Prelude Volume 12 • Issue 1 • Sept - Nov 2023

PRÉLUDE

West Michigan Symphony Season Magazine Volume 12 • Issue 1 • September – November 2023

ARETHA: A TRIBUTE

FRIDAY • SEPT 29 • 7:30 PM

SCHEHERAZADE AND MORE FRIDAY • NOV 3 • 7:30 PM

Serving West Michigan with all your metal needs Holland • Muskegon • Manistee • Spring Lake

WHAT'S INSIDE WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY SCOTT SPECK | MUSIC DIRECTOR

Artistic Staff Scott Speck Music Director Angela Corbin WMS Debut & Premier Strings Director Lauren Garza Tune Up Program Manager & Lead Teaching Artist Beth Slimko WMS Children’s Choir Director Kristina Zeinstra Tune Up Teaching Artist

Administrative Staff Andrew Buelow President/CEO Amanda Dykhouse Orchestra Librarian Megan James Marketing & Design Manager Karen Mueller O'Neill Vice President of Development & Marketing Maris Myers Patron Services Manager Gabe Slimko Vice President of Operations & Orchestra Personnel Manager Sherrie Tower Finance & Facilities Manager Karen Vander Zanden Director of Education & Engagement

3

Message from the Music Director

4

Meet the WMS Principal Musicians

5

West Michigan Symphony Musicians

6

Message from the Chairperson

8

2023/24 Board of Directors

10

West Michigan Symphony Annual Fund

14

West Michigan Symphony Endowment

17

West Michigan Symphony Legacy Giving

20

Aretha: A Tribute

24

Scheherazade and More

28

Community Music Encounters

32

About West Michigan Symphony

Find Us Online West Michigan Symphony Website: westmichigansymphony.org Facebook: facebook.com/wmsymphony Email: info@westmichigansymphony.org The Block Website: theblockwestmichigan.org Facebook: facebook.com/AtTheBlock Email: info@theblockwestmichigan.org

West Michigan Symphony is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides programs and services without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex or disability. Programs are funded in part by a grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs with the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Dates, artists and programs are subject to change.

Cover art by Megan James

SEASON SPONSORS

MISSION West Michigan Symphony connects and enriches our diverse community through the transformative power of music. We fulfill this primarily through three core offerings: • Professional, live symphonic performances in a welcoming environment • Inspired small ensemble performances in an immersive live listening room • Learning activities that enrich the lives of children and adults through exploration, participation and performance are a catalyst for a musicVISION We infused West Michigan: leading, facilitating, connecting and collaborating with the community to stimulate cultural vibrancy, inclusivity and pride of place.

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MESSAGE FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR Dear Friends, A funny thing happened while I was conducting The Planets with the West Michigan Symphony last season. I was suddenly aware that for the past several minutes, literally nothing but music had crossed my mind. The musicians and I had been completely immersed in the act of music-making, and I probably couldn't have told you how long it lasted, or even what part of the world we were in. It was the closest thing I could imagine to perfect meditation.

In fact, while conducting the West Michigan Symphony, I'm almost never aware of anything but the music and the moment.

That's because our stellar musicians distill their essence into each performance. I wish you could be onstage with me and feel the change in atmospheric pressure when the orchestra inhales as one, feel the huge rush of high-voltage energy that flows from one side of the stage to the other and back again. Our musicians revere great music, they feel it deeply, and they pour their hearts into every note they play.

We always keep this in mind when programming a season of the West Michigan Symphony. We ask ourselves: what will allow our musicians to demonstrate their overwhelming love of music? This current season is the result of that kind of thinking. It shows in pieces like Beethoven's "Pastoral" Symphony, Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade and Capriccio Espagnol, Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, Smetana's The Moldau, Copland's Quiet City, Vivaldi's Four Seasons (coupled with the Four Seasons of Buenos Aires by Astor Piazzolla), and Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. And it shows in guest artists like violinist Chee-Yun, pianists Aldo López-Gavilán and Terrence Wilson, clarinetist Kinan Azmeh, and singers Capathia Jenkins, Darryl Williams and Holly Payne — whose performances combine astonishing technique with soul-transporting passion.

And so we begin the 2023/24 Season of the West Michigan Symphony. You can probably guess how excited we are to share these pieces and these soloists with you. And I hope you realize that you, the audience, are a vital part of the transfer of energy that takes place here. Your active involvement in the music is the link that completes the circuit, allowing our musicians to play with such extraordinary spirit. Thank you for making what we do possible — and enjoy the concert!

Scott Speck Music Director Please see Scott Speck’s bio on page 32

VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 1 • SEPTEMBER – NOVEMBER 2023

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MEET THE WMS PRINCIPAL MUSICIANS Our musicians are West Michigan’s cultural ambassadors and a key part of its creative capital. In addition to WMS, our players teach privately and at major Michigan universities, perform with other orchestras, and appear as recitalists and chamber musicians across the Midwest and beyond.

Jesus Linarez

Gene Hahn

Concertmaster

Associate Concertmaster

Mark Portolese

Carmen Abelson

Jacie Robinson

Assistant Concertmaster

Arturo Ziraldo

Associate Principal – Violin 2 Assistant Principal – Violin 2

Igor Cetkovic

Associate Principal – Cello

Principal – Clarinet

Alica Gregorian Sawyers

Cameron Slaugh

Robert Johnson

Jill Marie Brown

Open

Paul Clifton-O’Donnell

Principal – Tuba 4

Rebecca Boelzner

Associate Principal – Viola

Principal – Bassoon

Open

Amanda Dykhouse

Principal – Viola

Principal – Bass

Assistant Principal – Cello

Jonathan Holden

Adam Liebert

Assistant Principal – Violin 1

Leo Taylor

Principal – Horn

Principal – Timpani

Principal – Flute

Bill Baxtresser

Matthew Beck

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY SEASON MAGAZINE

Principal – Cello

Open

Principal – Oboe

Edward Hickman

Principal – Trumpet

Principal – Percussion

Principal – Violin 2

Principal – Trombone

Sylvia Norris

Principal – Harp

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY MUSICIANS Music Director

Viola

Bassoon

Scott Speck

Arturo Ziraldo principal

Open principal Jason Kramer

Mike & Kay Olthoff Endowed Chair

First Violin

Sponsored by Jan & Laura Deur

Rebecca Boelzner assc. principal Csaba Erdélyi Sponsored by JoLee Wennersten

Josh Holcomb

Jesus Linarez concertmaster

Sponsored by Wietse & Melanie Schaafsma

Sponsored by Pat & Julie Donahue

Gene Hahn assc. concertmaster Gust and Mary Theodore Danigelis Endowed Chair

Jacie Robinson asst. concertmaster Sponsored by Bruce & Donna Hood

Cello Alicia Gregorian Sawyers principal Sponsored by Steve & Deb Olsen

Igor Cetkovic assc. principal Sponsored by David & Darcy Dye

Cameron Slaugh asst. principal

Adam Liebert asst. principal

Sponsored by Dr F Remington & Ginny Sprague

Sponsored by Dr Alan Steinman

Lee Copenhaver

Hannah Christiansen Robbie Herbst Jennifer Kotchenruther

Sponsored by Dr Mark D & Kristina M Clark

Sponsored by Bob & Charlotte Chessman

Jane Mockus Maya Shiraishi

Karen Krummel Abigail Monroe Grace Mockus Calin Muresan Sponsored by Norna Verplank & Tom Knight

Sponsored by Kevin & Annette Even

Bass

Oxana Sourine

Robert Johnson principal David Chapman-Orr

Sponsored by Darlene Collet in memory of Lee Collet

Sponsored by Tom Knight

Stephen Reichelt Open Bass

Second Violin Amanda Dykhouse principal Warner Norcross + Judd LLP Endowed Chair

Mark Portolese assc. principal

Marissa Olin

Carmen Abelson asst. principal Katie Bast

Sponsored by Mary E Malek

Leslie Deppe piccolo

Sponsored by David & Darcy Dye

Patrick Foley Karen-Jane Henry

Oboe Open principal Asako Furuoya

Sponsored by Norna Verplank

Sponsored by Ellie Williams

Natalie Hockamier Britta Bujak Portenga Sponsored by Waddell & Reed Financial Advisors

Carol Wildgen Sponsored by Mark & Karla Lange

Tatiana Zueva

Jill Marie Brown principal Sponsored by Anonymous

Sponsored by Joanna Norris

Jackie Engel, CFP®

Flute

Clarinet Jonathan Holden principal Stephanie Hovnanian Lisa Raschiatore bass clarinet Sponsored by Don & Kathy Dahlstrom matched by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation

Sponsored by Eric & Merica Dobry

Horn Paul Clifton-O’Donnell principal Jeffrey Lake Johnson Endowed Chair

Greg Bassett Lisa Honeycutt Sponsored by Allen & Sandy Beck

Leah Brockman

Trumpet Bill Baxtresser principal Sponsored by Roger & Rebecca Tuuk

Ethan Adams

Trombone Edward Hickman principal Joe Radtke Sponsored by Laketown Family Dental

Carter Woosley bass trombone

Tuba Open principal Sponsored by Dr. Chris Jansen-Yee

Timpani Leo Taylor principal Douglas & Janet Hoch Endowed Chair

Percussion Matthew Beck principal Sponsored by Jill Sanders

Jordan Berini Eric Jones Sponsored by Cornelia Holley & Sheryl Wescott

Harp Sylvia Norris principal Sponsored by Paul & Karen Jackson

Music Librarian Amanda Dykhouse Sponsored by Ardy Bulthouse Kroes

Musical Chairs: Sponsor a musician for the season. Endow for a lifetime.

