The Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra brings its concert series to Ypsi for the first time

This story is part of a series about arts and culture in Washtenaw County. It is made possible by the Ann Arbor Art Center, Destination Ann Arbor, Larry and Lucie Nisson, the University of Michigan Arts Initiative, and the University Musical Society.

It’s a season of firsts for the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra (A2SO). The A2SO will present its first commissioned piece, “African Queens,” composed by a consortium of Black composers; music from the internationally acclaimed Studio Ghibli films is expected to be another season highlight; and, for the first time in its history, the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra (A2SO) has expanded its concert series to include two performances in Ypsilanti for the 2026-27 season.

The Ypsi performances are the orchestra’s way of saying “to (anyone) who lives on the east side of U.S. 23, ‘Hey, we’re your orchestra, too,’” says A2SO Executive Director Sarah Calderini.

At 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 18, the A2SO will present a selection of music featured in the world-famous Studio Ghibli films, including “My Neighbor Totoro,” “Spirited Away,” and others, at Eastern Michigan University’s (EMU) Frederic H. Pease Auditorium, 494 College Place, in Ypsilanti.

Composer Joe Hisaishi wrote the music for the renowned Japanese animation studio’s films, which “you can’t watch without crying,” says Calderini.

The A2SO returns to Pease Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2027, for a program featuring Beethoven’s “Pastoral Symphony” (Symphony No. 6) and Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5, among other pieces.

“We’re really excited about…strengthening an already very good partnership with Eastern Michigan,” says Calderini.

Many A2SO musicians are on the faculty at EMU, where the orchestra also frequently rehearses.

That makes the Pease performances a way of “going a little deeper into a community where we already have some long-standing roots.” Those extend from ongoing programs with Ypsilanti Community Schools to a partnership with the University of Michigan Credit Union to collect and redistribute used musical instruments.

Calderini says the expanded programming comes at a perfect time for the A2SO.

“When you are artistically and organizationally strong, that’s the time to really lean into expanding your programmatic reach and engagement with the communities that we want to serve,” she says. “We all win by doing this.”

But there was also a practical reason for bringing the A2SO to Ypsilanti.

“Ann Arbor just doesn’t have enough venue space for the demand that arts-presenting and -producing organizations need,” Calderini says.

With demand so far outstripping supply, the orchestra found a way to increase supply: by widening the range of its performance reach to include Ypsilanti audiences — and Ypsilanti venues.

Calderini also says the A2SO hopes to increase access to live performances for all audiences, which involves “mak(ing) sure we have a welcoming, inviting presence in the community.”

She wants audiences to know that “there’s no wrong way to be at a symphony performance.”

“You don’t need to dress a certain way. You don’t need to look a certain way. Your resume doesn’t need to say something,” Calderini says.

“Everybody can get meaning from this engagement with the music and the experience.”

For the A2SO, 2026-27 will be “a season of firsts” that go beyond the Ypsilanti performances, Calderini adds.

On Saturday, March 20, 2027, the A2SO will perform the music from Disney’s “Frozen” alongside the simultaneous screening of the film — the first time the orchestra has accompanied a live film.

Calderini says the event will be “fun for all ages.”

This season also marks the first time the A2SO has commissioned work.

The orchestra’s first commissioned piece, “African Queens,” was composed by a consortium of Black composers collectively called the Blacknificent 7, each of whom contributed a movement inspired by the legacy of a different African queen. Featuring soprano Karen Slack, the piece will be performed on Friday, Feb. 19, 2027, at Hill Auditorium, 825 N University Ave, in Ann Arbor.

And on Saturday, April 3, 2027, the piece “All Appeared New,” commissioned from composer Nico Muhly and performed by the string quartet Brooklyn Rider, will be paired with Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 (also known as his “pastoral symphony”).  

That’s a not-to-miss program, Caldrini says: “All the hot contemporary artists want to work with Nico Muhly.”

“He works with all the cool kids,” she adds. “He’s a cool kid himself.”

Meanwhile, the A2SO has already begun planning its 2027-28 season, and Calderini says, “It’s certainly in our plan to continue this partnership with Pease” and continue bringing performances to Ypsilanti.

Pease Auditorium is “a beautiful venue,” she says. “It’s got its own organ. The possibilities are endless.”