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Dick Simpson – RIP

Dick Simpson played the tuba at Dearborn Symphony Concerts for 20 years.

Richard “Dick” B. Simpson

September 11, 1947 – April 27, 2021

Dick Simpson passed away on Tuesday, April 27th, 2021 at the age of 73 after a long battle with spastic paraparesis. Dear brother of John (Linda), David (Jeanine), and Thomas. Proud uncle of Daniel (Lisa), Liz (Craig), Natalie, Luke (Lindsey), Patrick, Laura (Andy), and Michael. Predeceased by parents, Bruce and Alice Simpson.

Dick retired from Ford Motor Company after 34 years of service. He was an engineer specialist dealing with NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) and worked often in the sound quality labs. He was one of the key engineers to work on the exhaust tuning in the Ford Mustang, especially on the Bullitt model. 

In his free time, Dick was a master photographer, both behind the camera and in the dark room. He took all of the photos for the family, was the master editor of the family albums/videos, and snapped most of the notable shots for the Sing Out Dearborn and Sing Out Asia groups. Dick also had his pilot’s license and his own kit plane. This enabled him to also snap thousands of aerial photos throughout his travels. 

Dick is remembered by his family as a remarkable driver and pilot, starting with the family go-cart as children and through the years as he would procure a variety of fast cars, including his Boss 302. They also fondly recall the times that Dick would invite them on thrill rides in his plane. 

Dick comes from a musical family. He was a talented tuba player and he played for 20 years in the Dearborn Symphony as the sole tuba in the ensemble.

Dick was a Gift of Life tissue donor offering to improve the life of somebody who is sick or injured.

He will be sorely missed and fondly remembered by those who knew him. 

For more information click here.

Dearborn Symphony’s Principal Clarinet, Nickolas Hamblin, has been with the orchestra for two years.

He began playing his instrument at the age of 10 and chose the clarinet because his grandfather played one in the local polka band in Wyandotte, Michigan. His grandfather even had an extra one for Nickolas to use for fifth grade band.

Nickolas is an active chamber and orchestral musician in the metro Detroit area. He currently serves as principal clarinet with the Dearborn Symphony, 2nd clarinet with the Adrian Symphony Orchestra, and regularly performs as principal clarinet with the Michigan Philharmonic.

Hamblin has won first prize in many competitions, including the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Bradlin Scholarship Competition, Detroit Federation of Musicians Solo Competition, Dearborn Symphony Young Artists Solo Competition, Southern Great Lakes Symphony Solo Competition, Tuesday Musicale of Detroit Young Artist Competition, and the Michigan Youth Arts Festival Concerto Competition.  His chamber trio won first prize in the New York International Young Musician Competition’s chamber music division.

Having just moved to Ann Arbor, he has been spending time setting up his new apartment, attending some online classes and has been having a lot of fun cooking!


 

 

Neal Campbell is the Principal Tuba for the Dearborn Symphony and has been playing with us for ten years.  He picked up the Tuba at age 13!

As a B&S Perantucci Tuba Artist, he also plays for the Gabrieli Brass Quintet and Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Motorcity Brass Quintet, Detroit Chamber Winds, Fischer Theatre Orchestra, Fox Theatre Orchestra, The River City Brass Band, Toledo Symphony Orchestra, Toledo Symphony Concert Band and Michigan Opera Theatre Orchestra.

Having been on the faculty at universities in Michigan and Ohio, The Blue Lakes Fine Arts Camp, and The University of Michigan All-State Program, Neal has been teaching this year from his home in Southfield, Michigan. He’s also been supporting his kids with “virtual everything”!

Neal is a certified flight instructor and commercial pilot.

 

 

click here or the image to hear Neal perform at the Max

Annual Meeting

The annual meeting is held on the last Tuesday of June. Guests and members may attend to hear reports of the previous year for the Dearborn Symphony.

