Maurice Staton

WHEELING — The Wheeling Symphony Orchestra’s “Celebrate America” holiday tour will be conducted by Maurice Staton and will feature guest artist Gary Mauer.

The tour makes stops in four cities in West Virginia, including Weirton, Davis, Clarksburg and Wheeling. The concerts are free and open to the public.

The tour runs from July 4-7. Concerts are slated at these venues: Wheeling Heritage Port, 7:30 p.m. July 4; Weirton Event Center, 8 p.m. July 5; Clarksburg Amphitheatre, 7:30 p.m. July 6, and Canaan Valley State Park, Davis, 3 p.m. July 7.

The Wheeling Symphony Orchestra’s summer holiday tour reaches tens of thousands of West Virginians and their neighbors each year. Along with favorite orchestral hits performed by the WSO, the concerts are headlined with special guest artists.

This year, Mauer joins the WSO after most recently starring in the Broadway production of “The Phantom of the Opera,” playing the Phantom. As part of the popular “Bravo Broadway!” concert series, Mauer has sung with numerous symphonies across the country, including Cleveland, Utah, and Peter Nero and the Philly Pops.

Mauer also traveled extensively with the late Marvin Hamlisch and joined Hamlisch with the Chicago and Pittsburgh symphonies.

Staton, the tour’s guest conductor, also conducted the Wheeling Symphony’s annual Young People’s Concert Tour earlier this year.

He has held positions with the Hartford and Johnstown symphonies and as co-music director for the Pittsburgh Chamber Orchestra, which serves as a strong musical presence in the Pittsburgh chamber music community. In addition to his conducting work, Staton plays in the violin section of the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra.

“Our annual ‘Celebrate America’ tour is extra-special this year,” said Bruce Wheeler, WSO executive director. “The symphony is celebrating its 90th anniversary, starting with our Fourth of July concerts.”

Wheeler said, “We couldn’t be happier to have guest conductor Maurice Staton lead the orchestra with Broadway star Gary Mauer to a number of fan favorites, including ‘God Bless the USA,’ ‘Country Roads’ and ‘Stars and Stripes Forever.’ It’s going to be a wonderful concert that we hope everyone comes out to support.”

The Wheeling Symphony’s 2019-20 season will celebrate 90 years of serving the Ohio Valley with live orchestral music. The orchestra will welcome its new music director for subscription concerts, holiday spectacular events, chamber series and educational concerts.