Founded in 2016 in Lviv amid the challenges of the ongoing conflict in Eastern Ukraine, Yagody is a Ukrainian group dedicated to performing both traditional and contemporary folk music from the East. Their debut album, released in 2020, features the song Kalyna-Malyna with an accompanying music video. 

The ensemble is composed of three vocalists, an accordionist, a bass guitarist, a drummer, and a cymbalist, blending rich folk traditions with modern sounds. Their performances bring to life the cultural heritage and resilience of Ukraine through music.

Lou Harrison: A Celebration highlights the pioneering composer’s groundbreaking contributions to 20th-century music. Known for his exploration of alternative tunings, world music influences, and innovative instruments, Harrison's work comes to life in this performance. 

Solo piano pieces will be performed by Sara Cahill, followed by chamber music in various configurations, featuring Cahill alongside musicians from the University of Michigan. This performance offers a unique opportunity to experience the eclectic and forward-thinking sounds of one of America’s most influential composers.

Cactus Concert is a tribute to John Cage and Detroit's avant-garde scene, presented by the Detroit Bureau of Sound, with special guests Sophiyah E. and Dominant Hand. The performance features Cage’s Child of Tree, which premiered in Detroit in 1975. 

In this innovative piece, an amplified cactus becomes the instrument, with contact microphones capturing the subtle vibrations produced by the plant and the performer. The result is a unique soundscape filled with rustling, creaking, and delicate spring-like noises, blurring the lines between natural sounds and music. 

True to Cage’s philosophy of indeterminacy, Child of Tree allows chance to shape the performance, creating a constantly evolving experience for the audience.

Featured Performances:

• Sorhogton | Performed by The Throat Singer
• Binakbak Na Diwa (Strip my Soul) | Performed by Martha Bryan and Caitlyn Giles
• Heart Lantern – Yunnan Flower Lantern | Performed by J. Z. Dance Studio, Choreographed by Joanne Zheng
• Loi ve xom nho (To the Countryside) | Performed by Vietnamese American Association of Michigan-Dance Team, Choreographed by Trisha Tuyet Nguyen
• Dunhuang Fairies | Performed by J.Z. Dance Studio, Choreographed by Joanne Zheng
• Peacocks |Performed by Inner Action Dance, Choreographed by Sharon Kang
• Hmong Dance | Performed by Hnub Qub Cia Siab (Star of Hope), Choreographed by Cynthia Ly and Stephanie Yang
• Bhangra Dance Performance | Performed by RVD Academy, Choreographed by Monick Mehta
• Taiko Journey from Japan to the Great Lakes | Performed by Great Lakes Taiko Center (GLTC) Taiko Arts Collective
• Lion Dance | Performed by Linh Son Buddhist Youth Group

Weekend Family Programs at the DIA are generously presented by the MSUFCU Desk Drawer Foundation.

Hobey Ford's Animalia takes audiences on a journey through the magical world of animals, featuring his unique "foamies" – intricately carved puppets that come to life with realistic movements thanks to their innovative mechanical design. Breaking away from traditional puppet theater, Hobey transforms the entire theater into his performance stage. 

Animalia introduces the audience to the wonders of metamorphosis, including the transformation of a butterfly and a tadpole, as well as exploring various ecological systems and endangered animals.

For families with children of all ages. Seating is limited – please arrive early as seating begins 30 minutes prior to the performance.

Join us in the DIA’s Lecture Hall for this captivating and educational experience!

Weekend Family Programs at the DIA are generously presented by the MSUFCU Desk Drawer Foundation.

Join us for the closing event for Tiff Massey’s celebrated exhibition, 7 Mile + Livernois, on May 9, 2025 from 6:30–9:30 p.m.! 

Get a last look at Massey’s exhibition before it closes to the public on May 11, 2025, and dance under the stars on the Woodward Avenue Plaza during special performances from Detroit-based DJs KESSWA and Donavan Glover.

Cash bar available.

DJ sets will not be seated.

Schedule

Exhibition open all day, starting at 10:00 a.m. Last entry at 9:00 p.m.

