EMBELLISH HANDBELLS, BRENDA AUSTIN, director SANTA, himself
PROGRAM NOTES by Bob Bernhardt
Welcome everyone, to the very first Grand Rapids Symphony University of Michigan Health-West Holiday Pops live concert recording! We are thrilled to share this with you.
Before letting the sounds of the season surround you, here’s a little bit about the journey to bring the magic of the season to you:
We recorded all four of our Holiday Pops concerts between December 21 and 23, 2023 at DeVos Performance Hall with the wonderful Brian Losch, our recording engineer, producer, editor and my “partner-in-crime” at the helm. Over a period of months following, Brian and I selected what we considered to be the best of the live performances for this recording. We initiated some minimal edits and solicited the opinions of all artistic leaders, soloists, staff and finally, played a beautiful finished product for the GRS Artistic Committee. We are all very proud of the talents of this orchestra and grateful to the community of supporters that ensures we can make such incredible music.
If you attended the concerts, you may hear yourself as well! We kept some audience reactions and on-stage banter on the recording (despite the fact that I can’t stand to hear my own voice).
We are all so grateful for everything that went into making this project possible. This includes our recording engineer Brian Losch, the staff and crew of the GRS, donors and sponsors at every level, especially Fox Motors and the University of Michigan Health-West, and the soloists and artistic directors of our partner groups. Most of all, none of this was possible without the excellence and commitment of the musicians of the Grand Rapids Symphony. I am so proud to be part of its legacy. We are grateful that you are part of it, too.
Bob Bernhardt
BOB BERNHARDT Pops Conductor
Hard to believe, and joyful to note, this is Bob Bernhardt’s 10th season as Pops Conductor of the Grand Rapids Symphony! All along he continues to bring his easy style, fine musicianship and infectious enthusiasm to a city and orchestra he has come to love.
In the world of pops, Bernhardt has worked with stars of Broadway including Brian Stokes Mitchell and Kelli O’Hara, with pop/rock, indie and country acts including the Beach Boys, the B-52s, Violent Femmes and Wynonna, and with entertainers who perform music from multiple genres, including their own songs, such as Ben Folds, Randy Newman, Jason Alexander and Patti LuPone. A musical omnivore, he’s seldom met a style of music he doesn’t enjoy.
Bernhardt first appeared with the Grand Rapids Symphony in September 2013 to lead a “Boston Pops Tribute” show. In fact, he has been a regular guest conductor with the Boston Pops since his debut in 1992 at the invitation of thenBoston Pops conductor, John Williams.
Concurrently, Bob is the Principal Pops Conductor of the Louisville Orchestra. In a remarkable and rare career-long relationship, he is celebrating his 44th consecutive season with the LO. Starting in 1981 as Assistant Conductor, he continued as Associate Conductor, Principal Guest of Kentucky Opera, and now is in his 28th season in Pops.
Besides the Boston Pops, Bernhardt has been a frequent guest conductor with orchestras including the Baltimore Symphony, the Detroit Symphony, the Cincinnati Pops, the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Dallas Symphony, the Florida Orchestra, the Seattle Symphony, the Pacific Symphony, the St. Louis Symphony, the Phoenix Symphony and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. With the latter, he just celebrated his 18th anniversary with the company including this year his 18th season as conductor of Edmonton’s “Symphony Under the Sky” Festival and he continues as a guest on several of the ESO subscription series annually.
A lover of opera, he conducted productions with Kentucky Opera for 18 consecutive seasons as well as for 19 seasons with his own company in Chattanooga, along with many guest conducting engagements with the Nashville Opera.
He lives with his wife, Nora, in Signal Mountain, Tennessee.
THIS CHRISTMASTIDE (Jessye’s Carol) – Donald Fraser
SPIRIT OF THE SEASON FROM THE POLAR EXPRESS – Alan Silvestri
This Christmastide, a suggestion from my colleague and friend Pearl Shangkuan, the superb director of our chorus, is a simple and devotional tune that builds with each verse in intensity and volume, adding instruments each time until the full orchestra joins in. Surprisingly, it ends ever so softly and sweetly.
With little pause, we dive into “Spirit of the Season” by Alan Silvestri from the hugely popular holiday film The Polar Express; the story of which is, of course, based on Grand Rapids. This is two minutes of pure exuberance at the arrival of the Holidays, it has a fantastic and brilliant orchestral accompaniment, and our orchestra delivers.
