West Virginia Symphony with Lee Greenwood
Grammy Award-winning, singer-songwriter Lee Greenwood is best known for his patriotic anthem “God Bless the USA.” Voted the most recognizable patriotic song in America, “God Bless the USA” has landed in the top 5 on the country singles charts three times (1993, 2001, 2003). Greenwood joins the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra in their performance of “Lee Greenwood: Salute to America,” featuring some of Greenwood’s most famous songs, including “God Bless the USA.” Founded in 1939, the WVSO performs more than 50 concerts annually. WVSO Musical Director Lawrence Loh is in his second season with the Symphony. Loh has an affinity for pops programming and currently leads annual pops programs with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, where he previously served as a resident conductor.
WV Symphony presents: Double Trebel
Program: Dmitri Shostakovich: Festive Overture Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Double Piano Concerto in E-flat Major Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10 Lawrence Loh, conductor Christina and Michelle Naughton, pianos Pianists Christina and Michelle Naughton were hailed by the San Francisco Examiner for their “stellar musicianship, technical mastery, and awe-inspiring artistry.” The Philadelphia Inquirer characterized their playing as “paired to perfection.”
WV Symphony presents: Bugs Bunny at the Symphony
Bugs Bunny at the Symphony II celebrates the most famous and beloved cartoons in the world and their equally famous classical music. Conducted by Emmy Award winner George Daugherty, and created and produced by Daugherty and Emmy Award winning producer David Ka Lik Wong, this performance features Warner Bros. Looney Tunes characters on-screen with live, full symphony orchestra accompaniment.
WV Symphony presents: NINE!
Program: Special commission piece by American composer Gary Fry written especially for the WVSO and the Appalachian Children’s Chorus. Camille Saint-Saëns: Cello Concerto No. 1 Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 with area choruses Lawrence Loh, conductor Gabriel Cabezas, cello The Oregonian once described Gabriel Cabezas as “an intense player who connects to music naturally, without artifice, and brings a singing line to the cello.” Cabezas combines a superb technique, intellectual curiosity and a pioneering musical spirit to his work and has appeared as a soloist with some of America’s finest orchestras, including those of Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Cabezas’ appearance is made possible by a partnership with Astral Artists. Gary Fry, composer GARY FRY, COMPOSER Gary Fry is an Emmy-winning Chicago-based composer with a passion for working with young people, particularly in choral music. The WVSO commissioned Fry to write a special arrangement featuring the WVSO and the Appalachian Children’s Chorus.
WV Symphony presents: My Harp Will Go On
Program: Gioachino Rossini: Italian in Algiers Overture Alberto Ginastera: Harp Concerto Felix Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 Lawrence Loh, conductor Emily Levin, harp Emily Levin, Astral Artist, is the Principal Harpist with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Bronze Medal Winner of the 9th USA International Harp Competition. The Jerusalem Post praised her playing for its “communicative, emotionally intense expression” while the Herald Times commended her “technical wizardry and artistic intuition.”
WV Symphony presents: Tony DeSare, Sinatra & Beyond
Called "two parts Frank Sinatra and one part Billy Joel," crooner and pianist Tony DeSare takes on the legend of Ol' Blue Eyes. Headlining with the WVSO, Tony DeSare will deliver a fresh take on old-school classics in a critically-acclaimed tribute to Frank Sinatra that includes song like Fly Me to the Moon, One for My Baby, The Summer Wind, Luck Be a Lady, Witchcraft, and My Way.
WV Symphony presents: Something Old, Something Blue
Program: Jennifer Higdon: blue cathedral Jean Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D Major Lawrence Loh, conductor Nikki Chooi, violin The Calgary Herald described Violinist Nikki Chooi as “richly expressive and technically assured.” The New York Times said he is “vigorous and colorful.” This 28-year-old has performed with symphonies across the globe. Jennifer Higdon, composer JENNIFER HIGDON, COMPOSER Jennifer Higdon is one of America’s most acclaimed composers and a Grammy Award winner who was once hailed by the Washington Post as having “a keen ear, an innate sense of form and a generous dash of pure esprit.” Higdon’s orchestral work, blue cathedral, which the WVSO will perform in January 2019, is one of the most performed contemporary orchestral compositions by a living American.
WV Symphony presents: Sounds of the Season
Join us for an evening of holiday music and fellowship as the WVSO celebrates the Sounds of the Season under the direction of Guest Conductor Michelle Merrill. This concert includes a visit from you know who as Santa brings back one of our recent guest conductors for this WVSO favorite.
