Get ready for a toe-tapping, family-friendly night with Helen Roy and David Fuhst! Helen brings a fresh twist to classic American hits by translating songs by artists like Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, and Paul Simon into Anishinaabemowin, the Indigenous language of the Great Lakes.

Helen’s unique translations will have you enjoying these iconic tunes in a whole new way. With over 20 years of experience teaching Anishinaabemowin, she makes language learning fun and accessible for all ages. Accompanied by David Fuhst on guitar and lyrics displayed on screen, this event is the perfect opportunity for the whole family to enjoy catchy music, learn about Anishinaabe culture, and experience the magic of language through songs we all know and love.

Held in the DIA’s Rivera Court. Capacity is limited; seating begins 30 minutes before the performance.

While at the museum, be sure to check out the DIA’s free special exhibition Contemporary Anishinaabe Art: A Continuation, running September 28, 2025 – April 5, 2026.

Grammy-winning fiddler and vocalist for the Lost Bayou Ramblers, Louis Michot has long interpreted tradition through a modern lens. His 2023 solo debut, Rêve de Troubadour, is a spectral, shape-shifting album steeped in Louisiana French. 

Its 2024 follow-up, SEAUXLEAUX, pushes further by melding field recordings, Cajun melodies, and electric textures into something both rooted and experimental. Both records were released by Nouveau Electric Records, a label Michot founded in 2018 to promote the evolving sound of French Louisiana.

The River Raisin Ragtime Revue (R4) is a professional theater orchestra dedicated to educating and entertaining via the performance, preservation and restoration of significant American music. R4 highlights the development of our country’s original popular musical style – ragtime. 

Utilizing a meticulously-researched and engaging narrative, R4 transports the audience to the cultural and social conditions of turn-of-the-century America. Special emphasis is given to the contributions of African American composers and the obstacles they overcame in attempting to gain acceptance of this unique, original art form.

Gnote~7 is an energetic soulful band with expertise in many genres including funk, jazz, blues and old-school R & B. This performance will explore all of these genres in Gnote’s infectious style. Come prepared for a rollicking good time with high energy provided by a band that embodies what makes Detroit music special.

One of the Silent Era’s most influential masterpieces, Nosferatu (F. W. Murnau, 1922) set the template for the horror films that followed. In the town of Wisborg, Germany, estate agent Knock sends his associate, Hutter, to Count Orlok’s castle in Transylvania, where the Count wishes to purchase an isolated house in Wisborg.

What begins as a simple real estate transaction quickly turns into something far more unsettling. Hutter journeys deep into the heart of Transylvania and the eerie castle of the otherworldly Count Orlok—portrayed by the legendary Max Schreck in a performance that has inspired its own mythology. But is the Count merely an eccentric nobleman, or something much more sinister?

This screening is accompanied by a live score from The Detroit Bureau of Sound, led by “cactus virtuoso and sonic evangelist” Zac Bru.

Mahogany Jones—internationally acclaimed inspirational hip hop artist, cultural ambassador, and proud Detroiter—delivers a powerful live performance celebrating the reinstallation of the Detroit Institute of Arts’ African American Art collection. 

This special event honors the legacy of Black artistry through a genre-blending experience of hip hop, soul, jazz, and spoken word, brought to life by a full ensemble of top-tier musicians and performers.

Violinist Miranda Cuckson, who teaches at the Mannes School of Music at The New School, is as comfortable with Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber’s 17th-century solo sonatas as she is with Georg Friedrich Haas’s prismatic, microtonal Violin Concerto No. 2—written for her in 2017. 

Blair McMillen, a professor at Bard College, has also explored a wide range of repertoire, from William Bolcom’s lyrical Graceful Ghost to Annie Gosfield’s wildly inventive Brooklyn, October 5, 1941, a work for piano and tennis balls. Together, Cuckson and McMillen have performed and recorded several modern American masterpieces, demonstrating a remarkable breadth of taste and technique.

For this performance, the duo will present works by Sergei Prokofiev, Ludwig van Beethoven, Lili Boulanger, Ross Lee Finney, and Eleanor Alberga.

Travel across the varied and beautiful regions of Mexico with Ballet Folklórico de Detroit—a Detroit-based community group of passionate dancers dedicated to preserving Mexican culture and traditions through dance. With each unique style of dress, music, and footwork, their performances aim to delight audiences and spark appreciation and respect for Mexican heritage. For families of all ages. (60 min.)

This program is free with museum admission. Capacity is limited—seating begins 30 minutes before the performance.

After the performance, don’t miss the 13th installment of Ofrendas: Celebrating el Día de Muertos, on view from September 27 to November 2, 2025. Free with museum admission.

Thomas X, an accomplished Native hip-hop artist from the Red Lake Nation in northern Minnesota, has embarked on a remarkable career journey. Beginning as part of Rez Rap Records, he has grown into a formidable solo artist, captivating audiences with his distinctive style and powerful lyrics.

Beyond music, Thomas X is deeply committed to his community. He serves on the Red Lake School Board and as Executive Director of the Red Lake Boys & Girls Club, underscoring his dedication to the well-being and development of local youth.

Thomas X’s impact extends far beyond the stage. He is a powerful example of how art, education, and community engagement can come together to create meaningful change. Through his music, leadership, and unwavering commitment to young people, Thomas X continues to uplift and inspire both his community and a global audience.

Presented with American Sign Language interpretation

Gwen Laster’s New Muse 4tet performs music inspired by African mythology, social justice, current events, and the African Diaspora lexicon. 

The quartet is the creation of Guggenheim Fellow, award-winning violinist, and conceptual composer Gwen Laster. 

She is joined by Jerome Fellow violist Melanie Dyer, cellist Teddy Rankin Parker, and drummer Andrew Drury.