SELECTIONS FROM THE NUTCRACKER - Tchaikovsky, arr. Jeff Tyzik
DANCE OF THE SUGAR PLUMS
SWING DANCE A LA RUSSE
The “fifth Beatle” on this recording is my long-time friend and Grammy award-winning composer/ arranger/conductor Jeff Tyzik whose arrangements are peppered throughout. He’s taken these two selections from Tchaikovsky’s ballet masterpiece and turned them into jazz standards, and the Grand Rapids Symphony into a swing band. There are some terrific solo turns by several GRS musicians in these clever and brilliant arrangements. Great fun!
THREE WITH SHAYNA STEELE – arr. Jeff Tyzik
HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING
O HOLY NIGHT
O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL
The incomparable Shayna Steele is our very special guest for this year’s Holiday Pops. As you will hear, she has an incredible instrument, astounding range and an organic, explosive energy and style. These jazz/soul inspired Tyzik arrangements allow her to shine and soar, and as you can hear (and if you were there, you know) she creates a direct and affectionate relationship with her audience.
Hark the Herald Angels Sing is a solo turn which introduces Shayna, and the Tyzik ‘carol style’, to us all. O Holy Night and O Come All Ye Faithful feature Shayna and her ‘backup singers,’ the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus! From chantand-response to Everybody Sing!, these are moving and thrilling expressions of faith and spirit. Listen to the audience response to her work; it’s so wonderful to hear, and so deserved.
MIS ZEH HIDLIK - arr. Jeff Tyzik
The music of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is largely aimed at the young. From joyous songs and dances, and games like the spinning of the dreidel, this happy holiday brings out the child in all of us. This year, happily, I discovered that Jeff had made a beautiful setting of Mis Zeh Hidlik (“Behold the Lights”), a lovely and somewhat solemn song, for solo cello. I invited our marvelous principal cellist, Alicia Eppinga, to play it, and we were all so delighted that she did. I know you’ll agree.
Each holiday we feature the Grand Rapids Youth Chorus and their director, my friend Leah Ivory. She suggests a few pieces each year and together we choose one to highlight the voices of some spectacular kids in our community. This year it’s a sprightly and energetic setting of Joy To The World, and it’s so fantastic to hear the students give it their all. By the way, Leah conducted this.
“The music of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is largely aimed at the young. From joyous songs and dances, and games like the spinning of the dreidel, this happy holiday brings out the child in all of us.”
JOY TO THE WORLD – arr. PinkZebra
SELECTIONS FROM HOME ALONE – John Williams
SOMEWHERE IN MY MEMORY
MERRY CHRISTMAS! MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I’m not exactly sure when this music became a ‘tradition’ on our Holiday Pops, but I’m so happy it happened. As most of you know, I adore John Williams, the composer and the human, and performing his music is always gratifying and a privilege for me.
Just about anyone you ask knows that John Williams wrote the music for Jaws, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Schindler’s List, Indiana Jones and so many more. Many are perhaps surprised and delighted to recall that he also wrote the music for the Home Alone franchise. Here are two of his choruses from the series, written for combined adult and youth choruses. The kids start the singing in “Somewhere in my Memory” and are soon joined by the adult chorus. Everybody joins in for “Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!” a piece so nice they named it twice.
“I’m not exactly sure when this music became a ‘tradition’ on our Holiday Pops, but I’m so happy it happened.”
(Incidentally, before we play “Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!” I have a questionable personal tradition of mimicking Macauley Culkin’s exclamation of glee in the HOME ALONE series. Whenever something goes well for him in the movie, he pumps his fist and says “YES!” That explains, sort of, the banter leading up to the opening notes of the piece.)
REJOICE! THE LORD IS KING – Dan Forrest
We start the second half of the program with this uplifting anthem by Dan Forrest, another of Pearl’s suggestions. While I didn’t know the piece, I was drawn to it the first time I listened. Now it’s confession time: when I decided to start the half with this piece, I pushed the tempo well beyond that suggested by the composer. Don’t tell, OK?
CAROL OF THE BELLS – Mykola Leontovych, arr. Guebert
Another tradition at our Holiday Pops has been an extraordinary collaboration with the accomplished handbell ensemble, Embellish. (They’re great fun to work with, too!) Their director, Brenda Austin, conducts this marvelous arrangement of the Ukrainian carol, the sound of the bells shining alone in our hall.
