Rural and Community Art Project Grant

The annual spring concert by Grand Rapids Area Male Chorus is a highlight of the year for the chorus members as well as many members of the community. The spring of 2016 marks 60 years of singing for this group. To celebrate this special milestone, the chorus has chosen a line-up of favorite songs they have performed through the years. They have also invited another male chorus to join them: the Cold Spring Area Maennerchor from Cold Spring, Minnesota, is a 40-member male chorus, also members of the Associated Male Choruses of America. Cold Spring hosted the annual district music festival in 2014. Inviting the guest chorus offers the local audience the opportunity to hear twice as many male voices singing in the newly remodeled Reif Performing Arts Center in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. This will observe the 60th anniversary of the Grand Rapids choral group in a special, celebratory way. The 2016 spring concert of the Grand Rapids Area Male Chorus will mark 60 years since the group was first organized by Mrs. Betty Kauppi. Over the years the group has been known as Betty's Boys, the Orion Male Chorus, the Blandin Male Chorus, and now the Grand Rapids Area Male Chorus. No matter what they are called, the male chorus is a community. With 60 years of history many of the directors and accompanists are no longer with us, but invitations will be sent to all surviving chorus directors and accompanists to be our guests and be presented to the audience at the concert. The Cold Spring Maennerchor, as their name suggests, has their roots in the German communities around Cold Spring, Minnesota, and have been performing for 78 years. Each chorus will perform selections separately and then combine for the final section of the concert. Celebrating our 60th anniversary, singing for the first time in the remodeled Reif Center, and having a guest chorus will create a great marketing opportunity for the Grand Rapids Area Male Chorus and the Grand Rapids Arts Community. The Grand Rapids Area Male Chorus will hand out surveys at the spring concert. The audience and performers will be asked to comment on the music choices, including which were their favorites. We will also collect data regarding audience demographics, where the audience traveled from to attend the concert, and what other activities they plan to do in the Grand Rapids Area while they are in town for the concert.