KPO is a true Community Orchestra celebrating our 50th anniversary. While we have musicians of professional caliber, our volunteer musicians come from all walks of life, including working professionals and students.
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Our purpose is to serve everyone in our community by performing symphonic literature and offering affordable admission to our performances.
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Join us for KPO's 50th season.
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Admission Prices:
Adults $14
Seniors (55 & Older), Veterans, and Children Over 12 $7
Children Under 12 - FREE
GRCC and High School Students with Valid ID - FREE
Performances
October 25th
Young Audiences
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The Composer is Dead
Nathaniel Stookey/Lemony Snicket with
Judy Wagley from WCMU as Narrator
​Beethoven - Symphony No. 5
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February 14th
Valentine Special-Favorite Opera Love Duets ​​
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Tchaikovsky - Fantasy Overture "Romeo and Juliet"
Mozart - Verdi La Traviata
Don Giovanni Donizetti - Lucia di Lammermoor
Puccini - La Boheme
Bizet - Carmen Suite I, II
December 6th
Golden Jubilee Concert​​
Golden Jubilee Overture World Premiere
Mendelssohn - Symphony no. 5​
Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker
​​May 9th
Americana Celebration ​
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Bernstein - West Side Story
Barber - Violin Concerto with Dylana Jenson
Morton Gould - Cowboy Rhapsody
Copland - Rodeo (Selections)
All Performances @ Royce Auditorium in
St. Cecilia Music Center
24 Ransom Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
7:30pm
Interested in joining KPO?
Joining the Orchestra-
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Rehearsals are held on Wednesday evenings from 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Grand Rapids Community College Music Center.
Membership in KPO requires an audition with our music director and also requires enrollment to GRCC with a $20 enrollment fee each semester for all members.
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Current Openings:
All Strings
Substitute Winds and Brass
Musicians should have an excerpt from a concerto or orchestral piece of their choice.
Please contact us to set up an audition time.
​kentphilorch@gmail.com.
Kent Philharmonic Orchestra Mission Statement
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Enrich, inspire, challenge, through the power of music
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About KPO
The Kent Philharmonic Orchestra, has been in existence since 1975 and started under the name Kent Philharmonia Orchestra. KPO is a college/community symphony orchestra devoted to the performance of symphonic literature. KPO consists of adult community musicians and GRCC students seeking credit. The orchestra performs four major programs per year and membership is by audition or permission of the music director.
Musical Director - Libor Ondras, PhD.
Viola recitalist, Music Director of the Kent Philharmonic Orchestra, and Orchestra Director at the Grand Rapids Community College, Dr. Libor Ondras has received his DMA and MM degree from the University of Houston. Recipient of the Slovak Minister of Culture Scholarship, he studied at the Academy of Music in Prague and Moscow State Conservatory with F. Druzhinin and Yuri Bashmet. Ondras performed in master classes and workshops of Pinchas Zuckerman, Yizhak Schotten, Robert Vernon, Roberto Diaz, to name a few. He was a full fellowship recipient at the Aspen Music Festival and the Pacific Music Festival in Japan, and the First Prize Winner of the Concerto Competition, Houston. He performed with orchestras throughout Europe and U.S.: Houston Symphony, New World Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, Vienna Philharmonics, Utah Symphony, Florida Orchestra, Florida Chamber Orchestra, Opera Tampa, Slovak State Opera, etc., and worked with world renown conductors and artists such as Sir Georg Solti (Carnegie Hall Project), Christoph Eschenbach, Michael Tilson Thomas, Placido Domingo, Andrea Bocelli, Renee Fleming, and Led Zeppelin.
Elizabeth VanZytveld Concert Master
Elizabeth holds a master’s degree in violin performance from the University of Southern California, where she studied violin with Eudice Shapiro and chamber music with Ron Leonard; her bachelor’s degree in music education is from Calvin University. Betsy directed string and vocal music programs in Michigan and California schools, founding the string program for the Valley Christian Schools. She also taught string methods and chamber music at California State Polytechnic University and served on faculty at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp for ten summers. Betsy is currently active in West Michigan as a clinician, private lesson instructor, and performer
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