09/17/2024
๐ช๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฆ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ต๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ ๐ข๐ณ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฑ๐๐ต ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ต๐ฒ โ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ช๐ฆ๐ขโ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ณ
(Wheeling, WV) Help the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra (WSO) celebrate 95 years of music! On September 27 at 7:30 pm at the Capitol Theatre, the WSO will perform the Legacy of the WSO, the first concert in their 95th anniversary season. Designed to honor the past while celebrating the WSOโs present-day talent, the concert will feature nine soloists comprised of WSO musicians and local artists. The WSO Capitol Series is sponsored by WesBanco, and the Masterworks series is sponsored by Felton & Felton CPA. Additional support is provided by Edward Jones, Mike and Elisha Carl, and Kevin and Niki Stingle.
The WSO has a rich history in the Ohio Valley, with their first performance taking place in Oglebay Park in 1929. Since then, the WSO has had nine different music directors and has welcomed many world-class guest artists, from Eleanor Steber to Benny Goodman to Yo-Yo Ma (twiceโmost recently in 2022). โThe Wheeling Symphony is not only a huge part of the Ohio Valleyโs artistic network; it is also an integral part of Wheelingโs history,โ says WSO Music Director John Devlin. โThe WSO has served as a catalyst for many successful Ohio Valley musicians, and during this concert, we will honor several of those success stories. In short, the entire evening will celebrate the WSOโs legacyโfrom 1929 to present day!โ
Throughout the evening, the WSO will share stories connected to the Ohio Valleyโs musical past. The concert will begin with Rossiniโs Overture to The Barber of Seville, a piece that was performed at the WSOโs inaugural performance at Oglebay Park in 1929. The evening will feature several more historical references, paying homage to soprano Eleanor Steber and saxophonist Chu Berry, two Wheeling musicians who went on to national renown.
The concert features a vast number of soloists, all of whom regularly perform with the WSO. These include Concertmaster Rachel Stegeman, Associate Concertmaster Anne Moskal, Principal Second Violin Juan Jaramillo, and Associate Principal Second Violin Sean Elliott performing Vivaldiโs Concerto for Four Violins; Principal Bassoon Andy Sledge performing Ciranda Das Sete Notas by Heitor Villa-Lobos; and percussionist Eliseo Rael, saxophonist Todd Goranson, and Principal Bass Jeff Mangone on John Williamsโ โEscapadesโ from Catch Me if You Can. West Liberty University Professor of Voice Dr. Linda Cowan will join the WSO to perform Mahlerโs Symphony no. 4.
In addition, the orchestra will perform Baiรฃo nโ Blues, a piece by contemporary composer Clarice Assad. Assad has recently become a fixture of WSO programming, and this selection will mark the third consecutive season where the WSO has performed her work.
โThe first Capitol Series concert sets the tone for the entire season,โ Devlin says. โWhen planning this performance, we wanted to create an evening that reflects on our past, celebrates our community, and embodies the excitement we feel for the 2024-2025 season. What better way to accomplish that than to showcase the immense talent present in our very own orchestra?โ
โIf you have been to a WSO concert before, you have definitely heard several of our soloists play as part of the orchestra,โ says WSO Executive Director Sonja Thoms. โBut to hear them perform center stage like this is a totally different experience. I know our audience will be blown away by the talent our musicians have, and I am so happy to give them their moment in the spotlight. Our musicians are truly the backbone of our organization!โ
In addition to the concert, the WSO will host a Pre-Concert Celebration, a lively party held in the Capitol Theatre ballroom prior to the performance. Starting at 6 pm, Celebration attendees can enjoy an open bar and a charcuterie display from Mountaineer Catering. Tickets for the celebration are $40.
โWhether youโre a local history buff, a music lover, or simply want to celebrate one of the Ohio Valleyโs most unique organizations, we would love to have you at Legacy of the WSO,โ says Thoms. โIt doesnโt matter what you wear, or if you donโt know Mahler or Vivaldi. You can come just as you are, and simply enjoy your communityโin concert.โ
TICKETS
Tickets for Legacy of the WSO begin at $19. The concert begins at 7:30 pm on Friday, September 27, at the Capitol Theatre. Prior to the concert, the WSO will host a Pre-Concert Celebration at the Capitol Theatre Ballroom starting at 6 pm. Celebration tickets are $40 and include an open bar and charcuterie by Mountaineer Catering. Tickets can be purchased online at wheelingsymphony.com, by phone at (304) 232-6191, via email at [email protected], or in person at the Box Office, located at 1025 Main Street, Suite 811, Wheeling, WV 26003.
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ABOUT THE SYMPHONY
Wheeling Symphony Orchestra
Your Community in Concert
Celebrating 95 years of serving the Ohio Valley with great live orchestral music. From subscription concerts and holiday spectacular events to chamber series and educational concerts, the Wheeling Symphony provides world-class musical entertainment throughout the Ohio Valley. Led by Music Director John Devlin, the WSO continues to be the smallest city in the US to support a symphony of this size and caliber.
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