GR Symphony Celebrates Diversity during 2007-2008 Season
2007-10-16
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GRAND RAPIDS SYMPHONY CELEBRATES DIVERSITY DURING ITS 2007-2008 SEASON
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Oct. 16, 2007 –The Grand Rapids Symphony is continuing its commitment to diversity during its 2007-2008 Season by presenting ethnically diverse guest artists to perform with the orchestra. Along with this commitment, in March the Symphony was awarded a $40,000 W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant to implement a two-year plan creating internal systems to broaden the Symphony’s audience and create a stronger relationship with Grand Rapids’ diverse community.
Diverse Guest Artists Join Symphony
The Symphony’s 2007-2008 Season Richard and Helen DeVos Classical Series includes the following guest soloists and guest conductors: Symphony concertmaster and violinist James Crawford (Asian-American); baritone Kevin Deas (African-American); pianist Ingrid Fliter (Argentinean); guest conductor Giancarlo Guerrero (Nicaraguan); guest conductor Scott Yoo (Asian); Jubilant Sykes (African-American) and pianist André Watts (African-American). In addition, Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus Pearl Shangkuan is Asian-American.
The Symphony’s Rising Star Series features guest artists, soprano Kishna Davis and Grand Rapids Symphony Principal Bass Joseph Conyers, who are both African-American, and vocalist Patti Austin, who is African-American, will join the Symphony during its Fox Motors Pops Series.
W.K. Kellogg Grant
Goals of the W.K. Kellogg-funded plan include having a greater outreach to ethnically diverse business associations and professional groups, providing greater cultural representation within the organization of the Symphony and seeking increased coverage of Symphony concerts in the local ethnic media.
Seventh Annual “Symphony with Soul” Community Concert
While the Symphony strives to reach more people through this newly funded multicultural plan, it has already made diversity a goal in the last eight years by presenting diverse guest artists and music. Since 2002 the Symphony has been collaborating with the local community to present a concert featuring local African-American musicians, as well as nationally acclaimed African-American artists. The Symphony’s seventh annual “Symphony with Soul” concert, designed to bridge cultures through a shared appreciation of music is March 1, 2008, featuring the African-American, Grammy-winning sextet, Take 6.
Prior to the concert, the Symphony’s third annual “Celebration of Soul” awards dinner will be held honoring local African-Americans who are making history in the local community through their achievements. Honorees in 2006 were the late Bishop William C. Abney Jr., Grand Rapids Times Publisher and Editor Patricia Pulliam and student activist Jonathan Jelks. In February of 2007 honorees were former Henry Paideia Academy Principal, Ruth Jones-Hairston and Bayard Gallery of Fine African-American Art and Books owner, George Bayard.
“Young Gifted and Black” Scholarship Program
In 2006 the Symphony was awarded a $55,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to fund instrumental music lessons for local African-American students. This summer a committee of Symphony musicians, artistic staff and Grand Rapids Public School teachers selected five scholarship winners, and this fall they are receiving private lessons from Symphony musicians. The students are: Benjamin Bone, a home educated tenth grade violist; Teniola Kumapayi, a New Hall Middle School eighth grade trumpeter; Tiaira Code, a Crossroads Middle School eighth grade flutist; I’esha Hayes, an East Grand Rapids High School ninth grade violinist and Aja Kilgore, a Grand Rapids City High School ninth grade clarinetist. Along with music lessons, students will also attend Grand Rapids Symphony rehearsals and concerts, receive a backstage tour, job shadow Symphony staff members and participate in other activities to enhance their educational experience.
History of Reaching Diverse Students
For more than 30 years the Symphony’s Artists-in-Residence program has been sending musician ensembles into local school systems, including the Grand Rapids Public Schools, to present music education programs. This year the ensembles are performing in 14 Grand Rapids Public Schools, reaching more than 4,000 students. Additionally, approximately 20,000 West Michigan students experience a live symphonic concert in DeVos Performance Hall during the Symphony’s annual Fifth Grade concerts held each February. At this concert in 2007, Grand Rapids Public School students made up 10 percent of the total number of students at the eight performances.
2007-2008 Season Concerts Featuring Diverse Artists
2007
Richard & Helen DeVos Classical Series
Blockbuster Opening Night
James Crawford, Violin (Asian-American)
8 p.m. Sept.14, DeVos Performance Hall
8 p.m. Sept.15, DeVos Performance Hall
Rising Stars Series
Kishna Sings Barber
Kishna Davis, Soprano (African-American)
7:30 p.m. Sept. 27, St. Cecilia Music Center
8 p.m. Sept. 28, St. Cecilia Music Center
8 p.m. Sept. 29, Zeeland East High School
Fox Motors Pops Series
For Ella with Patti Austin (African-American)
8 p.m. Nov. 9, DeVos Performance Hall
8 p.m. Nov. 10, DeVos Performance Hall
3 p.m. Nov. 11, DeVos Performance Hall
Richard & Helen DeVos Classical Series
Sacred Spaces
Kevin Deas, Baritone for the Brahms German Requiem (African-American)
Pearl Shangkuan, Chorus Director (Asian-American)
8 p.m. Nov. 16, DeVos Performance Hall
8 p.m. Nov. 17, DeVos Performance Hall
2008
Rising Stars Series
GRS’ Conyers in the Spotlight
Joseph Conyers, Principal Bass (African-American)
7:30 p.m. Jan. 3, St. Cecilia Music Center
8 p.m. Jan. 4, St. Cecilia Music Center
Richard & Helen DeVos Classical Series
Romeo & Juliet
Ingrid Fliter, Piano (Argentinean)
8 p.m. Feb. 22, DeVos Performance Hall
8 p.m. Feb. 23, DeVos Performance Hall
Symphony with Soul
A cappella sextet Take 6 (African-American)
8 p.m. March 1, DeVos Performance Hall
Richard & Helen DeVos Classical Series
For Peace
Pearl Shangkuan, Chorus Director (Asian-American)
8 p.m. March 14, DeVos Performance Hall
8 p.m. March 15, DeVos Performance Hall
Richard & Helen DeVos Classical Series
Bravo! Beethoven
Giancarlo Guerrero, Guest Conductor (Nicaraguan)
8 p.m. April 4, DeVos Performance Hall
8 p.m. April 5, DeVos Performance Hall
Richard & Helen DeVos Classical Series
Songs of America
Scott Yoo, Guest Conductor (Asian-American)
Jubilant Sykes, Baritone (African-American)
8 p.m. April 18, DeVos Performance Hall
8 p.m. April 19, DeVos Performance Hall
Gilmore Festival Collaboration
Festival Orchestra with members of the Grand Rapids Symphony &
the Kalamazoo Symphony
David Lockington, conductor
Raymond Harvey, conductor (African-American)
8 p.m. May 3, St. Cecilia Music Center
Richard & Helen DeVos Classical Series
Season Finale
André Watts, Piano (African-American)
8 p.m. May 9, DeVos Performance Hall
8 p.m. May 10, DeVos Performance Hall
These concerts are supported by the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.