The Wheeling Symphony's 2023 Young People's Concerts were held at the Washington Park School auditorium on April 12, 2023 at 8:20am and 9:30am for all students in grades 1 - 6. This educational concert featured Guest Artist Beatboxer Christylez Bacon, Maestro John Devlin, and Wheeling Symphony musicians. 

Christylez Bacon is a GRAMMY Nominated Progressive Hip-Hop artist and multi-instrumentalist from Southeast, Washington, D.C. As a performer, Christylez multi-tasks between various instruments such as the West African Djembe drum, acoustic guitar, and the human beatbox (oral percussion), all while continuing the oral tradition of storytelling through his lyrics. 

  At the concert, the students were asked to join "Indiana Tones" and her two friends, Christylez and Maestro John, as they traveled around the world to find the special beat to unlock Indy's recovered treasure chest. From Ghana to Ireland and back, this program (featuring the new "Migrations In Rhythm: A Concerto For Beatbox And Rhyme" by Evan Meier, and commissioned by the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra) taught students how different cultures blend various rhythms together to become the genres of music we know and love today. 

Students and staff all seemed very impressed with the concert and enjoyed it a great deal. The symphony members were equally impressed with our student's behavior and reception to their performance as well!

Posted: April 2023