Wheeling Symphony Orchestra To Present ALL MY MEMORIES With Pianist Maxim Lando

The Wheeling Symphony Orchestra will present All My Memories on Saturday, January 17, at 2:00 p.m. at the Capitol Theatre, welcoming back guest pianist Maxim Lando while reflecting on the impact of the pandemic on the orchestra and its community.

The concert will feature Missy Mazzoli’s Sinfonia for Orbiting Spheres, Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2, and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7. Support for All My Memories is provided by Harold and Roanne Burech and Kim and Holly McClusky. The Wheeling Symphony Orchestra’s Capitol Series is sponsored by WesBanco.

Music Director John Devlin said the program carries particular significance. “This performance will be a special one for many in our orchestra, including me,” Devlin said. “Beethoven's Seventh is the piece we were rehearsing before our March 2020 Masterworks when our Executive Director and Board President came on stage and told us we would have to postpone the performance due to rising health concerns. I am so eager to finally bring it to the WSO stage and discuss the piece alongside ideas of hope, resiliency, and perseverance that our community showed during that challenging time.”

Lando was originally scheduled to perform with the WSO in 2020 and later returned for the orchestra’s Rising Above concert in May 2023. Following that appearance, Devlin invited him to return for a future season. For All My Memories, Lando will perform Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2.

In the week leading up to the concert, the WSO will present the Festival of Ideas, a series of free performances and panel discussions exploring the concert’s themes. The Festival of Ideas is sponsored by John and Gail Looney and Wheeling Heritage. This year’s theme is Resiliency, Reflection, Remembrance: The Wheeling Symphony Five Years Post-Pandemic.

The Festival of Ideas begins Monday, January 12, at 12:00 p.m. with a Lunch with Books: Extra event at the Ohio County Library. The panel will include Devlin, WSO principal bassoon Andy Sledge, West Virginia Poet Laureate Marc Harshman, Professor of Sociology Dr. Daniel Renfrew, and psychologist Dr. Dee Nazzaro.

On Wednesday, January 14, the WSO String Quartet will perform at Trinity West in Steubenville at 2:00 p.m., followed by a discussion with the musicians, Devlin, and WSO assistant conductor Yoona Jeong. The Festival of Ideas will conclude Thursday, January 15, at 7:00 p.m. with a recital by Lando in the Waddington Room at Oglebay Mansion.

“All My Memories and the week leading up to the performance will honor the strength and creativity that was shown by the WSO and the community at large during the pandemic,” said WSO Executive Director Marc Zyla. “Whether you attend all of our Festival of Ideas events or only join us for Saturday's concert, I hope you will join us in celebrating the indomitable human spirit and, of course, enjoying some truly incredible performances.”

All Festival of Ideas events are free to attend. Tickets are required for the January 17 concert at the Capitol Theatre.

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