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Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra 2025-26 season calendar
The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra has announced its new 2025-26 season, featuring 20 mainstage performances and a century-marking event. Highlighting the season is a fully-staged production of Leonard Bernstein's iconic Broadway musical, "West Side Story", slated for April 18.
In addition, audiences will experience the return of pianist Emanuel Ax performing Beethoven's third piano concerto and a historic first for the KSO: Gustav Mahler's monumental third symphony.
The season also includes two fully staged performances of Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" with Ballet Arts Ensemble, and a cinematic journey with "Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl Live in Concert". Beyond the mainstage, the KSO is expanding its reach with innovative sound waves and craft music series, exploring diverse genres from hip-hop culture to improv meets symphony.
While individual concert tickets go on sale in August, season ticket packages are available now for the new season by visiting kalamazoosymphony.com.
John Ball Zoo new otter exhibit
You may have noticed the construction as John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids is preparing to delight guests right from the start, with a brand-new, sustainable habitat for its charming North American river otters. This exciting addition, which will meet guests immediately after entering the front gate, is scheduled for a 2026 debut.
This new home will house up to five of the playful creatures and will triple their current space, offering over 3,200 square feet to swim, explore, and romp. The new habitat offers immersive underwater viewing areas and interactive elements designed to showcase their whimsical behavior, like feeding cannons that shoot fish out underwater to feed them, highlighting the otter's clever hunting skills.
This addition is part of the zoo's 10-year master plan, which also includes expansions like the Grand Africa exhibit.
Calvin University Summer Health Camp
Calvin University's School of Health is kicking off its ninth-annual summer "health" camp, a unique, week-long experience designed to empower Grand Rapids youth. This hands-on program aims to spark interest in healthcare careers and foster healthier lives.
It's a hands-on camp exploring vital topics like mental health, nutrition, and exercise science through both girls and boys tracks. Campers will get their hands dirty taking vitals on simulation mannequins, peering through microscopes, and meeting real-life healthcare professionals.
The camps are scheduled for June 23-27. More info can be found at calvin.edu.
ArtPrize Motu Viget grant program
Local creative talent is being celebrated and supported once more as the innovative Motu Viget grant program is offering up three generous grants of $3,000 each, directly fueling our art scene.
Motu Viget is a Latin phrase, the motto of the City of Grand Rapids, and means, "strength in activity". The funding all takes place tomorrow night at the Pitch Night Event. It is hosted in collaboration with the Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation and Ottawa Hills High School.
This is an opportunity for our local artists to "show up and show out". Nine selected applicants will step forward to pitch their creative concepts to a panel of jurors. From these presentations, three deserving pitches will be chosen to receive the $3,000 grants, which are specifically earmarked to support their entries into the 2025 ArtPrize competition.
For more information about ArtPrize and its supporting grant programs, visit artprize.org.
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