For non-music majors, finding time to sit down and enjoy live music can be a challenge. To help make music more accessible to the campus community, the Grand Valley State University School of Music will continue its long-running series “Arts at Noon.”

The series will include seven concerts at the Cook-DeWitt center during the fall semester. The styles of music vary greatly, including everything from nineteenth century music to samba.

The first installment of the series begins Sept. 11 at noon and will feature soprano Jessica Louise Coe and pianist Robert Byrens. The concert is in honor of composer Benjamin Britten’s centennial birthday.

Later concerts include a wind quintet, Brazilian-American vocalist Mônica da Silva, a saxhorn band, a cello festival and more.

The “Arts at Noon” series has a long history at GVSU, starting in the late 1970s. Originally, Arthur C. Hills directed the concerts, but Mark Williams is presently in charge. Some of the concerts have
become annual, like the faculty brass quintet holiday concert and “Cello Fest!”

Music student Devin Clark has attended many of the “Arts at Noon” concerts and said they are a good way for students to experience musical styles they are not commonly exposed to.

“These concerts are great for GVSU because it gives students a chance to experience different cultures by hearing music they are not used to hearing,” Clark said. “Most of the ‘Arts at Noon’ concerts are guest performers from around the world or are faculty members of the GVSU music department. The amount of talent in the teaching faculty at GVSU is incredible.”

“Arts at Noon” concerts are open to all GVSU students and the general public free of charge.
Williams emphasized that these concerts are not just for music students.

“Music is ever-present in today’s culture, but we rarely examine our assumptions about what we
listen to and why we choose it,” he said. “This series provides students with opportunities to attend
free concerts by professional artists and allows them to explore different genres of music.”

Most concerts occur Wednesdays, except for the holiday pops concert on Monday, Dec. 2. For a full
list of dates and performances, visit gvsu.edu/music/arts-at-noon-197.htm.

[email protected]