Michigan Irish American Hall of Fame inductee Cathie Ryan joins West Michigan Symphony for Jan. 15 concert
Muskegon, Michigan, Dec. 1, 2015, — Friday, Jan. 15, West Michigan Symphony joins renowned international Celtic recording artist and performer Cathie Ryan and her band for a spirit-lifting evening of Irish music, story, virtuosity and fun at Muskegon’s Frauenthal Theater.
Cathie Ryan and her award-winning musicians will warm up West Michigan with heartfelt lyrics, beloved ballads, and the traditional jigs and reels of the Emerald Isle, served up with a hefty dose of humor! Guest conductor Andrew Koehler makes his third appearance with the West Michigan Symphony orchestra for this two-hour performance featuring songs arranged for symphony by Grammy Award winning pops conductor Jeff Tyzik, including “Carrick a rede,” “May the Road Rise to Meet You,” “Home by Bearna,” and a rousing original song celebrating Ireland’s Pirate Queen “Grace O’Malley.”
Ryan came to fame in Irish music as the original lead singer of traditional Irish women’s ensemble Cherish the Ladies. She struck out on her own in 1995 and quickly built a reputation as one of Irish music’s foremost female singers. Ryan was inducted into the Michigan Irish American Hall of Fame in 2012, was named one of the “Top 100 Irish Americans” by Irish America Magazine and was twice honored by liveIreland.com as “Irish Female Vocalist of the Decade.”
Conducting associate Andrew Koehler will lead the orchestra at the January concert, appearing as guest conductor to the West Michigan Symphony orchestra for the third time. Koehler is a graduate of Yale College and holds a master’s degree from Northwestern University. An associate professor of music at Kalamazoo College and music director of the Kalamazoo Philharmonia, Koehler was honored by Kalamazoo College with the 2014 American Prize Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in Orchestral Programming for his innovative and thoughtful programming.
The Friday, Jan. 15 concert is at the Frauenthal theater and starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $22-$52 student tickets are $10 and can be purchased by calling the WMS box office at 231.726.3231, in person at 360 W. Western Avenue, or online at westmichigansymphony.org.
