Grand Rapids Symphony

• OUR MISSION
• ORCHESTRA
  • DISCOGRAPHY
  • HISTORY
• CONDUCTORS
• Musicians
• Chorus
• YOUTH SYMPHONY & CLASSICAL ORCHESTRA
• ADMINISTRATION
• BOARD OF DIRECTORS
• Grand Rapids Symphony Youth Choruses
• Women’s Committee

ORCHESTRA

One of America’s Leading Regional Orchestras
    The Grand Rapids Symphony was formally incorporated in 1930 and is recognized as one of America’s leading regional orchestras. Culminating its 75th Anniversary Season, the Symphony made its debut in New York City’s Carnegie Hall to a full house on May 21, 2005.  The New York Times wrote, “The orchestra is what it ought to be and gives a glimmer of hope for all of us in the music world.” A two-disc recording of this performance is titled Live! at Carnegie Hall.  The Symphony’s DVD and CD, Invention & Alchemy, features “Hip Harpist” Deborah Henson-Conant’s performance with the Symphony during its 2005 Pops Series. The CD was nominated for a 2007 Grammy Award for Best Classical Crossover Album.

The Symphony’s tenth CD, released in 2007, features the orchestra’s performance of Adolphus Hailstork’s Second and Third symphonies and was released on the Naxos label. Hailstork’s Symphony No. 3 was commissioned by the Grand Rapids Symphony in 2003. Also commissioned by the Symphony is an orchestral tribute to President Gerald R. Ford, “One of Us, Portrait of a Humble Healer.” Performed in DeVos Performance Hall during its Fox Motors Pops Series in May 2008, a CD recording of the work is available for purchase at Symphony concerts in DeVos Performance Hall.  
    
The Grand Rapids Symphony has an $8.5 million budget and employs 50 salaried and 30 part-time musicians.  This past season, more than 100,000 people attended the Symphony’s 80-ticketed concerts.
    
Eight concert series are presented to the community with performances designed for young children through adults. These include the Richard and Helen DeVos Classical Series, Fox Motors Pops Series, SymphonicBoom, Erika’s Deli Bistro Market Rising Stars Series, Edward Jones Coffee Classics, Lollipop Concerts sponsored by Target Stores, DTE Energy Foundation Family Series and Chase Picnic Pops.
   
Each year the Symphony also collaborates with the community to bridge cultures by presenting “Symphony with Soul,” featuring national and local African-American artists.  A percentage of the proceeds supports the Symphony’s “Young, Gifted & Black Scholarship Fund,” created in 2005 through a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to fund instrument training for young African-American students.
   
Providing education to children and youth is an essential part of the Symphony’s extensive outreach in the region. For 25 years the Symphony has been sending musician ensembles into West Michigan schools through its Artist-In-Residence (AIR) Program.  This season the ensembles are performing in more than 44 schools, reaching approximately 17,000 kindergarten through sixth graders. During the Symphony’s annual Fifth Grade concerts in February, approximately 20,000 West Michigan students experience a live symphonic concert in DeVos Performance Hall and Central Wesleyan Church in Holland. The Symphony has been presenting this concert since 1944 as a community service. The Symphony’s annual “Access to Music” concerts held each May are provided to people with disabilities or economic barriers and not able to attend regular Symphony concerts.
   
The Symphony sponsors the Symphony Chorus and Grand Rapids Symphony Youth Chorus presented by Legacy Trust, as well as the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony and Classical Orchestra. The Symphony also provides the orchestra for performances by Opera Grand Rapids and the Grand Rapids Ballet Company. Symphony concerts are broadcast on NPR affiliate WBLV/WBLU.