Encyclopedia Of Detroit

Since the Detroit Symphony Orchestra unveiled the Max M. Fisher Music Center in 2003, the performing arts complex has lived up to its billing as the destination for all types of music. Max Fisher and the Fisher family donated $25 million towards the construction of the building which includes a 500-seat auditorium, a 200-seat rehearsal hall and other facilities for musicians. In recognition for Marjorie Fisher’s continued support and leadership for the DSO, the center was renamed to the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center in 2015. In addition to classical music by the renowned Detroit Symphony Orchestra, “The Max” has been host to jazz, pop, family concerts and much more. 

Built in 1919, the Orchestra Hall stage has been graced by countless talented musicians. World-renowned for its acoustical qualities, Orchestra Hall combines an elegant ambiance with advanced audio-visual technology. The 2000-seat hall is equipped with an in-house camera system intended to provide video feeds to The Music Box, the Robert A. and Maggie Allesee Rehearsal Hall and other display locations for purposes of live and digitally recorded events. It is possible to record performances and presentations for archival purposes and master recording for off-line editing at other facilities.

The Music Center’s Frankel Donor Lounge features works by three renowned glass artists: Ginny Ruffner and Martin Blank, both of Seattle, and Lucio Bubacco of Murano, Italy. The soaring four-story, 17,000 square-foot Atrium Lobby features a floor made of Silverwater limestone from Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron. The second and third levels feature floor to ceiling views of Woodward Avenue.

Many of the symphony’s archival records were lost over the years or reside in other depositories, such as the Burton Historical Collection at the Detroit Public Library and the Walter Reuther Library at Wayne State University. The DSO now has an official archive room in the Music Center, which includes past orchestra rosters and photographs, as well as rare and historic scores. 

RELATED ITEMS IN THE COLLECTION

View all items related to the Max M. And Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center