WV SYMPHONY ANNOUNCES VITAL NEA GRANT AWARDED THROUGH CARES ACT

CHARLESTON, W.VA. (7/10/20) – The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra (WVSO) is humbled to receive a vitally needed National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Grant totaling $50,000.00.

The grant, made available through the NEA, was created through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Safety (CARES) Act. Recipients of the funding include organizations in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Funding directly supports the artistic mission of the WVSO which is to make great music to enrich and inspire the region.

WVSO President Joe Tackett expressed his gratitude for the funding, “The NEA has really stepped up at a time when arts organizations need support. We are thrilled to be the recipient of this grant and will use it for the success of the Symphony and the community. We are thankful that our lawmakers realize the value of the arts during this time.”

More than 3,100 eligible applications were received by the NEA while only 855 agencies ultimately received funding. The WVSO was the only arts organization to receive funding in the Kanawha Valley. Arts Endowment Chairman Mary Anne Carter spoke of the level of need experienced by arts agencies amid the coronavirus, “All of us at the National Endowment for the Arts are keenly aware that arts organizations across the country are hurting, struggling, and trying to survive and that our supply of funding does not come close to meeting the demand for assistance.”

The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 to support opportunities to participate in the arts for Americans. The federal agency works with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector to support arts learning, the cultivation of a rich and diverse arts heritage, and the promotion of access to arts in every community across America.

The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra wishes to express special thanks to the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History and Curator Randall Reid-Smith for their hard work in assisting West Virginia arts organizations with attaining funding from the NEA.

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WV Symphony Announces Williamstown HS Student as Dunphy Scholar

CHARLESTON, W.VA. (6/24/20) – The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra is pleased to announce the 2020 winner of the Dr. James F. Dunphy Memorial Scholarship.

Zoe Daugherty, a rising junior at Williamstown High School, successfully auditioned and interviewed for the scholarship, which offers private music lessons with a WVSO musician, the opportunity to attend WVSO rehearsals, and personal interaction with Music Director Lawrence Loh.

Daugherty, a violinist, participates in the Williamstown High School string program and is a volunteer tutor in the elementary strings program. She was a member of the 2020 West Virginia All-State Orchestra, citing in her application essay that the All-State experience was one of the most challenging and rewarding of her young performing career where “in the moment, you are the individual no more. It is simply the orchestra, the conductor and the sound.” Daugherty is also involved in competitive dance and Quiz Bowl.   

“As a young and growing musician, it’s a tremendous opportunity to be selected. I have auditioned for this award several years in a row and was glad to be successful this year,” Daugherty said.

The selection committee listened to recorded auditions submitted by the finalists before Zoom interviews, which took place on Saturday, June 20. The panel is comprised members of the Dunphy family and Music Director Lawrence Loh. The finalists included two other rising juniors--Christian Deem, tuba player at Parkersburg High School, and Jake McGraw, tuba player at Ripley High School.

This is the third year of the award honoring Dr. James F. Dunphy (1930-2011), a lifelong devotee of and advocate for classical music who lived in Parkersburg for nearly 40 years. Previous winners are both high school graduates of the class of 2020. Eli Hall from Roane County High School will major in music in the bassoon studio at West Virginia University, and Ethan Hupp will attend Bowling Green State University in Ohio as a French horn major starting this fall.

The Dunphy family shared: “We congratulate Zoe, our winner this year, and are pleased that the scholarship has positively influenced the musical development of the previous winners, Ethan and Eli. We were impressed by the commitment the finalists showed in auditioning during these difficult times. We always welcome new applicants as well as those who auditioned but did not win in previous years.”

The WVSO is West Virginia’s premier performing arts organization, presenting classical, pops, family 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.