Hail to the Veterans!

Pairing the music of conflict against the voices of innocence, the Michigan Philharmonic is excited to feature three children’s choirs during our “Hail to the Veterans” concert. The largest of the choirs is the Detroit Children’s Choir. Made up of over 300 children, their diverse collection of members come from many cities in Southeast Michigan. In addition to having the opportunity to perform on a plethora of stages in the metro Detroit area, choir members also receive training in music literacy, sight reading, and vocal techniques. Joining us as well is Plymouth’s own Main Street Opera Children’s Chorus. Located just upstairs from the Philharmonic at P.A.R.C., the Children’s Chorus plays an important role in the performances by the Main Street Opera Theater. The third choir joining us will be Our Lady of Good Counsel’s own Plymouth Counselors Youth Chorale, an ensemble for the elementary and middle school students from the parish and school. Additionally, the Michigan Philharmonic Youth Orchestra–Sinfonia will be joining the Philharmonic for a side-by-side performance during our “Hail to the Veterans” November 10^th concert. 

Our Veterans

Most everyone is familiar with the role that the military plays in peacekeeping, but many people don’t realize the role that the military plays in offering disaster relief and aid work. Military personnel are involved in many humanitarian aid projects, often being the first major support forces at the scene of a disaster. Following Tsunamis in Japan and Indonesia, and deadly earthquakes in Haiti, U.S. naval ships are the first to provide aid, supplies, and relief for those impacted by such disasters. 

As we approach Veterans day, it is important to remember the sacrifices our veterans and activity duty military personnel have made to protect our freedoms, but also to save countless lives and provide support for those affected by disasters worldwide. 

The Michigan Philharmonic honors and celebrates the work of these tireless military personnel both here and abroad with a concert featuring memorable music of wartime and peacetime.  “Hail to the Veterans” on Friday, November 10th, 2018 will bring together orchestra and three children’s choirs for a memorable concert on Veterans weekend.  For tickets and information: www.michiganphil.org.

Veterans Day: Honoring our Service Men and Women

Veterans Day is coming in just a few short weeks, and we take that time to honor and thank the veterans of our Armed Forces for the sacrifices they make to keep us and our country safe. In addition to remembering and honoring our veterans’ sacrifices, we also take time to recognize the struggles and challenges that some veterans experience when returning home from war. 

According to a 2014 study, military personnel are five times more likely to suffer from major depression, and fifteen times more likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder than civilians. An effective form of therapy to help individuals cope with mental illness is music therapy. In 1950 the American Music Therapy Association was founded—largely in part because of the impact of music that volunteer musicians witnessed in the rehabilitation of WWII veterans. Music therapists work with military personnel and their families during all phases of service. Another organization, Guitars for Vets, provides 10 weeks of instruction and a free guitar for veterans who take part in their programs. 

Music has been shown in numerous studies to reduce stress, manage depression, and help individuals coping with trauma. Join us November 10^th for “Hail to the Veterans” to honor our veterans and experience the healing power of music.