From the Heart of Youngstown to the World Stage: The Freedom Frequency Orchestra's Hometown Collaboration Shines at Super Bowl LIII
“The end result,” Dixie said, “is a beautiful, emotionally-charged arrangement that I hope my hometown can be proud of.”
Mission accomplished, Youngstown proud.
Stephen Gage, YSU director of bands, seated right in blue shirt, and other YSU Dana School of Music students, alumni and faculty who played in the Super Bowl orchestration.
At the Freedom Frequency Orchestra, our foundation is built on the powerful intersection of artistic excellence, community, and meaningful collaboration. We are immensely proud to share a story that connects our founder, his hometown, and a national spotlight.
The journey began when Freedom Frequency Orchestra Founder and Music Director Derek Dixie, a Youngstown native and Dana School of Music alumnus, was tasked with creating a special arrangement of America the Beautiful for the Super Bowl LIII pregame show. For Dixie, the artistic vision was clear: to create a "beautiful, emotionally-charged arrangement" performed by real musicians, not digital approximations.
“The budgets for things like this are not endless,” Dixie noted. “Employing 40-plus musicians can get expensive very fast. I didn't want to cut corners for this arrangement and just use computer programming. It was important to me that it was done right.”
True to the collaborative spirit that has defined the Freedom Frequency Orchestra’s work, Dixie turned to the rich talent pool of his roots. Partnering with co-arranger/orchestrator and pianist Victoria Theodore, he devised a hybrid solution. He enlisted a small, favor-pulling horn and string ensemble of top Los Angeles players and reached out home to Youngstown.
Dixie contacted Stephen Gage, YSU Director of Bands, who seamlessly assembled a group of 28 exceptional musicians from the Dana School of Music. On January 11th, a full recording session was held at the historic Stambaugh Auditorium, capturing the heart of the performance.
“To get the full orchestration, I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to shine light on my hometown and use talent from the university,” Dixie said. “I knew Dr. Gage would get me the people I needed. He's always been about excellence. Youngstown as a whole is focused on excellence. Some of the hardest-working, well-rounded and capable people come from the city. I'm glad the world will again be able to experience the product of Youngstown on a national platform via the Super Bowl."
This collaboration placed Dana School of Music on one of the world's largest stages. The school, one of the oldest institutions of its kind in the nation, has long produced Grammy Award winners, Hall of Fame songwriters, and performers on elite global stages. Now, its current students and faculty added a Super Bowl to that illustrious legacy.
Chloe and Halle sing "America the Beautiful" during pregame of the Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta.
On February 3rd, Chloe x Halle will sing during the pregame ceremonies in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the orchestral richness beneath their voices will be powered by Youngstown under the leadership of The Freedom Frequency Orchestra.
“We’re so excited to know that music performed by our students and faculty will be heard by millions across the globe,” said Randall Goldberg, Dana Director.
Phyllis Paul, Dean of the YSU Cliffe College of Creative Arts and Communication, added: “It is truly an honor to have Dana featured in such a prominent way on the world stage. It is yet another example of the international quality of our students, alums and faculty.”
For the Freedom Frequency Orchestra and Derek Dixie, this project was more than a professional assignment; it was a homecoming and a testament to a core belief. It proves that world-class artistry doesn't just exist in major coastal hubs but it thrives in communities like Youngstown, fueled by hard work, excellence, and profound talent. We are beaming with pride for our founder, his hometown partners, and for the beautiful sound that echoed from Youngstown Ohio to millions around the world.
“The end result,” Dixie said, “is a beautiful, emotionally-charged arrangement that I hope my hometown can be proud of.”
Mission accomplished. Youngstown proud.
