Youth Performers Take Center Stage at Upcoming West Michigan Symphony Performances
Muskegon, MI — When most people think of West Michigan Symphony (WMS), they think of concerts—specifically, of its eight-concert series at the Frauenthal Center in downtown Muskegon featuring the 84 professional players of the core orchestra. Yet WMS is about more than its mainstage concerts. With its vision to be a catalyst for a music-infused West Michigan, the organization engages hands-on with all ages through a multi-level outreach platform called Community Music Encounters (CME). Via CME, the organization reaches deeply into the community through a variety of learning activities to inspire both the current and next generation of music lovers. These programs include the Click Clack Moosic story time series for toddlers; Debut and Premier Strings for aspiring young instrumentalists; and the Children’s Choir for youth choristers. The 2025-2026 CME season sponsors are Jocelyn Shaw and Douglas Hannink.
WMS is excited to announce that during November and December, the community can experience concerts and musical gatherings from all of its youth programs! Tickets for all public performances are priced at $5 for children and $10 for adults, available online at westmichigansymphony.org, by calling 231-726-3231, or at the door the day of the concert.
The Debut and Premier Strings will kick off this season’s CME with their fall Thanksgiving Arts concert at 7:00pm on Monday, November 17 at Orchard View High School. Directed by Angela Corbin, the 50-plus members will perform string arrangements of works from the WMS mainstage series—including Rossini’s William Tell Overture and excerpts from Rachmaninoff’s Paganini Variations, Dvořák’s New World Symphony, Stravinsky’s Firebird, and the best of ABBA. The Vivaldi Trio, featuring Ella Potts, Maggie Fishel and Selah Bradfield (all high school sophomores), will perform the second movement of Vivaldi’s Concerto in G major.
At 6:00pm on Sunday, November 23, at The Block, the 30 plus-member West Michigan Symphony Children’s Choir, will present an American Choral Concert that highlights the beauty of our country, our heritage and our veterans. Directed by Beth Slimko, the performance will include the folk song Charlotte-town, the Swahili folk hymn Bwana Awabariki (“May God grant you his blessing”), and “Good Things Grow” from the 2025 Disney film Snow White.
Click Clack Moosic will present two ticketed performances of Clickity Clack Ho Ho Ho on Saturday, December 6 at 10:00am and 11:30am at The Block. Sponsored by West Michigan Symphony Gala Donors, these concerts feature the WMS Brass Quintet performing original music by Phil Popham, along with host and narrator Karen Vander Zanden. This interactive musical experience is a retelling of Doreen Cronin’s eponymous Christmas storybook adventure featuring the hapless Farmer Brown and his strong-willed, independently-minded farm animals. The show includes a 12-foot barn, five brass reindeer, an elf and a zip line of animals! Cookies, milk and coffee (the latter for adults!) will also be served.
Students from area preschools and elementary schools will attend a private weekday performances of Clickity Clack Ho Ho Ho on Thursday, December 4 and Friday, December 5 at The Block. These will include the Orchard View School District’s Community Preschool; Edgewood Elementary from the Muskegon Heights Public School Academy; and Ridgeview Elementary School from Sparta Area School District.
Click Clack Moosic is sponsored by West Michigan Symphony Gala Donors, with additional support from Anne M. Dake, the Leonel L. and Mary Loder Fund of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County and the Michigan Arts and Culture Commission. Designated major gifts to support the series were also provided by Bruce and Donna Hood, Phillip Smith, David MacPherson, Jack and Becky Slimko, Jane Blyth, Robert Harrell, Barbara Kelso, Susan Meston, Martha Muir, Chip & Susan Sawyer and Roy Winegar. To learn more on how you can support WMS click HERE.
About West Michigan Symphony & The Block
An anchor cultural organization headquartered in Muskegon celebrating its 86th Season this year, West Michigan Symphony led by Music Director Scott Speck is a resident presenting group at the Frauenthal Center, where its eight-concert season is the most visible part of a larger artistic enterprise of far-reaching community benefit. The WMS also operates The Block, a 115-seat listening room for the musically curious complementing the WMS’s mainstage orchestra offerings with jazz, classical and more. WMS concerts and education events bring 18,500 people—more than 30% of whom are children and students—downtown annually, making it the largest performing arts organization on the West Shore.
Media
See image below. If media is interested in attending and covering a WMS event, a limited number of media passes are available. Please contact Carla Flanders for more information. For Media Resources click HERE.
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