•

This Wee

Culturally Connecte

Jews give
generously to
DSO, well
beyond their
population
percentage.

AO AA

5/19

2000

6

Performing Arts, will begin this year;
it represents phase three. It will
include an atrium lobby, elevators and
refreshment areas for patrons; dressing
rooms and practice rooms for per-
formers.
A new education center and a sec-
ond, smaller performance hall are the
centerpieces of the expansion.
The Jacob Bernard Pincus Music
Education Center, Woodward at
Seldon, on the newly announced
Orchestra Place campus, will offer a
wide range of programs. The center
will be able to accommodate small
and large musical ensembles, private
lessons, coaching, theory and compo-
sition. The large rehearsal hall, with
the same dimensions as the Orchestra
Hall stage, is for youth orchestras,
bands and choirs. There will be six
practice studios and a music library.
Chamber music and jazz perfor-
mances with traditional or cabaret seat-
ing will be held in the 550-seat, second
performance hall. It will double as a
venue for educational activities, with
capability for video teleconferencing.
Orchestra Place is envisioned to be an
arts, education and commercial complex
in the heart of a formerly rundown area
near downtown Detroit. Phase One,
completed in 1998, brought a five-story,
175,000-square-foot office building and
800-car parking structure. Phase Two
will bring a Detroit High School for the
nity
has
always
been
there,"
said
Max
Fine and Performing Arts.
HARRY KIRSBAUM
Fisher
of
Franklin.
The
industrialist
and
The campaign plans to apply $60
Staff Writer
philanthropist gave $5 million to the
million in capital funds for renova-
DSO campaign. He said he thinks inter- tions, $10.5 million to wipe out the
ewish contributors, who to
est in the campaign "is much higher due symphony's deficit and $49 million to
date have contributed almost
to the efforts of Peter (Cummings)."
increase DSO endowments to more
25 percent of the Detroit
In turn, Cummings gives much of
than $90 million. Administrative costs
Symphony Orchestra's renova-
the credit to Fisher, his father-in-law,
are $5.1 million.
tion and endowment campaign, say
who laid down a challenge to him. As
Groundbreaking for the second
they are just doing what Jews do
DSO's
vice
chairman
in
and
third phases is scheduled this
everywhere: giving to the
year; the new facilities are slated to
An artist's re ndering 1994, Cummings was told
cultural arts.
open in late 2003.
Jews have always heavily of the new Max M. he ought to think in larger
terms, beyond adding brick-
With appreciation for Fisher's leader-
supported the cultural arts, Fisher Cente r for
the Performi ng Arts. work, lighting and landscap-
ship, Cumming noted, "Max has been
stated DSO Chairman
ing, to the DSO's Woodward associated with Jewish causes his whole
Peter Cummings, who last
Avenue
home,
Orchestra Hall.
life, but this shows his lifelong commit-
week updated a $125 million fund-
"One
thing
to know about Max
ment to Detroit in a general sense."
raising effort — "Concerto for
is that he challenges
"The Jewish
Community and Orchestra: the
everyone, whether you're
community has
Detroit Symphony Orchestra's
a al RI, Ef
doing business with him
done a lot for a
§11
Campaign for the Future."
qv
is
or you're part of the fam-
lot of things,"
So far, about $91 million has been
• NENEnk.
ily," said Cummings,
Fisher said. "It's
raised in gifts and pledges to the cam-
ti O ottn&V
who himself contributed
not just taking
paign, with Jewish supporters giving
$1.5 million to the pro-
Max Fisher's challenge
care of the
more than $23 million. Jews number
ject.
Jewish
commu-
about 96,000 locally, representing
spurs bigger
Construction
nity
—
it's tak-
about 2 percent of the metropolitan
dreams for
on the 130,000-
ing care of
community's 4 million residents.
square-foot addi-
Detroit." ❑
"The interest of the Jewish commu-
the DSO.
tion, named the
Max M. Fisher
Related editorial: page 39
CULTURALLY CONNECTED on page 9
Center for the

j

