Detroit Symphony Orchestra Gets Grant For Beethoven Festival

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - The Detroit Symphony Orchestra is staging its first Beethoven Festival in 35 years -- and a national grant is helping to make it possible.

The orchestra announced Tuesday that it's been selected to receive a $75,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for the February festival.

The money will support performances of a complete cycle of Beethoven symphonies and related educational activities. The festival also will include symposia, recitals and a presentation of Beethoven's 32 piano sonatas.

Performances will take place at Detroit's Orchestra Hall as well as in a variety of metro Detroit neighborhood venues, immersing the region of Southeast Michigan in the work of a master who has no doubt touched the lives of everyone, classical music fan or not.

The Detroit orchestra is one of 832 nonprofits to receive grants this year from the NEA as part of its Art Works program.

For more information, visit www.dso.org.

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