Tag Archives: Amway Grand Plaza

East Kentwood student selected for All-State Jazz Band, performs at state music conference

Area Education, Citizen Journalism, Going Local, Kent County, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Our Cities, West Michigan, , , , , , ,
Robel Abebe with his family at the Michigan Music Conference (Courtesy, Sho Dembinski)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


Robel Abebe performs with the All-State Jazz Band at the MMC (Courtesy, Sho Dembinski)

Robel Abebe, senior at East Kentwood High School, performed with the All-State Jazz Band at the 19th annual Michigan Music Conference (MMC) last weekend.

“Congratulations to Robel Abebe, who performed with the All-State Jazz Band last Saturday!” said EKHS Band Director Sho Dembinski in a school social media shout-out.

“Robel was selected from over 2,000 students to play with this band, and spent Thursday and Friday at the Amway Grand in Downtown GR to prepare for his concert. Way to go, Robel!”

The All-State Jazz performance was held Saturday, Jan. 27 at 3 p.m. in the Amway Ambassador Ballroom.

MSBOA All-State

The MSBOA All-State program was established during the 2005-06 school year.

Advancing to the All-State program is a competitive process and requires talent and diligence. Being accepted to All-State is considered one of the highest honors a high school musician can receive.

(Courtesy photo)

Students must prepare a 10-minute recorded audition that includes sight-reading, an announced etude and a series of scales. Auditions are submitted using only an identification number with no reference to the student or school.

The auditions are then evaluated by an adjudicator and placed in order. The required number of instruments is then selected to fill each section in the five All-State ensembles: Middle School String Orchestra, Middle School Band, High School Full Orchestra, High School Band and High School Jazz Ensemble.

Approximately 2,500 students audition each year for 400 seats in the All-State ensembles.

In January, the students assemble for two and a half days of rehearsal with nationally recognized conductors. All-State ensembles then perform in a concert held Saturday of the MMC.


(Courtesy photo)

Michigan Music Conference

“The purpose of the Michigan Music Conference is to provide relevant professional development and
vibrant musical experiences that support music education for educators and their students,” states the MMC website.

Featuring school ensemble concerts, performances from Honors Choirs, All-State Bands, and Orchestras; sessions for in-service and pre-service teachers; professional development clinics; hands-on technology workshops; and association membership and business meetings, MMC attendance draws approximately 9,000 teachers, administrators, students, speakers, and guests each year.

West Michigan Tourist Association marks 100 years of promoting West Michigan

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Hugh J. Gray was appointed secretary/manager of WMTA upon its formation, and is honored with a stone cairn constructed of one stone from every county in Michigan to commemorate Gray as the “Dean of Michigan’s Tourist Activity.”

By Jeremy Witt

West Michigan Tourist Association

 

On May 7, 1917, delegates from across Michigan gathered in the Pantlind Hotel in Grand Rapids (today part of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel), to work together to form the Michigan Tourist and Resort Association (today known as the West Michigan Tourist Association). Hugh J. Gray was appointed secretary/manager of WMTA upon its formation, and is honored with a stone cairn constructed of one stone from every county in Michigan to commemorate Gray as the “Dean of Michigan’s Tourist Activity.” This was the first grass roots tourist organization in the country, and was formed with the goal of promoting the attractions of West Michigan, and to encourage travelers to visit the region.

 

A hundred years later, the West Michigan Tourist Association (WMTA) continues to work towards that same goal with a special tribute from Michigan’s Governor on the occasion of WMTA’s anniversary. With more than 850 member properties throughout the area, WMTA has come to be recognized as the leading source of travel information for the West Michigan area. WMTA makes a wide variety of travel information available free of charge, including an annual West Michigan Travel Guide, a Lake Michigan Lighthouse Map, a monthly e-newsletter, and more.

 

WMTA is celebrating their centennial throughout 2017 with additional travel promotions and ways for the public to become involved:

 

  • Request a free copy of the West Michigan Travel Guide by mail (or view it online) to travel through the past 100 years in West Michigan, as well as the best of present day.
  • Follow along on the West Michigan social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram) for Throwback Thursday (#TBT) posts each week to explore visuals from the last 100 years in West Michigan.
  • Participate in the West Michigan 100th Anniversary Scavenger Hunt for a chance to win a copy of WMTA’s commemorative photo book and the grand prize from Boyne Mountain Resort.

 

Since 1917, the West Michigan Tourist Association (WMTA) has worked to market the very best of West Michigan to travelers from around the world. As WMTA celebrates 100 years in 2017, that commitment continues.

 

WMTA’s membership base consists of more than 800 attractions, lodging, events, and activities all across the west side of Michigan, from the Indiana border all the way into the Upper Peninsula. Over the past century, Michigan’s tourism industry has become second to only manufacturing in Michigan, making WMTA a vital resource for the area’s tourist destinations.

 

Today, WMTA continues its mission as a self-sustaining, membership-funded non-profit. For more information, please visit WMTA.org.

 

Party hearty New Year’s Eve at ‘The Ballroom Bashes in Downtown GR’

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Holidays, Local Business, Upcoming Events, , , , ,

Image courtesy AHC+Hospitality

Celebrate the past and look to the future!

Be a part of the most epic New Year’s Eve experience the area offers at The Ballroom Bashes in Downtown Grand Rapids! Spanning from the Amway Grand Plaza to the JW Marriott Grand Rapids to the Downtown Courtyard by Marriott (all connected via skywalk) you can party in four glamorous hotel ballrooms, each with a distinct theme and energy, along with a dozen restaurants and bars. Find the bash that suits you best and party all night long — or hop from one to the next to keep your night moving.

 

The purchase of one ticket includes entrance to the following Ballroom Bashes:

 

GLOW Party
Ambassador Ballroom at the Amway Grand Plaza
Glow sticks and cups pop in this black-lit environment where a band and DJ take turns playing pop hits

 

Bourbon and Bubbles
Pantlind Ballroom at the Amway Grand Plaza
Bourbon and champagne bars, dueling pianos and a lounge singer for a classic glamour vibe beneath the gold leaf ceiling

 

Caribbean Jam
Imperial Ballroom at the Amway Grand Plaza
Pina Coladas, a steel drum band and décor to transport you to the islands

 

Throwback Bash
International Ballroom at the JW Marriott Grand Rapids
Music and dancing from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s played by both a band and DJ with sections decorated to celebrate each decade gone by

 

NYE at The Bistro
The Bistro at the Courtyard by Marriott
Sample small plates, crafted cocktails and more in the intimate Bistro setting with a DJ! Complimentary tapas offered with the purchase of a drink. 

 

Sat., Dec. 31, 2016, 8 pm-Sun., Jan 1, 2017, 1:30 am EST

 

Downtown Grand Rapids Hotels

187 Monroe Ave NW

Grand Rapids, MI 49503

 

To purchase tickets, visit:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-ballroom-bashes-tickets-29285262007?aff=es2

 

Redeem your ticket for a wristband at the Amway Grand Plaza Center Concourse on Dec. 31. Must have photo ID showing you are at least 21 years of age.