Charleston, WV - The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra (WVSO) begins its 2025-26 season: Hear the Whole Story with Music Director Maurice Cohn with Opening Night! on Sept. 20 at the Clay Center in Charleston and on Sept. 21 in Parkersburg.

The 2025-26 season’s theme of Hear the Whole Story is evident in the programming of the concerts this season, including Opening Night! Music Director Maurice Cohn leads the WVSO through a musical evening that kicks off our season’s long celebration of musical stories. 

“We are so excited to kick off a new season of incredible music with the West Virginia Symphony! The 2025/26 season is called “Hear the Whole Story,” and we are celebrating all the amazing stories that have been told through classical music, as well as musical stories from all around West Virginia. Our opening concert features Rimsky-Korsakov’s memorable storytelling in Scheherazade in addition to music by Johannes Brahms and Augusta Holmès, a truly electrifying night of great music!” 

The concert begins with French composer Augusta Holmès’ La nuit et l’amour (The Night of Love), followed by Brahms’ Double Concerto featuring not one, but two guests artists: Stephen Waarts, violin and Hayoung Choi, cello. Opening Night! concludes with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, which conveys the adventures of the legend of One Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights). A pre-concert talk begins the evening’s concert experience at 6:30 p.m. on the Clay Center stage. The pre-concert talk is free and open to all ticket holders. 

The Elliot Foundation Symphonic Series concert is made possible by the generous support of the Elliot Foundation and Encova Insurance, and guest artists sponsors Andy & Margo Teeter. Concert tickets start at $14 and are available at wvsymphony.org or by calling 304.561.3570. 

The WV Symphony will also perform Opening Afternoon at Blennerhassett School in Parkersburg beginning at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 21. Hosted by the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra of Parkersburg, tickets for the concert start at $25 for adults and are available at wvsop.org, at the door, or by calling 888.699.8767 (MYWVSOP). Student tickets are free.