Contact: Jack Bailey (304) 766-4109 jbaile19@wvstateu.edu
INSTITUTE, W.Va. – West Virginia State University (WVSU) has partnered with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra (WVSO) to present the first concert of the 2013 WVSO Fall Tour Thursday, Sept. 26, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the Davis Fine Arts Building auditorium.
The concert is free and open to the public, but tickets must be reserved in advance.
The Symphony will celebrate its 75th Anniversary during the 2013-2014 concert season. As West Virginia’s premier performing arts organization, the WVSO presents more than 50 concerts annually to audiences throughout the Mountain State. The Symphony’s home is the Maier Foundation Performance Hall at the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences in Charleston.
“The on-campus concert of the WVSO is a wonderful example of the collaborative spirit of both institutions. Bringing to campus world-class talent, of which many serve on the faculty of our Music Department, the event solidifies our joint commitment to the arts in the Kanawha Valley and beyond,” said Scott Woodard, interim dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at WVSU. “This concert provides students with an opportunity to witness, first-hand, the power of a live music performance. For many of our students, this will serve as a first-ever chance to see a symphony orchestra in concert. Additionally, our music majors will experience the excitement of an open rehearsal with the ensemble.”
The WVSO is comprised of more than 50 members that play 20 different musical instruments. Maestro Grant Cooper, Artistic Director and Conductor, leads the orchestra as the ninth conductor in the WVSO’s history. He was named to that position in 2001 and recently celebrated his 600th performance with the Symphony. In the spring of 2012, Cooper was honored by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin as the recipient of a Governor’s Award for Distinguished Service in the Arts.
“The WVSO’s deep commitment to the education of all who sense the deep human and spiritual lessons implicit in symphonic literature is explicitly expressed when we perform and interact with university campuses. I value our relationship with WVSU very highly and with affection,” Cooper said.
Tickets may be reserved by calling the College of Arts and Humanities at (304) 766-3196, or stopping by room 201 of the Davis Fine Arts Building. Tickets can then be picked up at the box office in the Davis Fine Arts Building beginning at 6 p.m. the evening of the concert.
For more information, contact Scott Woodard at (304) 766-3190 or swoodar1@wvstateu.edu.