The musical heritage most closely associated with Detroit is pop music; namely the breathtaking success of the young acts emerging from the Motown Records scene. How exciting it must have been in the heyday of Motown to wonder what new talent would be discovered and go on to represent the sound of Detroit in the wider world of music.

On Saturday, June 9, I had the great privilege of attending a singular musical event — the James Tatum Foundation for the Arts Scholarship Showcase, celebrating 25 years of support for youth in the arts, and featuring performances by 12 students receiving scholarships in 2012 to continue their work in fine and performing arts. Ten outstanding talents, going on to colleges across the country, and two still continuing their pre-college education here within Detroit, will be representing a very different sound of Detroit — that of both classical and jazz music.

Performances featured pieces by Instrumental Scholarship candidates, including Devin McGowan on violin, Jillian L. Jackson on French horn, a delightfully esoteric marimba performance by Hunter Muldoon, a swinging jazz combo led by Stephen Grady on tenor saxophone, and a rousing number by jazz pianist Jackson Steiger. Voice Scholarship recipients were DeShawn Wilson, Keith Walls, Robert Moss and Darshaya Oden, all of whom performed classic opera selections in addition to more contemporary offerings.

Asia Morrison received a Visual Arts Scholarship for video production, and the performances were closed out by the two Millenium Instrumental Scholarship candidates, 8th grader and cellist Joshua A. McClendon and violinist Hadiya A. Knight, who attends Renaissance High School.

Overall, it was a magnificent concert, showcasing not only the awesome achievements of young people with striking talents, but the parents, teachers and charitable organizations that form the support network enabling them to surely go on doing their hometown proud in the wide world of music.