Wheeling Symphony To Celebrate ‘Joy’ On Labor Day At Oglebay

WHEELING - The Wheeling Symphony Orchestra will end the summer and kick off their new season with a Labor Day salute to "joy" at Oglebay Park.

The symphony will play "Music Under The Stars" beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 6, at the Anne Kuchinka Amphitheater. The concert is presented by Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal, with additional support provided by Oglebay and the Musician's Performance Trust.

Admission to the public concert will be free.

The symphony has played in the park each summer over the last 97 years, said Marc Zyla, executive director of the WSO.

Zyla, who started his job with the symphony this year, noted his first concert experience at the park was watching last year's "Music Under The Stars" following his interview at the park.

"It has been such a long tradition for the symphony to be out here at Oglebay Park," he said. "One of the very first concerts of the organization was 97 years ago here at the park.

"For me, as executive director, it is really great that we can offer this to the community with the support of our sponsors."

He announced the theme for this year's concert season is "joy," and that "Music Under the Stars" is going to highlight that.

"It is going to feature music from the upcoming season, and we definitely think there is something for everybody this season at the Wheeling Symphony and at 'Music Under The Stars,'" Zyla said.

"I think it's a wonderful celebration, and we're really happy to have this for our community."

Josh Wack, business development manager for Kalkreuth Roofing, noted it was the 6th year the company has been the title sponsor for "Music Under The Stars."

"It's always one of our favorite events of the year to sponsor," he said. "When you get the symphony orchestra and (the Wheeling Park Commission) together like this, it is a win-win situation.

"It is a great day for people to come out on Sunday for the music and stay for the fireworks. We're just proud to be part of it... The symphony is something you really don't often get to see in a city like this. And Oglebay Park is always a partner of ours. Having those two together is something we will always support."

Bob Peckenpaugh, president and CEO of the Wheeling Park Commission, termed "Music Under The Stars" the "perfect end cap to the summer season at Oglebay."

"(After this) the gardens start to change, and the Festival of Lights starts to go up," he said. "We get to celebrate Oglebayfest and our 'Fright Light' program coming up in the fall.

"But we can't forget what a great summer we had, and how an organization like this makes it special for us."

WSO Music Director John Devlin explained what the concert and the upcoming symphony season will bring to the public.

"Our 2026-2027 season is titled 'Joy' and that is exactly what we hope people feel when they walk into the concert hall this year," he said. "From the Beatles to Beethoven, Harry Potter to Leonard Bernstein, our season is full of joy-inspiring favorites and tributes."

Music Under the Stars is set to begin with Leonard Bernstein's Overture to West Side Story, a nod to the WSO's November scheduled performance, "Bernstein in Story & Song." The concert features vocalist Morgan James and Bernstein's daughter, Jamie Bernstein, who will narrate the performance with stories of her famous father.

Representing the WSO's pops series, Music Under the Stars will feature a Beatles medley and several film scores composed by John Williams, such as the theme from Jurassic Park and Harry Potter. Listeners will also hear several classical works that will appear on the WSO's Masterworks concerts, including Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio Espagnol and Mozart's Symphony No. 40. Smaller works of composers such as Beethoven and Brahms round out the program.