ANN ARBOR—The University of Michigan’s “The Fine and Performing Arts of African Americans: Enhancing Education,” March 2-8, promises to be a once-in-a-millennium experience featuring concerts, lectures and panel discussions.

Sponsored by the U-M School of Music, the University Musical Society, and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, this event will host professionals from a wide array of arts, disciplines, and musical genres, including creative writing, ballet, dance, opera, theater, and orchestral, jazz, rhythm and blues, instrumental and solo classical performances.

A specialized Detroit component “Striking a Chord: Professional Classically Trained Musicians as Role Models for African-American Youth” focuses on the importance of role models in the African-American community and the positive influence that classical musicians can have on young people.

Former Metropolitan Opera star and U-M Prof. George Shirley will open the symposium
A registration fee is required. Daily registration can be arranged. Most events and concerts are free. For more detailed information, contact the event’s organizer Willis Patterson at (734) 764-0586 or visit www.umich.edu/~wcp/symposium.

“The Fine and Performing Arts of African Americans: Enhancing Education,”School of MusicProf. George ShirleyWillis Patterson