West Chester University Symphony Orchestra Presents Simply Transformational on November 15
West Chester University’s Wells School of Music Presents the WCU Symphony Orchestra (WCUSO), conducted by WCU Director of Orchestral Studies Paul Bryan, will present its fall concert, Simply Transformational, on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. in the Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre, located in the Swope Music Building and Performing Arts Center, 817 S. High Street, West Chester. The performance is free and open to the public, and tickets are not required. The concert will also be available via livestream at: https://vimeo.com/wsom.
Composers throughout history have used music to portray change, and this program beautifully explores that theme. The evening opens with Paul Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice — a dazzling orchestral work made famous by its inclusion in Disney’s Fantasia. The program continues its exploration of magical transformation with three movements from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty . The concert concludes with Paul Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes by Carl Maria von Weber, a vibrant and imaginative masterpiece that transforms Weber’s original material into a symphonic tour de force.
“The idea of transformation runs through every piece on this program,” says conductor and WCU Director or Orchestral Studies Paul Bryan. “Each composer takes something familiar — whether it’s a story, a melody, or a musical form — and turns it into something completely new. It’s a perfect way to showcase how music continually reinvents itself.”
The WCUSO offers musicians from the Wells School of Music (WSOM) and the broader West Chester University student community the opportunity to develop their technical playing, musicianship, and artistry through the study of standard and contemporary orchestral repertoire and seven to eight performances each year. On many occasions, the WCUSO is joined by soloists including WSOM faculty members, student winners of the annual Concerto Competition, and internationally renowned guest artists.
West Chester University’s Wells School of Music offers nationally accredited programs and exceptional performance opportunities for students pursuing careers in music education, performance, composition, and more.