Detroit will play host this weekend to one of the most internationally beloved and joyfully unclassifiable ensembles in modern music as Pink Martini returns to Orchestra Hall for a three-performance run with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
The Portland, Oregon, group, often described as a “little orchestra,” will perform June 19–21 alongside the DSO in a program as cosmopolitan as it is nostalgic, weaving together jazz, classical, Latin rhythms and midcentury pop into a single, cinematic musical experience.
Formed in 1994 by pianist Thomas Lauderdale, Pink Martini has built a global following by embracing a musical identity that defies categories. Drawing from traditions as varied as samba, European cabaret and American jazz standards, the ensemble’s repertoire spans cultures, eras and languages — more than 25 languages, in fact.
The group’s signature ethos, a kind of sonic diplomacy, has helped it resonate with audiences worldwide. Lauderdale has described the band’s sound as a musical travelogue, one that might move effortlessly from a Rio street parade to a Parisian music hall in the span of a single set.
That international spirit has translated into wide acclaim: Pink Martini has sold more than 3 million albums globally and collaborated with dozens of orchestras across continents, performing in major venues from the Hollywood Bowl to London’s Royal Albert Hall.
“I think we’re probably the only American band that sings songs in 30 different languages,” Lauderdale told the Free Press. “It wasn’t really intentional, but we’re one of the few American bands to ever record a song in Romania. So when we go to Romania, it’s just nuts.”
The collaboration with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra is less a crossover experiment than a continuation of Pink Martini’s long relationship with orchestral music. The ensemble made its orchestral debut in 1998 and has since performed with more than 70 orchestras worldwide.
At Orchestra Hall, the group’s lush arrangements and theatrical flair will be amplified by the DSO under the direction of Principal Pops Conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez, known for his dynamic, audience-friendly approach to symphonic programming.
Together, they will deliver a performance that blends sophistication with accessibility, a hallmark of both the band and the orchestra’s pops series. Expect a set that moves fluidly between old-world glamour and contemporary energy, anchored by Pink Martini’s 12-member lineup and guest vocalists including Storm Large.
The Saturday night, June 20, performance will be paired with an optional AfterDark experience, turning Orchestra Hall into something closer to a nightclub after the final curtain. Think cocktails, light bites and a dance floor soundtracked by a DJ spinning crowd favorites.
As Pink Martini returns to Orchestra Hall, audiences can expect not just a concert, but a kind of musical journey, one that circles the globe and lands, for one weekend, squarely in Midtown Detroit.
Pink Martini with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
10:45 a.m. June 19, 8 p.m. June 20, 3 p.m. June 21
Orchestra Hall
3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit
$19.95 & up
dso.org
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Offbeat Pink Martini ensemble joining DSO for eclectic outings
Reporting by Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
