Spring 2005 Meeting
General Information / Call for Papers / Program / Accommodations /

Registration / Travel / Driving / Conference Sessions / Maps / Events / Grand Rapids

General Information
Date: 2–3 April
Location: University of Iowa, School of Music
Local Arrangements: Timothy J. Dickey <timothy-dickey@uiowa.edu>

SPRING MEETING
Mark your calendars now for the Spring Meeting of the AMS Midwest chapter in Grand Rapids, Michigan, April 2–3. Timothy J. Dickey will serve as chair of local arrangements.

Registration
As always, registration for Chapter meetings is free to members in good standing--just fill out a registration form and pick up a nametag at the registration table outside the meeting room. You may join or renew your membership by paying annual dues to the Chapter treasurer at this time as well. Visit our membership and dues pages for more information.

Accommodations
Rooms are available at the Days Inn, 310 Pearl St. NW; they are holding 25 rooms at a reduced rate of $68 ($76.84 with tax). Call (616) 235-7611 to make reservations; be sure to identify yourself as a member of AMS Midwest. The block of rooms will be held until March 8. For more information on the hotel, click here. Note that the hotel is in easy walking distance of the Richard M. DeVos Center.

Travel
By Air
Most major carriers serve Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR). A cab to the Pearl Street Days Inn will cost $20–$25 each way.

By Train (Amtrak)
Amtrak service is available from Chicago and points in between. Train 370 (Pere Marquette) leaves Chicago daily at 5:20pm, and arrives in Grand Rapids at 10:21pm. Train 371 leaves Grand Rapids daily at 7:35am, and arrives in Chicago at 10:30am.

Driving Directions
From Chicago (about 3 hours from downtown, beware 1 hour time difference)
Take I-94 East, then I-196 East to US-131 South (toward Kalamazoo). To get to the Days Inn, take the Pearl Street exit (#85B), turn right onto Pearl Street. The Richard M. DeVos Center is located at 401 West Fulton. To go directly, from
US-131 Southbound, exit at Pearl Street (#85B). Proceed through the light and go one block South to Fulton Street. Cross Fulton Street and continue South to Watson Street. Turn left onto Watson Street and the entrance to the Watson Lot will be on the right. See maps.

From Detroit (under 3 hours)
Take I-96 West into Grand Rapids. Take the Ottawa Ave exit towards downtown (#77C); less than a mile later, turn right onto Pearl Street NW. To go directly to the conference center lot, exit at Ottawa Street (#77). Proceed through the light and continue South on Ottawa Street to Fulton Street. Turn right onto Fulton Street and and proceed West to Mt. Vernon Avenue. Turn left onto Mt. Vernon Avenue and proceed South to Watson Street. Turn left onto Watson Street and the entrance to the Watson Lot will be on the right..  See maps.

From Indianapolis (approx. 5 hours)
Take I-69 North, through Fort Wayne, to I-94. Take I-94 West to Kalamazoo; take US-131 North to Grand Rapids. For the Days Inn, take the Pearl Street exit (#85B), turn right onto Pearl Street. To go directly to the conference center lot, exit at Pearl Street (#85B). Turn left onto Pearl Street and stay in left lane. Proceed West underneath U.S. 131 and Mt. Vernon Avenue is immediately after the highway. Cross Fulton Street and continue South to Watson Street. Turn left onto Watson Street and the entrance to the Watson Lot will be on the right. See maps.

From I-196 Eastbound
To conference center: I-196 Eastbound - Exit at Lake Michigan Drive (#75). Turn right onto Lake Michigan Drive and stay in the right lane. The road will merge to the right and Lake Michigan Drive will change to Fulton Street.   Proceed East on Fulton Street to Mt. Vernon Avenue.   Turn right onto Mt. Vernon Avenue and proceed South to Watson Street. Turn left on Watson Street and the entrance to the Watson Lot will be on the right. See maps.

Parking
Is free at both the Days Inn and at the Watson Lot. 

Conference Sessions (Shuttle and Driving Directions)
All conference sessions will be held in room 136E in the Richard M.
DeVos Center in the GVSU downtown Grand Rapids campus. The center is located at 401 West Fulton. Call (616) 331-6620 for more information. The GVSU music department will host a wine and cheese reception following the keynote on Saturday.

Session Times (see program for details)

Saturday, April 3

• Session I, 9:00 a.m.–12:15
• Session II, 2:00–3:30 p.m.
• Keynote 3:45–4:30
• Business Meeting, 4:30–5:00 p.m.

