Grand Rapids Symphony “Young, Gifted and Black” Scholarship Fund
2007-01-01
Young African-American musicians are receiving music instruction thanks to a grant awarded to the Grand Rapids Symphony and its affiliate Community Task Force that plans the annual “Symphony with Soul” collaborative concert. A $55,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation funds this scholarship program for gifted African-American elementary, middle and high school students to receive musical instrument instruction.
The scholarship program is an outgrowth of the Symphony’s yearly presentation of a concert at DeVos Performance Hall intended to bridge cultures through a shared appreciation of music. Since 2001, the orchestra has collaborated with local musicians, with the first year’s concert focusing on the music of Duke Ellington. Concerts held in later years have featured spirituals, gospel music, jazz and dance. An integral part of this annual collaboration is also inspiring the dream of young people who aspire to be musicians, and through the years the Symphony has presented music education programs for local students. This new scholarship program takes that commitment to children to a new level.
“The Young, Gifted and Black Scholarship Fund will aid in the fulfillment of a dream for many gifted young people to receive music instruction who might not otherwise have that opportunity,” said Melia Tourangeau, president of the Grand Rapids Symphony.