West Virginia Symphony Orchestra
| West Virginia Symphony Orchestra | |
|---|---|
| Orchestra | |
| Short name | WVSO |
| Former name |
Charleston Symphony Orchestra (1943-1988) Charleston Civic Orchestra (1939-1943) |
| Founded | 1939 |
| Location | Charleston, West Virginia |
| Concert hall | Maier Foundation Performance Hall, Clay Center |
| Principal conductor |
Grant Cooper 
|
| Website | www |
Charleston Symphony Orchestra (1943-1988)
The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra is a regional orchestra that performs primarily at the Clay Center in Charleston, West Virginia. The orchestra performs over 50 concerts annually around the state of West Virginia, and has a nationally award-winning education program. The orchestra has played with such soloists as Itzhak Perlman, Isaac Stern, Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax, Marilyn Horne, and Kathleen Battle. In addition to regular season concerts, The Orchestra offers several programs such as the Symphony Chorus and Young People's Concerts. West Virginia Symphony Orchestra is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
An earlier symphony orchestra, organized by music educator W. S. Mason and others, served Charleston as early as the 1920s and perhaps before.
Under the direction of William R. Wiant, the Charleston Civic Orchestra gathered 55 musicians for their first rehearsal on September 19, 1939. The first concert was performed at the Charleston Municipal Auditorium on November 14, 1939. The orchestra was officially incorporated on May 29, 1940, and an Executive Board and Women's Committee were formed to support its efforts.
When conductor William R. Wiant left Charleston for military service in the fall of 1942, Antonio Modarelli, conductor of the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, was called upon to become the new conductor. Prior to coming to Wheeling in 1937, Modarelli had led the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for seven years. Modarelli retained this dual conductorship for five years before moving to Charleston on a full-time basis.
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Wikipedia