YOU ARE INVITED!!!
On Tuesday, September 8, at 7:00pm, the Grand Rapids Symphony Musicians Association will present a free hour-long concert at the Grand Rapids Public Museum.
ENSEMBLE: A Legacy of Playing Together We are committed now, more than ever, to bringing great music to our community and want to pay tribute to how symphony musicians in Grand Rapids have served the area since 1930. We will perform "I Got Rhythm", written in that very same year by George Gershwin as well as Aaron Copland's "Inaugural Fanfare" which was commissioned in 1969 for the unveiling of Alexander Calder's stabile "La Grande Vitesse".
Our musicians will be featured as composers in the effervescent "Island Eyescapade" by GRS assistant principal cellist Jeremy Crosmer, and "Elegy" by GRS assistant principal oboist Alexander L. Miller, written in memory of symphony friend Mike Lobbestael.
Our musicians will be featured as soloists, including GRS wind principals: Ellen Sherman (oboe), Suzy Bratton (clarinet), Rick Britsch (horn), and recently retired Martha Bowman (bassoon) performing Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante for winds and orchestra. GRS principal harpist Beth Colpean will perform Vaughan Williams' gorgeous “Five Variants on Dives and Lazarus” for harp and strings, and GRS assistant principal percussionist Dave Hall will heat things up in Rosauro's Latin infused Marimba Concerto. Former GRS principal bassist, Joseph Conyers, will also be making a special guest appearance to help us celebrate!
The orchestra will be led by Andrew Koehler, music director of the Kalamazoo Philharmonia (Kalamazoo College) and Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra; Kristen A. Shoup, GRS violist and assistant conductor of the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony’s Classical Orchestra; Daniel Mattson, GRS assistant principal trombone and member of the Western Brass Quintet (WMU); and Andrew Pool, GRS substitute violist since 1992 and director of orchestras at Forest Hills Central High School.
The program will end with the orchestra coming together in celebration of past and present with the rousing finale of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.
The Grand Rapids Symphony Musicians Association is excited to partner with long-time arts scene colleague, the Grand Rapids Public Museum, in presenting this free hour-long concert in the beautiful Meijer Theatre (2nd floor). For directions and parking info click here.