Chris Collins

James Hartway

DETROIT — The world premiere of two orchestral works featuring the Detroit Torino Jazz Quartet and the Filarmonica '900 Symphony Orchestra will take place Monday, May 9, 2011 at the Royal Theatre (Teatro Regio) in Torino, Italy, in front of a sold out crowd.

The two new commissions - one composed by James Hartway, distinguished professor of music at Wayne State University, the other by noted Italian composer Carlo Boccadoro - are the end result of the Detroit Torino Urban Jazz Project (DTUJP), an initiative created and led by Chris Collins, professor of music and director of jazz studies at WSU, and Emanuele Cisi, a musician from Torino.

DTUJP was founded in 2006 with financial support from the WSU President's Research Enhancement Fund and private, corporate and institutional donations in both Detroit and Torino. The project began as an artistic exploration of two cities bound by their parallel post-industrialized urban histories, but it evolved into a significant and artistic entity that has brought together two cultures musically, visually and educationally.

The premiere of the two new works for string orchestra and jazz quartet is a featured event of Italy's country-wide celebration of 150 years of unification. The pieces will feature Collins and Cisi on saxophone, with projected comparative images of Detroit and Torino taken by photographers Geoff George of Detroit and Piero Ottaviano of Torino.

"The premiere of this orchestral commission is a stunning combination of technology and artistry, bringing together two cities with unique similarities and histories," said Gloria Heppner, Ph.D., associate vice president for research at Wayne State University. "This event is truly a celebration of globalization, and provides an opportunity to enlighten and inspire through an internationally dynamic artistic venue."

For more information about DTUJP, visit http://www.DetroitTorinoJazz.com.

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Wayne State University is one of the nation's pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit http://www.research.wayne.edu.