The group will be performing two preview concerts: One on Tuesday January 19th at 7:00pm at the BRHS Auditorium (free admission), and the second, at Grand Valley State University in Allendale on Thursday January 21st at 7:00pm (also no admission).
This is a very prestigious honor for the band. Big Rapids is one of only 4 high school bands performing at this year's convention. The ensemble was chosen last year by recorded audition and last spring they found out they would be selected to perform. After finding out about the selection, the process of selecting music began almost immediately. The students received audition music in August for chair position, took the auditions in early September, and have since committed to after school sectionals and Saturday rehearsals along with their normal daily class schedule.
The group will present a 45 minute program of music including a marimba concerto performed by 2011 Big Rapids alumnus Kramer Milan who is currently finishing his master's degree at Yale University in New Haven, CT. This is Big Rapids' 7th appearance at the conference (formerly known as the Midwestern Music Conference in Ann Arbor), which is unprecedented for a district the size if Big Rapids Public Schools, and the second MMC performance for their current director, Mr. Brian Balch.
Tickets at DeVos Hall are $5 for children 11-18 and $10 for adults and are available at Ticketmaster (search "Michigan Music Conference - January 22 Band & Orchestra Performances #2"). The community and many local businesses have generously donated towards the travel and other expenses associated with a program of this magnitude. We hope to see many of our community members attend at least one of the performances!
Pictured is the BRHS Wind Symphony practicing for their performance
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