December 9, 2026 | 8:00 pm
University Symphony Orchestra
Free - no tickets required
Hill Auditorium
“Michael Daugherty: An American Original” – Celebrate the life, music, and legacy of six-time GRAMMY-winner Michael Daugherty on his retirement from the University of Michigan after serving on the faculty for more than 35 years. Join the USO and music director Kenneth Kiesler for this special program of colorful, unique, and unmistakably American music by one of America’s most original and celebrated composers. Harpist Courtney Hershey Bress is the featured guest soloist in Harp of Ages. As the piece was written for her, she played its world premiere and made its acclaimed first recording. Route 66 captures the spirit, freedom, and restless energy of America’s legendary highway which, in 2026, is marking its 100th anniversary. The evening culminates with Daugherty’s Metropolis Symphony, his exhilarating musical portrait inspired by Superman and the city of Metropolis, an orchestral showpiece with innovative sonorities, vivid imagery, and irresistible energy.