DOS Annual Report 2024 final_compressed 1Download

AGENDA
Welcome & President’s Report
Minutes of Previous Annual Meeting and Board Meetings
Treasurer’s Report
Proposed Budget for next fiscal year
Executive Director Report
Music Director Report
Committee Reports
Elections of Board Members


Friends of Dearborn Symphony Annual Report

Dearborn Orchestral Society Endowment Fund (DOSEF) Annual Report

Musicians Relief Fund

Musicians’ Relief Fund

The musicians of the Dearborn Symphony have been our lifeblood. Year after year, they provide our community with performances and education programs of the highest caliber, and our mission as an organization would be impossible without them.

The Musicians’ Relief Fund has been created to financially aid and support our musicians whose livelihoods have been adversely affected by the current Covid-19 global pandemic. Your philanthropic support of the Musicians’ Relief Fund will go directly to those musicians who need it most at this time of great uncertainty and financial stress. Our ability to support our musicians through this crisis helps ensure they will be with us on stage when performances resume and we can all come together once again.

Give to the Musicians’ Relief Fund

Please help us toward our fund-raising goals for the upcoming year by making a contribution which is tax- deductible to the extent allowed by Federal and state laws.

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Download a Donation Form to mail

Your completion of our contribution form is most appreciated and will ensure the continued success of one of Michigan’s finest community orchestras.

Thank You

Donations to the Dearborn Orchestral Society will help support the general operations of the Dearborn Symphony. The Dearborn Orchestral Society is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Donations may be tax-deductible to the extent permitted by Federal and State laws.

Dearborn Symphony Introduces a New Conductor

Sarah Sloboda Photography

It was a year in the making, and as the Dearborn Symphony kicks off its 58th season, the Symphony Board of Directors are pleased to introduce new Music Director Steven Jarvi. President Sandy Butler stated that “Jarvi’s enthusiasm and innovative ideas to enhance the concert going experience will lead the Symphony into an exciting future.”

Maestro Jarvi was one of three outstanding guest conductors who led the Dearborn Symphony last year and each was a strong contender for the role, as noted by audience, board and search committee and musician surveys. “Maestro Jarvi emerged as a wonderful fit for the Dearborn Symphony and our community,” Butler noted. “I am delighted to be leading this wonderful group of musicians and to bring my passion for live orchestral music to Dearborn and surrounding communities,” Jarvi shared. “I was very taken by, not only the orchestra’s high level of musicianship, but also by their enthusiasm and dedication to the future of the Symphony. I go to work with the mindset that I became a musician to express myself as an artist and to have fun! The Dearborn Symphony musicians reflect the same sentiment, thus, I was sold!”

Maestro Jarvi brings 20 years of symphonic and opera-conducting experience to the orchestra, having led top orchestras throughout the U.S. and Europe. He has been praised for his “uncommonly expressive and detailed” performances by the Miami Herald, and the Wall Street Journal has described him as an “eloquent and decisive” conductor.

Raised in Grand Haven, Michigan, Jarvi holds a Bachelors’ degree in Music Theory from the University of Michigan and a Master’s in Orchestral Conducting from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University.

The 2019-2020 season, entitled “New Beginnings,” will feature Blue chip musical treasures beginning October 11. That evening’s program “Bravissimo,” will also have a pre-concert party. Party tickets are $40 and include dining and one drink ticket (full bar available). Get a party and concert ticket for $65.

“American Masters” follows on November 22, “For the Love of Beethoven” on February 14, “Stage and Screen” on April 3, and “Fairy Tales & Friends” on May 8.

Join in the pleasure of listening to Dearborn’s amazing musicians as they present the highest quality musical pieces right in our own backyard.

Make your reservation for The Gala

Four ways to make reservations. You select the quantity after clicking a button below:

Benefactor $300 per person (incl. program listing; invitation listing if received by June 1}
Patron $225 per person (incl. program listing)

Single reservation $175 per person

Corporate table $2,500 for eight (incl. program listing and table signage)

Proceeds benefit the Dearborn Symphony Orchestra.