SLEIGH RIDE – Leroy
Anderson
Sleigh Ride is not only one of the most famous and popular sounds of the season, it’s one of the most recognized pieces of music ever, anywhere, period. You’ll hear me count off the start of this performance, but our guest conductor (another tradition – a different guest conductor for Sleigh Ride in each concert) didn’t really need my help. Ric Roane did a marvelous job leading the orchestra in this performance. Bravo!
THREE MORE WITH SHAYNA STEELE – arr. Jeff Tyzik
WE THREE KINGS
GOD REST YE MERRY GENTLEMEN
O HAPPY DAY
Once again, Shayna commands the stage in three more of Jeff Tyzik’s magical arrangements.
We Three Kings is another solo turn for our guest star, and it has a ‘Middle-Eastern’ flare channeling the journey of the Kings.
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen has a mysterious orchestral introduction that leads into a jazz-ballad rendition that allows Shayna room to improvise and inspire. Our Chorus provides soulful backup to this charming carol. Shout out to trumpeter Scott Thornburg for super solo work.
“I remember hearing the Edwin Hawkins Singers’ Gospel hit O Happy Day ‘back in the day,’ 1969 to be exact, and feeling the absolute joy and comfort it instilled. “
I remember hearing the Edwin Hawkins Singers’ Gospel hit O Happy Day ‘back in the day,’ 1969 to be exact, and feeling the absolute joy and comfort it instilled. Jeff’s arrangement, with Shayna and our Chorus, mirrors the original and once again showcases Shayna’s inspirational, soaring, committed style. If you were at a concert, you’ll remember the awesome audience response to this Shayna-finale.
WHAT SWEETER MUSIC – John Rutter
“I find this to be a 4 ½ minute miracle/masterpiece by one of our greatest contemporary choral masters.”
This one’s my fault. What I mean by that is that I try to conduct this piece whenever I can at the holidays, or anytime. I find this to be a 4 ½ minute miracle/masterpiece by one of our greatest contemporary choral masters. It’s a setting of the 17th Century poet Robert Herrick’s poem, and beyond being musically ravishing, I think its sentiment is a wonderful reminder of the ‘reason for the season.’
A FEW MINUTES WITH SANTA
This is either a bonus track or a painful plethora of puns. Every Holiday Pops concert in Grand Rapids has the honor of being visited by none other than The Claus Himself. He makes a special trip, days, or even weeks, before his actual annual gift-giving journey just to hear his favorite orchestra (his words, not mine), the Grand Rapids Symphony, and spread holiday cheer in DeVos Performance Hall.
Our discussion for this recording was by special appointment during Santa’s off-season, and it is always a thrill and honor to spend some time with him. And I think we’d all agree that if he wanted to branch out from his regular gig, he would have enormous potential in stand up.
CHRISTMAS SING-ALONG – arr. Finnegan
Another of our Holiday Pops traditions, we invite our audience to sing along with our orchestra and chorus in a medley of Christmas Carols and songs of the season. Feel free to join us as you listen.
Always the last work on each of our Holiday Pops concerts, Handel’s “Hallelujah” Chorus from The Messiah is a glorious and glorifying finale. In a tradition that goes back, in lore, to 1743, the King, in the audience, was so moved by the music of this chorus that he stood up, causing the rest of the audience to do so. Alas, there are no contemporary accounts that verify this story, or that the King was even present at the concert. The first verification in print was written around 1780, nearly 40 years later.
Some might cynically suggest that we play this work last to assure a standing ovation. We would never do that…would we?
“In a tradition that goes back, in lore, to 1743, the King, in the audience, was so moved by the music of this chorus that he stood up, causing the rest of the audience to do so.”
The Grand Rapids Symphony was established in 1930, and the steadfast commitment of visionary community leaders has created an organization that has received national recognition for the high quality of its concerts and educational programs. Led by Music Director Marcelo Lehninger, Pops Conductor Bob Bernhardt, Assistant Conductor Duo Shen, and Symphony Chorus Director Dr. Pearl Shangkuan, the Grand Rapids Symphony touches the lives of some 400,000 people from 13 counties across the state through its Richard and Helen DeVos Classical series, Fox Motors Pops series, Coffee and Chamber Masterworks Series, a new Family Series, as well as a whole host of education and engagement and programs.
