From world-class pianists to world-revered movie favorites, the Grand Rapids Symphony has thrived in bringing music to the community from all spectrums of the music genres. This year, the Grand Rapids Symphony will be celebrating 90 years of performing and have many special events planned to commemorate the anniversary.
Not only is the season prepared to entertain music lovers, but movie fanatics as well. The 2019-20 season will include favorites such as not one, but two Harry Potter performances, as well as Ghostbusters and Up!. Plus, Hollywood Hits is a special event that will include themes from some of the most well-known movies on the silver screen, such as The Pink Panther, Rocky, James Bond and many more.
The season also has many concerts dedicated to the best of live musical theater. There were never such devoted sisters to the stage as Tony-nominees Liz and Anne Hampton Callaway. Alongside the symphony, Liz Callaway (known famously as the singing lost princess in the animated Anastasia), and Anne Hampton (Platinum Award-winning writer) will be singing musical numbers from all of Broadway’s favorites, with showstoppers such as Wicked and West Side Story.
The GRS is also highlighting the voices that made a difference for music. Queens of Soul is a symphonic tribute that will bring high-powered soul and R&B to Grand Rapids. Following six decades of song-filled women who changed music, the Grand Rapids Symphony will accompany singer Shayna Steele in concert featuring songs from Aretha Franklin, Patti Labelle, Adele and more. In addition, GR Pops will create the full Fab Four experience with REVOLUTION – The Beatles Symphonic Experience. The performance will feature singers and surprises from The Beatle archives that British Invasion fans won’t want to miss.
Many special guests are set to appear for their classical series, some of which are new to the DeVos stage, along with veterans who are returning to perform once again. For instance, a Grand Celebration of the Piano features a season with six world-class pianists who will be in seven different programs, exhibiting all kinds of music, from Beethoven and Bach. Also, Totally Tchaikovsky will be an experience that joins together a few pieces like Romeo and Juliet: Overture-Fantasy and Pathetique, a romantic and humorous title combination of the Russian composer’s work.
There are more than a few opportunities to join in the celebration of the Grand Rapids Symphony’s 90 years. Back in 1929 at Central High School with only 51 musicians on the stage, the Grand Rapids Symphony gave their its performance. With no inclination as to how great their success would become, the artists performed for their passion of bringing music to the community. Look at them now!
RICHARD AND HELEN DeVOS CLASSICAL SERIES
Hadelich Plays Beethoven | Totally Tchaikovsky | Tristan & Isolde | Prokofiev Triumphant | The Genius of Mozart | Schubert's "Great" | Beethoven's Pastoral | The Five Piano Concertos | Concerto for Orchestra! | Mahler's Resurrection
FOX MOTORS POPS
Queens of Soul | Broadway Showstoppers | Wolverine Worldwide Holiday Pops | Hollywood Hits
Up - Movie with Orchestra | REVOLUTION - The Beatles Symphonic Experience
GERBER SYMPHONICBOOM
Ghostbusters - Movie with Orchestra | Home Alone in Concert | Old National Bank Cirque de Noël
PwC GREAT ERAS
The Last Century | The Glory of the Baroque | Clara's Circle of Friends | Mozart & Haydn
PORTER HILLS COFFEE CLASSICS
The Last Century (Coffee) | The Glory of the Baroque (Coffee) | Clara's Circle of Friends (Coffee) | Mozart & Haydn (Coffee)
SPECIAL EVENTS
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | Symphonie Fantastique with Itzhak Perlman
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | Symphony with Soul | The Pianists - Gilmore Begins with Ingrid Fliter
For more information and to become a subscriber, visit grsymphony.org.
