August 28, 2025 • 6 mins
We welcome Steve Seigel, Vice President of Development with the Grand Rapids Symphony to the studio to discuss the symphony's 96th incredible season.
More information can be found here: https://www.grsymphony.org/
More information can be found here: https://www.grsymphony.org/
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is West Michigan's Morning News. Steve, Kelly, Brett, Pakeita,
Laurence Smith in studio with us representing the Grand Rapid Symphony,
their vice president of Development, Steve Siegel, thank you so
much for coming in today.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Absolutely, this is great.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
I can't believe we're within two weeks of the whole
season kicking off. You do it with Beethoven's Ninth with
a bang, as it were. I'm not sure what instrument
makes that noise, but Steve talked to us a little
bit about what to expect coming up this year.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Well, it's a ninety sixth season, so if you were
to wear the Grand Rapid Symphony began a nineteen thirty
it was our first year we were organized, and so
this is our ninety sixth season, so far away from
one hundred our solo laningers. It is ninth year. It'll
be ten years next year as our music director and
(00:49):
as our conductor. So looking forward to it. Exciting opening weekend.
It's September twelfth and thirteenth's opening night. And as you said,
the big piece is Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Everybody knows that one, right,
I mean the iconic ode de joy is in there
and all those other themes that you're probably hurting commercials
and movies and a hundred other places. So our thought is,
(01:12):
even if you haven't been to a classical music concert
a long time, you will definitely recognize this and have
a ball. And that includes full chorus with everything that
goes on with Beethoven's Night.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
I mean, it's just a stunning lineup. I see, is
it Moller's six. I'm trying to learn these things because
I think going to the symphony, I mean, I've started
taking my kids and it is just an eye opening experience.
They absolutely love seeing the instruments in person and the
fantastic showmanship you guys have.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
It is fun. I remember my first time in a symphony.
I grew up in Milwaukee. I was in high school
before mom and dad took me. But I was just
blown away.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
You know.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
They started with a I don't know. It was some
place by Bach, I don't even remember, but it just
blew me away. The live sound is kind of exploding
off the stage. There's nothing quite like a live performance.
You have the best stereo in the world, but live
is something else.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
And the kids do like it well and when I
look at this lineup to Lawrence Point I went when
I was I think in elementary school, there was a
road trip down right, and we're like, oh.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Yeah, probably in our fifth grade concerts.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Sea exactly, and it blew me away. But like other
things that were seen, it's taking it to that next level.
And it seems like the symphony is all over the
place with things that they do and are involved with
in their stretching their limits. Like I look at there's
a Dolly Partons Threads Symphony that's coming up. There's a
sixties and sevens rock Legends. I mean, it's just so
(02:37):
cool to think of that because I think way back
when people just thought, okay, symphony, this is what it is.
And you guys have stretched the limit with movie soundtracks
and everything.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
And yes, exactly, and it's part of reaching an audience
that has changed and evolved. So yeah, we do a
few things like the movies. If you've never been to
one of the movies, you got to try one. It's
a huge screens like one of those big imax up
on the stage of DeVos, and the orchestra sits on
the stage and if you haven't seen this, you see
the movie, but the orchestra does the soundtrack live right.
(03:11):
That is just the cool I mean from the opening
credits to the closing credits. So we are doing three
movies this year. Lord of the Rings, Halloween nighth October
thirty first, November one for repeat, we're doing Polar Express.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Ooh, that'll be that family favorite.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Do you imagine wee can be for Thanksgiving eleven twenty one,
eleven twenty two, and then Shrek two, another family favorite.
It's it's the last day of holiday break. I think
it's January second Friday night, so great night to take
the kids out to see Shrek two.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
And you're right.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
We have a Dolly Parton show coming up in March,
and we're doing Trisha Yearwood's holiday show, so that's a
little different. We have Ben Folds coming on October the fourth.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Man, I saw them at Frederick and I think the
Symphony was with him then.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
Too, I believe. So it was incredible.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Yeah, man, talk about that country feel. You guys have
Mickey Guyden coming.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Well, yes, that we just announced I think yesterday. Yeah,
so Mickey Guiden. If you're not familiar, you know CMT's
breakout Artist of the Year time magazines Breakthrough Artists of
the Year. She did the national anthem at Super Bowl
twenty that's where twenty two forgot what number it was
LV whatever it was, she did that, and she hosted
(04:30):
the Academy of Country Music Awards in twenty twenty one,
first black woman to ever do that. So she's got
a great repertoire. Her roots are in country. She attributes
a lot of her success to meeting Dolly Parton and
hearing Leanne Rhymes do that song Blue. That's what got
her into country when Leanne was like fourteen years old.
And she's sang in her choir at church down in
(04:53):
Texas where she grew up. So she's got a really
neat sound. There's some R and B in there. There's
certainly a lot of country, and there's a little bit
of pop. Her latest album or whatever we call it now,
is it.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Ep oh, I think you can say album. Yeah, it's
cool again.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Yes, okay good is called House on Fire and I
think she wrote ten of the twelve songs on there.
Last thing I want to say about this show, this
is going to be a world premiere.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
Oh wow.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
So we have engaged a arranger by the name of
Brad Ritchie, who's in a lot of arrangements for the
Hollywood Bowl and in Nashville, and he has written a
show for Mickey Giton to do with a symphony orchestra,
and that is going to debut with our show here
in little old Grand Rapids on Wednesday, January the fourteenth.
(05:43):
That is a world premiere and then she will take
that show on the road and do it in other
cities with other symphony orchestras, lesser.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Lesser orchestra.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
I was just going to say thank you, Steve yes
lesser orchestras. This is the big one Wednesday, January fourteenth.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Shersymphony dot org for more information. Resident of Development at
the Grand Rapid Symphony is Steve Siegel. You're welcome back anytime.
