Stay tuned to WRCJ 90.9 FM or wrcjfm.org for occasional live Detroit Symphony Orchestra concerts or hear archive editions of DSO Unmasked or Civic Orchestra concerts.

Making Music with the DSO, hosted by Music Director Leonard Slatkin, is a co-production of the DSO and DPTV and will feature 12 episodes, each focusing on a different aspect of the art of making music. Making Music with the DSO airs Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. ET.

The program goes behind the scenes with the DSO to discover all that goes into creating a world-class symphony. It also features other genres of music, exploring how they connect to classical. Music experts, local and world famous artists, Detroit area music students, and many DSO musicians are featured in both interviews and performances, and each show includes a "reality" segment in which everyday music fans are brought into the music-making process.

Making Music with the DSO is made possible through a major grant from Stanley and Judy Frankel.

Jan. 3-4 "Listen Up!" – By practicing the art of listening, the concert experience can be greatly enhanced. Hear what “professional listeners” (music critics) and other serious music fans have to say about how they hear music. 1

Jan. 10-11 "Does Size Matter?" – Orchestra music comes in all shapes and sizes, from a chamber trio to a 100-piece orchestra. Find out how different orchestral combinations are put together for a wide spectrum of music styles and how the sizes of instruments impact the music they make.

Jan. 17-18 "What’s in a Name?" – What musicians play on what? How do musicians decide what instrument to play? Reveal this through conversations with DSO musicians and others. Steinway Pianos and their use in the Orchestra.

Jan 24-25 "Mommy do I have to Practice?" – The role of music education is examined – how it enhances life, learning and development, its place in public education, how orchestras and other institutions are innovating in this field.

Jan. 31-Feb. 1 "What makes it ‘Classical’?" – Debunking the idea that classical music is only orchestral and only composed by 200-year-old white men, the genre is defined by conversations with artists from jazz, rock and other local music scenes.

Feb. 7-8 "Must the Show Go On?" – What goes into creating a program? A backstage pass to see the behind the scenes operations: stagehands, artistic support staff, the library, rehearsal, etc.

Feb. 14-15 "The International Language" – Orchestras perform music from all over the world, representing the musical language of many lands, from all of the countries of Europe to the Middle East and the Far East. Explore how the musicians approach the different styles of music they are called upon to play.

Feb. 21-22 "If You Write, They Will Come" – An exploration of how composers do what they do, featuring conversations with Classical and Contemporary composers.

Mar. 21-22 "What Does the Conductor Do?" – A walk through the conductor’s responsibilities with Leonard Slatkin. Demonstration, etc.

Mar. 28-29 "For Score" – What are the roles of the sections of the orchestra? How do they work together? What kind of sound do they strive for? What makes the section in Detroit unique or different? Who plays what? How do they interact/warm up/what “tools” do they use?

Apr. 4-5 "Our House: Our Home" – Take a tour of Detroit’s remarkable performance spaces, from Orchestra Hall at The Max (an acoustical wonder built in just four months!). Do the “pin drop” test from the stage. Interview acousticians and people about the Orchestra Hall acoustics: musicians, audience members.

Apr. 11-12 "DSO Unplugged" – (the reality show) “Are the players like regular people?” Professional orchestra musicians lead very different lives – or do they? Get up close and personal with members of the DSO to see what makes them like the rest of us and what sets them apart. What do they do when they’re not onstage?

Previous episodes.

Leonard Slatkin

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