‘Around the World’ concert will feature diverse traditions and styles from across the globe

An upcoming concert and a Lunch ’n’ Learn by the West Michigan Symphony is designed to build a connection with musical traditions from around the globe.

The West Michigan Symphony (WMS) will take music enthusiasts on a journey across multiple continents with “WMS Around the World Part II.”  

The performance will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 19, in the Frauenthal Center, 425 W. Western Ave. in  Muskegon.  

Under the baton of Music Director Scott Speck, WMS will highlight a range of musical styles ranging from the grandeur of Verdi's “Nabucco Overture” to the rhythmic fervor of Falla’s Dance No. 1 from “La Vida Breve.” Also on the program will be works by Grieg, Smetana, Brahms, Copland, Rimsky-Korsakov and more.

Audience favorite

“We first introduced the ‘Around the World’ concept—an all-orchestral program of shorter works  with no guest artist—several seasons ago,” Speck says. “Many audience members  declared this their favorite concert of the season. So we have brought this concept back with all new music.”  

Other highlights will include Khachaturian’s “Sabre Dance” from “Gayaneh”; Smetana’s “The  Moldau” from “Ma Vlast” (“My Fatherland”); Brahms’s “Academic Festival Overture”; Rimsky-Korsakov’s  “Capriccio Espagnol”; and Copland’s “Quiet City,” featuring principal trumpet Bill Baxtresser. 

Free shuttle transport will be available from Muskegon Farmers Market to the door of the Frauenthal and back again after the concert. A post-concert reception will be held in the lower level Frau Lounge, an opportunity for the audience to mingle with conductor and musicians.

For tickets, starting at $19 for adults, $10 for students, call 231-727-8001 or visit www.westmichigansymphony.org. 

Lunchtime preview 

The public is invited to learn more about the concert at a free Lunch ‘n‘ Learn, to be held at noon Wednesday, April 17, in The Block. Sponsored by Embark Financial Partners, the event will be hosted by Speck and include a question-and-answer opportunity. A complimentary lunch will be provided by Kuntry Cookin’. 

The “Around the World” concert is sponsored by Harbor Steel & Supply Corp. Mike and Kay Olthoff are the 2023-2024 season sponsors, and Blue Lake Public Radio is the media sponsor. 

Headquartered in Muskegon, West Michigan Symphony is a resident presenting group at the Frauenthal Center, where its eight-concert season is the most visible part of a larger artistic enterprise. WMS concerts and education events bring 16,500 people—more than 30% of whom are children and students—downtown annually, making it the largest performing arts organization on the shoreline.