WV Symphony Orchestra announces 20-21 Season: Welcome to your Musical Feast!

CHARLESTON, W.VA. (5/8/20) – Despite recent cancellations due to the pandemic, the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra (WVSO) is looking toward the future and has unveiled its new 2020-2021 season that is sure to whet the palette. The season includes a tribute to Beethoven in honor of his 250th birthday, along with crowd favorites from Bartok, Brahms and Bernstein and a new commission from WV composer Matthew Jackfert.

“We are so excited to have planned a season that really highlights the incredible musicians in the West Virginia Symphony,” said Music Director Larry Loh. “From Beethoven’s 250th to the music from Star Wars and Harry Potter, I am looking forward to our 81st season!”

Series subscription sales, which range from $107 to $560, begin this week. Single ticket sales will begin in early fall.

The Elliot Foundation Symphonic Series kicks off October 3, 2020, at the Clay Center. Opening the season will be a celebration of Beethoven’s 250th birthday, which will feature an all-Beethoven program and an appearance from pianist Jon Nakamatsu.

The Nov. 14 concert brings a Celebration of Strings to the Clay Center. The program showcases Barber’s Adagio for Strings and Brahm’s Symphony No. 2. Guest soloist Anne Akiko Meyers will join the Symphony for the Violin Concerto by Marquez.

With the new year comes a new commission for the orchestra. On Jan. 9, 2021, the Symphony will premiere a work composed by Charleston native and friend of the Symphony, Matt Jackfert. Jackfert’s piece will accompany other works Made in America, such as Bernstein’s Serenade featuring Phillipe Quinte on violin and Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra which was originally premiered in 1944 in Boston.

The WVSO’s fourth symphonic concert on Feb. 6, 2021, features the West Virginia Youth Symphony in Sibelius’ Finlandia for their annual side-by-side. Following Finlandia will be a performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 featuring guest soloist, Natasha Paremski. The program concludes with a presentation of the romantic era classic, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6.

March 13, 2021 welcomes the return of the WV Symphony Chorus for an epic performance of Mozart’s Requiem. Also, making her return to the stage is harpist Emily Levin. Levin will treat the crowd to Gliere’s Harp Concerto, while contemporary composer Missy Mazzoli’s River Rouge Transfiguration will round out the program.

The 2020-2021 season comes to a close on May 1 when Annie Wu of Astral Artists joins the orchestra to perform Put’s Flute Concerto. The Season Finale! also showcases Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 and Smetana’s Vltava "The Moldau" from Ma Vlast.

The ZMM Architects & Engineers Pops Series begins with a return to the hits of Broadway with Blockbuster Broadway! on October 17, 2020. Join the orchestra and guest vocalists as they perform hits from some of theatre’s classic musicals such as Wicked, The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera and more.

Crowd-favorite Michelle Merrill will return to the Clay Center as a guest conductor on Dec. 5 for the WVSO’s celebrated holiday tradition, newly renamed Sounds of the Season, which will offer a selection of fun, holiday favorites, and, of course, a visit by Jolly Old Saint Nick.

On Feb. 27, 2021, an epic battle will take place between Harry Potter and Star Wars. This concert features music from all nine Star Wars and all eight Harry Potter films! With music by John Williams, along with Patrick Doyle, Nicholas Hooper and Alexander Desplat, this concert will take you on a fantastic journey through the wizarding world of Harry Potter and to a galaxy far, far away. The audience is encouraged to wear their favorite dress robes or Star Wars costumes. Please note: this concert will be presented without film.

The ZMM Pops Series concludes April 24, 2021, with a celebration of some of the most beloved cartoons in the world and equally famous classical music with Bugs Bunny at The Symphony II. The WVSO will play live music as the hilarious antics of Daffy Duck, Road Runner and Tom and Jerry, just to name a few, play out on the screen overhead.

To order your subscription or for more information, please call the Clay Center box office at 304.561.3570, visit wvsymphony.org, or contact Marketing Director Amanda McDonald, amcdonald@wvsymphony.org.

The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra is West Virginia’s premier performing arts organization, presenting classical, pops, and chamber-music concerts annually throughout the Mountain State. Currently entering its 81st 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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