The Wheeling Symphony Orchestra Reveals Concerts for 2025-2026 Season

On Wednesday, the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra (WSO) announced their 2025-2026 season, titled The Place I Belong. Featuring four Masterworks and three Pops performances, as well as several free community concerts and special events, this year of programming marks the WSO's 96th season.

Named after lyrics from John Denver's “Country Roads,” The Place I Belong seeks to provide a wide variety of live music experiences for the Ohio Valley, from film with live orchestra to multidisciplinary performances featuring local dancers and light installations.

“I am thrilled with the programming we have in store this season,” says WSO Executive Director Sonja Thoms. “From performing seminal works such as Beethoven's Seventh Symphony and Appalachian Spring to continuing our film-with-live-orchestra performances with Star Wars: A New Hope, our 96th season has something for everyone.”

“Using ‘Country Roads' as inspiration for our '25-'26 season works on multiple levels,” adds WSO Music Director John Devlin. “There are thematic similarities like the idea of home, which we will explore during our final concert of the season, as well as the celebration of our region through pieces like Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring. But on top of that, the feeling we want to create when someone steps into the Capitol Theatre for a WSO performance is the same feeling you get when you listen to ‘Country Roads': the feeling of home and belonging.”

Starting in September and ending in May, the Capitol Series—which takes place in the Capitol Theatre in downtown Wheeling—consists of four Masterworks and three Pops performances. Subscription packages are available for Masterworks, Pops, or all seven concerts.

Continuing the theme of “Country Roads,” each of the Masterworks concerts are named after a lyric from John Denver's iconic hit. Masterworks highlights include collaborations with legendary lighting designer and artist Doug Fitch and Oglebay Institute's School of Dance; appearances by pianist Maxim Lando, vocalist/composer Shara Nova, and electric violinist Tracy Silverman; beloved compositions such as Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring, Beethoven's Seventh Symphony, and Dvorak's New World Symphony; and exciting contemporary compositions from living American composers such as Eric Nathan, Daniel Bernard Roumain, Caroline Shaw, and Sarah Kirkland Snider.

In addition, the third Masterworks concert of the season, titled Her Voice, will tie in to a bonus performance at Towngate Theatre, taking place the Tuesday before Her Voice. This intimate performance will feature a reduced orchestra and guest artist Shara Nova performing Sarah Kirkland Snider's Penelope, a modern-day retelling of the Odyssey from Penelope's perspective.

This year's Pops series includes Prohibition, a concert comprised of music from the roarin' 20s, and Endless Love, a Valentine's Day performance featuring iconic love songs. The Pops series will also include a film-with-live-orchestra performance for the fourth year in a row. In April, Star Wars fans can join as the WSO plays John Williams' score live alongside a screening of Star Wars: A New Hope.

In addition, the WSO will continue their traditional holiday performances with the July 4 Celebrate America tour, the Music Under the Stars Labor Day weekend performance, and Symphony on Ice.

“This will be my seventh season as Music Director of the WSO, and nothing can compare to sharing a new season with our community,” Devlin says. “Planning a concert season takes months, sometimes years, of work, but sharing in the excitement of our programming makes all the hard work worthwhile. I know our community will love what's in store for The Place I Belong. Whether you are a longtime fan and subscriber or will be buying concert tickets for the first time this season, I cannot wait to make music with you!”

Subscriptions for the Wheeling Symphony 2025-2026 season will go on sale May 15, with renewing subscribers available to reserve their seats starting May 1. Single tickets will go on sale on June 27 at 10 am.