“The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, amateur musicians and West Virginia State University students and faculty held a benefit concert Saturday afternoon to support programs supporting children born to drug-dependent mothers,” writes Chris Dorst in Saturday’s (8/27) Charleston Gazette-Mail (W.V.). “The Orchestra of the Hills and Chorus returned for its second year…. Support for the June 2016 flood victims was the focus of the inaugural concert, but concert donations this year will go toward assistance for infants born to mothers who are addicted to drugs. ‘It’s unfortunately hugely prominent in West Virginia,’ said Dr. Scott Woodard, the director of the concert…. [Woodard said] one of the most interesting aspects of the concert is having professionals collaborate with students and amateurs … providing valuable teaching moments for the less experienced. Roughly 140 musicians participated in total, he said. Encouraging collaboration for a good cause is a vital part of the concert, said Joe Tackett, president of the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra…. The orchestra and West Virginia State University held the first … benefit concert last year, in which donations went toward replacing instruments, uniforms and other items for high school music programs affected by the June 2016 flood. The concert raised roughly $15,000.”
Posted August 28, 2017
