West Michigan Symphony offers more than just concerts this spring! (WZZM 13)

When most people think of West Michigan Symphony (WMS), they think of… concerts, of course! The 85-year-old organization is usually associated with its mainstage series at the Frauenthal Center in downtown Muskegon. But WMS is about more than performances. With its Vision a catalyst for a music-infused West Michigan, the organization engages hands-on with all ages through its outreach platform, Community Music Encounters (CME). Via CME, the organization reaches deeply into the community through a variety of learning activities and place-making projects to inspire both the next generation and adult music lovers.

Examples include Click Clack Moosic, a live musical story time program for children ages 3-8; Children’s Choir for ages 8-13; Tune Up beginning string group lessons in Muskegon Public Schools; Debut Strings, a string orchestra program for intermediate and advanced players; and Lunch ‘n Learn conversations with featured musicians providing insight into upcoming concerts.

Link Up
CME’s flagship youth offering is the Link Up beginner music program for 3rd-5th graders, in which students learn to read music and ultimately “perform” on plastic recorders along with the orchestra. For many, this will be a first live concert experience—but they are not just passive recipients. Link Up is a classroom-to-concert program, and the students will be applying musical concepts they have been studying all year in school music. This includes coaching from WMS musicians who visit classrooms to work with and introduce them to the symphony.

It all leads up to the morning of Tuesday, May 13, when nearly 4,000 students from 46 area schools—including districts from Muskegon, Ottawa, Kent, Oceana, Newaygo and Mason counties—arrive at the Frauenthal Center for the concert. Full of anticipation and armed with their recorders, the students are herded from buses by watchful teachers, gasp audibly when they enter the beautiful theater for the first time, and wriggle impatiently in their seats while the orchestra warms up onstage in front of them. During the concert they alternately listen, sing, raise their hands in response to questions, and play recorder along with the orchestra from their seats.

The performances—open only to participating students, teachers, chaperones and parents—are scheduled for 9:30am, 11:00am and 12:30pm. A founding partner with Carnegie Hall (which developed the curriculum), WMS is the only orchestra that has offered it every season since its 2004 introduction. Nearly 70,000 students have been served. With Link Up now in its third decade, parents who participated in grade school are experiencing it alongside their own children.

Symphony Side-By-Side
 “We’re proud of our youth ensembles and other musical experiences,” said CEO Andy Buelow. “But for years I have encountered adults who participated in band or orchestra in school but didn’t continue playing. There’s always a wistfulness about how they talk about it. So we decided to do something about it.”

That “something” turned out to be plans for the new Symphony Side-by-Side: a full day of practicing, coaching and rehearsing alongside WMS musicians, led by WMS Music Director Scott Speck. The daylong intensive takes place on Saturday, July 12 onstage at the Frauenthal.  Those curious about participating can find out more on the LEARN area of westmichigansymphony.org where they’ll find a registration page with the details. It includes the full day schedule, starting at 10:30am and culminating with a free public performance at 6:30pm. There are links to PDFs previewing the instrument parts for all musical selections. Once your registration form and fee of $65 is received, WMS will send an email with a link to the complete music—and you can start practicing!  Music Director Scott Speck describes it as “self-selecting. If you look at the music and think you can tackle it, we want you!” The registration deadline is June 6, 2025. To learn more or register visit  westmichigansymphony.org/education/rusty-musicians-performance-experience.

May Frauenthal and Block Series Concerts
Meanwhile, there are two more performances remaining on WMS’s spring concert calendar at the Frauenthal Center. On Friday, May 9 at 7:30pm, WMS embraces its inner Bohemian, playing music that overflows with some of the richest melodies ever conceived. Smetana’s Bartered Bride Overture whirls with infectious dance rhythms, while Mozart’s “Prague” Symphony (written for the city that adored him) balances elegance with grandeur. The concert concludes with Dvořák’s Cello Concerto, as cellist Inbal Segev joins the extraordinary artists of the West Michigan Symphony for the first time. The following night, she presents a solo recital at The Block at 7:30pm with piano accompaniment.

Then, on Friday, May 30 at 7:30pm, WMS closes its 85th Anniversary Season with American Landscapes—a sonic portrait of vast horizons and bold imagination. Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man grounds listeners to earth with its granite-like stability and strength, while Michael Torke’s Sky violin concerto takes flight with bluegrass-infused brilliance. The violin soloist will be Kentucky native Tessa Lark, who doubles as a classical violinist and bluegrass fiddler—and the piece was written especially for her. The concert ends with Copland’s majestic Symphony No. 3—a triumphant finale to a transformative season. But wait! There’s more: the following evening Tessa Lark will present her own unaccompanied solo recital at The Block at 7:30pm.

For tickets to these performances, visit www.westmichigansymphony.org. If you’ve never attended a WMS concert, you’re invited to participate in the “Try Symphony! Introductory Ticket” program. You’ll enjoy a one-time 50% discount offer (up to two tickets) for one of these final concerts at the Frauenthal Center. To claim this offer, register on the symphony’s website.  A WMS staff member will contact you to arrange for your tickets. The offer expires the Wednesday prior to the concert you wish to attend.

And if you’ve ever wondered what goes into planning a performance, the orchestra invites the public to get in on the act with its “Audience Choice Concert.” To participate (and potentially win prizes and free tickets!) go to the website and vote for your favorite overture, piano concerto and symphony from a selection of choices. The top votes will be unveiled this May and performed on a Masterworks program next season. To learn more, visit westmichigansymphony.org/the-music/audience-choice.