ICSOM's 2022 Conference Will Be in GR!
In August of 2022, musician representatives from the top 53 orchestras in the U.S. and Puerto Rico will travel to Grand Rapids for the 60th annual conference of ICSOM, the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians. https://www.icsom.org
GRSMA is pleased to join AFM Local 56 (Grand Rapids Federation of Musicians) in hosting this event, which will be held August 24-27, 2022. This is the first time that Grand Rapids has been the site of an ICSOM conference. The last time ICSOM held its conference in Michigan was in 2011, with the musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and AFM Local 5 (Detroit Federation of Musicians) as hosts. https://www.icsom.org/conferences/index.php?y=2011&n=2
Experience GR is to be recognized and thanked for their encouragement and support in holding this event in our city. https://www.experiencegr.com The Embassy Suites Downtown Grand Rapids has been selected as the conference hotel. This is a brand-new property with many amenities for our out-of-town guests. https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/grrmaes-embassy-suites-grand-rapids-downtown/
In addition to addressing the important issues that orchestral musicians currently face, the conference agenda will include welcome speeches from local officials and special ways to highlight West Michigan to our visitors. GRSMA percussionist Jack Latta has been named the 2022 ICSOM Conference Coordinator and will be working with ICSOM leadership on the logistical details of the conference.
Founded in 1962, ICSOM held its first conference in Chicago. Recent ICSOM conferences have occurred in Pittsburgh, Park City UT, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles, as a way to feature one of its 53 member orchestras each year. https://www.icsom.org/conferences/
The musicians of the Grand Rapids Symphony applied for and were accepted into ICSOM membership in 2013 during the conference in Kansas City. GRSMA horn player Paul Austin served as our first ICSOM Delegate and was elected to ICSOM's Governing Board in 2015 as a Member-at-Large. In 2017 Paul became ICSOM President, a position that he continues to hold today. https://www.icsom.org/governance/index.php?govBdID=7 GRSMA violist Barbara Corbato has been our ICSOM Delegate since 2016 and was named Administrator of ICSOM's new online Conductor Evaluation Program in 2017. Through their dedicated work in these prestigious positions, GRSMA is proud to have such a distinguished presence in ICSOM.
GRSMA could not be happier to showcase our city to the ICSOM family for their 60th year celebration! More details will be announced by ICSOM in the spring of 2022.