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Community Corner

Dearborn Symphony Celebrates 50 Years, Prepares for Season Kickoff

The DSO season starts Friday with Ode to Joy!, which begins at 8:30 p.m. at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center.

In 1961, a group of musicians and music educators put together a performance of classical music in Dearborn. Fifty years later, borne out of those roots, the Dearborn Symphony Orchestra is preparing to kick off their "golden" season this Friday.

The season begins with Ode to Joy!, including performances of Aaron Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man, as well as Beethoven's Fidelio Overture and Symphony No. 9. The concert begins at 8:30 p.m. at the , following a Golden Jubilee dinner reception held at the .

"I value a first-class orchestra in our community," said Dearborn Symphony Orchestra President Sandy Butler. "I think it enriches the community, it makes it a better place to live, ... it makes our community richer, stronger–it’s special. Any good community has a quality symphony orchestra."

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Southeast Michigan, she added, is lucky in that it has several long-standing community orchestras. But like any arts nonprofits, times have been tough for fundraising.

The Dearborn Symphony Orchestra, which puts on around six shows each season, spends about $200,000 per season. Much of this is supported by fundraising–not ticket sales. And about 88 percent of spending is used for the concerts themselves, instead of administrative costs.

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Most administrators, such as Butler, are volunteers, doing it simply for the music.

"I have a love of music, and it’s something I value," Butler said. "You sort of just get sucked in and have a passion for it to succeed and thrive. It’s becoming a passion to make it work."

And it is working, Butler said. Despite advertising and donor cutbacks, the Dearborn Symphony Orchestra has not been forced to cut programming–or quality. The latter, Butler said, it something Dearborn's group is known for, and it drives musicians to them.

"It’s a very high level," she said. "We bring in first-class soloists. People who know the orchestra now, they would say it’s a much stronger orchestra now.'

The biggest challenge, Butler said, is ensuring that the next 50 years are as vibrant as the last 50. That means getting younger patrons involved and at shows in hopes that they will one day become donors and supporters.

"That’s where all orchestras are–trying to get youth in," Butler said. "That’s one of the reasons we have a real strong tie to the (Dearborn Public) Schools."

As such, the Dearborn Symphony sponsors a scholarship program. They're also working on bringing musicians into schools to perform for the youth.

"We've made 50 years," Butler said, "and we're looking forward to the next 50."

Tickets are still available for Old to Joy! and run $10-30. Learn more on the Dearborn Symphony Orchestra's website.

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