Detroit Symphony Orchestra hosts Beethoven fest

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Symphony Orchestra is launching its first Beethoven festival in 36 years this month.

The orchestra will perform all nine Beethoven symphonies at Orchestra Hall in February. It will feature Beethoven Symphonies No. 3 and 8 on Friday at 10:45 a.m. and 8 p.m. The orchestra will continue on Saturday with Beethoven's Symphony No. 4 and 5 at Sunday at 3 p.m.

Free pre-concert performances and lectures will be hosted one hour before each performance. Those who can't attend can watch a webcast of some of the performances online.

The festival will conclude Feb. 21-24 with Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.

The orchestra received a $75,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support this year's festival