The fund will be used for the first time in January 2001, making it possible for Neeme Järvi and the DSO to travel to Florida for the "Guardian Sunshine Tour." The tour will include West Palm Beach, Miami, Orlando, Sarasota and Fort Lauderdale, January 16 through 23. Renowned violinist Joshua Bell will be the soloist in a variety of programs to include Sibelius' Concerto for Violin and Orchestra; Nielsen's Overture to Maskarade; MotorCity Triptych by the DSO's Composer-in-Residence, Michael Daugherty; Wagner's Four Excerpts from Die Meistersinger; and Mahler's Symphony No. 1 "The Titan," with the original "Blumine" between movements No. 1 and 2 (for a total of five movements).

President and Executive Director of the DSO, Emil J. Kang said, "We are extremely grateful to Bill Davidson and Guardian Industries for the visionary way they are making it possible for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra to tour on a more regular basis. They have also given us a challenge to continue our fundraising for such activities. Touring allows us to enhance the reputation of Detroit and the State of Michigan around the world, and it is critical to the artistic life of an orchestra. Performance fees for tour concerts cover only a portion of the actual costs of a tour, so this type of activity can be very expensive for orchestras."

In announcing the gift, William Davidson said, "It is critical that we support the efforts of key Detroit and Michigan institutions to promote the unique attributes of our community. We are home to world class cultural institutions, such as the DSO, and it's time the rest of the country and the entire world were better aware of that."

Ralph J. Gerson, Executive Vice President of Guardian added, "Mr. Davidson formed a close friendship with Maestro Järvi prior to the Guardian-sponsored 1998 European Tour. Mr. Davidson concluded during the tour that the DSO should be shared with more audiences both in the U.S. and abroad. Bill Davidson's entrepreneurial approach in creating this Guardian Touring Fund allows the DSO to initiate a planning process while continuing to secure funds from other contributors."

Music Director Neeme Järvi said, "I am very grateful to my good friend Bill Davidson. We were honored to have him support our 1998 European Tour and join us for some of our concerts there. Bill knows how important this is for the Orchestra and for our community. In the United States, people know the Detroit Symphony from our radio broadcasts, but have not had the chance to hear us perform live."