PARKERSBURG - Classical music fans will have two chances to enjoy their music as both local symphony orchestras present their final performances of the season in May.
The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra Parkersburg will perform at 3 p.m. May 6 at Blennerhassett School Auditorium at Parkersburg, while the River Cities Symphony Orchestra will will be 7 p.m. May 18 at the Lafayette Hotel, 101 Front, St. in Marietta.
The WVSOP show is entitled "Rhythm and Romance" and will feature the music of Gershwin and Tchaikovsky
Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students and can be purchased via the WVSOP website at www.wvsop.org, by email at tickets@wvsop, or by calling 304-485-4200. The WVSOP welcomes patrons with disabilities and, with three weeks advance notice, will make every effort to accommodate their requests.
The WVSOP will be joined by renowned pianist Katie Mahan.
A native of Colorado, Mahan began her piano studies at the age of 4 and gave her first solo recital at the age of 6. She has appeared as recitalist, soloist with orchestra, or chamber musician across the world, appearing with many orchestras in the U.S. and Canada.
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The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra Parkersburg will perform at 3 p.m. May 6 at Blennerhassett School Auditorium at Parkersburg.
Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students and can be purchased via the WVSOP website at www.wvsop.org, by email at tickets@wvsop, or by calling 304-485-4200.
The River Cities Symphony Orchestra will will be 7 p.m. May 18 at the Lafayette Hotel, 101 Front, St. in Marietta.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students. Due to limited seating, reservations are suggested and may be made by email at rcsomusic@msn.com or by telephone at 304-485-7068 or (704) 373-2221.
In addition to the concert, the end of the WVSOP's season will also feature a benefit dinner at 6 p.m. at the Blennerhassett Hotel in downtown Parkersburg following the concert. The benefit is sponsored by the WVSO League of Parkersburg and serves as a major fundraiser for the music awareness programs provided to local elementary schools in Wood and Washington counties by the WVSOP.
Tickets for the benefit dinner are $55 per person and are available by calling 304-428-0005 or 304-295-6919.
Funding for the WVSOP concert series is provided by grants from the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, the National Endowment of the Arts, with approval from the West Virginia Commission on the Arts, from the McDonough Foundation, and from the Artsbridge Arts Fund.
The RCSO concert in Marietta, entitled "Carousel and Cannons Pops Concert," was originally scheduled for June 1 but has been moved forward to May 18.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the concert will begin at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students. Due to limited seating, reservations are suggested and may be made by email at rcsomusic@msn.com or by telephone at 304-485-7068 or (704) 373-2221.
Tickets will be sold at the door only if seating is available.
To reserve a table in advance; for special accommodations for persons with disabilities or for additional information call 304-485-7068.
The program includes a variety of light classical music and popular songs performed by soprano Tiffany CasaSante, of Marietta.
CasaSante is a veteran of vocal and operatic performances.In recent years, she has performed in Mid-Ohio Valley Players productions and has been actively involved in benefit concerts for the River Cities Symphony Orchestra and the renovation of the Colony Theatre.
During the past few years the RCSO has featured talented young musicians at its Pops Concerts.
In June, the West Virginia Youth Symphony will be making its European tour of Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and Austria.
Five of these young musicians, who will be featured as soloists on the tour, will appear with the RCSO on May 18 for short selections.
They include Ahmed Mian (clarinet) and Aryana Misaghi (flute) of George Washington High School, Charleston; Adam Gillespie of St. Albans High School (trumpet); Alexis James Joyce of Capitol High School (clarinet), and Kiefer Kirk of Capitol High School (viola).
Concert sponsors are The Colony Theatre, The Lafayette Hotel and The Oakland Foundation.
The River Cities Symphony Orchestra is funded in part by Artsbridge and the West Virginia Commission on the Arts, West Virginia Division of Culture and History and is also supported by the Marietta Community Foundation, the Parkersburg Community Foundation, and the Ohio River Border Initiative.