WV Symphony presents: A Percussive Surprise
Program: Ludwig van Beethoven: Coriolan Overture Richard Danielpour: “The Wounded Healer” Percussion Concerto Sergei Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet Lawrence Loh, conductor Lisa Pegher, percussion Lisa Pegher is known for pioneering percussion as a solo instrument within the orchestral realm and beyond. New York City’s "The Glass" once described her as “More than just a drummer—an alchemist of time, sound, and space, crafting visceral landscapes that penetrate the earsand mind.” Pegher will perform Richard Danielpour’s “The Wounded Healer” Percussion Concerto, which he wrote especially for her, with the WVSO in November.
WV Symphony presents: Lee Greenwood, Salute to America
Lee Greenwood is an award-winning country music icon known for the most recognizable patriotic song in America, God Bless the USA. This Academy of Country Music Male Vocalist of the Year's CD "American Patriot", went platinum in just three months. Greenwood will perform with the WVSO at the newly remodeled Charleston Civic Center with special VIP seating and hospitality tables on the arena floor.
WV Symphony presents: Pipe Dreams
Program Franz Schubert: Rosamunde Overture Francis Poulenc: Organ Concerto Beethoven: Symphony No. 1 Lawrence Loh, conductor Bradley Welch, organ Hailed as “a world-class virtuoso” and “an expert at defining darks, lights, shadows and colors,” Bradley Hunter Welch is increasingly in demand as a recitalist, concerto soloist, and collaborative artist. Since winning the Dallas International Organ Competition in 2003 Welch devotes his full-time attention to a thriving solo concert career.
WV Symphony presents: Opening Night Spectacular!
Program Michael Torke: Javelin Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 Sergei Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances Lawrence Loh, conductor John Nakamatsu, piano Jon Nakamatsu is a true aristocrat of the keyboard, whose playing combines elegance, clarity and electrifying power. Of his 2014 solo disc of the piano works of Robert Schumann, BBC Music Magazine said “Nakamatsu clarifies Schumann’s mid-range saturated textures to a remarkable degree, reveling in its fantastic imaginings with rapier-like precision and effortless command.”
Independence Day Fireworks with WVSO Brass Band
Celebrate America's birthday a day early at Charleston's Haddad Riverfront Park. The skies will light up, and the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra Brass Band will provide the soundtrack to the best fireworks display in the area.
WV Symphony Orchestra presents Out of This World
Theodore Wiprud: Sinfonietta Liszt: Totentanz with Barbara Nissman, piano Gustav Holst: The Planets Single tickets start at $12
WV Symphony Orchestra presents A Night of “Great” Music
A Night of "Great" Music features: Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture Haydn: Concerto in D Major with Christine Lamprea, cello and Astral Artist Schubert: Symphony No. 9, “The Great”
Northern Lights
Brahms: Academic Overture; Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 2 with Erik Ralske, French horn; Sibelius: Symphony No. 5
“Northern Lights”
The West Virginia University Symphony Orchestra performs side-by-side with the WVSO for Brahms’ “Academic Overture” and the WVSO performs “Symphony No. 5” by Sibelius. Erik Ralske, principal horn of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra will be featured on Strauss’s “Horn Concerto No. 2”
“Home for the Holidays”
Join the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra for an unforgettable celebration of the holiday season, and one of Charleston’s favorite traditions featuring the West Virginia Community Choir and the Morgantown Children’s Choir.
The Nutcracker with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra
The timeless holiday classic comes alive again with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. This dazzling production includes over 170 dancers, musicians and singers in what is sure to be an event to remember. December 8, 2017 | 7:30 PM December 9, 2017 | 2:00 PM Clay Center Maier Performance Hall Tickets are avaliable through the Clay Center Box Office - (304) 561-3570 or www.theclaycenter.org
The Nutcracker with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra
The timeless holiday classic comes alive again with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. This dazzling production includes over 170 dancers, musicians, and singers in what is sure to be an event to remember. December 8, 2017 | 7:30 PM December 9, 2017 | 2:00 PM Clay Center Maier Performance Hall Tickets are available through the Clay Center Box Office: 304-561-3570 or www.theclaycenter.org
FestivALL Fall
FestivALL Charleston will celebrate FestivALL Fall for its 7th consecutive year. The festival will extend the popular city-wide multi-arts summer
West Virginia Symphony presents “Handpicked: A Season of Firsts”
ALL-AMERICAN OPENING NIGHT Bernstein: Candide Overture Gershwin: Piano Concerto in F with Alexandre Moutouzkine, piano Copland: Symphony No. 3
