Two U-M music grad students will drive new Cadillac to Carnegie Hall
U-M music grad students David Cook, left, and Emily Wespiser, middle, will be driving to Carnegie Hall in a new Cadillac ATS this week, performing pop-up concerts along the way.
Photo provided by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
More specific details may be found in the press release:
At 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 9, two University of Michigan graduate music students - who double as Detroit Symphony Orchestra Civic Youth Ensemble Mentors - will hit the road in a brand new Cadillac ATS to follow the DSO to Carnegie Hall for its May 10 Ives Immersion performance as part of the Spring For Music Festival.Along the way, David Cook, first year graduate student of clarinet performance, and Emily Wespiser, second year graduate student of flute performance, will spread the word about Detroit, the DSO, and Cadillac ATS drivability by performing pop up concerts and documenting their trip [via Twitter] using hashtag #ATStoCarnegie.
Planned stops include a performance at Central Cadillac on Carnegie Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio and a visit to Lola Bistro, a Cleveland diner owned by Michael Symon of Detroit’s Roast in the historic Westin Book Cadillac hotel.
For all details about the DSO’s trip to Carnegie Hall, visit dso.org/carnegiehall.
The DSO’s participation in Spring For Music is made possible with generous support from the General Motors Foundation, Cadillac and the William Davidson Foundation. The General Motors Foundation and Cadillac have helped to pave the way from Motown to Manhattan for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra this May as it prepares to perform at Carnegie Hall for the first time in 17 years.
The General Motors Foundation provided a $350,000 grant to the DSO for music education initiatives, including its involvement in the prestigious Spring for Music festival. In addition to funding from the Foundation, Cadillac vehicles will transport DSO Civic Mentors, musicians and special guests during the week-long festival.
About David Cook
Originally from Troy, Michigan, David Cook is pursuing Master of Music degrees in clarinet performance and chamber music at the University of Michigan. He holds Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Music Education degrees from Central Michigan University. David works with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Civic Youth Ensembles as Civic Orchestra Clarinet Mentor and will be an Orchestra Fellow at the Immanuel & Helen Olshan Texas Music Festival this summer. He is especially excited for the Carnegie Hall performances as a result of completing his research project about the musical evolution throughout Charles Ives's symphonies.
About Emily Wespiser
A native of Lee, Massachusetts, Emily Wespiser is an active solo, orchestral and chamber musician. As the Detroit Civic Youth Orchestra mentor, she has performed under esteemed DSO conductor Leonard Slatkin, and alongside international soloist Emanuel Ax. Selected to perform and study at the Brevard Music Center for the 2013 season, Emily has spent past summers as the resident principal flutist in the Opera in the Ozarks Orchestra and performing in masterclasses for flutists such as Jeffrey Khaner, Keith Underwood, Ian Clarke, and Doriot Dwyer. Emily can be heard performing with the University of Michigan Symphony Band on their recently released CD, Points of Departure (Equilibrium Records), and with the Ithaca College Symphony Orchestra on their soon to be released Rite of Spring CD. An advocate for new music, Emily has premiered works by composers such as David Biedenbender, Marco Schirripa, Brendan Vavra, Peter Learn, and Gordon Stout. Emily holds a B.M. from Ithaca College, and recently completed her Masters of Music at the University of Michigan, under the direction of flutist Amy Porter.
Here's a promotional trailer.
Jenn McKee is an entertainment reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jennmckee@annarbor.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.