“Music is like girls — I like it, I am bad with it and I don’t have a type,” smirked Calvin student Jeff Peterson. “Music is a way of expressing something with more dimensions than words,” said student Hannah Biggs. “I try to find songs that relate to my life and they make me feel better,” explained student Emily Annett.

“At Calvin, all kinds of musical interests are encouraged and available,” explained student Kristine Bevill, referring to the diversity of musical tastes at Calvin.

In the last few months, a variety of musical events have been put on at Calvin, including concerts from bands like Switchfoot and Kishi Bashi, as well as performance by other independent music groups, including Calvin’s own Acapella.

Student also have the opportunity to engage in a different type of musical environment outside the walls of Calvin: the Grand Rapids Symphony (GRS).

Through a program known as the Student Passport, the symphony invites college students from the area to attend several concerts for a discounted price. Interested students can receive a membership card that allows them to purchase tickets to a variety of GRS events for only $5. Students can either sign up online or when they purchase their first discounted ticket.

Classical music, however, is something many students admitted to only listening to while studying. “I like to listen to it when I do homework,” says Annett. “I think they are nice to unwind with; you don’t have to think — you can just sit and listen.”

However, not everyone agrees that classical music should be just used for background noise to calm down exam anxiety. “I think that people who only listen to it to study are missing the point,” replies Biggs. “I think we are trained to tune out classical music, but in reality we have to pay attention to it just as much as our favorite pop song.”

GRS makes it clear in their mission statement that they want to provide an open door “to share great music that moves the human soul” to students of all interest levels. The student discount program is intended to allow students to try out a type of music they might not be used to listening to for simple enjoyment.

Many students who have found out about the discount concerts have voiced interest in exploring the world of classical music. “I’d love to have the opportunity to go to GRS for a discount,” admits Beville.

“I’d go,” says student Dustin Hibbler. “It’s really good music; it’s relaxing.”

Any interested students should check out the GRS website for more information about the types and dates of the discounted concerts. “Students should attend to gain a new experience,” sums up student Hannah Black. “It’s good to try something new and this is an enjoyable way to do so.”