As part of the Grand Rapids Symphony’s commitment to being a more integral and indispensable part of the West Michigan community, the Symphony’s Gateway to Music educational programming reaches nearly 90,000, students, adults, senior citizens, citizens from diverse ethnicities and economic backgrounds, as well as people with disabilities, through partnerships with community organizations to serve local schools and engage new audiences. Since 2014 the orchestra’s award-winning Music for Health initiative has served over 13,000 patients, their families, and hospital staff. Musicians are brought into area health care and rehab facilities as well as the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans to share and participate in the healing power of music.
The Grand Rapids Symphony has affiliations with the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus, which was founded and organized in 1962 with the guidance and support of Mary Ann Keeler. Additionally, it has connections to the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony and Classical Orchestra, founded in 1959 to provide a way for West Michigan’s young musicians to rehearse and perform orchestral music together. As the Grand Rapids Symphony approaches its 100th anniversary season, they are dedicated to strengthening their commitment to being the orchestra of their community and fostering a deeper connection through music and collaboration.
ADMINISTRATION & STAFF
EXECUTIVE, FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
Keith C. Elder President and CEO
Lacey Dixon Chief Revenue Officer and Sr. Vice President
Natalie Schwarting Vice President of Finance and Administration
Marisa DenBoer Director of Finance
Ally Lobbestael Manager of Human Resources and Volunteers
Debra Lehmann Finance Manager
ARTISTIC OPERATIONS
Julie Nystedt Vice President & General Manager
Kyle Viana Production Stage Manager
Erich Peterson
Personnel Manager
Noelle Myers Operations Manager
Jaclyn Swartz
Operations Coordinator & Chorus Assistant
Sarah Stickney Director of Education
Sarah Peterson Principal Librarian
Colin Bunnell
Assistant Librarian
Diane McElfish Helle
Program Administrator, Music for Health
DEVELOPMENT
Steven Siegel Vice President of Development
LeAnn Secord Assistant Vice President of Development
Heidi Leggett Senior Director of Donor Relations
David Solorio Manager of Corporate Giving
COMMUNICATIONS & SALES
David Brace Assistant Vice President of Sales
Margaret Paxton Director of Brand and Content Development
Emily Mazzullo Community Engagement Specialist
Grace Pilarski Brand Manager
PATRON SERVICES
Nubia Gomez
Patron Services Manager
Alex Reid
Patron Services Representative
Hannah Taghon
Patron Services
Representative
THE GRAND RAPIDS SYMPHONY
MARCELO LEHNINGER Music Director
Daniel and Pamella DeVos Music Director Chair
BOB BERNHARDT Pops Conductor
*VIOLIN
James Crawford
Concertmaster
Richard & Helen DeVos Chair
Vacant
Associate Concertmaster
Mr & Mrs. Milo R. DeVries Chair
Grace Kim
Assistant Concertmaster
Pingree Chair
Eric Tanner
Principal 2nd
Richard & Helen DeVos Chair
Kimia Ghaderi
Assistant Principal 2nd
Kenneth & Frances Ellis Chair
Louisa Blood
Jenna Anderson Buchner
Haijin Choi
Milt & Barbara Rohwer Chair
Sunny Cirlin
Megan Crawford
Christina Fong
Christine Golden
Diane McElfish Helle
Community Engagement Chair; Douglas & Barbara Kindschi
Sterling Jenkins
Patricia Kates
Adam Liebert
Christopher Martin
Susan Mora
Linda Nelson
Joo Yun Preece
Joshua Schlachter
Clara Schubilske
Jaewon Seo
Joachim Stepniewski
Collette VandenBerg
VIOLA
Vacant
Principal
Richard & Helen DeVos Chair
Barbara Corbató
Assistant Principal
Karl & Patricia Betz Chair
Leanne King
Mary Jane Miller
Kristen A. Shoup
Paul Swantek
Olga Ziabrikova
Antione Hackney+
Andrew Pool+
CELLO
Alicia Eppinga
Principal
Richard & Helen DeVos Chair
Andrew Laven
Assistant Principal
The Patricia R. Renucci & Family Chair
Shirley Kim
Andrew Plaisier
Will Preece
Jane Gaebe Chair
Jinn Shin
Thomas Sullivan
DUO SHEN Assistant Conductor
Maggie Coleman Chair
PEARL
