Detroit School of Arts Achievers Ladies Ensemble headed to Carnegie Hall April 28

Submitted by Detroit Public Schools The Detroit School of Arts Wind Symphony won overall “Best Group” for its performance at Carnegie Hall the weekend of March 29 - 30. The DSA Wind Symphony, under the direction of Ronald Malabed and Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Sean Smith, participated in the National Band and Orchestra Festival held at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The Detroit School of Arts Achievers Ladies Ensemble, under the direction of Connie Malabed, will perform at Carnegie Hall on April 28. The National Band and Orchestra Festival featured performances from six schools across the country. DSA students were diligently working toward being adjudicated, a technical critiquing process where judges evaluate performances, and were pleasantly surprised when the judges unanimously decided that their group outperformed all other school groups. DSA’s award-winning performance pieces included: “Robinson’s Grand Entrée March,” by Karl L. King; “An American Elegy,” by Frank Ticheli; and “Gavorkna Fanfare,” by Jack Stamp. The judges awarded DSA with a detailed vinyl banner measuring roughly 12 feet in height listing all of the participating schools. “I was so excited when all four of the judges told me that our DSA group performed the best and that we were also being awarded with the banner. I had no idea anyone was going to be awarded anything,” said Ronald Malabed, DSA Director of Bands. In recent years, DSA’s bands have traveled to Chicago, Orlando and Washington D.C. through fundraising and student payments.  The Carnegie Hall performance was their most marquee trip yet. The cost for each participant was covered completely through fundraising.