Orchestra
The Symphony String Orchestra from Grand Rapids Christian High School has performed numerous times at the Midwestern Conference on Instrumental and Vocal Music. In addition to three formal concerts, each year the orchestra performs an entire symphony and collaborates with the comined choirs in a major choral movement of a concerto with orchestral accompaniment. The Symphony Strings also provides orchestral accompaniment for our Annual Senior solo Night which showcases instrumental students performing a movement of a major Concerto.
The orchestra program at Grand Rapids Christian High consists of two string orchestras and a full orchestra. There are about 100 string students in a student body of 950. The success of music at Grand Rapids Christian High is due to strong administrative and parental support and a philosophy that values music as an integral part of the schools curriculm.
Meet Director Cyndi Betts
Cyndi Betts serves as director of Orchestras at GRCHS. She has been teaching strings for GRCS since 1999. She is a graduate of GRCHS and received her Bachelor of Music Education and Violin Performance from The University of Michigan. From there, she spent five years teaching and performing in the Chicago area and also did graduate work at Roosevelt University.
In addition to her work for GRCS, Cyndi has spent many years directing orchestras at the St. Cecilia Music Center, where she is currently Director of the School of Music and Community Engagement. Cyndi and her husband Tom have three sons who have graduated from GRCHS and were very involved in the music program while students here.