SHANGKUAN Chorus Director
Covenant Chair
BASS
Jonathan Reed Principal
Mary I. Hunting Chair
Michael Hovnanian
Assistant Principal Benmark Chair
Ryan Bassett
Mark Buchner
Kevin Flannery
Robert Johnson
William Ritchie+
FLUTE
Dominique Kim
Principal
Lynn & Stuart White Chair Vacant
Assistant Principal
Laura May Ripley Chair
Judith Kemph
David H. Van Dyke Chair
PICCOLO
Judith Kemph
David H. Van Dyke Chair
OBOE
Ellen Sherman
Principal
Alexander Miller
Assistant Principal
Marsilje Foundation Chair
Kathleen Gomez
ENGLISH HORN
Kathleen Gomez
The Knack Family Chair
CLARINET
Georgiy Borisov
Principal
Stuart & Barbara Padnos Chair
Vacant
Assistant Principal
Joel Schekman
Geoffrey Gaebe Sr. Chair
Stephanie Hovnanian+
E-FLAT/BASS CLARINET
Joel Schekman
Geoffrey Gaebe Sr. Chair
David Yandl+
BASSOON
Victoria Olson
Principal
Brigid Babbish
Assistant Principal
Andrew Genemans
CONTRABASSOON
Andrew Genemans
HORN
Richard Britsch
Principal
Dr. David & Dr. Margaret
Thompson Chair
Erich Peterson
Assistant Principal
John & Judy Schneider Chair
Mary Beth Orr
Paul Austin
Paul Clifton+
Colin Bianchi+
Reed Fitzpatrick+
TRUMPET
Charley Lea
Principal
Pell Chair
Carrie Schafer
Assistant Principal
Richard Ruch Fund | Herman Miller Cares Chair
Thomas Hubel
Scott Thornburg+
Robert White+
Richard Neckermann+
TROMBONE
Christopher Houlihan
Principal
Peter & Gay Cummings Chair
Daniel Mattson
Assistant Principal
BASS TROMBONE
Robert Ward
TUBA
Jacob Cameron
Principal
Phil Sinder+
TIMPANI
Daniel Karas
Principal
Bonnie K. Miller Chair
David Hall
Assistant Principal
Chairs are titled in recognition of Annual Campaign sponsorship gifts or, where listed in boldface type, major GRS Foundation contributions.
* Strings are listed in alphabetical order after the titled chairs
+Supplementary Musicians
ERICH PETERSON, Personnel Manager
SARAH BOWMAN PETERSON, Principal Librarian
PERCUSSION
Jack Latta
Principal
Gracelynn Chair
David Hall
Assistant Principal
Larry & Sally Robson Chair
Andrew Fritz
HARP
Elizabeth Wooster Colpean
Principal
Cornucopia Family Foundation Chair
KEYBOARD
Vacant
Principal
Charles Hutchins+
ELECTRIC BASS
Michael Hovnanian
KYLE VIANA, Production Stage Manager
COLIN BUNNELL, Assistant Librarian
DR. PEARL SHANGKUAN
Chorus Director
Covenant Chair
Dr. Pearl Shangkuan is a highly sought-after conductor, lecturer and clinician who has led performances and workshops on six continents. She is the National President-elect of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), having previously served on the Board of Directors of Chorus America, as well as ACDA central division president and ACDA Michigan state president. She is the chorus director of the Grand Rapids Symphony, a Grammy-nominated professional orchestra and Professor Emerita of Music at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Appointed in 2022 as the Editor of Hinshaw Music, a major choral music publisher in North America, she also has a signature choral series with earthsongs and is the music editor of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Choral series published by GIA. She has conducted several times at Carnegie Hall and other major concert halls in the US and was an invited guest lecturer at the World Symposium for Choral Music held in Seoul, South Korea. Her guest conducting engagements regularly take her to Europe, Asia, and across North America.
Dr. Shangkuan has served on the jury of several international choral competitions in Europe and Asia and has led conducting masterclasses for the ACDA national conference, Chorus America conferences, the University of Michigan and the University of Illinois Choral Conducting Symposium among many prominent programs, institutions and organizations in the US. She has conducted numerous All State choirs, ACDA national and division honor choirs, and choral festivals nationally and internationally and has headlined several ACDA state and other professional conferences. She has commissioned and premiered numerous choral works and her choirs have performed at ACDA national, division and state conferences.
