On Thursday, November 19, 2009, at noon, the WSU Symphonic Chorus and Orchestra will perform the 43rd Annual Salute to Downtown Detroit at St. John's Episcopal Church in Detroit.

The concert will feature French composer/organist Maurice Duruflé's Requiem, op. 9, for choir, organ and orchestra. The Symphonic Chorus is an ensemble of more than 85 student vocalists conducted by Associate Chair and Associate Professor of Music, Norah Duncan IV. St. John's Episcopal is located on Woodward at I-75 in Downtown Detroit (next to Comerica Park).

The concert is free and open to the public, however donations to the department will be accepted. Free parking is available
in the church parking lot. Maurice Duruflé wrote Requiem in 1947 and dedicated the work to the memory of his father. It uses Gregorian chant melodies taken from the Gregorian "Mass for the Dead." Consisting of nine movements, its harmonies are derived from early 20th Century impressionistic techniques and the free use of modality.

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Founded in 1918, Wayne State University's Department of Music has earned a reputation for
excellence in the US and abroad. Many members of the music faculty, including musicians from
the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and some of the area's finest jazz and vocal artists, have toured
throughout the world as performers, clinicians, conductors and composers. Students in the
department's ensembles have won international competitions, toured Europe and Asia, and
enjoyed repeated invitations to perform at major festivals and conferences. The department also
is known for its preparation of music educators.

Wayne State University is a premier urban research university offering more than 350 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to more than 31,000 students.