Sunday, April 4

• Session III, 9–12:150 a.m.  

Cultural Attractions and Events

Concerts:

• On Friday and Saturday evenings, the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra will play a program featuring percussionist Evelyn Glennie. Works to be performed include Michael Daugherty's "UFO," Askell Massen's "Konzertstueck for Snare Drum and Orchestra," and Holst's "The Planets." The guest conductor will be Thomas Wilkins. Click here for tickets or call (616) 454-9451, ext. 4. Travel: DeVos hall is less than one-half mile from the hotel. Take Pearl Street across the Grand River, turn left on Monroe; the hall is at 245 Monroe.
• Also on Friday and Saturday evenings, the GVSU dance program (which is housed in the Department of Music) will present its Spring Dance Concert at the Allendale campus about 13 miles from downtown. **Those who attend the dance program will have the opportunity to see the music facilities in the same building. Tickets may be purchased through TicketsPLUS by calling 616/222-4000,
  800-585-3737, or on the Web at www.ticketsplus.net. Driving Directions from the Days Inn to Allendale Campus: coming out of the hotel parking lot, turn left onto Pearl Street; go under US-131, and then shortly turn left on Winter. After a couple of blocks, turn right onto Fulton, which turns into Lake Michigan. Grand Valley State University's main campus will be on your left. There is one main street through campus; the Performing Arts Center will be on your left; the H & K parking lot on your right.

Museums, etc.:

• Downtown museums include the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, the Grand Rapids Art Museum, the Van Andel Museum Center, and the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts.
• About a mile to the east is the Heritage Hill Historical District, a neighborhood featuring large and elaborate homes from the Victorian era; also in this neighborhood is the Meyer May House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1908.

For complete Grand Rapids entertainment listings, click here.

Food & Restaurants

• Downtown Grand Rapids houses a range of traditional restaurants priced from inexpensive to upscale.
• More interesting ethnic offerings can be found in the southern and western suburbs (roughly 4-5 miles away); they represent the city's broadening ethnic landscape and include Bosnian, Korean, and Vietnamese offerings among others. Email feurzeil@gvsu.edu for more information.
• Older neighborhoods offer Mexican food and barbecue.
• Specific names, addresses, and directions will be available at the conference, as will a list of restaurants near the Days Inn (see below)

1. San Chez - a tapas bistro; highly recommended; moderate prices
   38 W. Fulton
2. Cottage Bar - good burgers (including cherry burgers) and local beer;
   moderate prices (they also own One Trick Pony next door, which is
   similar with a slightly broader menu)
   18 LaGrave SE / 136 E. Fulton
3. Bistro Bella Vita - contemporary American sophisticated food; slightly
   higher prices
   44 Grandville Ave. SW
4. Sierra Room - elegant and rather pricy
   25 Ionia SW

All of these restaurants are on or near Fulton St. From the Days Inn,
take Pearl St. west under the freeway. Turn left onto Mt. Vernon St..
After you pass the Grand Valley campus, the first light is Fulton St.
Turn left at the light onto Fulton. You will cross the Grand River. To
get to the Bistro Bella Vita, turn right onto Market St. (the first
right after the river) and take the next left, which is Weston St.; the
restaurant is at the corner of Weston and Grandville, one block east, on
the right. If you stay on Fulton, you will pass the other restaurants
or cross streets in the following order: first the Sierra Room (turn
right on Ionia); then San Chez (on the south side of Fulton); and then
the Cottage Bar and One Trick Pony (south side of Fulton at the corner
of LaGrave).

Karin Pendle Dinner
The Chapter is very pleased to organize a celebratory dinner on the occasion of Karin Pendle's retirement from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. We have all been the beneficiaries of her work as able President, Chair of many committees, and remarkable presenter. We will gather at San Chez Restaurant, near the meeting hotel, at 8:00 p. m. on Friday 2 April. All interested friends are requested to e-mail the Chapter President, Jim Briscoe, for a reservation and directions: jbriscoe@butler.edu.

Links
Grand Rapids travel information — Visit Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce.

Weather
Expect unpredictable spring weather. Temperatures can range from freezing to warm.

Local Arrangements
Please extend our sincere thanks to John Schuster-Craig <schustej@gvsu.edu> and Lisa Feurzeig <feurzeil@gvsu.edu>.

Further details about the Spring meeting will be added as they become available.

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