The Michigan YWCA honored her with its Arts Tribute Award in 2007. In 2013, Michigan ACDA honored her with the Maynard Klein Choral Award for “artistic excellence and lifetime leadership in choral music.” In 2020, she received a Calvin University Award for Excellence in Teaching. In 2023, the National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO) gave her its Honorary Life Member Award for “distinguished leadership and extraordinary service to the choral community, both nationally and internationally.”
Photo Credit- Ruth H. Photography
SHAYNA STEELE
Vocalist
There’s no need to sugar coat it since her impressive credits speak for themselves.
At the age of 15, Broadway and international vocalist Shayna Steele’s appearance on Ed McMahon’s Star Search was her first experience performing in front of a nationally televised audience. After losing by a 1/2 star, Shayna returned to her hometown of Biloxi, Mississippi to finish high school and pursue a music degree before exposing herself to the cutthroat “reality” of the business.
An unexpected call in 2005 would drop her squarely in the middle of a genre she had absolutely no experience with: Electronica. Hearing that Moby “needed a screamer” for a track off his new album Hotel, a mutual friend recommended Steele, resulting in the disc’s second single “Raining Again”. Two years later, she was back, laying down vocals for “Extreme Ways (2007)” - Moby’s theme song to The Bourne Ultimatum, The Bourne Legacy and Jason Bourne - and in early 2008, “Disco Lies”, the first single off of Moby’s 2008 release Last Night. The song reached #1 on the US Billboard Dance charts.
After spending 8 years as a Broadway ensemble member in shows such as Rent and Hairspray and 6 years in the background supporting artists like Bette Midler, Rhianna, and Kelly Clarkson, Shayna stepped out on her own with the release of her own 3rd studio album Watch Me Fly.
Shayna has appeared as a soloist and guest artist with over 40 symphony orchestras throughout North America. Her most recent solo concert Nothin’ But The Blues, written and conducted by Maestro Jeff Tyzik, is one of the many highlights in her symphonic solo careeer.
GRAND RAPIDS
SYMPHONY CHORUS
The Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus was organized and founded in 1962 with the guidance and support of Mary Ann Keeler. After over 50 years of service as a volunteer organization, the chorus is dedicated to achieving excellence in choral presentations. With over 130 members, under the direction of Dr. Pearl Shangkuan since 2004, the chorus has reached an admirable level of artistic choral performance.
The chorus performs major works with the orchestra during the Richard and Helen DeVos Masterworks Series and Fox Motors Pops Series concerts.
SOPRANO I
Natalie Furrow
Amanda Bernes
Kylie Chivington
Mikaela Deur
Joy Dewindt
Liisa Erskine
Erika Fleming
Delaney Gizzi
Melissa Janes
Ashley Meyers-Petro
Karen Pimpo
Jamie Purkovic
Rachel Quillian
Maria Schoon
Carolyn Van Der Aa
Kathleen Veenstra Pool
Sara Veenstra-Ashley
Alison Vroegop
Liz Canfield
SOPRANO II
Dana Bacon
Alyssa Beuthin
Mackenzie Brands
Kate Bynski
Janet Carter
Elizabeth Cyr
Julie Eigenbrod
Ginny Kerwin
Elissa Lew
Hannah Martin
Amanda Matthysse
Patti McConnell
Beth Mears
Cindy Molnar
Lisa Novosad
Heather Osterhouse
Rebecca Palomino
Candy Pierce
Sharon Segaar-King
Claire Garrity Sinn
Linda Snoek
ALTO I
Laura Beer
Becky Boers
Donna Hattem
Barbara Heisler
Susan Heerema
Lisa Howitz-Doering
Aimee Hunt
Lauren Lawrence
Cindy McAuliffe
Michaela Meyer
Sierra Moore
Pamela Smereka
