DI absolutely love the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony. I think it’s one of the city’s best-kept secrets. Grand Rapids is known for its art, culture, food, and—well—beer. It’s also a city brimming with incredible talent, especially among its youth. The city takes the task of elevating and highlighting its talent seriously, and the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony is one of its finest musical offerings.

Working in partnership with the Grand Rapids Symphony (another top-tier Grand Rapids experience), the Youth Symphony is conducted by Duo Shen, the assistant conductor of the Grand Rapids Symphony. The students are selected through a rigorous audition process, and the result is nothing short of extraordinary. This is the crème de la crème of local young musicians coming together to perform works on par with the repertoire of professional orchestras nationwide.

Each season, the Youth Symphony presents three concerts, featuring music that is as technically challenging as it is emotionally moving. The 2024 season has already started on a high note with their first performance, where Duo Shen conducted pieces by Shostakovich and 8 Slavonic Dances by Antonín Dvořák.

Tickets for these concerts are incredibly affordable, priced between $7 and $15, and they sell quickly. Be sure to grab yours in advance here:
https://grys.org/concerts/