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The West Michigan Symphony (formerly the West Shore Symphony Orchestra) is a professional orchestra made up of 60 core musicians, performing at the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts in Muskegon, Michigan. The Orchestra performs eight concerts annually, featuring a range of repertoire and guest artists.
A. M. Courtright, a Muskegon Heights teacher, and Palmer Quackenbush are credited with early efforts to provide Muskegon with a symphony orchestra. In November 1939, a musical group of 50 members presented its first concert, with Quackenbush conducting and Courtright assisting. The group incorporated the following year and elected its first board of directors[ citation needed ].
Performances were initially held in area schools and in the late 1970s moved to the historic Frauenthal Theater. Built in 1929, the 1724 seat Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts underwent a $7.5 million renovation that restored it to its original Spanish Renaissance styling while also creating a lobby linking it with the adjacent 180 seat Beardsley Theatre.
On May 15, 2013, the Symphony moved its offices into new headquarters on the second floor of the Russell Block Building at 360 West Western Avenue.
West Michigan Symphony has had nine conductors. The incumbent Director of Music, Scott Speck, has served with the Orchestra since 2002.
| Tenure | |
|---|---|
| Palmer Quackenbush | 1939-49 |
| Tauno Hannikainen | 1949-51 |
| Hugo Kolberg | 1951-56 |
| Wayne L. Dunlap | 1956-59 |
| Lyman A. Starr, Sr. | 1959-61 |
| John L. Wjeeler | 1961-77 |
| Philip Greenberg | 1977-81 |
| Murray Gross | 1982-2001 |
| Scott Speck | since 2002 |
Fewer than six weeks after the first concert was held on November 28, 1939, representatives from Grand Haven and Muskegon began to develop by-laws and form a permanent Board of Directors for the Symphony.
Official conversations around professional orchestra management appeared in the minutes of the August 23, 1944, meeting of the Board. Harriet Damm, Chairwoman of the board, announced at the meeting that Robert Sanborn "was willing to try to be orchestra manager." Sanborn's initial responsibilities included attendance recording at rehearsals and concerts, distribution and collection of scores and music racks, and tuning of the piano.
Sanborn remained manager until 1984, when he was replaced by Susan Schwartz. Numerous others have served as managers, notably all women. In 1996, the title of manager was revised to be Executive upon the hiring of Gretchen Cheney-Rhoades. Upon her resignation, the title was revised to be President and CEO. The first individual so titled was Brenda Nienhouse, who began serving in March of 2004. Nienhouse was selected after a nationwide search which drew 41 total candidates.
Carla Hill, the Orchestra's current President and CEO, joined in September 2005. Hill's prior service in orchestral management included as public relations director for the Columbus Symphony and Omaha Symphony orchestras.
| Tenure | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Sanborn | 1944-84 | Orchestra Manager |
| Susan Schwartz | 1984-85 | |
| Barbara Klingman | 1985-86 | |
| Janet Smith | 1986-96 | |
| Gretchen Cheney-Rhoades | 1996-2004 | Executive |
| Brenda Nienhouse | 2004-05 | President and CEO |
| Carla Hill | since 2005 |
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