History Of The Wheeling Symphony Orchestra
The Wheeling Symphony Society, Inc. was established in 1929 by Mrs. Eleanor D. Caldwell and a group of local musicians as the foundation upon which a Wheeling Symphony Orchestra was born.
As the Wheeling Symphony enters its 81st season, it continues to operate on the premise of its founders who were “. . .prompted by a love of music and because we believe a larger musical organization could undertake more comprehensive programs for the entertainment of more people.”
Mrs. Caldwell, an accomplished musician herself, and local string musicians would gather at her Woodsdale home to perform together. It was this small group of musicians who formed the nucleus that became the Wheeling Symphony.
Over the past eight decades, the symphony has gained national prominence under eight music directors. During André Raphel’s tenure the orchestra has developed a reputation for sending musicians to the ranks of major American orchestras including the Houston Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony and the Washington National Opera.
The Wheeling Symphony Orchestra has commissioned works by leading American composers. In the 2007-08 season, Music Director André Raphel led the orchestra and group Time for Three in a co-commission with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Symphony for Jennifer Higdon’s Concerto 4-3.
During the 2005-06 season, the orchestra presented the World Premiere of Grammy-winning American composer Richard Danielpour’s “Triptych” from Margaret Garner. “Triptych” for mezzo-soprano and orchestra features a text written by Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison.
During the 2004-05 season, Maestro Raphel led the orchestra in a World Premiere work by Mr. Danielpour in honor of the 50th anniversary of the founding of Wheeling Jesuit University. And in 2004, the WSO and Mr. Raphel performed at the National Performing Arts Convention, as part of the American Symphony Orchestra League’s National Conference in Pittsburgh.
Guest soloists with the orchestra have included major artists of our time: Yehudi Menuhin, Arthur Rubenstein, Roberta Peters, Marian Anderson, Pinchas Zukerman, Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Richard Stolzman, Andre Watts, and the late Jean-Pierre Rampal, to name a few.
Today, the orchestra performs four Masterworks and three Pops concerts at the historic Capitol Music Hall in Wheeling during its regular subscription season. The spectacular holiday concert, Symphony on Ice, will be performed for the tenth consecutive year at WesBanco Arena.
Annually, two free concerts draw thousands of tri-state area residents for music and fireworks. A July Fourth celebration is held at Wheeling’s Heritage Port Amphitheater while a Labor Day weekend performance is given at the Anne Kuchinka Amphitheater in Oglebay Park. The orchestra also performs throughout the year in Weirton, Morgantown, Elkins, Clarksburg, and Canaan Valley. In the past, WSO performances have been presented in other venues in West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
