A musical part of The Smithsonian Institution to perform in North Central West Virginia

Times West Virginian, Fairmont
·3 min read

Aug. 30—CLARKSBURG — One of America's treasured jewels of jazz is heading to North Central West Virginia.

The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra is scheduled to perform November 3 at 7 p.m. at the Robinson Grand Performing Arts Center at 444 Pike St. The concert is sponsored through a partnership with The Cultural Foundation of Harrison County, the Barbara B. Highland Fund for the Arts and the West Virginia Jazz Society.

Recognizing the importance of jazz in American culture, the U.S. Congress authorized the establishment of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra in 1990 as the orchestra-in-residence at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.

The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra offers a soundtrack filled with rhythm, texture, and color under the artistic direction of maestro Charlie Young.

"The Smithsonian's visit to Clarksburg has been delayed twice by the pandemic," Robinson Grand Program Manager Jason A. Young said. "We are excited for it to finally happen and think our audience will be blown away by the show."

Scheduled to appear with The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra' is vocal standout Sharon Clark who has made multiple international tours, from Europe to Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Russia, where she has developed a major following. She has performed as a featured soloist with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, the Richmond Symphony and the Baltimore Symphony.

"In addition to the concert, the orchestra and Ms. Clark will be providing educational opportunities to Harrison County students in the days leading up to the public performance," Young said. "All of this is made possible through great partners like the Cultural Foundation and the WV Jazz Society."

Established in 1972, The Cultural Foundation of Harrison County works to foster an arts-rich environment and to help residents engage in the development and appreciation of all art forms, while also promoting the growth of artistic, cultural and economic development.

The Barbara B. Highland Fund for the Arts provides funds to The Cultural Foundation of Harrison County for the engagement of fine arts presentations of a national scope in Harrison County. The endowment is named after Barbara Brennan Highland and is a reflection of her character, personality and love for the community.

"The Cultural Foundation has always prioritized providing artistic educational opportunities for students in the community," Cultural Foundation President Andy Walker said. "We are thrilled to have the unique opportunity to bring world-class jazz performance and education to Harrison County."

The West Virginia Jazz Society's mission is to identify and develop the market for live jazz music in West Virginia in order to enhance local culture and music education in the community.

Tickets for the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra start at $15 and are currently one sale to Friends of the Robinson Grand and Members of The Cultural Foundation of Harrison County. The general public can purchase tickets on Friday, September 1, 2023, at 10 a.m. All tickets can be purchased online at tickets.therobinsongrand.com or by calling the Robinson Grand ticketing center at 855-773-6283.