ALLENDALE, Mich. (AP) — A group of undergraduate music students at Grand Valley State University is preparing to leave the Grand Rapids area and perform at several national parks across the U.S.
The school’s New Music Ensemble will travel to Yellowstone, Badlands, Grand Teton and Wind Cave national parks next summer for interactive performances. Director Bill Ryan says the group is using an “Imagine Your Parks” grant to commission eight composers to write original compositions inspired by the parks.
“Imagine Your Parks” is a grant initiative celebrating the 50th anniversary of the National Endowment for the Arts and the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.
Grand Valley State Univeristy’s New Music Ensemble was founded in 2006 by Ryan to promote classical music.
