday evenings from June 8-August 3 on an outdoor stage, located at the corner of Kercheval Avenue and St. Clair Avenue, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. There will be no concert on July 27 in order to accommodate The Village Sidewalk Sale, which takes place Friday, July 28 and Saturday, July 29.

Music on the Plaza concerts celebrate many of the best loved artists in metropolitan Detroit’s music community and highlights musicians from the region. This season incorporates a variety of musical styles from jazz to country and blues. Grosse Pointe resident Devin Scillian and his band Arizona Son make their Music on the Plaza debut thanks to sponsorship from Ray Laethem.

For nearly three decades, the corner of St. Clair and Kercheval avenues has become Grosse Pointe’s meet-up spot on Thursday evenings during summer. Highlighting the special sense of a “walkable community,” residents of all ages come to The Village on foot, riding bikes, and pushing strollers. The evening concerts make a great time to catch up with old friends and to establish new friendships as Grosse Pointers dine in Village restaurants before and after the concerts.

The Music on the Plaza series of eight family friendly concerts are free of charge and open to the public. Concert-goers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs. The performances take place, rain or shine. In the event of rain, the concerts will be held at Maire Elementary School, 740 Cadieux Road, two blocks west from the normal site. Venue changes due to weather and other notifications will be posted online via Facebook, www.facebook.com/thevillagegrossepointe, on the evening of the concert.

Scheduled bands and performance dates are as follows:

  • June 8 – GP North Jazz Band & GP South Jazz Band
    Award-winning jazz bands made up of students from Grosse Pointe North and South High Schools.
    Sponsored by Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe
  • June 15 – Rhythm Society Orchestra
    Grosse Pointe Farm’s own Paul King croons with the swinging 15 piece big band, Rhythm Society Orchestra, authentically re-creating the sights and sounds of the swing era.
  •  June 22 – Alvin Waddles & Friends
    A true “Detroit Original,” the pianist leads an iconic trio celebrating the music from the first half of the 20th century.
  • June 29 – Devin Scillian with Arizona Son
    An accomplished musician, songwriter and WDIV Channel 4 News Anchorman, Devin Scillian has released four albums of original songs. Sponsored by Ray Laethem
  • July 6 – The Millionaires
    Swing, Jump Blues and Latin Jazz from long-time area favorites.
  • July 13 – Scott Gwinnell Group
    Scott Gwinnell is a multi-award winning jazz pianist/composer who leads an ensemble comprised of some of the top jazz musicians in Detroit.
  • July 20 – Marge’s Bar Band
    Now in its 48th year, the six-piece ensemble delivers vintage jazz & swing pioneered by Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Bessie Smith and the greats.
  • Aug 3 – The Sun Messengers
    It wouldn’t be summer without Grosse Pointe’s favorite dance band, a perfect cap to the series.

Note in Schedule: There is no concert July 27, the week of The Village Sidewalk Sale.

Produced by the Grosse Pointe Village Downtown Development Authority, the Music on the Plaza jazz concert series is made possible through corporate and community support.

St. John Hospital & Medical Center returns as the official title sponsor. In addition, sponsors and supporters include Jazz Lovers: Ray Laethem, State Farm Insurance, Adlhoch & Associates/Flagstar. Jazz Master: Sunrise Senior Living, Stifel. Partner Sponsor: Grosse Pointe Geek, Wayne County Community College District . Presenting Artist:  Devin Scillian and Arizona Son- Ray Laethem, GP North & South High School Jazz Bands Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe. Series Sponsor: TCBY and Sanders. Series Supporters: Bikes, Blades and Boards, Massage Green and Old Pony Martini Bar. Providing promotional support are media sponsors, Grosse Pointe News, Grosse Pointe Times, Pointe Magazine, and WRCJ 90.9 FM.

Additional information about the series and The Village, downtown Grosse Pointe, is available at www.thevillagegp.com.

