Westerville Symphony

05/05/2026

Thank you to everyone who attended the Masterworks III concert! The Westerville Historical Society and Museum presented some very interesting Westerville history and artifacts. The Westerville Fund was on hand to talk about their mission - 50 years of community support! Everyone enjoyed the world premiere piece by Westerville's own Jennifer Merkowitz.

04/25/2026

🎼 A sneak peek at something truly special…

Tomorrow night, the Westerville Symphony will present the world premiere of “Till All Success Be Nobleness,” a newly commissioned orchestral work by composer Jennifer Bernard Merkowitz, inspired by the history and spirit of Westerville.

In this rehearsal clip, Jennifer sits in the hall with Maestro Peter Stafford Wilson and the orchestra, shaping the final details of the piece before its first-ever public performance.

✨ Be among the first to experience this music live.

🎶 Masterworks III: A Symphonic Celebration of America250
📅 Sunday, April 26
🕓 Pre-Concert Talk at 4:00 PM
🎻 Concert at 5:00 PM
📍 Fritsche Theatre at Cowan Hall, Otterbein University

Presented by The Westerville Fund
World Premiere Commission Supported by the Johnstone Fund for New Music
Pre-Concert Talk Presented in Partnership with the Westerville Historical Society and Westerville History Museum

🎟 Tickets: https://bit.ly/WSOMW3

Join us for an unforgettable evening of music, history, and a once-in-a-generation world premiere.

04/24/2026

📸 Photo by Gary Gardiner

Jennifer Bernard Merkowitz, Composer sat in the hall Thursday evening as the Westerville Symphony brought her newly commissioned work, “Till All Success Be Nobleness,” to life for the very first time.

✨ The special rehearsal preview welcomed select donors, civic leaders, sponsors, and community partners for an inside look at the creative process behind this world premiere.

Thank you to Gary Gardiner and WestervilleOH.IO for capturing this memorable evening ahead of Sunday’s performance.

Presented by The Westerville Fund, and with the world premiere commission supported by the Johnstone Fund for New Music, this special program celebrates Westerville’s history through music as part of our America 250 observance.

🕓 Before the concert, join the Westerville Historical Society and Westerville History Museum for a special pre-concert talk at 4:00 PM exploring the historical inspiration behind the new work.

🎶 Masterworks III: A Symphonic Celebration of America250
📅 Sunday, April 26 at 5:00 PM (Pre-concert talk at 4:00 PM)
📍 Fritsche Theatre at Cowan Hall

🎟 Tickets: https://bit.ly/WSOMW3
📰 Read Gary’s full feature: https://bit.ly/WSOFeature

Join us for an unforgettable evening of music, history, and community celebration.

04/22/2026

🇺🇸 Westerville’s America 250 celebration is officially in motion and it begins with the Symphony.

We are honored to be featured by Visit Westerville as the opening event in this citywide celebration, with Masterworks III this Sunday setting the tone through music, history, and community.

Featuring a world premiere by Jennifer Bernard Merkowitz, inspired by Westerville’s story, this moment is made possible through the support and partnership of The Westerville Fund, the Johnstone Fund for New Music, the Westerville History Museum, and the Westerville Historical Society.

This is more than a concert. It is our city’s voice as part of a national moment.

Come be part of it with us 🎶
🎟 https://bit.ly/WSOMW3

🇺🇸 New on the America250 Westerville Blog: A look at how America250 is unfolding across the city this year.

From performances and community traditions to historical exhibits and programming, these offerings provide different ways to connect to the stories that have shaped Westerville's past and present.

🔗 Read more at www.visitwesterville.org/america250-in-motion/

04/21/2026

🇺🇸 Westerville’s America 250 celebration comes to life this Sunday 🎶

Join the Westerville Symphony for Masterworks III on April 26 at 5:00 PM, a powerful evening that brings together music, history, and community. At the heart of the program is a world premiere by Jennifer Bernard Merkowitz, "Till All Success Be Nobleness," written specifically for Westerville and inspired by our city’s history! ✨

🕓 Arrive early for the 4:00 PM pre concert talk with the composer, the Westerville History Museum, and the Westerville Historical Society, plus special Westerville historical artifacts on display in the lobby.

From this one-of-a-kind premiere to the sweeping sound of Gershwin’s Catfish Row, this is a night that celebrates both America’s story and Westerville’s place within it. ❤️

Presented by The Westerville Fund, with special thanks to the Johnstone Fund for New Music, the Westerville History Museum, and the Westerville Historical Society.

🎟 Tickets available now | Students FREE with Student ID at the box office
👉 https://bit.ly/WSOMW3

04/18/2026

GERSHWIN FANS REJOICE!! See you next Sunday at the Westerville Symphony Concert.

04/17/2026

The America's 250th program on April 26 at 5pm includes three great works - including Catfish Row by Gershwin, Variations on America by Charles Ives, and a world premiere piece by Otterbein professor Jennifer Merkowitz! In this video, Maestro Peter Stafford Wilson discusses Charles Ives and his irresistible Variations on America. Ives takes a tune every American knows and spins it into something utterly unexpected: playful, irreverent, and shot through with the kind of creative freedom that defines the American spirit at its best. It is guaranteed to make you smile. Hear it on April 26!

04/05/2026

🐰🌷🎻 Happy Easter from your Westerville Symphony!

May your day be filled with beautiful music, bright spring colors, and joyful moments with the people you love. We are so grateful for our wonderful Symphony family and the community that makes the music possible.

03/30/2026

As Westerville and the nation count down to the 250th anniversary of America's founding, the Westerville Symphony rises to the occasion with a program that is equal parts celebration, reflection, and revelation. This is music that tells the American story: boldly, beautifully, and with a depth that only a live symphony orchestra can deliver. More than a concert, this is the Symphony's gift to its community and a night you will not forget.

PROGRAM -
🎵 Jenny Bernard Merkowitz , composer and Otterbein University faculty member, offers the WORLD PREMIERE of Til All Success Be Nobleness, a new work commissioned expressly for this milestone year and rooted in the very soil of Westerville's history. Made possible through the generous partnership of the Westerville History Museum , the Westerville Historical Society , and the Johnstone Fund for New Music , this commission ensures that Westerville's voice is heard as America marks 250 years.

🎵Charles Ives and his irresistible Variations on America.

🎵George Gershwin's Catfish Row, the symphonic suite drawn from the groundbreaking opera Porgy and Bess.

🤩🎻🎺
Together, these three works trace the arc of the American experience: its courage, its creativity, and its ever-evolving voice. Don't miss your chance to be part of this once-in-a-generation celebration. Tickets available at our website. Free tickets are available for students at our website.