West Virginia Symphony presents A Grand Finale! on May 4-5 with a Commission Premiere

CHARLESTON, W.VA. (4/16/24) – The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra (WVSO) closes its 23-24 season with A Grand Finale! on May 4-5 in Charleston and Parkersburg.

The WVSO’s season concludes on May 4-5 with the premiere of a commission from West Virginia composer Matt Jackfert. Jackfert’s piece, "Foggy Moon Over the Gorge" reflects the experience of driving from Hinton to Charleston, WV late at night and celebrates our nation's newest national park, The New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, with mysterious harmonies, ethereal colors, and sounds familiar to the area. The premiere performance in Charleston features a side-by-side with the WV Youth Symphony.

“I was passing over the Glade Creek Bridge on I-64 on a moonlit night without a cloud in the sky. The clouds, as I discovered, were not above me, but below me, within the New River Gorge. The full moon reflected off the clouds to create a marvelous scene where I felt like I was almost floating on the fog, drifting away into the night. The scene had me so enchanted that I had to snap myself back into reality and remember to keep my eyes on the road,” said composer Matt Jackfert. “I'm excited to have the West Virginia Youth Symphony perform along with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra in what I hope will be an unforgettable experience for both our audience, WV Symphony musicians, and our young performers.”

Returning guest conductor Mélisse Brunet directs the orchestra and showcases the diverse program which includes Florence Price’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with soloist Melissa White and closes with Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.

The Elliot Foundation Symphonic Series concert is made possible by the generous support of the Elliot Foundation and AC&S Incorporated. Concert tickets start at $14 and are available at wvsymphony.org or by calling 304.561.3570.

The WVSO invited patrons to learn more about the evening’s program at the pre-concert talk beginning at 6:30 p.m. on stage with guest conductor Mélisse Brunet.

The WV Symphony will also perform A Grand Finale! at Blennerhassett School in Parkersburg at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 5. Hosted by the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra of Parkersburg, tickets for the concert start at $25 for adults and are available at wvsop.org, at the door, or by calling 888.699.8767 (MYWVSOP). Student tickets are free.

The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra is West Virginia’s premier performing arts organization, presenting classical and pops concerts annually throughout the Mountain State. Currently in its 85th season, the WVSO is a proud member of the community and enriches the region by providing affordable, high-quality concerts, collaborations with West Virginia arts organizations and a nationally award-winning education program.

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