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Pro Musica of Detroit presents New Music Detroit

In concert Friday, May 5, 2017 at The Max       

DETROIT, April 17, 2017 – Experience the art of music at its finest and most contemporary when Pro Musica presents New Music Detroit on Friday, May 5, at the Cube in the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center in Detroit. Presenting a repertoire of modern and contemporary classical works, the concert program begins at 7:30 p.m.

New Music Detroit is an incredible ensemble comprised of top talents from the professional, classic music ranks. Calling themselves a “musical collective, more than a formal ensemble,” New Music Detroit’s primary members are Vicky Chow, piano; Gina DiBello, violin; Ian Ding, percussion; Una O’Riordan, cello; Shannon Orme, clarinets; and Erik Rönmark, saxophones.

Each a virtuosic musician, the artists are active soloists and members of leading symphonies, including the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the cultural and academic worlds. Specializing in chamber works from the late 20th century to the present day, New Music Detroit was honored as a Kresge Arts Fellow in 2014.

New Music Detroit has been hailed as the flagship new music ensemble in the region. The ensemble regularly draws upon super-talented guest artists from in and around Detroit and Southeast Michigan, as well as the broader new music community. The group has developed a loyal following of young fans. Along with other leading Detroit-area performing arts and cultural organizations, they have produced and performed “Strange, Beautiful Music,” now an annual tradition at Orchestra Hall, drawing hundreds of young new/contemporary music fans every year.

“Pro Musica presents New Music Detroit” will be held in the intimate Cube at The Max on Friday, May 5. Individual ticket prices are $45 for Cabaret Table Seating; $25 for Theater Seats; and $10 for Student Tickets (and school drivers). VIP seating with valet parking are $90 each. Tickets are available by calling the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Box Office, (313) 576-5111, and online at DSO.org. All tickets include an Afterglow reception with the artists in the Orchestra Hall Atrium. Concert doors open at 7 p.m. An informal pre-concert presentation begins at 7:15 p.m.

The performance by New Music Detroit represents the final concert in the Pro Musica of Detroit 2016-2017 season, the not-for-profit cultural institution’s 90th concert season. The 2016-2017 season also included concert performances by the Escher Quartet in September, 2016 and the Poulenc Trio in March of this year. For details, please visit promusicadetroit.com.

About Pro Musica of Detroit

Now entering its 90th season, the mission of Pro Musica of Detroit is to present artists and works at the forefront of classical music. Many of the world’s most eminent names in music, including composers Béla Bartók, Maurice Ravel, Aaron Copland, Michael Daugherty and Kristjan Järvi, and performers who include Joshua Bell, Ray Chen, Paul Huang, Amit Peled, Ivan Moshchuk and Cuarteto Latinoamericano, have given our audiences a deeper appreciation for the wonder that is music and the artists who make it possible. Pro Musica of Detroit is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. To learn more about Pro Musica of Detroit, please visit promusicadetroit.com.

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N E W   M U S I C   D E T R O I T

 

Vicky Chow, piano

Gina DiBello, violin

Ian Ding, percussion

Una O’Riordan, cello

Shannon Orme, clarinets

Erik Rönmark, saxophones

 

Program

Karakurenai                                      ANDY AKIHO (b. 1979)

Number 9                    GABRIELLA SMITH (b. 1994)

Gravity                  HADI AYANBOD (b. 1980)

Mara’s Lullaby (from Tight Sweater)               MARC MELLITS (b. 1966)

Prime                                  MARC MELLITS

Learn Winning Strategies to Attract, Motivate and Retain Top Talent

Special Program May 16 at Kart 2 Kart

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich., April 27, 2017 – The keys to attracting, motivating and retaining top talent in today’s business world are on the agenda at an innovative event May 16 at Kart 2 Kart. Other items on the itinerary cover creating new opportunities, setting mutually beneficial goals and making fun at work and in personal life.

“How to Attract, Motivate and Retain Top Talent” addresses the pressing challenges of building and maintaining winning professional teams in today’s tumultuous job market. Designed as an evening of networking and fun for business owners and executives, the event features a brief program about ways to attract, motivate and retain top talent

Business owners working to build strong teams may be surprised to learn that more than half of employees are dissatisfied and seeking their next job. Gallup Research also found that a lack of professional development and career growth is the new number one reason employees leave a company in today’s market.

