Grand Rapids Symphony Society

Gateway to music is the grand rapids symphony's collection of education and community programs that serve more than 75,000 people each year. Gateway to music programs are organized by four disctinct categories: youth education, performance opportunities, community engagement, and economic access. Youth education: lollipops concert: designed for young children & families (prek-1st), these short performances feature a connection to childrens stories and involve other arts - visual, dance, theatre, etc. -percussion discussion: grs percussionists jack latta & david hall utilize over 50 instruments to engage students (2nd-3rd) in sound exploration, movement, and critical thinking. -link up: in partnership with carnegie hall, link up encompasses a curriculum that develops concepts, skills, creativity, and prepares students (3rd-5th) to perform with the grs in a free concert at devos performance hall. -masterworks matinees: geared toward student instrumentalists grades 6-12, these concerts feature approachable repertoire and are at st. Cecilia music center. It is our hope that this up close and personal experience in a historic venue will inspire young musicians. -artists in residence: the air program supports prek-5 music education with innovative experiences. This partnership with schools features educational concerts and visits from grs musicians. -mosaic scholarship: this program is for underrepresented student musicians grades 6-12 who want to develop their musicianship and study of an instrument through private lessons, workshops, unique performances, and building community with one another. Performance opportunities: -grand rapids youth symphony: the youth symphony and classical orchestra are audition-based youth orchestras that perform throughout the academic year and engage in in-depth study of orchestral repertoire. -grand rapids symphony chorus: founded in 1962, the all-volunteer symphony chorus has a long history of performing large works, including brahms requiem, beethovens ninth, and orffs carmina burana. Under the direction of dr. Pearl shangkuan, this 120-member adult ensemble has reached an admirable level of performance. -grs community chorus: under the direction of duane davis, this ensemble involves community members and is featured in symphony with soul. The group proudly represents people with diverse backgrounds, talents, and abilities. -side by side concerts: participating high school orchestras & bands experience the grs by rehearsing and performing alongside the orchestra in a concert at their school. This also incorporates sectionals or masterclasses with grs musicians and a shared meal. Community engagement: -music for health: in partnership with licensed music therapists, grs musicians provide therapeutic music in healthcare settings that help patients manage stress, alleviate pain, improve communication, encourage movement and enhance memory. -access to music: these performances are in a barrier-free environment for audiences with special needs,such as special education and senior groups. Music therapists facilitate interventions that help audience members engage with music played by the orchestra. -family concerts: designed to inspire family members of all ages, these one-hour concerts feature a variety of musical styles & stories to show families that music is for everyone. -instrument discovery: this interactive experience offers people of all ages an opportunity to play instruments from the orchestra (e.g., strings, percussion). Instrument discovery is typically offered at family concerts and various community events. -inside the music: free for all ticket holders, this program creates context and provides insight from musicians, conductors, guest artists, etc. This experience is ideal for first-time concert-goers and concert aficionados alike. -online learning: the online learning section of the grs website features free original content developed for a broad community audience. Economic access: -symphony scorecard: members of our community receiving financial assistance from the state of michigan and active, guard, and reserve military households receive up to four free tickets for select grand rapids symphony performances. -fundraising partnership: an opportunity for non-profit groups to receive a percentage of every ticket sold via promo code. -rush tickets: available three hours before the start of the concert, the rush ticket program enables any student or teacher to purchase 12 tickets to grs concerts with a valid i.d. -group sales: we offer group discounts of up to 20% off tickets for most concerts. -symphony broadcasts: our friends at blue lake public radio broadcast all masterworks series performances on sundays at 1:00pm.