Music Under the Stars
Sunday, September 3, 2023
Shaken, Not Stirred!
Join the WSO for our annual Music Under the Stars Labor Day concert, featuring guest artists Jeans ‘n Classics performing the music of James Bond.
Once again, the WSO will proudly take to the stage at the Anne Kuchinka Amphitheater for Music Under the Stars, our beloved Labor Day concert tradition. Beginning at 7:30 pm, join us as we take you on a journey through beloved James Bond hits. Joined by WSO favorites Jeans n’ Classics, the Wheeling Symphony will perform well-known songs such as “Skyfall,” “You Only Live Twice,” and, of course, the James Bond theme song.
As part of our Community Concert series, Music Under the Stars is free to attend–so grab your blanket or a lawn chair and join us for a beautiful evening of music in an equally beautiful setting!
Featuring
John Devlin, conductor
Conductor John Gennaro Devlin is an ardent champion of American music, an innovator of concert design, and a thought leader in the field of classical music. In his fourth season as Music Director of the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, Devlin is only the ninth conductor in its 90-year history to hold that title. Devlin’s artistry and versatility make him a frequent guest conductor with major orchestras across the nation. His engagements include performances with the National Symphony Orchestra, Louisville Orchestra, Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, Columbus Symphony, Omaha Symphony, Sarasota Orchestra, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Princeton Symphony Orchestra, Elgin Symphony Orchestra, and the American Repertory Ballet. Of his debut with the National Symphony Orchestra and violin soloist Joshua Bell, Anne Midgette of The Washington Post wrote that Devlin “led the evening with flair … and was visibly in his element.” A strong advocate for American music, Devlin has made it a programmatic focus and has premiered over 40 new American works. His artistic partnerships with contemporary American composers include a decade-long relationship with Eric Nathan, from whom he has commissioned works that he performed at Carnegie Hall and with the National Symphony Orchestra. Devlin has also premiered works by Adolphus Hailstork, Leanna Primiani, Michael-Thomas Foumai, Enrico Lopez-Yañez, Michael Ellis Ingram, Evan Meier, Alexandra Bryant, Nathan Strasser, Tomek Regulski, Daniel Houglum, Timothy Brady, Matthew Levine, Christopher Caliendo, Liza Kravinsky, and David Matthews. In addition, Devlin commissioned and conducted the world premiere of La Saulaie, a semi-finished work of Claude Debussy that was subsequently completed by British composer and musicologist Robert Orledge. Also a leader in designing concerts that frame orchestral music in inventive ways, Devlin has partnered with others to generate such forward-looking concepts as Gourmet Symphony, Go-Go Symphony, Seamless Symphony, Interactive Symphony, and the New Retro Project. These collaborations paired artists such as Joshua Bell with gourmet chefs, and legendary musicians like Bootsy Collins, George Clinton, and Larry Graham with symphony orchestras for the first time. Each reflects Devlin’s mission of making the symphonic art form accessible and engaging for all audiences. The Washington Post hailed these projects as “refreshingly unfamiliar” events that deliver “a new audience for classical music” and brought “the sold-out house to its feet, cheering.” John Gennaro Devlin is an American conductor of Italian and Irish heritage. He completed his master’s and doctoral degrees in orchestral conducting under the tutelage of James Ross at the University of Maryland. His undergraduate degree is from Emory University, where he graduated summa cum laude with a double major in Clarinet Performance and Latin. While a student, he benefitted enormously from his time as a member of the New York Youth Symphony, at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, and at the Pierre Monteux School. His professional career has been shaped by his time as an assistant to conductors Gianandrea Noseda, Christoph Eschenbach, Rossen Milanov, and Victoria Gau.
Jeans 'n Classics, guest artists
Peter Brennan's Jeans ’n Classics is a winner! For 23 years now, the JnC approach to combining world class rock musicians and symphonies has been a game changer for orchestras in their quest to attract new and more expansive audiences. Jeans ’n Classics is a group of musicians who understand orchestra culture and are committed to help in the building of younger, loyal audiences for symphony orchestras across North America. While most definitely not a tribute act, Jeans 'n Classics faithfully interprets the music of legendary rock and pop albums and artists, with their own special and signature flair. Jeans ’n Classics works with over 100 orchestras in venues throughout North America, and has created almost 1,000 original rock and pop orchestrations which are presented across 45 unique and exciting productions.