Thank you for coming in.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Good to be here.
This is West Michigan's Morning News. Steve, Kelly, Brett, Pakeita,
Laurence Smith in studio with us representing the Grand Rapid Symphony,
their vice president of Development, Steve Siegel, thank you so
much for coming in today.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Absolutely, this is great.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
I can't believe we're within two weeks of the whole
season kicking off. You do it with Beethoven's Ninth with
a bang, as it were. I'm not sure what instrument
makes that noise, but Steve talked to us a little
bit about what to expect coming up this year.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Well, it's a ninety sixth season, so if you were
to wear the Grand Rapid Symphony began a nineteen thirty
it was our first year we were organized, and so
this is our ninety sixth season, so far away from
one hundred our solo laningers. It is ninth year. It'll
be ten years next year as our music director and
(00:49):
as our conductor. So looking forward to it. Exciting opening weekend.
It's September twelfth and thirteenth's opening night. And as you said,
the big piece is Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Everybody knows that one, right,
I mean the iconic ode de joy is in there
and all those other themes that you're probably hurting commercials
and movies and a hundred other places. So our thought is,
(01:12):
even if you haven't been to a classical music concert
a long time, you will definitely recognize this and have
a ball. And that includes full chorus with everything that
goes on with Beethoven's Night.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
I mean, it's just a stunning lineup. I see, is
it Moller's six. I'm trying to learn these things because
I think going to the symphony, I mean, I've started
taking my kids and it is just an eye opening experience.
They absolutely love seeing the instruments in person and the
fantastic showmanship you guys have.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
It is fun. I remember my first time in a symphony.
I grew up in Milwaukee. I was in high school
before mom and dad took me. But I was just
blown away.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
You know.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
They started with a I don't know. It was some
place by Bach, I don't even remember, but it just
blew me away. The live sound is kind of exploding
off the stage. There's nothing quite like a live performance.
You have the best stereo in the world, but live
is something else.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
And the kids do like it well and when I
look at this lineup to Lawrence Point I went when
I was I think in elementary school, there was a
road trip down right, and we're like, oh.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Yeah, probably in our fifth grade concerts.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Sea exactly, and it blew me away. But like other
things that were seen, it's taking it to that next level.
And it seems like the symphony is all over the
place with things that they do and are involved with
in their stretching their limits. Like I look at there's
a Dolly Partons Threads Symphony that's coming up. There's a
sixties and sevens rock Legends. I mean, it's just so
(02:37):
cool to think of that because I think way back
when people just thought, okay, symphony, this is what it is.
And you guys have stretched the limit with movie soundtracks
and everything.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
And yes, exactly, and it's part of reaching an audience
that has changed and evolved. So yeah, we do a
few things like the movies. If you've never been to
one of the movies, you got to try one. It's
a huge screens like one of those big imax up
on the stage of DeVos, and the orchestra sits on
the stage and if you haven't seen this, you see
the movie, but the orchestra does the soundtrack live right.
(03:11):
That is just the cool I mean from the opening
credits to the closing credits. So we are doing three
movies this year. Lord of the Rings, Halloween nighth October
thirty first, November one for repeat, we're doing Polar Express.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Ooh, that'll be that family favorite.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Do you imagine wee can be for Thanksgiving eleven twenty one,
eleven twenty two, and then Shrek two, another family favorite.
It's it's the last day of holiday break. I think
it's January second Friday night, so great night to take
the kids out to see Shrek two.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
And you're right.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
We have a Dolly Parton show coming up in March,
and we're doing Trisha Yearwood's holiday show, so that's a
little different. We have Ben Folds coming on October the fourth.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Man, I saw them at Frederick and I think the
Symphony was with him then.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
Too, I believe. So it was incredible.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Yeah, man, talk about that country feel. You guys have
Mickey Guyden coming.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Well, yes, that we just announced I think yesterday. Yeah,
so Mickey Guiden. If you're not familiar, you know CMT's
breakout Artist of the Year time magazines Breakthrough Artists of
the Year. She did the national anthem at Super Bowl
twenty that's where twenty two forgot what number it was
LV whatever it was, she did that, and she hosted
(04:30):
the Academy of Country Music Awards in twenty twenty one,
first black woman to ever do that. So she's got
a great repertoire. Her roots are in country. She attributes
a lot of her success to meeting Dolly Parton and
hearing Leanne Rhymes do that song Blue. That's what got
her into country when Leanne was like fourteen years old.
And she's sang in her choir at church down in
(04:53):
Texas where she grew up. So she's got a really
neat sound. There's some R and B in there. There's
certainly a lot of country, and there's a little bit
of pop. Her latest album or whatever we call it now,
is it.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Ep oh, I think you can say album. Yeah, it's
cool again.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Yes, okay good is called House on Fire and I
think she wrote ten of the twelve songs on there.
Last thing I want to say about this show, this
is going to be a world premiere.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
Oh wow.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
So we have engaged a arranger by the name of
Brad Ritchie, who's in a lot of arrangements for the
Hollywood Bowl and in Nashville, and he has written a
show for Mickey Giton to do with a symphony orchestra,
and that is going to debut with our show here
in little old Grand Rapids on Wednesday, January the fourteenth.
(05:43):
That is a world premiere and then she will take
that show on the road and do it in other
cities with other symphony orchestras, lesser.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Lesser orchestra.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
I was just going to say thank you, Steve yes
lesser orchestras. This is the big one Wednesday, January fourteenth.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Shersymphony dot org for more information. Resident of Development at
the Grand Rapid Symphony is Steve Siegel. You're welcome back anytime.
Thank you for coming in.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Good to be here.
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