DJ experience: 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Last entry at 9:00 p.m. Approx. Set times:

• Donavan Glover: 6:30 - 8 p.m.
• DJ KESSWA: 8 - 9:30 p.m. 

Advanced registration is now CLOSED.   Only guests who are pre-registered may enter the outside DJ performance area from Woodward Avenue.  Guests needing to check-in without registration, including DIA members and residents of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties, must do so at the Farnsworth or John R entrances and enter the DJ performance area from inside the museum through the Woodward Avenue door.  

Admittance to DJ area, exhibition, and dining venues will be subject to capacity limits.  

Click here for information on dining, parking, and museum admission.

Additional self-parking is located at WSU Rackham Structure (45 E. Warren), and WSU Welcome Center (61 Putman).  Debit and Credit cards accepted, no cash. For information on parking fees at Wayne State University visit their website.

About the performers

Detroit native Kesiena Wanogho didn’t really get to hear the music she wanted on the local scene, and her longing for a calming and grounding element within electronic music soon turned into her mission. DJ Kesswa now blends jazz and electronica, soul and ambient music with the rhythms and structures of traditional Nigerian music to create a common feeling: a meditation and affirmative attitude towards the world. In 2020, Kesswa was granted a tandem residency in Berlin and Detroit, during which she collaborated with DJ, radio host, and curator Tereza. 

Born in Detroit’s lower-eastside, and raised downtown in King Homes, Donavan Glover discovered the knack for the arts at a young age. He began making a name for himself in the photography and documentary spaces as early as 2010, with high profile directing and videography credits for acts such as Talib Kweli, Slum Village, Amp Fiddler, Dej Loaf, Royce Da 5’9, Dave Chappelle, jessica Care Moore, Travis Scott, Saul Williams, Vic Mensa, and countless Detroit acts. Glover’s work led him to win multiple awards and fellowships, before embarking on his next artist journey as a music producer and DJ in 2018.

Friday Night Live has showcased music by renowned composers Maurice Ravel, Béla Bartók, Francis Poulenc, Darius Milhaud and Lowell Liebermann, all of whom have performed at the Detroit Institute of Arts. The Grossman Family will perform these iconic works written for violin, viola, cello, piano, and voice.

Hailed by The New York Times as a “Brilliant soloist,” violinist Eric Grossman “possesses a strikingly beautiful sound" (The Strad Magazine). He will be joined by his gifted musical family, Russian-Cuban pianist Lida, their two daughters Cecilia (cello) and Vera (voice) and their two sons Misha (violin), Sasha (piano). Special guests Colette Abel (viola) and Benjamin Abel(violin).

Asian Sound Revolution is a groundbreaking ensemble that fuses traditional Asian instruments with modern creativity. Featuring Jin Hi Kim on komungo, Min Xiao-Fen on pipa, and Gerry Hemingway on drums and percussion, the group innovatively blends ancient musical aesthetics with contemporary techniques. Each musician is internationally renowned for their boundary-pushing work, transforming classic instruments and vocal styles to create unique, fresh sounds.

Masayo Ishigure is a New York-based koto and shamisen player from Japan. She began her music studies at age five and later became a special research student at the Sawai Koto Academy. Known for blending traditional Japanese music with diverse genres, Masayo has performed at venues like Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. She has collaborated with artists such as Yo-Yo Ma and Yitzhak Perlman and contributed to the Grammy-winning Memoirs of a Geisha soundtrack.

Create your own air-dry clay Goo and learn more about the creative process while squishing and molding the clay. Your Goo will need a few days to dry, but don’t worry – we’ll provide a container for you to take it home in.

Melissa Dettloff, born and raised in Detroit, is a talented printmaker and interdisciplinary artist. She teaches at institutions like the College for Creative Studies, Bloomfield Birmingham Art Center, and POST, among others. Melissa co-owned Ocelot Print Shop, a community print shop in Detroit’s Cass Corridor, for five years. Her work has been exhibited locally and nationally, and her current projects focus on urban ecology and fostering community through art.

This program is made possible in part by the PNC Foundation