Charleston, W.VA. – The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra (WVSO) concludes its ZMM Architects & Engineers Pop Series with a night of jazz hits during Louis Armstrong & Friends on March 23-24 in Charleston and Parkersburg.

Music Director Maurice Cohn and the WVSO join forces with soloist Byron Stripling and vocalist Carmen Bradford for an evening of jazz hits like “Sweet Georgia Brown”, “Someone to Watch Over Me”, “Love is Here to Stay” and many more on Saturday, March 23 at 7:30 p.m. at the Clay Center in Charleston and Sunday, March 24 at 2:30 p.m. at Blennerhassett School in Parkersburg.

“The music of Louis Armstrong and of New Orleans changed the sonic landscape of America,” said Music Director Maurice Cohn. “The power, thrill, and joy of this music is simply infectious, and it is very exciting to be able to present this concert for our audiences in Charleston and in Parkersburg. As Louis Armstrong himself famously said, 'I'm here in the cause of happiness.' Hope to see you there!"

Stripling has performed frequently under the baton of Keith Lockhart as a soloist with the Boston Pops Orchestra, as well as being featured on the PBS television special, "Evening at Pops," with conductors John Williams and Mr. Lockhart. Currently, he serves as artistic director and conductor of the highly acclaimed Columbus Jazz Orchestra and was recently named Principal Pops conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

Carmen Bradford is a 2022 Grammy Nominee and recipient of the Los Angeles Jazz Society's Jazz Vocalist Award. She is the resident Professor of Jazz Voice and the Director of Vocal Jazz Studies at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

The ZMM Architects & Engineers Pops Series concert is made possible by the generous support of ZMM Architects & Engineers, City National Bank, the WV Lottery, Appalachian Power, an AEP Company, and the WV Manufacturer’s Association. Tickets start at $19 and are available at wvsymphony.org or by calling 304.561.3570.

The concert evening will conclude with the 2024 Symphony Raffle drawing for the $10,000 grand prize. Raffle tickets are $100 each and available for purchase at the WVSO offices until Friday, March 22. Tickets will also be sold the night of the concert until the end of intermission.

The WV Symphony will also perform Louis Armstrong & Friends at Blennerhassett School in Parkersburg at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 24. Hosted by the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra of Parkersburg, tickets for the concert start at $25 for adults and are available at wvsop.org, at the door, or by calling 888.699.8767 (MYWVSOP). Student tickets are free.

Embassy Suites will once again offer reservations for a pre-concert buffet to be held on site at the Clay Center. The price of dinner is $39.95/person, plus gratuity and taxes. Reservations begin two hours prior to the start of the concert and can be made by contacting the Clay Center Box Office in person or via phone at 304-561-3570.

The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra is West Virginia’s premier performing arts organization, presenting classical and pops concerts annually throughout the Mountain State. Currently in its 85th 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.