For more information, contact Andy Buelow at 231.726.3231 or abuelow@westmichigansymphony.org.

VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 1 • SEPTEMBER – NOVEMBER 2023

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MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRPERSON Let’s celebrate! For me, every concert is a celebration, but now that seems especially true. At West Michigan Symphony, we have traveled through an incredibly challenging several years into what feels like a burst of new life.

Isn’t this often the way? We go through times of hardship and stress and it changes us. Throughout the 2022/23 Season, every concert was positively elevating. The orchestra sounded amazing, and attendance was higher than it has been for the last decade. We constantly had comments from audience members who had been absent for a few years—some due to COVID, some attracted back by word of mouth—saying they’d never heard us play this way before.

I often think that the COVID pandemic was really a crucible, something that clearly revealed the conundrum we are in as a fragmented society. Live music heals that fracture: it brings people together to share beauty. People are hungry for authentic experiences of community, and WMS strives to provide a welcoming, inclusive gathering space.

At West Michigan Symphony, we are building a community of listening and learning. We are doing this not only through our flagship concert offerings at the Frauenthal and The Block, but through what we call our Community Music Encounters: learning opportunities for youth and adults that take place in schools, libraries and neighborhoods throughout the area.

Stories Tell THE

Your West Michigan Symphony is about live musical performance—and so much more. Our Vision is to be a catalyst for a music-infused West Michigan. We help bring about cultural vibrancy, inclusivity, pride of place, and authentic community. When you support WMS, you’re supporting all of this.

SEASON 39

WE

The Penguin Project® of Muskegon Civic Theatre

Sept. 9–10, 2023 Frauenthal Theater

Oct. 6–21, 2023

Beardsley Theater

This past summer, WMS and Muskegon Area District Library collaboratively presented Click Clack Moosic—our storytime series for toddlers—free to more than 800 children and parents at all nine MADL branches. Small groups of WMS musicians performed for neighborhood kids throughout the city during the Muskegon Police Department’s summer popup block parties.

Last season was the first year of the new Tune Up beginner string program. Held in Muskegon elementary schools, Tune Up eliminates barriers to participation in music for underserved children. In the coming school year, Tune Up will expand into all Muskegon elementary schools and middle school. You can read more about these and the other activities and programs of our Community Music Encounters on p. 28-29.

2023–2024

Nov. 17–Dec. 3, 2023 Beardsley Theater

Jan. 12–20, 2024 Frauenthal Theater

Feb 9–24, 2024

Beardsley Theater

April 12–20, 2024

Hilt Building Ballroom

Enjoy the season!

Susan Cloutier Crain Chairperson, WMS Board of Directors 6

231.722.3852

May 2–5, 2024

Frauenthal Theater

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY SEASON MAGAZINE

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2023/24 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Susan Cloutier Crain, Chairperson Retired Executive Director, Disability Network Past ED of Disability Network/West Michigan, past president of Muskegon Rotary and former trustee of Harbor Hospice, Susan brings a community engagement sensibility to her work with WMS. She and her late husband Orville spearheaded the campaign to bring outdoor musical instruments to Muskegon parks. As WMS chair, she has fostered an organization-wide focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Kevin Even, Treasurer Shareholder, Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge A board member since 2016, Kevin serves on the Resources Committee and, since 2021, as Treasurer. He enjoys almost all kinds of music and is an advocate for concerts that bring in the next generation. A shareholder and partner at Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge, Kevin lives with his wife Annette in Fruitland Township. He enjoys spending time with his grandchildren, biking, golfing and hunting.

Melisa Baker Human Resources Manager, Webb Chemical Service Corporation Melisa joined the board in August 2022 and brings a business mindset and a background in human relations.

She has volunteered for several non-profits including the United Way of the Lakeshore and the American Red Cross of Muskegon, Oceana and Newaygo Counties. She has been with Webb Chemical since 2004 as their Human Resources Manager.

Jan L Deur Retired CPA, Verizon A native of Fremont, Jan is now retired but spent most of his career as a financial executive with GTE and Verizon. A member of the board since FY2014, Jan served as Treasurer from FY2018 through the end of 2021 and co-chaired the Play Your Part Campaign with Kay Olthoff. He has chaired numerous other area campaigns and served on multiple boards.

Merica S Dobry Senior Council, Warner Norcross + Judd LLP A board member since April 2022, Merica attended Michigan State College of Law, launched an area solo practice, and is now an attorney at Warner Norcross + Judd, LLP, practicing in the trusts and estates field. No stranger to the performing arts, Merica sang in the Smith College Glee Club, various community choirs, and is a veteran of Muskegon Civic Theatre. She met her husband, Eric, on the golf course, a sport they continue to enjoy together.

Larry Fife Retired Infotainment Director, Siemens and Continental Automotive Now retired, Larry served as Infotainment Director for Siemens and Continental Automotive. Larry was a volunteer on the campaign to install outdoor musical instruments throughout Muskegon and Muskegon Heights. He was inspired to join the board in 2021 due to his passion for music and his interest in furthering WMS youth education programs.

Bob Garretson CEO, Embark Financial Partners Bob and his wife Heather moved back to Muskegon in 2019 after several years in New York City; one of the primary draws was the vibrant arts scene, including WMS. CEO of Embark Financial Partners, Bob loves to generate ideas that bring people together. Since joining the board in April 2022, his special focus is to make the Symphony more visible, accessible and inclusive. His other great loves are his family, cooking, golfing and scuba diving.

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WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY SEASON MAGAZINE

Amy Hosford General Manager, KN Literary Arts A board member since 2021, one of Amy's greatest joys is to share the live concert experience with friends, family, and first-time symphony attendees. Amy retired from Amazon in 2022 after a 23-year career in publishing, and recently launched Hosford House, LLC, a healing arts studio based in downtown Muskegon. She's also the general manager of KN Literary Arts, a writing and book studio that supports authors. What motivates Amy to serve? "Muskegon is thriving! Each of us has the ability to shape the community we want to live in, and I want to live in a community that values and supports the Arts in its many forms and functions."

Donna Joyce Advancement Director, DOOR International Donna, a Muskegon native, moved to the Lakeshore in 2018 from the Grand Rapids area, where she had a 21-year career in Advancement at Calvin University and served on numerous community boards. Following Calvin, Donna spent two years as a development officer for Muskegon Rescue Mission and currently works for DOOR International, an international ministry serving the Deaf. This experience, along with her interests in community engagement, philanthropy, and the arts, drew her to support the initiatives of WMS.

Jason Olthoff Vice President of Sales, Nichols The West Michigan native found out early on that his path would run heavily through music and the arts. Jason spent the beginning part of his career performing and learning the backstage trade in Los Angeles. This led to a production specialty of over 25 Super Bowl halftime shows, 3 Opening and Closing Ceremonies and countless other special events. For 10 years he led a brand strategy and experiential marketing agency in Chicago, and is currently glad to be back in West Michigan as the VP of Sales for Nichols. Jason has served on the boards of Muskegon Civic Theater, The Block, The Young Americans and also the United Way of the Lakeshore.

Emma Peterson Director of Philanthropy, Trinity Health Emma attended WMS as a youngster, spent three years on the staff, and served as chair of The Block from 2019 through 2021. All four of her daughters have participated in Debut and Premier Strings, and one in Children's Choir. With this connection, it felt natural to join the WMS board when WMS and The Block merged in 2021.

Kate Kesteloot Scarbrough Retired Executive Director, Mediation & Restorative Services A resident of Whitehall, Kate is an active community volunteer in West Michigan. In addition to her engagement with WMS, she is current chair of True North Community Services and active in Muskegon Rotary as a member of its DEI Committee. She has lent her expertise and experience in the not-forprofit sector to help guide WMS’s Audience Committee efforts to build patron loyalty. She is inspired by downtown Muskegon’s revitalization and believes WMS and the other arts and culture organizations play a vital role. Previously, Kate served as Executive Director of Mediation & Restorative Services.

Ryan Sterkenburg CTFA®, CISP® Senior Wealth Administrator, West Shore Bank Recently relocating back to West Michigan with his wife Kris, Ryan wanted to get behind an organization that was contributing to the growth and well-being of the community. When the opportunity came to join the board, he jumped in. Ryan is a Senior Wealth Administrator for West Shore Bank, a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) and Certified IRA Services Professional (CISP). He has considerable experience assisting clients with intergenerational trusts, investment management, strategies for estate planning, wealth preservation, and risk management. In addition to WMS, Ryan volunteers with the Lake Michigan Estate Planning Council and the Rotary Club of Muskegon. Ryan and Kris enjoy biking, hiking, golf, pickleball and pretty much anything outdoors.

Complete bios of each board member may be found at westmichigansymphony.org/learn-more/board-of-directors/ VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 1 • SEPTEMBER – NOVEMBER 2023

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West Michigan Symphony Annual Fund Your annual contributions to West Michigan Symphony help to sustain a vital community resource. Just over 60% of contributions to WMS come from individual patrons, with the remainder generated from corporate and foundation support. We extend our deepest appreciation to you for helping make WMS a cultural touchstone in our community.

The listings below represent total pledges and gifts by each patron household from July 1, 2022 through Sept 1, 2023. This includes our Annual Fund, other special initiatives and events. In particular, we wish to express our gratitude to Mike and Kay Olthoff for their support of our November-December Matching Challenge campaign.

We have given careful attention to ensure a complete and accurate list. Please notify us of any inaccuracies by calling 231.726.3231.

$10,000 and up Anonymous Susan Cloutier Crain Jan & Laura Deur Douglas & Janet Hoch Jeffrey Lake Johnson Steve & Deb Olsen Mike & Kay Olthoff In memory of Fred Norris and Michael Soimar Brad & Kathleen Playford Jack & Becky Slimko Peter M Turner $5,000-$9,999 Anonymous (2) Melisa Baker Andy & Beth Buelow George W & Lori Lynn Cannon III Deborah DeVoursney Mary Douville Greg & Debi Hillebrand Amy & William Hosford Happy 90th Birthday to Marlene Greiner Paul & Karen Jackson Buzz & Wendy Kersman Scott & Donna Lachniet Ryan & Emily Leestma Joanna & Fred Norris Frank & Emma Peterson Jill Sanders Sawyer Family Fund of CFFMC Roger & Rebecca Tuuk

William & Mary Lou Eyke Larry & Lynette Fife James & Susan Geisler David F Gerdes & Carolyn Smith-Gerdes Tilio Giacobassi Family Bill Haug & Jane Curtis Bruce & Donna Hood Nelson & Elizabeth Huldin Stephen & Debra Jackson Barbara Kelso Kate Kesteloot Scarbrough Daniel & Sheryl Kuznar John & Jessie Martin Roger C Morgenstern Jason & Jamye Olthoff Denis & Barbara Potuznik Wietse & Melanie Schaafsma Tom Schaub & Mary Price Sam Slaughter & Anne Lehker Michael & Marijean Smith Scott Speck Dr F Remington & Ginny Sprague Susan & Stephen Struck Liz & Tom Trzaska JoLee Wennersten

Evelyn Geile Linda Gregorian In honor of Alicia Gregorian Sawyers Mark & Jennifer Gross Robert & Clara Harrell Cornelia Holley Hon Kathy L Hoogstra & Dr Robert Hoogstra Pat Hunt Todd & Tami Jacobs Wilda James Dr Chris Jansen-Yee Joel & Kathleen Jarvis Charles & Vivian Johnson Tom & Pat Johnson Clara Lang Mark & Karla Lange Estate of Joan Leder Mark & Bonnie Meengs Susan Meston Scott & Janee' Musselman Chris & Amy Olthoff Steve & Kathleen Parker Dr Richard & Nancy Peters Ed & Judy Pietila Terry & Joy Puffer Susan Rehrer Gretchen & Randy Rhoades In memory of Fred Norris John Saling & Diane Fischer Laura Schultz Gregg & Sue Slager Dr Alan Steinman Tom & Nanci Stone Marty & Heidi Sytsema LJ Verplank Michael & Patricia Wade Karen & John Wells Sheryl Wescott Melody & JR Whitby Jerry Wiersma Judy Wilcox Ellie Williams Dr Roy Winegar & Ms Barbara Klingenmaier Marguerite & Kenneth Winter Jane J Wright

$2,500-$4,999 Anonymous (3) Krista Abbott Dr Mark D & Kristina M Clark Don & Kathy Dahlstrom In memory of Fred Norris, Matched by Charles Stewart Mott Foundation

$1,000-$2,499 Anonymous Thank you Susan Cloutier Crain Charles Alstrom Allen & Sandy Beck Susan & Frank Bednarek Fund of the CFFMC Herb & Anne Bevelhymer Jon & Jane Blyth Pete & Sherry Brown Andrew Busard Michael Cerminaro & Connie Verhagen Bob & Charlotte Chessman Darlene Collet Eric & Merica Dobry Pat & Julie Donahue Rob & Cathleen Dubault Robert & Jackie Engel

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WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY SEASON MAGAZINE

$500-$999 Anonymous (2) Anonymous

In memory of my dad Cathy & Bernie Berntson Fund of CFFMC Fred & Ann Bleakley Ron & Ann Marie Brown Gordon & Mary Buitendorp Ardy Bulthouse Kroes In memory of Rodger Kroes Greta Bushnell Curtis Chambers & Diana Wojton

George & Deborah Chmelar Valerie Church-McHugh & Fred McHugh Fritz Coutchie Dr Donald & Nancy Crandall Anne Dake Mary Theodore Danigelis Marcia D'Oyly Deb & Chris Drake Jean Enright Kevin & Annette Even Ron Fritz Don Goodman Kurt & Antoinette Hildwein Richard & Holly Hughes Robert E. Johnson Donna Joyce Heather Kettler Tim & Catherine Kozal Denise Kwiecien Joan La Mourie Paul & Patricia Ladas Patricia Locke Charles Matthews & Kay Cater Matthews Paul & Winnie McNergney LeighAnn Mikesell & Ward LaDuke Perry & Deb Newson In memory of Fred Norris Eric & Jennifer Norris In memory of Fred Norris Nick & Barb Pietrangelo Roy & Britta Bujak Portenga Gary & Beth Post Clyde & Beth Rinsema Dan & Sarah Rinsema-Sybenga Dr Gary & Pennie Robertson David Roodvoets Allen & Mistelle Serio Dan Sheldon Carlo Spataro Eileen Stoffan John & Mary Swanson John & Sue Sytsema Ann & Dan Tabor Stacey Uganski Elinore Verplank (Norna) Matt & Cheryl Wansten Jonathan & Melissa Wilson Jim & Linda Zolman $100-$499 Anonymous (6) Anonymous In memory of Robert & JoAnn Landman Ross & Sandra Aden Joanna Alfredson Lee Anderson Michael Anderson & Brooke Kieft-Anderson Tim & Cheryl Arter Margo Atwell Bruce & Paula Baker

In memory of Robert & JoAnn Landman Travis Barkel Thomas & Muriel Beattie In memory of Fred Norris Gary Beatty Amy Bensinger William Black In memory of Fred Norris Jeanne Kuharivicz Bleich Brian & Jill Boersema Arthur & Marilyn Bolt David & Karen Booth Greg Borgman Monica & Matthew Bowen Mary & Bob Boyer Bill & Sue Brookstra Michael & Joanna Buboltz Brett Burza Rudy & Pat Chmelar Richard & Gay Cole Robert & Diane Collier In memory of Fred Norris Jared & Bethany Cramer William & Carol Cross III Jessica Wolin & Frank Crownover David Culver Ian K Davis Garry & Carolyn DeBoer Kurt & Cheryl Deford Larry DeVoogd Greg & Judith DeWeerd John & Jan Ditmar Joyce Downing Karen & Herb Driver Dennis & Barbara Dryer Amanda & Gregory Dykhouse Kath & Greg Edwards Joel & Linda Engel Harold & Mary Englund Wallace & Jane Ewing Cork Farkas & Kathy Mauck Eugene Fethke Bobby Fisher Charles & Patti Fisher Roberta Fleischmann William Fohlbrook & Vicky Thalen Brenda Freye Mr & Mrs Peter M Friar Bruce Froelich & Margot Haynes Paula DeGregorio & Frank Galante Children of James & Susan Geisler In honor of their parents on their 53rd Anniversary Chuck & Jeanne Gembis Jeff Gietzen & Heather Storck Tonya & Gary Gonzalez Marjorie Gorajec Mary Anne Gorman Ann Gorter Thom & Judy Gouwens LaDon Gustafson Rev Jerry & Rev Susan Hagans

VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 1 • SEPTEMBER – NOVEMBER 2023

Virginia Hague Jeff & Gail Hall Kirk Hallman & Dawn Boston Craig & Carolyn Hart In memory of Fred Norris Kathleen Harwood Patricia Hesling Jonathon & Wendy Hoogstra Mary Ann Howe John & Jane Humphrey Ed Hunt & Nancy McCarthy Patricia Johnson Robert & Susan Johnson Connie Karry Karen Kayes James Kendra Francine Kieft Louie & Earlaine Kiel Randy & Debra Knapp Thomas Knight Vicki Kraus Mary & Greg LaGuire JoAnn Landman In memory of Robert Landman Corena Leutscher Lloyd & Mildred Lindland In memory of Fred Norris. A talented musician and champion of music.

Kyle & Stacey Lohman Lori & Dave Loring Andy & Jill Maciejewski William & Mary Macleod Sandy Majeski Deborah Margules Michael Martin Cindy Mazurek Chris McGuigan & Gary Neal Shirley McIntire Jack McKeough Mr and Mrs Graydon Megan Alice Meldrum Rich & Teresa Micheil Patrick & Sheila Miller Sarah Miller Roger & Jane Missimer Vern Molitor Matt & Laurel Nease Kathryn L Neumann Susan and Tyler Newton In memory of Herb and Ellie Hoeker.

Thanks for instilling in us appreciation for this kind of music.

Carol Norris In honor of Fred and Joanna Norris David Olsen Garry & Charlotte Olson Henry & Mollie Osborn In memory of Fred Norris Richard A Pardini Gay C Petersen David & Beth Pickard Barb Pitcher

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$500-$999 Ann & Bud Eichmann Fund of the CFFMC John L Wheeler Memorial Scholarship Fund of the CFFMC Schierholz/Hogan Family Fund of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County Shape Corporation

Albert & Elizabeth Posthuma Sylvia Precious C Bruce & Shirley Privacky Rev William Randall Mike & Char Ratchford Donna Little & Faye Redmond Robert & Sharon Remmerde

In honor of Fred Norris, friend and multi-talented musician Kathy & Mike Rohlman Andy & Shelly Rush Duane & Susan Schecter Gwynne & Steve Schoff Pat & Ed Schroeder Lee & Sandra Schuitema Sue Schuiteman In memory of Nancy Witham Kieft John Selmon John & Elaine Severson Jocelyn Shaw & Doug Hannink Colleen & Joseph Skendzel Hayden Smith Joanie Smith Nancy Spargo

In memory of Fred Norris. It is an honor to support the continued activities of the symphony he loved so dearly James & Nancy Stier Clifford & Lucia Storr George & Dottie Strabel Howard & Marilyn Swanson Mona Thelen Sera Thompson In memory of Fred Norris George & Laura Thurlow Judith Tierney Charles & Susan Rogalla Tindall Richard & Marge Tourre David & Mary Turbessi Brandon Turnbull Sandra Tyrrell In memory of Fred Norris Stephen & Valerie Vallier John Van Walsum Phillip VanderPol Ed DeJong & Diane VanWesep Tim Volkema Bill & Shirley Walther Dan & Nancy Weller Harry & Julie Wierenga Brewster & Mary Ellen Willcox Dick & Marilyn Witham In memory of Nancy Witham Kieft Jan Witt Robert & Joanne Zayko Douglas & Jennifer Zwemer

Corporate, Arts Council & Foundation Donors

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WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY SEASON MAGAZINE

$10,000 and up Community Foundation for Muskegon County DTE Energy DTE Energy Foundation Fund Embark Financial Services Grand Haven Area Community Foundation Harbor Steel & Supply Corporation Hines Corporation Leonel L. & Mary Loder Fund Meijer Foundation Michigan Arts & Culture Council RENK America Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge Warner Norcross + Judd LLP $5,000-$9,999 Fifth Third Bank Fremont Area Community Foundation Howmet Community Fund of the CFFMC JSJ Foundation Fund Muskegon Community College Samuel L. Westerman Foundation The Gerber Foundation The Leonard Luxury Apartments Trinity Health West Shore Bank Women's Division Chamber of Commerce $2,500-$4,999 Consumers Energy Grand Valley State University Howmet Aerospace I'move Lake Michigan Credit Union Lorin Industries Mart Dock Corporation Merrill Lynch PNC Bank Raymond James Scherdel Sales & Technology Shoreline Insurance Agency, Inc. Webb Chemical Service Corporation $1,000-$2,499 Billie Klont Greinke Memorial Fund of the CFFMC Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Hazekamp's Premier Foods Laketown Family Dental Mary C Payne Fund of the CFFMC Port City Ventures Sparta Community Foundation Tyler Sales

Past Chairs Committee The Past Chairs Committee provides ongoing guidance, advocacy and support to the WMS long after its members’ terms are completed. WMS thanks and honors these individuals for their generosity, collective wisdom and continuing leadership.

Tim Arter Pete Brown Marcia D’Oyly David Gerdes Holly Hughes David Hogan Pat Hunt G Thomas Johnson Wendy Kersman Clara Lang Deb Newson Kay Olthoff Mike Olthoff Sylvia Precious Chip Sawyer Ann Tabor Peter Turner Jane Wright

Block Underwriters Consumers Energy Grand Valley State University Lake Michigan Credit Union Lorin Industries Michael & Kimberly Martin (Endowed) Muskegon Community College Steve & Deb Olsen Mike & Kay Olthoff Mary Price & Tom Schaub Scherdel Sales & Technology Shoreline Insurance Agency Smith, Haughey, Rice and Roegge Trinity Health Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

7 Unique Dining Locations Along the Lakeshore Locally Owned & Operated

Lake hi Mic gan

Pub One Eleven, 111 W. Colby, Whitehall Red Rooster Tavern, 2998 N. Scenic Dr. Full Moon Diner & Saloon, 3408 Whitehall Rd. No Name Saloon & Grill, 609 W. Western Ave. Dockside Donuts, 1950 Lakeshore Dr. Marine Tap Room, 1983 Lakeshore Dr. Cherokee Restaurant, 1971 W. Sherman Blvd.

www.hometownhospitalitygroup.com VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 1 • SEPTEMBER – NOVEMBER 2023

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WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY ENDOWMENT Now in its 84th Season, WMS is dedicated to building a music-infused West Michigan, providing professional concerts in a welcoming environment and learning opportunities that enrich the lives of both children and adults. The Endowment, along with robust annual giving, provides a stable funding base that supports this cause. WMS’s Endowment is held in two funds at the Community Foundation for Muskegon County (CFFMC), as well as in a third newly established fund at the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation (GHACF).

Established in 1992, the CFFMC Secure the Spirit fund reported a fair market value of $573,958 on June 30, 2023. Established in 2020, the CFFMC Play Your Part fund reported $1,844,706 on the same date. The GHACF Play Your Part fund, established in 2021, was at $95,890.

The corpus of each fund is owned, managed and directed by these foundations, whose staff and trustees determine the timing and amount of distributions—normally an annual amount equal to 4% of the average balance over the previous 16 quarters. Foundation staff handles all administrative details and investment responsibilities, freeing WMS leadership and staff to focus on mission delivery.

Play Your Part Campaign West Michigan Symphony’s $5 million Play Your Part Campaign has two primary objectives. The first is to bring the Endowment to a level that will generate 15% of the annual budget, thereby providing a stable revenue model for the future. The second is to establish a five-year, $600,000 startup fund for Tune Up, a new string orchestra program for underserved students who currently lack access to such instruction. This program launched in fall 2022 in Muskegon Public Schools. For more information, please see page 28.

At the end of August 2023, campaign leadership reported more than $3,966,297 in gifts and pledges. We thank all those who have given generously to the campaign to date, and invite you to consider “playing a part” in WMS’s future. Whether through an outright gift or a designation in your will and trusts, your support will ensure continuity and future growth of WMS’s artistic and community footprint.

To learn more, please contact Andy Buelow at 231.726.3231 or abuelow@westmichigansymphony.org.

Honorary Chairs

Operation Chairs

Larry & Lari Hines Robert & Wendy Kersman Fred & Joanna Norris Mike & Kay Olthoff Peter Turner & Jean Enright

Jan Deur Kay Olthoff

Cabinet Members Sherry Becker Jon & Jane Blyth Pete & Sherry Brown Ryan Bryker Susan Cloutier Crain Anne Dake

Kevin Even Bill Eyke Jim & Susan Geisler Dave Gerdes Kimberly L. Hammond Paul & Karen Jackson

Roger Morgenstern Steve & Deb Olsen Susan Rehrer Tom Schaub & Mary Price Dr Alan Steinman

Marilyn Andersen Troy Bell Bernie & Cathy Berntson Pat Donahue Steve Gawron Judy Hayner Amy Heisser

Brad Hilleary Todd Jacobs Clara Lang Cindy Larsen Gary Nelund Dale Nesbary Frank & Emma Peterson

Asaline Scott John Severson Dan & Ann Tabor Rebecca Veltman Walter Watt

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WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY SEASON MAGAZINE

Endorsement Council

Maestro: $250,000 and up Michael & Kay Olthoff Larry & Lari Hines Jeffrey Lake Johnson

F Martin & Dorothy A Johnson Fund of the GHACF Paul C Johnson Fund of the CFFMC Fred & Joanna Norris Greg & Shelley Olson Susan Rehrer Robbins Road Animal Clinic Dr Alan Steinman John & Mary Swanson Liz & Tom Trzaska matched by RENK America Peter M Turner Webb Chemical Judy Wilcox

Premiere: $100,000-$249,999 Community Foundation for Muskegon County (CFFMC) Douglas & Janet Hoch Robert & Wendy Kersman Scott & Donna Lachniet Crescendo: $50,000-$99,999 Bernie & Cathy Berntson Jon & Jane Blyth Mary Theodore Danigelis Jan & Laura Deur Pat & Julie Donahue Mark & Christine Fazakerley Mrs Carol Folkert Grand Haven Area Community Foundation (GHACF) Howmet Aerospace Dan & Sheryl Kuznar Meijer Foundation Patrick O’Leary Foundation Steve & Deb Olsen Jack & Becky Slimko Warner Norcross + Judd LLP Symphony: $25,000-$49,999 Pete & Sherry Brown Orville & Susan Cloutier-Crain Don & Kathy Dahlstrom matched by Charles Stewart Mott Fund Rob & Cathleen Dubault Eagle Alloy William & Mary Lou Eyke Fifth Third Bank Paul & Karen Jackson John & Jessie Martin Monica Morse Dr Richard & Nancy Peters Tom Schaub & Mary Price Concerto: $15,000-$24,999 Marilyn Andersen Allen & Sandy Beck Jackie Engel, CFP James & Susan Geisler Kimberly & Michael Martin matched by Bank of America Stephen & Susan Struck Roger & Rebecca Tuuk Prelude: $10,000-$14,999 Anonymous Andy & Beth Buelow G&L Hot Dogs The Gerber Foundation David Gerdes & Carolyn Smith-Gerdes Stephen & Debra Jackson

Overture: $5,000-$9,999 Anonymous BDO Bill Baldridge Sherry Albertie Becker Frank & Susan Bednarek George & Lori Lynn Cannon Cofessco Fire Protection Consumers Energy Dr Donald & Nancy Crandall Anne & Allan Dake Kevin & Annette Even Mary Anne Gorman Judith Hayner & Charlene Romanosky Greg & Debi Hillebrand Pat Hunt Bari Johnson Tom & Pat Johnson Dick & Lynn Kamps Ray & Betsy Komray Clara Lang Mark & Bonnie Meengs Frank & Emma Peterson Bruce & Marilyn Reichardt Suzanne Richards & Lee Burlison Kurt Rosen Dr F Remington & Ginny Sprague John & Sue Sytsema Dan & Ann Tabor Don & Jane Tjarksen LJ Verplank Webb Chemical Kathy West in memory of David Alan West Sonata: $1,000-$4,999 Anonymous (3) Cynthia Ackerman Christine Adams Charles & Gloria Alstrom Margo Atwell Bank of America Charitable Foundation Jack & Marilyn Brown Ryan & Katie Bryker Ardy Bulthouse Kroes in honor of Amanda Dykhouse Robert & Charlotte Chessman Dr & Mrs Paul Christie Dr Mark D & Kristina M Clark Darlene Collet

VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 1 • SEPTEMBER – NOVEMBER 2023

Core Realty Partners Kurt & Cheryl Deford Jean Enright Charles & Lynn Freeman Evelyn Geile Michael Gluhanich Mr & Mrs Bill Hendrick Cornelia Holley Keith & Mary Kay Hopkins Hugh & Barbara Hornstein Richard & Holly Hughes Ed Hunt & Nancy McCarthy Joel & Kathleen Jarvis Heather Kettler Bruce & Mary Krueger Peter Kurdziel Michael Martin Cindy Mazurek Chris McGuigan & Gary Neal Susan Meston Roger & Jane Missimer Roger & Michelle Morgenstern in memory of Richard & Nancy Morgenstern Scott & Janee’ Musselman Gary Nelund & Angie Wasserman-Nelund matched by State Farm Insurance Dr Dale & Connie Nesbary Steve & Kathy Parker Gary & Beth Post Denis & Barbara Potuznik RENK America David & Georganna Rice David Roodvoets John & Marilyn Ruck John Saling & Diane Fischer Jill Sanders Chip & Susan Sawyer Duane & Susan Schecter Laura Schultz John & Elaine Severson Jocelyn Shaw & Doug Hannink Shoreline Insurance Agency Michael & Corina Soimar Scott Speck in honor of the WMS Musicians Ted & Judy Stojak Suarez/Polakis Family Marty & Heidi Sytsema Bryce & Marti Tallant Carol Parker Thompson Peter & Judy Theune Judy Tierney Evan & Rachel Ufer David & Laura Valk Karen & John Wells JR Whitby Eleanor Williams Dr Roy Winegar & Ms Barbara Klingenmaier Jan Witt Jane Wright Robert & Joanne Zayko Environmental Fund of the CFFMC Douglas & Jennifer Zwemer 15

Introit: Up to $999 Anonymous (4) Larry & Sandra Austin Susan A Bissell Memorial Fund Charles Black in honor of Fred & Joanna Norris Gary & Rhonda Bogner Dana & Claudia Bryant Jerry & Marcia Brichan Benjamin Christian on behalf of Tina Horigan E Jane Connell & Steven W Rosen Calvin Deur Harold & Mary Englund Eugene Fethke Martha Ferriby Tilio Giacobassi Family Erica Gillard Harvey & Maraleigh Heyer Ellen Hanichen Gwen Hoffman Doug & Judy Hostetler Mary Ann Howe Kristi Klomp Randy & Debra Knapp Pete & Mimi Kunz Cindy Larsen Joeseph & Barbara Legatz Charles Matthews & Kay Cater Matthews

Patrick & Sheila Miller Barb & John Mullally Kathryn Neumann Perry & Deb Newson Amy Norris & MJ Towle in honor of Fred & Joanna Norris James & Ruth Olthoff Thomas Pascoe Janet Payne William & Gay Peterson Linda Quaine Rev William Randall Mike & Char Ratchford Stephen & Susan Salisbury Schieholz/Hogan Fund of the CFFMC Sally Schwartz Asaline Scott Joanie Smith Howard & Marilyn Swanson Warren Tibbitts Richard & Marge Tourre Mary Towner Nancy & Gerritt Vanderwest Rebecca Veltman Duane & Laurie Wright Raimonds T Ziemelis Jim & Linda Zolman

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WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY SEASON MAGAZINE

Tune Up Donors: $5,000 and up Cathy & Bernie Berntson Fund of CFFMC Jon & Jane Blyth Orville Crain & Susan Cloutier Crain Community Foundation for Muskegon County (CFFMC) Mary Theodore Danigelis Jan & Laura Deur Mark & Christine Fazakerley Fifth Third Bank Gerber Foundation Harbor Steel & Supply Corporation Hines Corporation Dr Douglas E & Janet P Hoch Howmet Aerospace Foundation Dick & Lynn Kamps Robert & Wendy Kersman Dan & Sheryl Kuznar Scott & Donna Lachniet Meijer Foundation Patrick J O’Leary & Karen Yamasaki Steve & Deb Olsen Mike & Kay Olthoff Jack & Becky Slimko Stephen & Susan Struck

WEST West Michigan Symphony MICHIGAN Legacy Giving Circle SYMPHONY

Dedicated to the Memory of

Jeffrey Lake Johnson

It Takes just one note to Start a Symphony

With a planned gift to West Michigan Symphony, you can continue to support the Orchestra even after your passing.

Planned giving is simply creating a plan to make a gift. You don’t need to be wealthy to make an impact—you just need to make a plan.

The easiest way to make a planned gift is through a charitable bequest, where you designate in your will or trust the assets that you wish to gift to WMS upon your death. A bequest is not all or nothing; you can leave either a percentage of your total estate value, a specific asset (such as part of an investment portfolio), a specified amount of money, or the remaining assets in your estate after all your other requests have been satisfied. You can also make a planned gift by designating the WMS as a beneficiary of your retirement or IRA account, or your life insurance.

You can also specify how you would like your gift used by designating it toward music education, the Endowment, or “wherever it is needed.”

Even a single note, when combined with others, can become a symphony. Any gift you wish to make, now or in the future, can grow into something more impactful over time with the right planning. Imagine the impact if every member of this audience designated even 1% of their estate to WMS! Creating a planned gift is a wonderful way to leave a legacy, provide future funding, and ensure that WMS continues to delight, teach and entertain audiences in the future. Talk with your estate plan attorney about your options.

We welcome your questions. Please reach out to Andy Buelow at 231.726.3231, or visit our website at westmichigansymphony. org. We would be happy to provide sample language to include in your estate plan documents, explore your ideas about your plan, or simply connect. And if you do make a planned gift, or have already done so, please consider letting us know so that we can thank you!

Announcing the Jeffrey Lake Johnson Principal Horn Chair Thank You As Well To Our Newest Legacy Giving Circle Members: Jan & Laura Deur Pat & Julie Donahue Bob & Bobbi Sabine

We all encounter people who leave an indelible mark on the lives of those they touch. Jeffrey Lake Johnson (July 23, 1950 - January 18, 2022) was one of those individuals. Jeff was a loving and steadfast brother and uncle, a great friend, a man of strong political persuasions with a keen wit and great sense of humor, a supporter of nature and the arts, a connoisseur of language, and an excellent musician. In character with his quiet and generous ways, he left a meaningful bequest to the West Michigan Symphony, as well as two other local institutions, to support the cultural enrichment of the area.

Born and raised in Muskegon, Jeff grew up surrounded by music and his love for it would become a major thread in the fabric of his life. His choice of the French horn at an early age led to a career that would bring him to every corner of the U.S., as well as parts of Asia. After graduating from Mona Shores High School in 1968, he continued his education at Alma College and then the University of Michigan where he earned a master’s degree in music. During the span of his long career, he served for six years as a member of the United States Marine Band and free-lanced with symphonic organizations in Washington D.C. for several years before spending two decades touring with the Broadway shows 42nd Street, Cats, and Les Miserables. In 2007, he landed in Las Vegas, Nevada where he became part of the music community playing in the shows such as The Producers, Spamalot, Showstoppers, The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera, and Wicked. Highlights of his time in the music business included the honor of playing behind superstars Barbra Streisand, Andrea Bocelli, and The Who. Although most of his working life was spent in the broader world, when his schedule allowed, Jeff chose to return again and again to his much-loved home state where he played regularly with the Grand Rapids and Traverse symphonies, as well as right here in Muskegon with the West Michigan Symphony.

Jeff cared deeply for West Michigan — its people, environment, and culture. He believed strongly in the transformative power of music as well as the importance of having access to it right where you live. Of all the many worthy institutions and places he could have chosen for his estate giving, he wanted to make a difference in his hometown — the place that nurtured and developed his interests and character. His gift to the Symphony will endow two chairs — the principal French horn chair in his name and another chair to be announced in the coming months. His generosity will also provide support to the West Michigan Symphony Tune Up program.

Jeff's surviving siblings Jennifer Grow, Tim Johnson, and Amy McEwen, are honored to help see Jeff's gifts come to fruition and they join his friends and former colleagues in gratitude for a life well lived.

Thank you, Jeff, for all you gave us. We will continue to draw inspiration from your quiet generosity and your commitment to making a difference in the lives of others.

VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 1 • SEPTEMBER – NOVEMBER 2023

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October 13 & 14, 2023

February 9 & 10, 2024

April 19 & 20, 2024

The Abduction from the Seraglio

The Tibetan Book of the Dead

La Bohème

W.A. Mozart

Ricky Ian Gordon

Giacomo Puccini

operagr.org

POPS.1

ARETHA: A TRIBUTE FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 29 7:30 PM SCOTT SPECK CONDUCTOR CAPATHIA JENKINS VOCALS

Aretha Overture

(arr. Wes Tompkins)

DARRYL WILLIAMS VOCALS

Chain of Fools

Don Covey (arr. Sam Shoup)

I Say A Little Prayer

Burt Bacharach/Hal David (arr. Lucas Waldin)

RANDY CHALMERS RAJDULARI SYDNEY HARPER BACK UP VOCALS

Birth of the Blues

DeSylva/Brown/Henderson (arr. Rhodes; orch. Stevens)

Sir Duke

Stevie Wonder (arr. Michael Philip Mossman)

Nobody Does it Better

Sager/Hamlisch (arr. Nic Raine)

What a Friend We Have in Jesus / Climbing Higher Mountains Scriven/Converse/Trad. (arr. Matt Podd) Over the Rainbow

Harold Arlen/Yip Harburg (arr. Dick Lieb)

America the Beautiful

Katherine Bates/Sam Ward (arr. Sam Shoup)

Respect

Otis Redding (arr. Roger Holmes)

INTERMISSION

SPONSORS CONCERT

I Got You (I Feel Good)

James Brown (arr. Lucas Waldin)

Unforgettable

Irving Gordon (arr. Bill Holcombe)

(You Make Me Feel Like) Goffin/King/Wexler (arr. John Bachalis) A Natural Woman A Change is Gonna Come Sam Cooke

SEASON

Salute to Ray Charles

(arr. Lee Norris)

At Last

Gordon/Warren (arr. Riley Hampton)

Try a Little Tenderness

Woods/Campbell/Connelly (arr. Sam Shoup)

Amazing Grace

John Newton/William Walker (arr. Matt Podd)

Loop and Infrared Systems in place for the hearing impaired. Please inquire with an usher for use of this system.

Please silence all cell phones and other electronic devices.

The use of cameras and recording devices during the performance is strictly prohibited.

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WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY SEASON MAGAZINE

A MESSAGE FROM CONCERT SPONSOR The Leonard Luxury Apartments

Aretha Franklin Grammy-winning Queen of Soul and the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Aretha Louise Franklin was born in Memphis, Tennessee, to Barbara Vernice (Siggers) and C. L. Franklin, a Baptist minister, who preached at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit for over 30 years.

Known as the man with the "Million-Dollar Voice," her father was one of the most respected and prominent ministers in the country, and Aretha grew up singing in church and surrounded by local and national celebrities. She learned how to play piano by ear and soon understood the correct tones and pitches.

Aretha released her first single at the age of eighteen under Columbia Records. It reached number 10 on the Billboard charts and her first record was released in January of 1961.

However, the people at Columbia didn't understand the direction Aretha wanted to go with her music, and ultimately failed to bring out her potential. In 1966, Aretha signed a contract with Atlantic Records, where she released her first legendary single, Otis Redding’s “Respect.” With this single, Franklin pioneered the signature "call and response" technique which livened up so many of her singles yet to come. While signed with Atlantic, she released three additional top ten hits—“Baby I Love You,”“A Natural Woman” and “Chain Of Fools”—and won her first two Grammy awards, followed by eight consecutive Grammys for best female R&B vocal category.

Not only a musical sensation, Franklin also came to represent the cause of civil rights on the strength of “Respect” and its message of equality, peace, and justice. She continued to release pop hits throughout the decade, including “Think,” “I Say A Little Prayer” and “Ain't No Way”—earning her the title by which she was ever after known: The Queen Of Soul. In the 1970s, she started recording gospel hits such as “Don't Play That Song,” “Rocksteady” and “Daydreaming.” Her 1972 LP Amazing Grace became the selling gospel album of all time.

The Leonard Luxury Apartments are delighted to sponsor the opening concert of West Michigan Symphony’s 2023/24 Season. We believe in Muskegon—its people, its businesses, its arts, and its future. We think the recent growth in Muskegon is just the start of even better things to come, and we want to be a part of making it happen. West Michigan Symphony’s Vision for a Music-Infused West Michigan is the perfect complement to our vision for a vibrant, year-round community with the best experience possible in modern urban living. We think The Leonard is an important step in that direction— and having a word-class symphony orchestra just down the street is part of what makes it special!

Tonight’s performance, opening the 2023/24 Season, is just the start of many wonderful nights of music to come. Enjoy the music!

In 1980 Franklin appeared in the hit feature film The Blues Brothers along with Ray Charles and James Brown. In 1982 she returned to the R&B top ten charts with her hit album Jump To It featuring Luther Vandross. It sold more than 600,000 copies and was gold-certified, remaining at number one for seven weeks. In 1985 Franklin released Who's Zoomin Who?, which went platinum. Partly on the strength of the hit “I Know You Were Waiting for Me,” a duet with George Michael, the LP went on to sell more than one million copies. In 1987 she was featured on the theme song for the sitcom A Different World, and in 1989 released Through the Storm, which featured Elton John, James Brown, The Four Tops, Kenny G, and Whitney Houston. In 1992 Franklin sang “Someday We'll All Be Free” for the soundtrack to the biopic film Malcolm X (1992) and the following year performed at the inauguration of President Bill Clinton. Although her pace slowed somewhat in the mid90s, she continued to release albums and singles, working with new artists such as BabyFace, Jermaine Dupri, Sean "P Diddy" Combs and Lauryn Hill.

In 2003 she ended her 23 year relationship with Arista Records and opened her own label, Aretha. Franklin released her first album on the label, A Woman Falling Out Of Love, in 2011, marking her 50th Anniversary in show business.

Aretha Franklin died of advanced pancreatic cancer on August 16, 2018, in Detroit. She will be known as one of the most influential singers of all time — an activist who spoke to and about the world through her music, thereby elevating it as a tool for truth, justice, and soul.

VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 1 • SEPTEMBER – NOVEMBER 2023

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Capathia Jenkins

Darryl Williams

Capathia Jenkins can definitely act—but all those who know her know that this diva can also blow and blow and blow you right off this planet. This is a woman who grapples with two dueling passions, each with a strong grip—acting and music—yet refuses to pick one because they both represent her soul. Capathia approaches a song the same way she approaches a script: as an artist. She looks for the nuances, the secret hidden within the notes or text. She seeks the melody, harmony and rhythm. She asks herself: what am I trying to say?

What do I want my audience to experience with me? She wants to take her audience on a journey.

Darryl J. Williams began his singing career in the local

This Brooklyn-born and raised actor most recently starred as Medda in the hit Disney production of Newsies on Broadway.

She made her Broadway debut in The Civil War, where she created the role of Harriet Jackson. She then starred in the off-Broadway 2000 revival of Godspell, wowing audiences with her stirring rendition of “Turn Back, O Man” (which can be heard on the cast recording). She returned to Broadway in The Look of Love and received critical acclaim for her performances of the Bacharach/David hits. Ms. Jenkins then created the roles of the singing washing machine in Caroline, Or Change and Frieda May in Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, where her rendition of “Stop the Show” brought the house down every night.

In 2007 she went back to off-Broadway and starred in (mis)Understanding Mammy: The Hattie McDaniel Story, for which she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. She was also seen in Nora Ephron’s Love, Loss, and What I Wore.

An active concert artist, Ms. Jenkins has appeared with the Cleveland and Minnesota orchestras, the National Symphony and the orchestras of Houston, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Seattle, and many others. She was a soloist with the Festival Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic. In 2011 Jenkins had the great honor of performing in the “Broadway Ambassadors to Cuba” concert as part of the Festival De Teatro De La Habana.

Her television credits include 30 Rock, The Practice, Law & Order and The Sopranos. She can be seen in the 2012 film Musical Chairs directed by Susan Seidelman and appears on the soundtracks for the films Nine, Chicago and Legally Blonde 2.

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churches in Jasper County, South Carolina, often accompanying himself and the choir from the piano. At age 11, Darryl joined the prestigious Rev. James Cleveland workshop in Savannah, Georgia, which afforded him the opportunity to sing background for gospel artists including Shirley Caesar, Dorinda Clarke Cole, and Dorothy Norwood.

Darryl’s professional stage career started regionally in such shows as Singin’ in the Rain, A Chorus Line, Ain’t Misbehavin, The All Night Strut, The Meeting, Passing Strange, Once On This Island, Dreamgirls, and continued with The Wiz (40th Anniversary in Central Park). He has performed in such OffBroadway shows such as Mama I Want to Sing and Big Mama Stringbean: the life of Ethel Waters.

Darryl is the winner of the Americans Traditions Savannah Onstage International Soloist Competition, earning a Gold Medal, a $10,000 Grand Prize and an offer to sing for the Yachting Event for the 1996 Summer Olympics. He was invited by one of Germany’s elite promoters, the late Michael Brenner, to tour Eastern Europe as Choir Director and guest soloist with Queen Esther Marrow and The Harlem Gospel Singers. His vocal prowess gained him rave reviews and won him the opportunity to perform for Pope John Paul II. Darryl has toured extensively in the Broadway hit Smokey Joe’s Cafe with the legendary Gladys Knight, which was a fixture at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. He has also backed such artists as Gladys Knight, Lisa Fischer, Ann Nesby, Louis St. Louis and Emmy winner Dave Pierce.

Darryl was co-music arranger and vocal arranger for Sir. Andrew Lloyd Webber with the much-anticipated hit Jesus Christ Superstar Gospel in which he won rave reviews for his portrayal of Judas at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre. Currently based in New York City, Darryl was a semi-finalist at the world famous Apollo Theatre and keeps a vocal studio of younger performers performing on Broadway and on national tours.

His debut album The Mind of a Tenor is available on line at CD Baby and at all digital outlets.

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY SEASON MAGAZINE

INSPIRING WHAT’S

NEXT

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY

CLICKITY CLACK HO HO HO December 9 10:00 & 11:30 am • The Block

Based on the book by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin, ‘Click Clack Ho Ho Ho’ takes us to Farmer Brown’s barn to find out what the animals are up to for Christmas.

For Grand Valley students, next is creativity and opportunity.

Next unites and connects us.

It shapes the spaces in which we work, live, and play. It is a commitment to progress.

Next is where minds are free to imagine what could be. At GVSU, next is now.

And whatever’s next for you, we will help inspire you to get there.

gvsu.edu

45-minute concert designed for kids ages 3 – 8

$10 Adult | $5 Children

Owners Carol Beatty, Greg Kroeze

Shades and Blinds Draperies and Valances Design and Installation

860 W Broadway Ave

Downtown Roosevelt Park

Mon-Fri 9:00-5:00 and by Appointment QuigleyDraperies.com

QuigleyDraperies@Yahoo.com

westmichigansymphony.org

VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 1 • SEPTEMBER – NOVEMBER 2023

231 755 3248

23

MASTERWORKS.1

SCHEHERAZADE AND MORE FRIDAY NOVEMBER 3 7:30 PM SCOTT SPECK CONDUCTOR KINAN AZMEH CLARINET/COMPOSER

Jennifer Higdon (b. 1962) blue cathedral SPONSORS CONCERT

Past Chairs COMMITTEE MEDIA

Kinan Azmeh (b. 1976) Suite for Improviser and Orchestra I. 139th Street II. November 22nd III. Wedding Kinan Azmeh INTERMISSION

Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) Scheherazade, Op. 35 I. The Sea and Sinbad's Ship II. The Tale of Prince Kalendar LUNCH N' LEARN

III. The Young Prince and the Princess IV. The Festival at Bagdad; The Sea; The Ship Goes to Pieces on a Rock

SEASON Loop and Infrared Systems in place for the hearing impaired. Please inquire with an usher for use of this system.

Please silence all cell phones and other electronic devices.

The use of cameras and recording devices during the performance is strictly prohibited.

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Jennifer Higdon (1962 -) blue cathedral Jennifer Higdon is one of America’s most acclaimed figures in contemporary classical music, receiving the 2010 Pulitzer Prize in Music for her Violin Concerto, a 2010 Grammy for her Percussion Concerto, a 2018 Grammy for her Viola Concerto and a 2020 Grammy for her Harp Concerto. In 2018, Higdon received the prestigious Nemmers Prize which is awarded to contemporary classical composers of exceptional achievement who have significantly influenced the field of composition. Most recently, she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Higdon enjoys several hundred performances a year of her works, and blue cathedral is today’s most performed contemporary orchestral work, with more than 700 performances worldwide. Her works have been recorded on more than 60 CDs. Higdon’s first opera, Cold Mountain, won the International Opera Award for Best World Premiere and the opera recording was nominated for two Grammy awards. Her music is published exclusively by Lawdon Press.

A MESSAGE FROM CONCERT SPONSOR Past Chairs Committee The WMS Past Chairs Committee is proud to sponsor this weekend’s opening concert of the 2023/24 Masterworks Series. As past leaders of the Board of Directors, we remain dedicated to supporting this vibrant, essential organization. It is our pleasure to remain engaged with the current leadership, providing our guidance, feedback and institutional memory wherever and whenever it is sought or needed. We wish you all enjoyment of tonight’s concert—and of every WMS and Block performance throughout this season.

Chimes, tuned water glasses, and Chinese reflex bells lend the piece a sacred aura. In composing the piece, Higdon imagined walking through a glass cathedral in the sky, seeing the heavenly figures in the stained glass windows making music to fill the sanctuary. She writes, “I wanted to create the sensation of contemplation and quiet peace at the beginning, moving towards the feeling of celebration and ecstatic expansion of the soul, all the while singing along with that heavenly music.”

blue cathedral is a single-movement orchestral work dedicated to the memory of the composer’s brother, Andrew Blue Higdon, who died in 1998. Jennifer Higdon writes: I began writing this piece at a unique juncture in my life and found myself pondering the question of what makes a life. The recent loss of my younger brother, Andrew Blue, made me reflect on the amazing journeys that we all make in our lives, crossing paths with so many individuals singularly and collectively, learning and growing each step of the way. This piece represents the expression of the individual and the group... our inner travels and the places our souls carry us, the lessons we learn, and the growth we experience.

In tribute to the composer’s brother, the piece features a solo clarinet (his instrument) and a solo flute (hers). Because Higdon was older, the solo flute enters before the clarinet.

Throughout the piece, the two voices intertwine and connect with the melodies of other instruments, signifying the siblings’ journey together and individually through life.

The piece ends with the solo flute drifting off as the clarinet continues in an upward progression to the end of the piece.

Kinan Azmeh (1976 -) Suite for Improviser and Orchestra Syrian-born clarinetist and composer Kinan Azmeh frequently works across diverse musical genres. He performs with his Arab-jazz quartet — the Kinan Azmeh CityBand — and with the world fusion band Hewar Trio (“hewar” is Arabic for “dialogue”). He is the artistic director of the Damascus Festival Chamber Players, a pan-Arab ensemble dedicated to contemporary music from the Arab world. Since 2012, he has collaborated with Yo-Yo Ma as part of the Silk Road Ensemble, which promotes multicultural artistic exchanges.

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Azmeh says that in his Suite for Improviser and Orchestra, “You’ll hear an ever-expanding concept of home.” He utilizes sounds from diverse influences to create what he calls “a fun piece in three movements.” The first movement, “139th street,” has a rhythmic drive that he attributes to both an Arab rhythm called the malfuf, and from merengue rhythms he hears in the music of his New York neighbors. The piece begins with a slow, expressive clarinet solo. Pulsing drum rhythms and sustained strings then provide accompaniment.

The piece builds in intensity with repeated motives passed throughout the orchestra, before the slow mood of the introduction returns.

The slow middle movement brings in the sounds of the markets behind his parents’ home in Damascus. The movement’s title, “November 22,” refers to a Thanksgiving dinner he attended once he was settled in the United States.

“The date marks the first time I felt at home away from home, and how ambiguous and how tricky that feeling is.”

The piece closes with the sounds of a Syrian wedding. The propellant drumming and improvisatory clarinet style heard in the first movement returns, driving forward through the piece’s rollicking conclusion.

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) Scheherazade In the collection of Middle Eastern folk tales, One Thousand and One Nights, the storyteller Scheherazade is a clever young woman. An evil Sultan, humiliated by the infidelity of one of his many wives, cooks up a plan to punish all women: he takes a new wife each day, spends a single night with her, then executes her the next morning. The bloodshed ends with Scheherazade, who marries the Sultan in order to save all future young women. Beginning on her wedding night, she tells the Sultan fascinating stories, leaving him in such suspense each night that he forestalls his murderous intention.

After 1,001 nights of storytelling, the Sultan finally gives up his plan and allows Scheherazade to live. Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov set this narrative to

music in his most popular orchestral work, Scheherazade of 1888. In four movements, he portrays the exotic locale of the fairy tale and offers two distinct musical themes to represent the Sultan and Scheherazade. The Sultan’s theme opens the piece, played in unison by low instruments. It is a loud, domineering theme; you can almost hear the big, burly Sultan entering the room, daring anyone to challenge him.

After some chords from the woodwind section, a solo violin presents Scheherazade’s theme. In contrast to the Sultan’s, it is tender, winding its way effortlessly up and down the instrument, accompanied only by a softly strumming harp.

After this introduction, Scheherazade launches into her story of “The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship.” Listen for the sounds of undulating waves, sometimes wrapped up with the Sultan’s theme, as he seems to angrily pace the room as Scheherazade’s story wears on.

The two characters’ themes sound repeatedly throughout the work. Listen especially for Scheherazade (again played by the solo violin) at the start of the second movement, as she begins the story of “The Kalandar Prince.” Her theme returns to begin a cadenza-like passage for solo violin in the middle of the third movement, “The Young Prince and the Young Princess.” At the start of the fourth movement, the Sultan’s theme, played at a brisker tempo, sounds impatient for the story to continue. His theme is followed by Scheherazade’s, more ornamented than in previous iterations. The two themes alternate again before launching into the story of the “Festival of Baghdad.”

At the very end of the piece, we hear Scheherazade’s theme one last time. This is followed by the Sultan’s theme, which is now more subdued as he repents of his plot to do away with her. The piece winds down peacefully, with many long, sustained notes in the solo violin. One can imagine that the victorious Scheherazade is finally allowed a decent night’s sleep.

Notes by Sarah A Ruddy, Ph. D.

Select Wednesdays, Noon – 1 pm @ The Block Event Sponsor: Embark Financial Partners Hour-long informal conversations where Music Director Scott Speck and special guests share insights and anecdotes to enhance your enjoyment of Masterworks performances.

Learn more on page 28.

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23/24 SEASON

POPS

3 FRIDAYS • 7:30 PM • FRAUENTHAL CENTER

ARETHA: A TRIBUTE

September 29 at 7:30 pm This glittering tribute to the Queen of Soul lights up the Frauenthal with all your favorite Aretha Franklin hits.

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: TIMELESS MOVIE MEMORIES

December 15 at 7:30 pm Join us for this fresh twist on our annual holiday tradition. A night of joyful, heartwarming, pure family fun.

ST. PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATION WITH CHERISH THE LADIES

March 15 at 7:30 pm The Grammy-nominated, Irish-American super group returns to bring you a night of traditional Irish music and dance.

MASTERWORKS

5 FRIDAYS • 7:30 PM • FRAUENTHAL CENTER

SCHEHERAZADE AND MORE

November 3 at 7:30 pm An evening of colorful, storytelling music that evokes an assortment of sounds, fragrances and sensations, from new to familiar.

MOZART AND BEETHOVEN

January 26 at 7:30 pm Enjoy this mid-winter musical comfort meal of Mozart and Beethoven.

Pianist Terrence Wilson is widely-known for his interpretations of Mozart.

THE SEASONS: REIMAGINED

February 23 at 7:30 pm Four Seasons. Two Hemispheres. Dynamic violinist Chee-Yun returns to guide you on a journey through them all. Vivaldi’s beloved Seasons will be played side by side Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.

WMS AROUND THE WORLD

April 19 at 7:30 pm Experience new sounds and rediscover familiar favorites on this musical journey around the globe traversing Italy, Spain, Norway, Germany and more.

RHAPSODY IN BLUE

3-concert packages start at $87 231.726.3231 westmichigansymphony.org

May 10 at 7:30 pm Our season finale delivers high-energy, fast moving and not-to-be missed works, topped off by Pianist Aldo López-Gavilán’s brilliant rendition of Gershwin’s beloved Rhapsody in Blue.

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY COMMUNITY MUSIC ENCOUNTERS CLICK CLACK MOOsic Based on books by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin, this series introduces children ages 3-8 to instrumental music in a storybook format. A host/ narrator introduces the small ensemble of WMS musicians, teaches the children about musical concepts, and then reads the story aloud— accompanied by music written for the series. Let us know if you are Interested in bringing CCM to your area!

DEBUT AND PREMIER STRINGS Debut Strings introduces beginning and intermediate students to large ensemble performance through challenging and diverse repertoire.

Students in Debut Strings have one to two years of experience. Premier Strings is for intermediate to advanced string players who have previously participated in Debut Strings.

CHILDREN’S CHOIR Audition-based for children ages 8-13, WMS Children’s Choir performs in its own concerts, collaboratively with Debut and Premier Strings, and on stage with the Symphony during Home for the Holidays and the spring Link Up concerts.

LINK UP Beginning its 20th season, this free beginner music education program— a collaboration with Carnegie Hall—pairs WMS with 50 area schools in six West Michigan counties. Students in grades 3-5 learn to play music on the recorder and gain an understanding of orchestral repertoire. They benefit from regular contact with classroom visits from Music Mentors from the Orchestra. The program culminates with an interactive concert at the Frauenthal Center during which students perform on recorders along with the Symphony.

TUNE UP Our newest activity, this beginning string program for underserved students launched in 2022 in Muskegon elementary schools. Students receive use of a musical instrument and participate in afterschool group lessons from experienced and dedicated teaching artists. Embedded within the 21st CCLC IMPACT after school program, Tune Up expands during 2023/24 into Middle School.

LUNCH ‘N LEARN These free noon hour events, hosted by Music Director Scott Speck, are held in The Block on Wednesdays prior to each Masterworks concert.

Guests enjoy delicious small bites and learn about the music on the upcoming concert. Everyone is invited, including those who already have tickets to the concert, those who are curious and want to learn more, downtown community businesses, and area residents.

WATCH MUSKEGON PLAY In 2020, WMS collaborated with Muskegon Rotary to bring all-weather outdoor musical instruments to Muskegon parks and neighborhoods.

These durable sound sculptures enhance outdoor community spaces throughout Muskegon and Muskegon Heights. Please visit our website for details.

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WEST WEST MICHIGAN MICHIGAN SYMPHONY SYMPHONY SEASON SEASON MAGAZINE MAGAZINE

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Immersive Listening Room for the Musically Curious CONCERTS BEGIN AT 7:30 PM Trace Bundy Acoustic Guitar • Sat • Oct 14

Acoustic guitar “ninja” Trace Bundy uses harmonics, looping, multiple capos, and his unique banter and stage presence to deliver a truly unforgettable live concert experience.

Kinan Azmeh + Piano Classical & World Music • Sat • Nov 4 This performance showcases the multi-faceted character of the clarinet and music that is deeply inspired by a multitude of traditions.

Paul Keller Quintet Jazz & Swing • Fri • Nov 10

The Michigan-based Paul Keller Quintet is dedicated to delighting audiences with their unique brand of high-energy, top-shelf jazz and swing.

Lelm and Langford A Jazzy Christmas • Sat • Dec 2

This piano/vocal duo brings you a jazzy Christmas full of holiday favorites, including “White Christmas,” “Winter Wonderland,” and more with exciting new arrangements.

Terrence Wilson Classical Piano • Sat • Jan 27

On the heels of his performance with WMS, pianist Terrence Wilson puts The Block’s Steinway through its paces in an inspiring solo recital.

Edye and Mike Jazz Duo Jazz Guitar & Vocal • Fri • Feb 9

This husband and wife team interprets classic gems from the Great American Songbook.

Chee-Yun Classical Violin • Sat • Feb 24

The night after her appearance with WMS, violinist Chee-Yun presents some of the most virtuosic and beautiful violin works ever composed and/or inspired by women.

BLKBOK Contemporary Piano • Fri • Mar 8

BLKBOK’s high-energy style seeks to entertain with a live piano based performance that is culturally reflective and encourages dialogue.

Bobby Floyd Trio Jazz Trio • Sat • Apr 13

Grammy-nominee and jazz legend Bobby Floyd’s unique feel has led to appearances with artists including Arturo Sandoval, Byron Stripling and Ray Charles.

Aldo López-Gavilán Classical Piano • Sat • May 11

The Cuban closes out the WMS’s season with Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. The next night, he brings a collection of original compositions to The Block.

Arturo and Friends Classical Chamber • Fri • May 17

Violist Arturo Ziraldo presents a new take on the “Best of the String Quartet.” This convention-busting concert links movements of famous and little known works.

231.726.3231 theblockwestmichigan.org

Alexis Lombre Quintet Jazz Quintet • Sat • Jun 1

The true essence of Alexis Lombre’s music is not just about what you hear but how music makes you feel. Her musical mission is to keep the ‘Soul’ in music alive.

TIFFANY LAMPS The Richard H. Driehaus Collection

September 7 - January 14

I see music as fluid architecture -Joni Mitchell

For all of your real estate needs, call Tom...

Knight or Day! Tom Knight • 616-850-8398 326 N. Beacon Blvd., Grand Haven MI 49417

VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 1 • SEPTEMBER – NOVEMBER 2023

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ABOUT WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY

MUSIC DIRECTOR SCOTT SPECK

An anchor cultural organization headquartered in Muskegon, WMS is a resident performing group at the Frauenthal Center, where its eight-concert season is the most visible part of a larger artistic enterprise of far-reaching community benefit. Founded in 1939, today’s WMS is comprised of professional musicians of the highest caliber playing challenging repertoire and presenting some of the world’s most acclaimed guest artists.

WMS concerts and education events bring 16,500 people— more than 30% of whom are children and students—downtown annually, making it the largest performing arts organization on the West Shore. Audiences come from throughout Muskegon, Ottawa, Kent, Oceana and surrounding counties.

Scott Speck became Music Director of the West Michigan Symphony in 2002. Since then he is proud to have helped the WMS enter the ranks of the nation's finest regional orchestras.

Mission

In past seasons Scott Speck has conducted at London’s Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, the Paris Opera, New York's Lincoln Center, Chicago’s Symphony Center, Washington’s Kennedy Center, San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House, and the Los Angeles Music Center. He has led numerous performances with the symphony orchestras of Chicago, Houston, Baltimore, Paris, Moscow, Shanghai, Beijing, Vancouver, Romania, Slovakia, Buffalo, Columbus, Louisville, New Orleans, Oregon, Rochester, Florida, and Virginia, among many others.

West Michigan Symphony connects and enriches our diverse community through the transformative power of music. We fulfill this primarily through three core offerings: •P rofessional, live symphonic performances in a welcoming environment • I nspired small ensemble performances in an immersive live listening room • Learning activities that enrich the lives of children and adults through exploration, participation and performance

Statement Of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion West Michigan Symphony is committed to building an organization that fosters diversity, equity and inclusion.

We acknowledge and celebrate the 19th century European cultural heritage from which the symphony orchestra arises.

At the same time, we believe the art form is renewed and enlivened by embracing multifarious cultures and influences.

We will continually explore ways to reflect plurality, inclusivity and curiosity in our artistic programming. We commit to inviting under-represented ethnic groups into an ongoing, active dialogue so that we can learn, grow, and change, making the Symphony a place where everyone feels invited and accepted. In our Board, staff and volunteer base, we will work for greater inclusivity, thereby reflecting the rich diversity of the West Michigan community. We will strive to reflect these values throughout our organization.

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Scott also holds positions as music director of the Joffrey Ballet, Chicago Philharmonic and Mobile Symphony. He previously held positions as conductor of the San Francisco Ballet; music advisor and conductor of the Honolulu Symphony; and associate conductor of the Los Angeles Opera. During a tour of Asia he was named principal guest conductor of the China Film Philharmonic in Beijing. He was also invited to the White House as music director of the Washington Ballet.

Speck is co-author of the world’s best-selling books on classical music for a popular audience: Classical Music for Dummies, Opera for Dummies, and Ballet for Dummies. He has been a regular commentator on National Public Radio, the BBC, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Voice of Russia, broadcast throughout the world.

Born in Boston, Scott Speck is a Fulbright Scholar, a summa cum laude graduate of Yale University, and an Aspen Conducting Fellow. He is fluent in English, German and French, has a diploma in Italian, speaks Spanish and has a reading knowledge of Russian.

Web: scottspeck.org; Twitter: ScottSpeck1 Facebook: facebook.com/ConductorScottSpeck

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY SEASON MAGAZINE

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY

WMS is the largest presenter of live music in Muskegon County, offering more than 30 events annually at the Frauenthal, The Block and elsewhere for audiences of all ages

Dear Friends, There’s more to the West Michigan Symphony than meets the eye... and even the ear. What you see before you is truly a miracle: a community resource nurtured and grown over the past 80 years and sustained through the dedication and love of the entire community. WMS brings together the finest musicians and guest artists from across the country and touches the hearts and souls of listeners of all ages. We are proud to sponsor the 2023/24 Season.

Enjoy the performance!

Mike & Kay Olthoff

2023/24 Season Sponsors

WMS impacts more than 6,000 area youth from five West Michigan counties through its music education programs

Music Director Scott Speck also conducts the Joffrey Ballet, Chicago Philharmonic and Mobile Symphony

Tune Up provides free string instruments and free after school instruction at all Muskegon Public Elementary schools and Muskegon Middle School.

The Orchestra prepares Masterworks performances in just 3-4 evening rehearsals, Pops in 1-2 rehearsals