2017 Symphony Sunday: Be Our Guest!
The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra returns with Charleston’s favorite Symphony event of the year, 2017 Symphony Sunday “Be Our Guest.” For its 35th year, this free outdoor festival features some of the community’s most beloved music, food, games and artisans ending with a WV Symphony concert and fireworks finale looking over the West Virginia State Capitol from the University of Charleston lawn. Sunday activities take place on the beautiful lawn at the University of Charleston, and end with a spectacular fireworks display. MAIN STAGE LINE-UP 1-1:45 p.m. Kanawha Valley Community Band 1:55-2:40 p.m. Arts in Action - Urban Stage Dance Groups 2:50-3:35 p.m. Brass Band of the Tri-State 3:45-4:30 p.m. Kanawha Kordsmen 4:40-5:50 p.m. WV Youth Symphony Groups 6-6:45 p.m. Charleston Metro Band 6:50-7:30 p.m. Kanawha Valley Pipes and Drums 8:00 p.m. WV Symphony Orchestra CHILDREN’S COSTUME LAWN PARADE (starts at 3 p.m. at the Main Stage) ARTISAN TENT (2 – 7 p.m.) 2:00 – 2:45 p.m. Drum Circle 3:00 -- 3:45 p.m. THE Brass 5 Quintet 3:50 -- 4:30 p.m. Japanese Culture presentation “Country Roads” 4:45—5:30 p.m. Lady D 5:45 -- 6:30 p.m. Celtic Jam Session BOOK NOOK (1 – 6 p.m.) FOOD VENDORS (1 – 9:30 p.m.) Billy Bob’s Funnel Cakes - Funnel cakes, fried Oreos, and fried pickles Bridge Road Bistro Carver Career Center Ellen’s Homemade Ice Cream Gino’s Pizza MaryRose’s Spicy Bowl – Indian cuisine Nona’s Wood Fired Pizza Philippine cuisine St. George’s Orthodox Church – Greek cuisine West Virginia Symphony League: Popcorn, hot dogs, roasted corn
WV Symphony presents The Nutcracker
Tchaikovsky's classic ballet. Details TBA.
WV Symphony presents The Nutcracker
Tchaikovsky's classic ballet. Details TBA.
WV Symphony presents Home for the Holidays
West Virginia Symphony Orchestra presents their annual "Home for the Holidays" concert at the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences.
WVSO Capitol Conference Center Symphonic Series
WVSO welcomes Springfield Symphony Orchestra Music Director Kevin Rhodes. The program includes Massenet The Last Sleep of the Virgin; Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3, Viktor Valkov, piano of Astral Artists; and Liszt Faust Symphony.
WV Symphony presents Sgt. Pepper’s: The Complete Album
The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra journeys through the 1960s with a catalogue of Beatles' hits. Performance features “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and “When I'm Sixty-Four.” Admission varies.
Video Games Live
Video Games Live is an immersive concert featuring music from the most popular video games of all time played by the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. (Admission varies.)
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
The Symphony's tradition continues to define the holiday season featuring the best of Maestro Cooper's wonderful arrangements.
Stilian Kirov
Capitol Conference Center Symphonic Series.
Opening Night 2016: Kayoko Dan
The kickoff to the 2016-2017 season and search for a new music director begins! Conducting candidate Kayoko Dan will lead the orchestra in Glinka’s Overture to Ruslan and Ludmilla and Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 with a Charleston favorite guest artist, Rachel Barton Pine performing Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2.
Montclair String Quartet
The performance will include the following program: "Gone Fishing" Mozart String Quartet No. 17 in Bb Major, "The Hunt" K458 Igor Frolov: Divertimento for 2 Violins and Piano Schubert: Piano Quintet in A Major, D.667 "The Trout" with guest artists: Hannah Pressley, bass Victoria Fatu, piano Members of the Montclaire String Quartet: Anton Shelepov, violin I Cristian Fatu, violin II Bernard Di Gregorio, viola Andrea Di Gregorio, cello
Maestro’s Fantasia
The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra will perform. In honor of his 15th anniversary, Maestro Cooper was asked to program the concert of his wildest dreams. What will it be? Only one way to find out.
John Williams: All the Blockbusters!
West Virginia Symphony Orchestra presents John Williams: All the Blockbusters! All your favorite movie scores come alive, be prepared for John William' greatest hits including Star Wars, Jurassic Park Indiana Jones, Harry Potter and more!