What’s the holiday season without Maestro Grant Cooper and his elf boots in Home for the Holidays? The kick off to the ZMM Architects and Engineers Pops season begins with the WVSO’s annual holiday concert that’s always a family favorite. Home for the Holidays will be performed at Carnegie Hall on Thursday, Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m.
This year’s performance includes a special emphasis on West Virginia talents. Randall-Reid Smith, a native of Barboursville, will be joining the WVSO as the guest soloist. He has served as the Commissioner of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History since 2006. West Virginian composer, Matthew Jackfert will have beautiful arrangements of the classics, “We Three Kings of Orient Are” and “O Holy Night.”
“Our Home for the Holidays” is, indeed, one of our most special concerts of the year! Not only do we honor a variety of holiday traditions, but we do so with music written in most cases specifically for our performers; our friends and neighbors who share the stage with us. It is truly “home” for the holidays. A special guest this year will be tenor soloist and Commissioner of Culture and History, Randall Reid-Smith. Several area choruses and the Appalachian Children’s Chorus will also be featured. West Virginia composer Matt Jackfert gave us a stunning arrangement of “O Holy Night” last year and he has promised us another orchestral showcase to première on this December’s program. “This is a concert the whole family can enjoy - and celebration of the season and our community!,” said Maestro Grant Cooper.
Carnegie Hall tickets in Lewisburg can be purchased by visiting carnegiehallwv.com. Tickets start at $22. The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra is West Virginia’s premier performing arts organization, presenting classical, pops, family and chamber‑music concerts annually throughout the Mountain State. Currently in its 76th season, the WVSO is a proud member of the community and enriches the region by providing affordable, high-quality concerts, collaborations with West Virginia arts organizations and a nationally award‑winning education program.
