Then: Grand Rapids Symphony in the 1930s with its first musical director Karl Wecker. (Supplied) 
And Now: The Grand Rapids Symphony in 2019 with Musical Director Marcelo Lehninger. (Supplied)
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org
The number 89 is considered mundane by some, being the number before the major milestone of 90. Yet according to numerology, 89 is a building number. It s known to build large structures that benefit society and that endure for a longtime, such as the Grand Rapids Symphony.
The Grand Rapids Symphony officially organized on Jan. 11, 1930, making it 89 in 2019. Coincidentally, the Symphony has a concert performance on Jan. 11. So to celebrate its 89th birthday, one of the featured pieces is Hayden’s Symphony No. 89.
“Former Music Director David Lockington started the tradition years ago,” said Grand Rapids Symphony Senior Manager of Communications and Media Relations Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk of celebrating the symphony’s anniversary with a classical piece that has the correlating number. Kaczmarczyk said the Symphony started the tradition around its 75th anniversary, which was in 2004-2005 and has been following it, on and off, for the past 14 years.
The Jan. 11 concert is part of the Symphony’s PwC Great Eras series and is titled The Classical Concert: Viennese Masters. The performance, which also include, Beethoven’s “Creatures of Prometheus” and Mozart’s Symphony No. 39, will be at 8 p.m. at St. Cecilia Music Center’s Royce Auditorium, 24 Ransom Ave. NE.
In the late 18th Century, Vienna was the capital city of the music world with Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven all living and working there during their careers. Haydn was a mentor to both Beethoven, who studied briefly with the composer, and Mozart, who learned so much for Haydn that Mozart eventually dedicated six ring quartets to his mentor.
Of course, 89 is still the number before 90, which the Grand Rapids Symphony will mark its 90th season starting this fall and into 2020. Kaczmarczyk said the Symphony will be announcing its 90th season in February and he hopes to have some more interesting and fun information to provide about the organization. Until then, there is still a lot of the Grand Rapids Symphony’s 89th season to enjoy including the film presentations of “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” Feb. 1 and 2, and n”Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl,” March 9-11.
Highlights of the The Classical Concert: Viennese Matters will be given at 10 a.m. at St. Cecilia Music Center as part of The Classical Coffee Concert. This is a Porter Hills Coffee Classic series that is a one-hour program held without intermission. Doors open at 9 a.m. for complementary coffee and pastry.
The complete The Classical Concert: Viennese Masters program will be rebroadcast on Sunday, April 7, 2019 at 1 p.m. on Blue Lake Public Radio, 88.9 FM or 90.3 FM.
Tickets start at $26 for the Great Eras series and $16 for Coffee Classics and are available at the Grand Rapids Symphony box office, weekdays 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100 (located across the street from Calder Plaza). Call 616-454-0451, ext. 4 to order by phone. Tickets are available at the DeVos Place ticket office, weekdays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. or on the day of the concert at the venue beginning two hours before the performance. Tickets also may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.