Laurie Van Houten
Rachel VanKempen-Fryling
Anne Vermeulen
Jessica Vogel
Mary Wierenga
Katy York
ALTO II
Kathleen Devarenne
TENOR I
Joel Berends
Eric Boylan
Steve Gandy
Jeremy Kamps
Richard Krueger
Kenneth Lewis
Les Rowsey
Paul Sapp
Karis Taylor
Yudha Thianto
Josh VanderWeide
TENOR II
Jim Corrado
Robert DeBoer
Josiah Enos
Henry Kingma
Donald Lillie
Christopher Mayhew
Brian Nederveld
Don Scamehorn
BARITONE
Benjamin Brown
Brett DeVries
Sean Jennings
Richard Moser
Jonatan Palomino
Joseph Pasman
Roland Prevost
Joel VanderWeide
Jon VanderWeide
Josh Zheng
BASS
Alex Barringer
Tom DeVries
Michael DeWeerd
Robert Edwards
Matthew Fleming
Roger Groenboom
Mike Joynt
Jim Kleinheksel
Michael Ponsetto
Kathleen VanderVelde
AmyJo Emery
Sarah Greene
Heidi Groenboom
Leslie Hess
Robin Kieft
Liz Kingma
Megan Knoor
Emily Kramer
Shirley Lemon
Laura McBeth
Kimberly Meiste
Nancy Patterson
Adrian Pool
Karen Rowsey
Carolyn Schultz
Kira Sieplinga
Jenny Talsma
David Seymour
Mark Shepard
Keith VanderLinden
Tony Wilkerson
Paul Robertson
Tymon VanKempen
Steve Wonnacott
Michael York
EMBELLISH HANDBELLS
A West Michigan tradition, Embellish Handbells has been dazzling and delighting audiences for over 25 years. As a locally acclaimed, advanced community handbell choir, Embellish delights in showcasing music on their set of 6+ octaves of Malmark handbells and chimes. (That’s over one ton of musical equipment!)
Embellish performs multiple concerts each season, encompassing everything from classical favorites, to modern hits, to original compositions for handbells, and everything in between. For their 2023/2024 season main events, Embellish looks forward to presenting a Holiday Concert in early December, and a Spring Concert in early May.
The Embellish Family has been thrilled to welcome a new Music Director for this season, and is excited to introduce you to Brenda E. Austin as she steps into the prestigious role of Music Director for both Embellish, and its companion ensemble Campana.
Natalie Furrow
Nathan Biller
Debi Buer
Russell Cooper
Dawn Franchetti
Arianna Hiskes
Lauri Hoff
Laura Jen
Julie Kruse
Melissa Reiffer
Cindy Reimink
Lisa Sandee
Hanna Schmiedeknecht
Courtney Sheffer
Melanie Tolsma
Russell Van Vlack
Dennis Willemsen
Heather Willemsen
Hannah Wheaton
GRAND RAPIDS YOUTH CHORUS
The Grand Rapids Youth Chorus is a choral organization for young people which seeks to promote excellence in singing and appreciation of music from all around the world. They offer several family concerts each season in addition to special concerts with professional musicians. Collaborating with professional musicians teaches their young singers to aspire to their highest level of musicianship.
Leah Ivory, Artistic Director
Sean Ivory, Collaborative Pianist
Abigail Kearney
Addison Swiger
Adelaide Peter
Adrion Flowers
Amelia Iorio
Anna Van Wyk
Benjamin Chapman
Caelen Wigboldy
Charlotte Hanson
Caroline Hester
Cassidy Mayo
Clara Hart
Colby Jewart
Danica Sadowski
Ethan Smith
Ezra Ippel
Gabriel Malone
Grace VandenBerge
Isabella Greenwood
Isabella Long
Jack Becksvoort
Jessica Liu
Josephine Huyser
Kayla Meredith
Kathleen De Kraker
Laura DeBoer
Len Shaskos
Lily Fermin
Olivia Cook
Liv York
Logan Saganski
Lynlee Bell
Sophia Cioffi-Epp
Sparrow Hamm
Madeline Chapman
Margaret Ratajeski
Merrin McWilliams
Morgan Sahr
Nadia Schoon
Nolan Conn
Rana Hamood
Sara May
Sarah Krueger
Vivian Frey
Zephaniah Kirsch
PRODUCERS: Bob Bernhardt, Keith C. Elder, Julie Nystedt
RECORDING ENGINEERS: Brian Losch, Al McAvoy, Zach Talmage
ASSISTANT RECORDING ENGINEERS: Tim Swanberg, Jonathan Coleman
