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Crescendo Detroit and the Next Generation of Detroit Musicians
- Mar 10
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 19
Founded by Cass Tech graduate Damien Crutcher, Crescendo Detroit is expanding access to music education while helping a new generation of Detroit students discover their potential through the arts.
A Moment of Discovery
In a rehearsal room in Detroit, a young student lifts an instrument and plays a few tentative notes. A moment later, the room fills with laughter as the sound begins to come together.
For many Crescendo students, moments like this are where a journey begins, the first time holding an instrument, performing music, or realizing what they are capable of.
Through music education, mentorship, and community support, Crescendo Detroit is helping young people across the city discover new possibilities for their future.
Detroit’s Musical Legacy
Detroit has long been one of the world’s great music cities. From Motown and jazz to gospel, techno, and hip hop, Detroit artists have shaped the sound of modern music for generations. Music is woven deeply into the identity of the city and its neighborhoods.
Yet for many young people today, access to music education has become increasingly limited.
Programs like Crescendo Detroit are working to ensure that Detroit’s musical tradition continues to thrive for generations to come.
From Cass Tech to the Concert Stage
Crescendo Detroit was founded by Detroit musician and Cass Technical High School graduate Damien Crutcher, whose own musical journey reflects the power of education and mentorship.
After graduating from Cass Tech, Crutcher studied music education at Michigan State University and later earned a master’s degree in conducting from the University of Michigan.
His career as a conductor and musician has included performances on major stages such as Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall and Carnegie Hall.
Crutcher is also a Kresge Arts in Detroit award recipient, recognizing his contributions to the city’s cultural landscape as both an artist and educator.
But despite opportunities that could have taken him anywhere, his most important work would bring him back to the neighborhood.
Crescendo Detroit
Through Crescendo Detroit, Damien Crutcher and his team are creating more than a music program. They are building a community where young people can explore their creativity, develop confidence, and begin to imagine new possibilities for their future.
Students participate in programs that include instrumental music, vocal performance, dance, and music production, while also receiving mentorship, academic support, financial literacy education, and meals. The program is designed to support the whole student, recognizing that artistic growth is deeply connected to confidence, discipline, and personal development.
For many students, Crescendo provides their first opportunity to hold an instrument, perform in an ensemble, or see themselves as musicians. But the program’s impact reaches far beyond the rehearsal room.
Through mentorship from educators and visiting artists, students are introduced to the habits and mindset that shape successful musicians and professionals — commitment, preparation, collaboration, and resilience.
Crescendo also exposes students to the broader world of music and education through experiences that expand their sense of what is possible. Students participate in performances, connect with professional musicians, and visit universities where they can begin to imagine themselves continuing their education beyond high school.
These experiences help students see paths that may once have felt distant or unreachable.
At its heart, Crescendo Detroit is about building character, confidence, and opportunity, giving young people the support, mentorship, and inspiration they need to discover their potential.
Learning from Accomplished Artists
For Crescendo founder Damien Crutcher, bringing accomplished artists to Detroit to work directly with Crescendo students is an intentional part of the program’s vision.
Throughout the year, Crescendo invites accomplished musicians to Detroit to work directly with students through performances, workshops, and conversations about their careers.
Artists in the Classroom
In May 2025, Crescendo welcomed respected keyboardist, composer, and producer Morris Hayes to work directly with students. Known as Prince’s longest-serving bandmate and Music Director, Hayes has performed with many of the music industry’s most legendary artists.
“His journey, work ethic, humility, and commitment to giving back set a powerful example. I have no doubt his presence will inspire our students in ways that stay with them long after the workshop ends.” - Damien Crutcher
During the visit, Hayes worked with Crescendo students in rehearsal sessions, sharing insights from his decades in the music industry and encouraging students as they explored their own musical development.
In 2026, Crescendo welcomed soprano and music educator Corinthia Sims, who performed for students and shared insights from her career during a question-and-answer session. Her visit gave students the opportunity to experience professional vocal performance up close while learning about the dedication required to pursue a life in the arts.
Building on the success of the 2025 visit, Hayes will return to Detroit this summer to continue working with Crescendo students. During his time with the program, he will lead master classes and rehearsal sessions, giving students the opportunity to learn directly from his decades of experience in the music industry.
Students will also have the chance to perform alongside Hayes, connecting classroom learning with professional artistry.
The visit will culminate in a benefit concert in August supporting Crescendo Detroit, bringing together students, professional musicians, and the community in celebration of music education and mentorship.
The concert will be held at the Bonstelle Theatre, a historic Detroit landmark that has recently undergone a thoughtful renovation. With its rich architectural character and renewed presence in the city’s cultural landscape, the theater provides a meaningful and inspiring setting for an event centered on legacy, artistry, and the next generation of musicians. Hosting Crescendo in this space reflects a shared commitment to honoring Detroit’s artistic history while investing in its future.
For Crescendo students, experiences like these offer more than technical instruction. They show young musicians what is possible when talent is supported by opportunity, mentorship, and hard work.
COMING SOON!
Detroit Harmony: A Citywide Vision
In addition to leading Crescendo Detroit, Damien Crutcher serves as Managing Director of Detroit Harmony, a collaborative initiative led by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra that works to expand access to music education across the city.
Detroit Harmony brings together schools, arts organizations, nonprofits, and community partners to strengthen music education opportunities for Detroit students. One of its long-term goals is simple but ambitious: ensuring that every child in Detroit has access to music education and the opportunity to learn an instrument.
Together, Crescendo Detroit and Detroit Harmony represent two parts of the same vision — creating a city where music remains an essential part of growing up in Detroit.
From Second Avenue to the World
Shaped by It. Forever Connected.
For Damien Crutcher, the path that led to Crescendo Detroit began years earlier at Cass Technical High School on Second Avenue, where generations of Detroit students have discovered their artistic potential.
The experience shaped not only his musical training, but also his belief in the power of mentorship, discipline, and opportunity.
Today, through Crescendo Detroit and his work with Detroit Harmony, Crutcher continues that legacy by creating opportunities for the next generation of young musicians across the city.
For Crutcher, supporting Cass Tech and Detroit’s musical tradition is deeply personal.
“Cass Tech played an important role in shaping my journey as a musician and educator. I’m always proud to support the school and the incredible musical legacy that has grown from Detroit.” — Damien Crutcher
That connection — from Second Avenue to the world — continues to shape the work he is doing today.
Through Crescendo Detroit, Crutcher is helping ensure that the same spirit of mentorship, creativity, and opportunity that once shaped his own path can inspire a new generation of Detroit students.
Carrying Detroit’s Musical Legacy Forward
For Crescendo students, the path from the classroom to the concert stage begins with opportunity, mentorship, and a community that believes in their potential.
With mentors, educators, and accomplished artists working together to support the next generation, Crescendo Detroit is helping ensure that Detroit’s extraordinary musical legacy continues to grow.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Crescendo Detroit
Program Address:
3729 W. Chicago Detroit, MI 48206
Phone number:
+313-310-3383
Email:
Program hours:
Monday & Wednesday 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Saturday 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM