WMS Prelude - Volume 11, Issue 4

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

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

Find Us Online

West Michigan Symphony

Website: westmichigansymphony.org

Facebook: facebook.com/wmsymphony

Twitter: twitter.com/westmisymphony

Email: info@westmichigansymphony.org

The Block

Website: theblockwestmichigan.org

Facebook: facebook.com/AtTheBlock

Twitter: twitter.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

WHAT'S INSIDE

Message from the Music Director

Meet the WMS Principal Musicians

West Michigan Symphony Musicians

Message from the Chairperson

2022/23 Board of Directors

West Michigan Symphony Annual Fund

West Michigan Symphony Endowment

West Michigan Symphony Legacy Giving

Brahms Symphony No. 2

Holst The Planets

About West Michigan Symphony

Music Director Scott Speck

Concerts at The Block

Muskegon Arts & Culture Coalition

Education Programs

Advertisers

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

• The Block, a gathering space that sparks curiosity, inspiration and fellowship through the shared experience of uncommon live music

• Music Education that enriches the lives of children and adults through exploration, participation and performance

VISION

We are a catalyst for a musicinfused West Michigan: leading, facilitating, connecting and collaborating with the community to stimulate cultural vibrancy, inclusivity and pride of place.

When all the music has been played, and the baton lies motionless on the stand,

what’s remembered most is the song that remains in the heart forever.

Great Performances On Your Radio Every Day!

Performances On Your Radio Every Day!

classical . jazz . npr (Listen on the web at www.bluelake.org/radio)

classical • jazz • npr (Listen on the web at www.bluelake.org/radio)

A Division of Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp

A Division of Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp

WBLU 88.9 WBLV 90.3 GRAND RAPIDS MUSKEGON

Dear Friends,

We're glad to see you tonight at the Frauenthal! The final concerts of the West Michigan Symphony's 2022-2023 season combine innovative pieces you may not know with some of the most beloved works in the repertoire.

In May we present the second symphony of Brahms — perhaps his sunniest work. It begins on a note of bucolic peace and serenity, and ends in a golden blaze of glory. For one of the Romantic era's deepest composers, the piece is remarkably angst-free — yet it reflects a composer at the top of his craft, masterfully developing his motivic material and unspooling one luscious melody after another. On the same program, Florence Price's Ethiopia's Shadow in America presents a more fraught journey, documenting (at least in spirit) the origins of African-American history. Between the two pieces, we are thrilled to present Principal Trombone Edward (Kip) Hickman in Launy Grøndahl's dramatic and tuneful Trombone Concerto.

To finish the season in June, we bring you a journey of a different kind, from the ocean to the stars. We begin exactly at sea level, on Orkney Island, as Peter Maxwell Davies spins a tale of a beautiful wedding, an increasingly raucous wedding celebration, and a breathtaking sunrise. From the ocean we rise into the air with Vaughan Williams's The Lark Ascending, a short violin concerto to honor our departing WMS Concertmaster John Heffernan. The Lark brings us to the top of the atmosphere, where we end with The Planets, Holst's sevenmovement meditation on the personalities of the Roman gods for which the planets are named.

We hope you'll agree that this is a thrilling way to end the season. Thanks for being the most important part of what we do at the West Michigan Symphony -- and we can't wait to see you again in the fall!

Scott Speck Music Director

Please see Scott Speck’s bio on page 28

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.

Jacie Robinson Assistant Concertmaster

Adam Liebert Assistant Principal – Violin 1

Amanda Dykhouse Principal – Violin 2

John Heffernan Concertmaster

Gene Hahn Associate Concertmaster

Edward Hickman Principal – Trombone

Leo Taylor Principal – Timpani

Matthew Beck Principal – Percussion

Sylvia Norris Principal – Harp

Clinton McCanless Principal – Tuba

Paul Clifton-O’Donnell Principal – Horn

Bill Baxtresser Principal – Trumpet

Jonathan Holden Principal – Clarinet

Marat Rakhmatullaev Principal – Bassoon

Rebecca Boelzner Associate Principal – Viola

Nicholas Jeffery Assistant Principal – Viola

Alica Gregorian Sawyers Principal – Cello

Mark Portolese Associate Principal – Violin 2

Arturo Ziraldo Principal – Viola

Robert Johnson Associate Principal – Bass

Jill Marie Brown Principal – Flute

Gabriel Renteria-Elyea Principal – Oboe

Igor Cetkovic Associate Principal – Cello

Stephen Castiglione Principal – Bass

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY MUSICIANS

Music Director

Scott Speck

Mike & Kay Olthoff Endowed Chair

First Violin

John Heffernan concertmaster

Sponsored by Pat & Julie Donahue

Gene Hahn assc. concertmaster

Gust and Mary Theodore Danigelis Endowed

Associate Concertmaster Chair

Jacie Robinson asst. concertmaster

Sponsored by Bruce & Donna Hood

Adam Liebert asst. principal

Sponsored by Dr Alan Steinman

Carmen Abelson

Sponsored by John & Sue Sytsema

Hannah Christiansen

Sponsored by Thomas & Heidi Hill

Jennifer Kotchenruther

Sponsored by Bob & Charlotte Chessman

Maya Shiraishi

Sponsored by Kevin & Annette Even

Oxana Sourine

Sponsored by Darlene Collet in memory of Lee Collet

Sofie Yang

Second Violin

Amanda Dykhouse principal

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP Endowed Chair

Mark Portolese assc. principal

Sponsored by Fred & Joanna Norris

Katie Bast

Sponsored by David & Darcy Dye

Karen-Jane Henry

Sponsored by Norna Verplank

Natalie Hockamier

Britta Bujak Portenga

Sponsored by Waddell & Reed Financial Advisors

Jackie Engel, CFP®

Carol Wildgen

Sponsored by Mark & Karla Lange

Tatiana Zueva

Viola

Arturo Ziraldo principal

Sponsored by Jan & Laura Deur

Rebecca Boelzner assc. principal

Nicholas Jeffery asst. principal

David Beytas

Sara Churchill

Csaba Erdélyi

Sponsored by JoLee Wennersten

Josh Holcomb

Sponsored by Wietse & Melanie Schaafsma

Yi-Pei Lin

Cello

Alicia Gregorian Sawyers principal

Sponsored by Steve & Deb Olsen

Igor Cetkovic assc. principal

Sponsored by David & Darcy Dye

Open asst. principal

Sponsored by Dr F Remington & Ginny Sprague

Lee Copenhaver

Sponsored by Dr Mark D & Kristina M Clark

Abigail Monroe

Sponsored by Cynthia Mazurek

Calin Muresan

Sponsored by Norna Verplank & Tom Knight

Bass

Stephen Castiglione principal

Robert Johnson assc. principal

David Chapman-Orr

Sponsored by Tom Knight

Stephen Reichelt

Flute

Jill Marie Brown principal

Sponsored by Anonymous

Marissa Olin

Sponsored by Mary E Malek

Leslie Deppe piccolo

Oboe

Gabriel Renteria-Elyea principal

Open Oboe 2

Sponsored by Ellie Williams

Clarinet

Jonathan Holden principal

Sponsored by Jon & Jane Blyth

Stephanie Hovnanian

Sponsored in memory of

E. Wesley & Orel A. Borgeson

Lisa Raschiatore bass clarinet

Sponsored by Don & Kathy Dahlstrom

matched by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation

Bassoon

Marat Rakhmatullaev principal

Jason Kramer

Sponsored by Eric & Merica Dobry

Horn

Paul Clifton-O’Donnell principal

Greg Bassett

Lisa Honeycutt

Sponsored by Allen & Sandy Beck

Leah Brockman

Trumpet

Bill Baxtresser principal

Sponsored by Roger & Rebecca Tuuk

Open Trumpet 2

Open Trumpet 3

Trombone

Edward Hickman principal

Joe Radtke

Sponsored by Laketown Family Dental

Evan Clifton bass trombone

Tuba

Clinton McCanless 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.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRPERSON

Dear West Michigan Symphony Friends and Family:

As we gather for the final two concerts of the 2022-2023 Season, we would like to thank the WMS community for its strong support. While last season saw us reopen to live attendance, during this season we have been working to rebuild momentum. Our loyal subscriber and donor base has led the way, and the community is responding. Many new ticket buyers have joined us this season; and of these, a number have attended multiple times. With the 2023/24 season subscription drive now underway, many are now signing up as first-time subscribers. We thank them, and all of you. We will continue to do our utmost to earn your loyalty.

Recently, we held the annual Link Up beginner music education concerts at the Frauenthal Center, where thousands of area elementary school students gathered to play their recorders along with the West Michigan Symphony. This performance included our WMS Children’s Choir and young players from the Premier Strings orchestra, who had the life-changing opportunity to perform side by side with members of WMS.

Students from the Tune Up after-school orchestra program, which piloted this season in Marquette and Oakview elementary schools, are currently preparing for their final performances of the year. We are working with the staff of the 21st CCLC Impact after-school program on plans for expansion next year and in subsequent years to include all MPS elementary schools and Muskegon Middle School.

Your support is making all of this possible. We are in the final weeks of our Annual Campaign, which is a vital component of WMS’s budget. If you are still considering a pledge or a gift—designated toward education, or underwriting an orchestra chair, or becoming a Block season sponsor, we invite you to contact us at 231.726.3231.

Thank you for your support and patronage!

Susan Cloutier Crain Chairperson, WMS Board of Directors

The Penguin Project® of Muskegon Civic Theatre

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.

Paul R Jackson, Secretary and Immediate Past President Partner, Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Paul is among the longest-serving members of the board, having joined in 2005. He served as Chairman from FY2007 through FY2009 and again from FY2019 through FY2021. His other community affiliations have included the boards of Muskegon’s Civic Theatre, Muskegon Country Club and the United Way. As an attorney at Warner Norcross & Judd, Paul practices in the areas of tax and business law.

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.

Kimberly L Hammond, CFP, CIMA, C(k)P Senior Resident Director, Merrill Lynch

A board member since 2014, Kim’s focus is in the areas of finance and fund development. A quiet person who prefers action to words, Kim loves to work behind the scenes to introduce potential donors and sponsors to WMS. A native of Spring Lake, she has been with Merrill Lynch since 1989 and is a Senior Partner in The Hammond, Martin & Associates Team.

Amy Hosford Founder/Owner, Hosford House, LLC

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 and literary arts studio based in downtown Muskegon. 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.

Michael Olthoff Retired CEO, Nichols

Mike has been a patron of WMS for years and has served several board tenures, currently since the 20132014 Season. He appreciates the engagement of the board, the professionalism of the staff, and the artistic excellence of the orchestra under Scott Speck’s leadership. He sees the expansion of WMS’s artistic and educational footprint as key to its future. Together with his wife Kay, Mike’s community and philanthropic work includes numerous organizations, projects and endeavors.

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.

West Michigan Symphony Annual Fund

Your 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 Feb 15, 2022 through Apr 28, 2023. This includes our Annual Fund and other special initiatives. In particular, we wish to express our gratitude to Mike and Kay Olthoff for their support of both our November-December and May-June Matching Challenge campaigns.

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

Jan & Laura Deur

Pat & Julie Donahue

Douglas & Janet Hoch

Jeffrey Johnson

Buzz & Wendy Kersman

Scott & Donna Lachniet

Steve & Deb Olsen

Mike & Kay Olthoff in memory of Fred Norris & Michael Soimar

Brad & Kathleen Playford

Jack & Becky Slimko

Peter M Turner

$5,000-$9,999

Anonymous

Anonymous in honor of Marlene Greiner

Jon & Jane Blyth

George W & Lori Lynn Cannon III

Susan Cloutier Crain

Deborah DeVoursney

William & Mary Lou Eyke

Greg & Debi Hillebrand

Paul & Karen Jackson

Ryan & Emily Leestma

Monica Morse

Jill Sanders

$2,500-$4,999

Anonymous (2)

Melisa Baker

Pete & Sherry Brown

Andy & Beth Buelow

Dr Mark D & Kristina M Clark

Mary Douville

David F Gerdes & Carolyn Smith-Gerdes

Tilio Giacobassi Family

Bill Haug & Jane Curtis

Stephen & Debra Jackson

Barbara Kelso

John & Jessie Martin

Joanna & Fred Norris

Frank & Emma Peterson

Denis & Barbara Potuznik

Sawyer Family Fund of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County (CFFMC)

Tom Schaub & Mary Price

Sam Slaughter & Anne Lehker

Michael & Marijean Smith

Michael & Corina Soimar

Scott Speck

Dr F Remington & Ginny Sprague

Dr Alan Steinman

Susan & Stephen Struck

Liz & Tom Trzaska

Elinore Verplank (Norna)

JoLee Wennersten

$1,000-$2,499

Anonymous (3)

Charles & Gloria Alstrom

Bruce & Paula Baker in memory of Robert Landman

Allen & Sandy Beck

Susan & Frank Bednarek Fund of the CFFMC

Andrew Busard

Michael Cerminaro & Connie Verhagen

Bob & Charlotte Chessman

George & Deborah Chmelar

Darlene Collet

Dr Donald & Nancy Crandall

Don & Kathy Dahlstrom in memory of Fred Norris

Eric & Merica Dobry

Rob & Cathleen Dubault

Robert & Jackie Engel

Jean Enright

Kevin & Annette Even

Larry & Lynette Fife

Ron Fritz

Evelyn Geile

James & Susan Geisler

Linda Gregorian in honor of Alicia Gregorian Sawyers

Mark & Jennifer Gross

Robert & Clara Harrell

Dr Tom & Heidi Hill

Bruce & Donna Hood

Kathy L Hoogstra

Hugh & Barbara Hornstein

Todd Jacobs

Wilda James

Dr Chris Jansen-Yee

Joel & Kathleen Jarvis

Bari Johnson

Charles & Vivian Johnson

Tom & Pat Johnson

Clara Lang

Mark & Karla Lange

Estate of Joan Leder

Jim & Mary Malek

Charles Matthews & Kay Cater Matthews

Cindy Mazurek

Mark & Bonnie Meengs

Roger C Morgenstern

Scott & Janee' Musselman

Perry & Deb Newson in memory of Fred Norris

Steve & Kathleen Parker

Dr Richard & Nancy Peters

Ed & Judy Pietila

Terry & Joy Puffer

Susan Rehrer

David Roodvoets

John Saling & Diane Fischer

Wietse & Melanie Schaafsma

Laura Schultz

Gregg & Sue Slager

Tom & Nanci Stone

John & Sue Sytsema

Marty & Heidi Sytsema

Drs David & Linda Taylor

Roger & Rebecca Tuuk

LJ Verplank

Michael & Patricia Wade

Karen & John Wells

Melody & JR Whitby

Jerry Wiersma

Judy Wilcox

Ellie Williams

Marguerite & Kenneth Winter

Jane J Wright

$500-$999

Anonymous (3)

Sherri Balaskovitz

Cathy & Bernie Berntson Fund of CFFMC

Herb & Anne Bevelhymer

Fred & Ann Bleakley

Claudia Bryant

Gordon & Mary Buitendorp

Ardy Bulthouse Kroes in memory of Rodger Kroes

Greta Bushnell

Curtis Chambers & Diana Wojton

Rudy & Pat Chmelar

Valerie Church-McHugh & Fred McHugh

Fritz Coutchie

Anne Dake

Mary Theodore Danigelis

Marcia D'Oyly

Deb & Chris Drake

Dale & Susan Ertzinger

Eugene Fethke

Don Goodman

Kurt & Antoinette Hildwein

Cornelia Holley

Mary Ann Howe

Pat Hunt

Robert E. Johnson

Heather Kettler

Tim & Catherine Kozal

Joan La Mourie

Paul & Patricia Ladas

Kyle & Stacey Lohmann

Stephanie McNamara & John Meulenberg in honor of Mike & Kay Olthoff

Paul & Winnie McNergney

Rich & Teresa Micheil

LeighAnn Mikesell & Ward LaDuke

Eric & Jennifer Norris in memory of Fred Norris

Jason & Jamye Olthoff

Nick & Barb Pietrangelo

Roy & Britta Bujak Portenga

Gary & Beth Post

Donna Little & Faye Redmond

Gretchen & Randy Rhoades in memory of Fred Norris

Clyde & Beth Rinsema

Dan & Sarah Rinsema-Sybenga

Dr Gary & Pennie Robertson

Sue Schuiteman in memory of Nancy Witham Kieft

Allen & Mistelle Serio

Dan Sheldon

Carlo Spataro

Jane & Tim Stoepker

Clifford & Lucia Storr

George & Dottie Strabel

John & Mary Swanson

Dr Jane L Toot

Richard & Marge Tourre

Stacey Uganski

Ed DeJong & Diane VanWesep

Matt & Cheryl Wansten

Sheryl Wescott

Harry & Julie Wierenga

Jonathan & Melissa Wilson

Dr Roy Winegar & Ms Barbara Klingenmaier

Jim & Linda Zolman

$100-$499

Anonymous (8)

Krista Abbott

Dave & Bonnie Adamczak Brown

Ross & Sandra Aden

Joanna Alfredson

Lee Anderson

Michael Anderson & Brooke Kieft-Anderson

Tim & Cheryl Arter

Margo Atwell

Larry & Sandy Austin

Bill Baldridge

Travis Barkel

Thomas & Muriel Beattie in memory of Fred Norris

Gary Beatty

Amy Bensinger

Carl & Bonnie Bergman

Andrew Bissonnette

William Black in honor of Fred Norris

Jeanne Kuharivicz Bleich

Brian & Jill Boersema

Arthur & Marilyn Bolt

David & Karen Booth

Greg Borgman

Monica & Matthew Bowen

Mary & Bob Boyer

Jerry & Marcia Brichan

Bill & Sue Brookstra

Ron & Ann Marie Brown

Michael & Joanna Buboltz

Brett Burza

Richard & Gay Cole

Robert & Diane Collier in memory of Fred Norris

E Jane Connell & Steven W Rosen

Keith & Sue Corbin

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

Bruce & Esther Drukker

Dennis & Barbara Dryer

Amanda & Gregory Dykhouse

Kath & Greg Edwards

Joel & Linda Engel

Harold & Mary Englund

Tim & Anne Erickson

Bob & Ann Erler

Wallace & Jane Ewing

Cork Farkas & Kathy Mauck

Bobby Fisher

Charles & Patti Fisher

Roberta Fleischmann

William Fohlbrook & Vicky Thalen

Dale & Bridget Fox

Brenda Freye

Bruce Froelich & Margot Haynes

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

Virginia Hague

Jeff & Gail Hall

Kirk Hallman & Dawn Boston

Craig & Carolyn Hart in memory of Fred Norris

Kathleen Harwood

Hayner Consulting and Management Services, LLC

Patricia Hesling

Roberta Hilleary

Sandra Hinterman

Gwen Hoffman

Jonathon & Wendy Hoogstra

Mary Anne & Thom Hornik

John & Jane Humphrey

Ed Hunt & Nancy McCarthy

Robert & Susan Johnson

Donna Joyce

Connie Karry

Loretta Kasprzyk

Karen Kayes

David & Allison Keessen

James Kendra

Kate Kesteloot Scarbrough

Francine Kieft

Louie & Earlaine Kiel

Gloria Klinger

Randy & Debra Knapp

Thomas Knight

Vicki Kraus

Mary & Greg LaGuire

JoAnn Landman in memory of Robert Landman

Phyllis Laurin

Corena Leutscher

Lloyd & Mildred Lindland in memory of Fred Norris

Patricia Locke in honor of Arturo Ziraldo

Lori & Dave Loring

Sandy Majeski

Deborah Margules

Rondalyn Marron

Michael Martin

Chris McGuigan & Gary Neal

Shirley McIntire

Jack McKeough

John & Cindy McKinnon

Mr. and Mrs. Graydon Megan

Alice Meldrum

Alice Michaud

Patrick & Sheila Miller

Sarah Miller

Roger & Jane Missimer

Vern Molitor

Matt & Laurel Nease

Kathryn L Neumann

Susan & Tyler Newton in memory of Herb and Ellie Hoeker

John & Mary Nonhof

Carol Norris in honor of Fred and Joanna Norris

Jim & Ruthann Olthoff

Henry & Mollie Osborn in memory of Fred Norris

Richard A. Pardini

Bill & Erika Paulson

Gay C Petersen

David & Beth Pickard

Barb Pitcher

Albert & Elizabeth Posthuma

Sylvia Precious

Margaret Price

C. Bruce & Shirley Privacky

Rev. William Randall

Mike & Char Ratchford

Gail Ringelberg

Kathy & Mike Rohlman

Susan Rositch

Karl & Barbara Rowe

Andy & Shelly Rush

James M. Rynberg

Stephen & Susan Salisbury

Duane & Susan Schecter

Stephen Schmidt

Gwynne & Steve Schoff

Lee & Sandra Schuitema

John Selmon

John & Elaine Severson

Jocelyn Shaw & Doug Hannink

Colleen & Joseph Skendzel

Hayden Smith

Joanie Smith

Nancy Spargo in memory of Fred Norris

Anbritt & Darlene Stengele

Bill Papo & Julie Stewart

James & Nancy Stier

Eileen Stoffan

Ted Stojak

Howard & Marilyn Swanson

Ann & Dan Tabor

Mona Thelen

Sera Thompson in memory of Fred Norris

George & Laura Thurlow

Charles & Susan Rogalla Tindall

David & Mary Turbessi

Brandon Turnbull

Sandra Tyrrell in memory of Fred Norris

Stephen & Valerie Vallier

John Van Walsum

Phillip VanderPol

Nancy & Gerrit Vanderwest

Tim Volkema

Bill & Shirley Walther

Daniel & Barbara Weikel

Dan & Nancy Weller

Brewster & Mary Ellen Willcox

Dick & Marilyn Witham in memory of Nancy Kieft

Jan Witt

Jon J & Cathy Workman

Robert & Joanne Zayko

Douglas & Jennifer Zwemer

Corporate, Arts Council & Foundation Donors

$10,000 and up

Community Foundation for Muskegon County (CFFMC)

DTE Energy Foundation Fund

Fifth Third Bank

Grand Haven Area Community Foundation (GHACF)

Harbor Steel & Supply Corporation

Hines Corporation

Leonel L. & Mary Loder Fund

Meijer Foundation

Michigan Arts & Culture Council

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge

$5,000-$9,999

Embark Financial Services

Fremont Area Community Foundation

Howmet Aerospace

Howmet Community Fund of the CFFMC

JSJ Foundation Fund

Lake Michigan Credit Union

Muskegon Community College

Raymond James

RENK America

Samuel L. Westerman Foundation

The Gerber Foundation

Trinity Health

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Women’s Division Chamber of Commerce

$2,500-$4,999

Consumers Energy

DTE Energy

Grand Valley State University

Lorin Industries

Mart Dock Corporation

Merrill Lynch

Scherdel Sales & Technology

Shoreline Insurance Agency

West Shore Bank

$1,000-$2,499

Billie Klont Greinke Memorial Fund of the CFFMC

Laketown Family Dental

F Martin & Dorothy A Johnson Family Fund of GHACF

Mary C Payne Fund of the CFFMC

Port City Ventures

Sparta Community Foundation

$500-$999

Ann & Bud Eichmann Fund of the CFFMC Comerica Bank

John L Wheeler Memorial Scholarship Fund of the CFFMC

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

Fred Norris

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

Muskegon Community College

Steve & Deb Olsen

Mike & Kay Olthoff

Mary Price & Tom Schaub

Scherdel

Shoreline Insurance Agency

Smith, Haughey, Rice and Roegge

Michael & Corina Soimar

Trinity Health

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

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WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY ENDOWMENT

Now in its 83rd Season, WMS is dedicated to building a music-infused West Michigan, providing professional concerts in a welcoming environment and music education that enriches 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 $547,135 on June 30, 2022. Established in 2020, the CFFMC Play Your Part fund reported $960,136 on the same date. The GHACF Play Your Part fund, established in 2021, was at $69,242.

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 launches this fall in Muskegon Public Schools. For more information, please see page 30.

At the end of April 2023, campaign leadership reported more than $3,965,752 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 education footprint.

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

Honorary Chairs

Larry & Lari Hines

Robert & Wendy Kersman

Fred & Joanna Norris

Mike & Kay Olthoff

Peter Turner & Jean Enright

Cabinet Members

Sherry Becker

Jon & Jane Blyth

Pete & Sherry Brown

Ryan Bryker

Susan Cloutier Crain

Anne Dake

Endorsement Council

Marilyn Andersen

Troy Bell

Bernie & Cathy Berntson

Pat Donahue

Steve Gawron

Judy Hayner

Amy Heisser

Operation Chairs

Jan Deur

Kay Olthoff

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

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

Maestro: $250,000 and up

Michael & Kay Olthoff

Larry & Lari Hines

Premiere: $100,000-$249,999

Community Foundation for Muskegon County (CFFMC)

Douglas & Janet Hoch

Jeffrey Johnson

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

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

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

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

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

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 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 Michigan Symphony Legacy Giving

All It Takes to Start a Symphony is One Note

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 a car or 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!

FREEDOM. MADE IN MUSKEGON.

RENK America is driven by a sense of pride and purpose in our country and our community. We are passionate about providing crucial components that support our military family, and we’re equally passionate about providing for our employees and supporting community initiatives that make Muskegon a better place to be. Whether here in our city or on the front lines, we take care of our own.

WE POWER FREEDOM.

HOST YOUR AT THE FRAUENTHAL CENTER

VENUES & CAPACITIES

Price Range: $425 - $2,250

Frauenthal Theater

On-Stage seating capacity: 150

Theater seating capacity: 1,700

Beardsley Theater

Theater seating capacity: 169

Reception Gallery

Capacity: 225

Ballroom

Full capacity: 225

Half capacity: 110

Frau Lounge

Capacity: 100

Interested? Scan to submit an event inquiry form.

Photo by Inna Kova Photography

BRAHMS SYMPHONY

NO. 2

FRIDAY

MAY 19 7:30 PM

Florence Price (1887-1953)

Ethiopia’s Shadow in America

I. Adagio–Allegretto: The Arrival

II. Andante: His Resignation and Faith

III. Allegro: His Adaptation

CONCERT

Launy Grøndahl (1886-1960)

Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra

I. Moderato assai ma molto maestoso

II. Quasi una Leggenda: Andante grave

III. Finale: Maestoso - Rondo

Edward S. Hickman, trombone

ARTIST

Friends of Edward Hickman

MEDIA

SPONSORS SEASON

Intermission

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73

I. Allegro non troppo

II. Adagio non troppo

III. Allegretto grazioso (Quasi andantino)

IV. Allegro con spirito

SCOTT SPECK CONDUCTOR

EDWARD S. HICKMAN TROMBONE

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

A MESSAGE FROM CONCERT SPONSOR WEST SHORE BANK

For over a century, West Shore Bank has remained committed to helping the people and businesses of the West Shore community improve their financial well-being. As a local business, West Shore Bank and its people are deeply engrained in the communities they serve. The bank financially supports more than 200 local organizations and events throughout Mason, Oceana, Manistee, Benzie, Muskegon, Kent and Grand Traverse County, donating over $200,000 each year. Making a real difference in your life, from generation to generation since 1898.

West Shore Bank is a proud supporter of the West Michigan Symphony and its mission to lead, facilitate, connect and collaborate with the community to stimulate cultural vibrancy, inclusivity and pride of place. Thank you for joining us and enjoy the performance.

Florence Price (1887-1953) Ethiopia’s Shadow in America

In 1932, Florence Price submitted a number of pieces to the Wanamaker Foundation’s competition for Black composers. Her Symphony in E minor took first place, a piano sonata won third place in its category, and her tone poem Ethiopia’s Shadow in America received an honorable mention. As a result of Price’s success in this competition, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performed her symphony the following year, the first time a work by an African-American woman was performed by a major American orchestra.

Though residing in Chicago, Price can be understood within the context of the Harlem Renaissance. Through her friend and fellow composer Margaret Bonds, Price connected with at least two important figures of the movement: Langston Hughes and Marian Anderson. (Anderson later became a champion of Price’s works.) And, with the descriptive narrative Price included (a rarity in her output), Ethiopia’s Shadow in America places the composer squarely within the ethos of the cultural movement. Harlem Renaissance writers, artists, musicians, and performers took pride in their Black experience and took control of how this experience was represented in American culture.

Price’s tone poem in three connected movements portrays the American experience of enslaved African people. According to Price, the first movement is “The Arrival of the Negro in America when first brought here as a slave.” Its slow introduction sounds both noble and oppressive. It is followed by a short, lively allegretto with syncopated melodies, repeated rhythmic patterns, and prominent percussion typical of jazz-influenced styles. The second movement, “His Resignation and Faith,” begins with a solo violin melody. This spiritual-like melody is then passed to

the cello and the winds. In the closing movement, Price portrays “His Adaptation, a fusion of his native and acquired impulses.” This movement evokes the Juba dance: a style Price frequently employed that is based on a dance involving a body percussion. The style has its roots among the enslaved people in the American South, where drums were forbidden out of fear of encoded messaging. The piece closes with a return to the somber theme of the introduction.

After her death in 1953, much of Price’s music was forgotten or lost. The last decade has seen a renewed interest propelled by the discovery of over 200 lost compositions — including Ethiopia’s Shadow in America — in an abandoned house south of Chicago. All these works could easily have been lost if the couple who had decided to fix up the dilapidated house had thrown away the thirty boxes of papers instead of seeking out a library to which to donate them. Alex Ross, music critic for The New Yorker, wrote about this discovery in 2018: “Not only did Florence Price fail to enter the canon; a large quantity of her music came perilously close to obliteration. That run-down house in St. Anne is a potent symbol of how a country can forget its cultural history.” Ethiopia’s Shadow in America, composed before 1933, received its first performance in 2015.

Launy Grøndahl (1886-1960) Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra

Launy Grøndahl was a Danish conductor, violinist, and composer. His best-known work is his Concerto for Trombone of 1924, written for the principal trombonist of the Orchestra of the Casino Theater in Copenhagen, of which Grøndahl had been a member of the violin section since he was thirteen years old.

While trombonists are not often featured as soloists on orchestral concerts, there are a handful of concertos for the instrument. Leopold Mozart and Michael Haydn both wrote works for trombone and orchestra in the 18th century. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov composed a trombone concerto in 1878. And contemporary composers Christopher Rouse and Jennifer Higdon have both contributed to the repertoire of this often overlooked instrument.

In this short, three-movement concerto, Grøndahl writes in a largely Romantic style with some hints of the modern in its rhythmic elements and harmonies. The work shows off the range of the trombone as it reaches to its highest possible notes at the end of the third movement. But it also shows the instrument’s expressive range. We hear the trombone’s powerful declamation at the start of the first movement and in the middle of the second. Its vocal lyricism is highlighted at the outset of the middle movement. And its virtuosic agility comes to play in the third.

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Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73

Impressed by Johannes Brahms’s early piano compositions, Robert Schumann introduced the world to the young composer in an article in the Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik that declared him the chosen one, the world’s next great composer. Brahms was simultaneously launched into fame and buried under the weight of his own high expectations. Brahms venerated Beethoven and sought to master the musical genres that Beethoven had brought to maturity: the symphony and the string quartet. But the burden of being Beethoven’s heir apparent was nearly paralyzing. Brahms wrote to a friend that

Edward S. Hickman

Edward S. Hickman has been the Principal Trombone of the West Michigan Symphony since 2013 and the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra’s Principal Trombone since 2001.

Mr. Hickman grew up in San Diego, CA, received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from UCLA in Music Performance and Education and his Master of Music from the University of Michigan in Trombone Performance. He also is a member of the KSO Brass Quintet and the Kalamazoo Brass. Prior to winning the job with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Hickman was the Second Trombone in the Lansing Symphony Orchestra for four years. He has also performed with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Grand Rapids Symphony, and the Michigan Opera Theatre Orchestra, as well as the Detroit Chamber Winds and the Western Brass Quintet.

Brahms’s self-doubt led to extreme perfectionism. He wrote at least two dozen string quartets, but only published three, burning the rest. And he spent at least fourteen years (by some accounts, more than twenty) composing his first symphony. Fortunately, when that work premiered in 1876, it was an instant success, recognized by many as the greatest symphony since Beethoven’s Ninth.

Maybe due to the relief of having a successful first symphony behind him, or maybe because of a change of scenery, Brahms was able to complete his second symphony in just four months during a summer spent at an Austrian lakeside resort. This was the first of a handful of productive summers in the south of Austria, where, according to Brahms, “The melodies fly so thick that you have to be careful not to step on one.”

The symphony Brahms composed while on vacation stands in stark contrast to the one he spent over a decade toiling over. It is sunny rather than dark, cheerful rather than solemn, or, in the words of musicologist Reinhold Brinkman, an idyll rather than an epic. Brahms’s friend Theodor Billroth wrote that “it is all blue sky, babbling of streams, sunshine and cool green shade.” And another friend noted that “such music can only be composed in the country, in the midst of nature.”

But occasional doom and gloom surfaces in this sunny symphony, often led by the trombones and timpani. When asked about these dark interruptions, Brahms replied that, “I am, by the by, a severely melancholic person … black wings are constantly flapping above us.” Even the second theme of the first movement — which bears a strong resemblance to Brahms’s famous lullaby — wanders into darkness with a solemn minor key and a dissonant note that halts the flow of the cellos’ rocking melody.

He currently maintains a private teaching studio in Kalamazoo, Portage, and Mattawan, including the Crescendo Academy of Music, and is the Low Brass instructor for the KSO’s Kids in Tune after school program. He resides in Kalamazoo with his wife, Jeanna, and daughters, Annamarie, Evelyn, and Jocelyn.

“ You have no idea what it is like to always hear the footsteps of a giant like Beethoven behind you.”

Notes by Sarah A Ruddy, Ph. D.

INSPIRING WHAT’S NEXT

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.

HOLST THE PLANETS

FRIDAY JUNE 9 7:30 PM

SCOTT SPECK CONDUCTOR

JOHN HEFFERNAN VIOLIN

REETHS PUFFER HIGH SCHOOL

WOMEN’S CHORUS

Peter Maxwell Davies (1934-2016)

An Orkney Wedding with Sunrise

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

The Lark Ascending

John Heffernan, violin

SPONSORS

CONCERT

Intermission

Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

The Planets

I. Mars, the Bringer of War

II. Venus, the Bringer of Peace

MEDIA

III. Mercury, the Winged Messenger

IV. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity

V. Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age

VI. Uranus, the Magician

VII. Neptune, the Mystic

SEASON

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

Peter Maxwell Davies (1934-2016)

An Orkney Wedding with Sunrise

It is relatively rare for WMS to present an entire program of British composers. Tonight’s season finale comprises three works, all from the 20th century, by three British composers: Peter Maxwell Davies, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Gustav Holst. The first work features guest bagpiper Timothy Michlinga; the second, a farewell solo appearance by John Heffernan, our concertmaster since 2020. During Holst’s The Planets we are joined by the ReethsPuffer High School Women’s Chorus.

Early in his career, Davies often shocked audiences and critics with his experimental compositions. His best-known early work is his Eight Songs for a Mad King (1969), a monodrama for baritone and chamber ensemble. Requiring extended vocal techniques and an extremely wide range from the singer, this work parodies the music of Handel’s Messiah to depict King George III’s mental illness using the monarch’s own words.

In 1971, Davies moved to the Island of Hoy in the Orkney Islands off the coast of Northern Scotland. With this move came a shift in Davies’s compositional style. He seems to have lost his urge to shock with musical experimentation, while at the same time he began to incorporate Scottish themes into his music. Davies wrote that on the Islands, there is “no escape from yourself… you just have to realize what you are through your music with much more intensity than in urban surroundings.”

An Orkney Wedding with Sunrise is a short, light-hearted piece that portrays a wedding celebration. It begins with violent weather heard in the strings, but quickly settles into a pleasant oboe solo that depicts the procession of the wedding party. Persistent shortlong rhythmic figures and even, singable phrases give the theme the character of British Isles folk music. At the center of the piece is a series of dances, which are briefly interrupted by the “band” tuning their instruments. The dances occasionally fall out of sync, as the inebriated wedding guests sometimes turn raucous, other times just sloppy, as the celebrations reach late into the night. With the return of the solo oboe from the start, Davies writes that “the guests leave the hall with echoes of the processional music in their ears, while the sun, personified by the full splendour of highland bagpipes, rises over Caithness.”

A MESSAGE FROM CONCERT SPONSOR RAYMOND JAMES

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) The Lark Ascending

British composer Vaughan Williams was inspired by George Meredith’s 1881 poem of the same name to compose The Lark Ascending. Meredith’s poem describes a lark freely soaring above the English countryside. In 122 lines of verse, the nostalgic poet bemoans the increasingly mechanized nature of the farmland. Vaughan Williams included twelve lines of the poem at the top of his score:

He rises and begins to round, He drops the silver chain of sound, Of many links without a break, In chirrup, whistle, slur and shake.

For singing till his heaven fills, 'Tis love of earth that he instils, And ever winging up and up, Our valley is his golden cup And he the wine which overflows to lift us with him as he goes.

Till lost on his aerial rings In light, and then the fancy sings.

In Vaughan Williams’s Romance for violin and orchestra, the solo violin is the lark, soaring freely and ever higher over the earth. The orchestra provides a grounding accompaniment with occasional folk-like melodies that suggest the human inhabitants below. The work is marked by three separate cadenzas. In these free episodes (written with no measure lines), the composer perfectly captures the bird caught up in the wind, its still body floating high above the earth.

Vaughan Williams completed the original version of this work in 1914, but its premiere was delayed by World War I. He revised the work after the war for its first orchestral performance in June of 1921: a concert that also included Holst’s The Planets. In The Lark Ascending, Vaughan Williams sets a calm mood and stays there, allowing the listener time for meditation. As the lark “lifts us with him,” you might look down and hear Vaughan Williams’s love for the countryside of his homeland. Or perhaps you will feel a yearning for peace from a composer who had traversed the horrors of war.

Raymond James is proud to support the West Michigan Symphony and grateful for the opportunity for them to inspire us and enrich where we work and live.

Gustav Holst (1874-1934) The Planets

Gustav Holst was inspired by astrology — not astronomy — to compose The Planets. Astrology — the study of the movement and position of moons, planets, and stars and their spiritual effect on people — captured Holst’s imagination some time after 1900. He wrote to a friend that, “As a rule I only study things that suggest music to me. Recently the character of each planet suggested lots to me.”

Holst’s daughter recalled that Alan Leo’s What is a Horoscope was one of her father’s favorite books, and Holst admitted that casting horoscopes for friends at parties was his “pet vice.”

The result of Holst’s astrological dabbling is a piece with little precedent: a seven-movement orchestral suite in which each movement stands on its own in terms of form, musical language and mood. Originally titled “Seven Pieces for Large Orchestra,” Holst employed every possible instrumental resource for this large-scale work. The huge ensemble includes alto flute, bass oboe, tenor tuba, six timpani, two harps, and an organ.

Holst described the piece as “a series of mood pictures.” Each movement’s subtitle gives a brief description of a planet’s astrological power, and its music depicts that emotion or character. Holst provided an evasive program note for the work’s premiere in 1920:

“If any guide to the music is required the subtitle to each piece will be found sufficient, especially if it be used in the broad sense. For instance, 'Jupiter' brings jollity in the ordinary sense, and also the more ceremonial type of rejoicing associated with religions or national festivities. 'Saturn' brings not only physical decay, but also a vision of fulfillment. 'Mercury' is the symbol of mind.”

The first movement, “Mars,” was the first that Holst composed. Holst completed “The Bringer of War” just months before World War I broke out in 1914. Harsh dissonances, military instrumental effects, and repetitive rhythms in an uneven meter suggest disorder and also, according to the conductor of the premiere, “the stupidity of war.” “Venus” follows, bringing peace in a relaxed and lyrical movement. “Mercury’s” short motives are passed up and down the orchestra as the movement flies by. The joyous “Jupiter” comes next. A stately hymn tune stands at the center of this extroverted, optimistic movement. (Holst later extracted this theme to compose the hymn, “I vow to thee my country.”)

“Saturn” is a sad, slowly building processional that contrasts with the intensely playful dance that follows in “Uranus.” The work closes with “Neptune,” the furthest known point of the solar system when Holst composed the work. “Neptune, the Mystic” evokes the distance and remoteness of this recently discovered planet. The piece ends with a wordless offstage chorus of women that drives home the mystical nature of Holst’s composition. With these ethereal voices, Holst accomplished classical music’s first fade-out ending. He instructed that the last measures should be “repeated until the sound is lost in the distance.”

Holst rightly gained popularity with the premiere of The Planets But, as musicologist Colin Matthews wrote, Holst seemed “constitutionally incapable of repeating himself… [and] it is easy to imagine his puzzlement at the thought that he might be expected to do so.” The Planets stands as a unique piece in his output and in the orchestral repertoire more broadly.

John Heffernan is an innovative and passionate violinist and educator. At the age of 15, he made his orchestral debut with the Beach Cities Symphony after being named winner of the Young Artist of the Future Competition. Born and raised in Manhattan Beach, California, John Heffernan received his Bachelor of Music Degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with William Preucil. While at the Cleveland Institute, John was accepted to study abroad for a semester at the Conservatoire de Paris. While in Paris John studied violin with Sylvia Gazeau and chamber music with Itamar Golan.

After graduating from CIM, John moved to Chicago to study with the renowned pedagogue, Almita Vamos, at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts. While pursuing his master’s degree in violin performance, John was a founding member and second violinist of the Yas Quartet. The diverse and inclusive string quartet had the opportunity to travel to China twice and won third prize at the Schoenfeld International String Competition as well as competed in the senior division of Fischoff in 2016.

After graduating with his Master of Music Degree in May of 2018, John became a Fellow with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. In addition to his community engagement responsibilities in the Civic Fellowship program, Mr. Heffernan was also a leader on stage as the concertmaster of the Civic Orchestra each season he was a member. Through Civic, John performed as a soloist with Yo-Yo Ma twice. Once playing the solo violin part for Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 on the Chicago River Walk, and again as concertmaster for Civic’s Centennial Celebration concert broadcasted live on WFMT.

While in Civic, John Heffernan won the position of Interim Concertmaster with the West Michigan Symphony in May of 2019. After two years of incredible concerts with the West Michigan Symphony, John was offered and thrilled to accept the full time position of concertmaster with the West Michigan Symphony in the spring of 2021. John Heffernan currently plays with the West Michigan Symphony and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.

Notes by Sarah A Ruddy, Ph. D.

John Heffernan

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY

23/24 SEASON

POPS

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

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

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.

3 FRIDAYS • 7:30 PM • FRAUENTHAL CENTER

5 FRIDAYS • 7:30 PM • FRAUENTHAL CENTER

SPECK ABOUT WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY

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.

Mission

WMS 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

• The Block, a gathering space that sparks curiosity, inspiration and fellowship through the shared experience of uncommon live music

• Music Education that enriches 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.

MUSIC DIRECTOR SCOTT

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.

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.

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.

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

CONCERTS AT THE BLOCK

WMS’s Listening Room for the Musically Curious, The Block, is an innovative performance venue featuring a mixture of jazz, crossover-folk, and classical chamber concerts. Since its opening in 2013, The Block has become a vibrant downtown gathering space that sparks curiosity, inspiration and fellowship through the shared experience of uncommon live music and educational programs. Audiences have found the venue a refreshing alternative—to the formality of a concert hall on one hand, the clamor of a brewpub on the other. The Block is also a gathering place for various nonprofit, musical and community groups. Recent users have included Black Business Expo, GVSU Piano Chamber Series, Greater Muskegon Economic Development, Lakeshore Art Festival, Muskegon Rotary, the Poppen Foundation, Third Coast Trombone Retreat, Tux ‘n Chucks, and Young Black Professionals, to name a few.

For rental information, call 231.726.3231

MUSKEGON ARTS & CULTURE COALITION

WMS is a founding member of the Muskegon Arts & Cultural Coalition (MACC), whose purpose is to advocate for and educate the community on the significant economic and quality of life impact of the arts and cultural sector. Muskegon County is home to a wide range of institutions offering exceptional arts and culture experiences that reflect and celebrate our diverse community. The arts have been key to the revitalization of our region for decades, and they remain pivotal in the post-COVID recovery economy. A recent study by Visit Muskegon found that cultural institutions and festivals contributed more than $56.48 million annually to Muskegon County’s economy. According to the Creative State Michigan Report, the Arts accounted for $2.5 billion in state tourism revenues—more than professional sporting events, golf, boating and sailing, hunting and fishing, hiking and biking combined.

For more information see display ad on page 16

WEST MICHIGAN SYMPHONY EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Enriching the lives of children through music exploration, participation, and performance are the goals of the WMS Education programs. Inschool programs, after-school programs, pre-concert activities and a range of events, make up the educational offerings from the West Michigan Symphony.

Link Up

Did you know over 60,000 students from six West Michigan counties have participated in Link Up since 2004? A curriculum written by Carnegie Hall, Link Up is taught by music teachers in our local schools to grades 3-5 and completely supported by the WMS; which means we keep this program free. The program culminates with an interactive concert where students perform their recorder along with the Symphony in the Frauenthal Theater. More than 50 elementary schools partner with WMS to bring this program to their schools each year.

Tune Up

Launching in fall of 2022, elementary students in Muskegon’s Marquette and Oakview Elementary schools will be given an early start in instrumental music. A new program called “Tune Up” will provide aspiring young musicians with their own string instrument and free group lessons with a qualified teacher and unique performance opportunities. This will mark the debut of a new partnership between West Michigan Symphony, Muskegon Public Schools, and the 21st CCLC Impact after-school program. Tune Up program gives children in grades 3, 4 and 5 a jump into learning an instrument and finding the thrill of making music together.

Children's Choir

Many children love to sing, yet don’t have the opportunity to do so at school. The WMS Children’s Choir provides children ages 8-13 a place to sing and perform under the direction of a talented vocal director. Beginning its tenth season, the Children’s Choir performs numerous times each season, including on stage with the West Michigan Symphony Orchestra’s Home for the Holidays and Link Up concerts. An audition based program, Children’s Choir meets every Tuesday from September through May.

Debut & Premier Strings

Two string orchestras, made up of young string musicians from throughout West Michigan, meet every Monday at The Block, September to April, to grow their musicianship. Developing their playing abilities and making new friendships is all a part of encouraging these musicians to stretch their belief in themselves and grow as musicians. The Debut Strings program is for those with one to two years of experience. Premier Strings is for those more advanced and experienced, and offers a variety of performance opportunities, including a side by side with the WMS Orchestra at Link Up. Both groups are taught by a qualified and experienced string instructor.

Click Clack Moosic

Unique to the WMS, Click Clack Moosic is a live musical story time program for young children ages 3-8. Based on the books by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin, the WMS Click Clack Moosic was created for young children to experience live symphonic music, up close! Through engaging education activities, the telling of a great story, and music composed just for these programs; children will love to be part of these shows. We’ll perform a holiday show at The Block on December 3, but we also visit schools, libraries, events, and organizations. Let us know how we can be a part of your next event.

Music Mentors

Providing students with real life experiences is part of the WMS Music Mentor program. Students participating in the Link Up program receive visits to their schools from WMS musicians. Deepening the music learning experience through engaging visits with Music Mentors helps support school music programs and gives students the opportunity to work with an outside professional.

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 2022-2023 season. Enjoy the performance!

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

Our musicians travel from Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and throughout Michigan to perform with WMS

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

Mike & Kay Olthoff

2022-2023 Season Sponsors