This month, two accomplished Broadway performers are joining West Michigan Symphony for a night of Classic Broadway, featuring notable songs by some of Conductor Scott Speck’s favorite American composers.
Joey DeFrancesco, a third-generation jazz musician, has been perfecting his unique blend of jazz, soul and blues for more than 40 years. Born in Philadelphia, DeFrancesco got his start on the organ at age four and began playing shows at five when his dad, “Papa” John DeFrancesco, invited him to sit in on sets.
Under the baton of Anne Harrigan, the Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra will take the audience at W.K. Kellogg Auditorium to Bald Mountain, the Pines of Rome and beyond with the Walt Disney classic Fantasia.
The Gilmore Keyboard Festival welcomed Russian piano virtuoso Nikita Mndoyants to the Wellspring Theater in Kalamazoo on Sunday evening for the third installment of its Rising Stars series. Rising Stars offers an opportunity to see small recitals from up-and-coming artists in the world of classical piano, and 29-year-old Mndoyants performed for a full house clearly eager to enjoy his talents in such an intimate setting.
Kalamazoo and Moscow are colliding this month when a Russian piano virtuoso is performing with the Gilmore Keyboard Festival.
As a kid, Grand Rapids native Mary Tuuk found herself in the audience of the Grand Rapids Symphony often. Now, the Calvin College alumna will be taking a different seat, one behind the desk labeled “GRS President and CEO.” She’ll be bringing a unique combination of skills to the job, including her business experience, such as her most recent role as chief compliance officer/senior vice president of properties and real estate with Meijer, Inc.
The holiday season serves as a counterpoint to the fast-paced nature of the lives people lead, and the typical desire to find what’s new and different before boredom sets in.
Growing up, singer Diane Penning recalls two experiences that made the excitement of the holidays come alive in her house: The arrival of the Sears Roebuck Christmas catalog, and listening to holiday records like the Firestone Tires Longines Symphonette albums.
One of the more amazing aspects of a classical piano concert is to see the artist play entirely from memory.
A showcase of solos, marimba and tuba concertos put the spotlight on a host of West Michigan Symphony musicians during this season’s second masterworks concert.