In order to stop the loss of seasoned talent, attendees will discover innovative ways to reward employees, motivate staff, and strengthen teams through shared experiences.

One way to accomplish that is changing the way a business owner may look at travel. Representatives from Royal Caribbean Cruise will illuminate the benefits of changing how one thinks about travel from a method of transport to a means of attracting and incentivizing top talent.

“How to Attract, Motivate and Retain Top Talent” takes place 5:30-8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 16 at Kart 2 Kart Karting and Conference Center, 42705 Van Dyke, Sterling Heights, Mich. Cost of the program is $20 for two guests and includes beer, wine and hot hors d’oeuvres. A portion of the proceeds will benefit local charities. Guests can register online at  www.elitesuccesspartners.com/event/how-to-attract-motivate-retain-top-talent/.

Among the evening’s topics is how the building of a culture of fun and energy helps retain great talent. Demonstrating that fun, guests will be invited to drive Kart 2 Kart’s Pro Karts modeled after racing karts, the same style that professional drivers started out in. Powered by a Honda 6.5 horsepower engine, drivers can achieve speeds upwards of 35 mph on a 1/5 mile, 6-turn road course.

The event is a collaboration between Elite Success Partners, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, KEO RIS Marketing and Kart 2 Kart Karting and Conference Center.

About Kart 2 Kart Indoor Karting & Conference Center

Kart 2 Kart offers the latest in indoor racing technology in a safe, clean and authentic racing atmosphere. The track is operated using the most current professional motor sports safety systems, including warning lights, soft barrier systems, enforced driving standards, and an automatic computerized lap timing system. Drivers are fully briefed on the equipment they use and track safety and the entire circuit is overseen by the trained Kart 2 Kart staff.

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Alger Theatre Adds New Rooftop Terrace

DETROIT, Feb. 8, 2017 — Friends of the Alger Theater are about to take their mission to create a welcoming destination for arts and culture in the City of Detroit to another level. The organization announced today that it has commenced construction of a new Rooftop Terrace that will debut this year.

Construction on the Alger Rooftop Terrace is expected to last through spring of 2017. The new open-air, elevated patio will serve as a public gathering space for outdoor films, performances, party rentals, meetings and a place to enjoy the company of friends and neighbors. The Alger Rooftop Terrace is scheduled for public debut in mid-June.

The new project marks the next phase of the non-profit group Friends of the Alger Theater’s mission to activate and restore the theater and establish a welcoming destination all members of the community. Volunteers and loyal donors have paved the pathway over the past 30 years in order to make this project to be possible.

This phase of The Alger Theater reactivation is made possible through a number of funders and agencies. Fundraising kicked off a 2015 Patronicity campaign through a partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Funds raised from individuals  were matched by the MEDC. The Lear Corporation provided the balance of dollars required for design and permitting this first phase construction. To date $200,000 has been raised for the rooftop terrace and related construction.

The project includes the face of the East Warren storefronts which will be available for rent. Additional funds are needed to prepare the storefronts for commercial tenants. Specifically funds are needed for the installation of electric, plumbing, heating and the build-out of the interior spaces. Tax-deductible donations can be made at www.algertheater.org.

The construction project is overseen by D&S Contractors of Berkley. The theater has national, state and local historic designation requiring the appearance of the exterior of the building is to remain in character with the original 1935 design. The Friends have used historic photos as a reference for selection of new materials since none of the original architectural plans are known to exist. Any remaining fixtures or architectural details that may be original to the building will be archived to provide visual reference for the future.

The mission of The Friends of The Alger Theater is to activate and restore the Alger Theater and establish a welcoming destination for arts, entertainment, and education in the community.  The revitalized Alger Theater is intended to become the neighborhood catalyst driving new commercial, social, and cultural development to advance a vibrant community. More information is available at www.algertheater.org.