About Us
Dearborn Symphony plays a vital role in the cultural life of Dearborn and our neighboring communities across Southeast Michigan. Deeply valued by our audiences, musicians, and civic partners, the symphony has spent decades weaving incredible music into the fabric of our region.
MISSION
The Dearborn Symphony inspires, uplifts, and enriches its audiences and musicians by presenting high caliber and engaging orchestral performances and educational programs.
VISION
The Dearborn Symphony will be Michigan’s Premier Community Orchestra through music and outreach that unites broader and diverse communities.
Our History
The inaugural season of Dearborn Symphony launched in 1961, founded by a dedicated group of local musicians and music educators who envisioned a premier symphonic anchor for the city. Now celebrating 65 years of music-making, Dearborn Symphony continues to stand as one of the region’s most resilient and talented community-centered orchestras.
Artistic Leadership
For its first 25 years, the orchestra thrived under the direction of Nathan Gordon. Following his retirement at the conclusion of the 1986–1987 season, Leo Najar served as artistic advisor. The orchestra’s artistic legacy was further shaped by Leslie Dunner, who led from 1988 to 1996, and Kypros Markou, who served as Music Director from 1997 through the spring of 2018.
During the 57th season, Dearborn Symphony initiated a thoughtful search for its next artistic leader. Following an extensive audition process, Steven Jarvi, Music Director and Conductor, joined the organization in 2019. He was welcomed with enthusiastic support from our musicians, audience, and Board of Directors, and he continues to lead the orchestra toward a bright, inclusive, and creative future.
Deep Musical Roots
Membership in the orchestra is open to talented area musicians through an audition process. In our early years, many principal chairs were held by members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, who provided vital mentorship and foundational leadership across our various instrumental sections. Today, a number of those dedicated musicians still perform with us on stage.
Award-Winning Community Impact
Often recognized as a cultural cornerstone of the city, Dearborn Symphony has been voted the Outstanding Community Orchestra six times by the Detroit Music Awards, receiving honors in 2007, 2008, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2020.
Our commitment to our neighbors extends far beyond our masterworks concerts. Every year, we serve the community through purposeful educational outreach:
- Annual Children’s Concert: Free educational performances that introduce local youth from Dearborn Public Schools to orchestral music.
- Side-by-Side Performance: An annual collaborative concert side-by-side with the young musicians of the Dearborn Youth Symphony.
- Young Artist Enrichment: A localized in-school sectionals and mentorship in select schools in the Dearborn Public Schools.
- Youth Artists Solo Competition: A prestigious performance and award opportunity open to young musicians across Southeast Michigan.
Supported by Partners and Advocates
Behind the scenes, the health and longevity of our concert series is maintained by our Board of Directors alongside a dedicated network of corporate sponsors, civic organizations, and generous donors.
We are also deeply grateful for the Friends of the Dearborn Symphony, an independent, non-profit volunteer organization. They passionately foster local interest in our performances while directly funding student music clinics and scholarships to ensure the future of the arts remains strong in Dearborn.