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Symphony Orchestra to perform Sept. 29

WVU Symphony Orchestra

The concert season at the West Virginia University School of Music will open with the WVU Symphony Orchestra, led by Mitchell Arnold , at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29 in the Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre at the Creative Arts Center.

Symphony No. 1 in E Minor by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius will be the major piece of the evening.

“Sibelius composed music that captures the full range of life’s emotions – from the joyful to tragic,” said Arnold, WVU’s director of orchestral activities. “The audience will hear a range of expression, from the icy winds of loneliness to the intensity of life lived to its fullest.”

As 2016 marks the 400-year anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death, the Symphony Orchestra will also feature music from productions of two of his plays, The Tempest and Midsummer Night’s Dream, composed by Sibelius and Felix Mendelssohn, respectively.

“Sibelius’s music for The Tempest mystically captures the magical themes of Shakespeare’s play,” said Arnold. “Mendelssohn’s famous Wedding March will also delight in its full orchestral brilliance.”

As with all concerts from WVU’s premiere ensembles, WVU students receive free admission with their student IDs.

“The students in WVUSO are thrilled to share their hard work and dedication to their craft with their fellow students,’ said Arnold.  “The increase in student attendance is as rewarding to us as we hope the listening experience is for the WVU community.”

For tickets, contact the WVU Box Office at 304-293-SHOW or visit Ticketmaster.