Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra

We have attended several times and finally became season ticket holders this year. The OKC Philharmonic is on par with other large cities! Especially looking forward to seeing Yo-​Yo Ma this Spring!

In thinking about the symphony, I can’t help but to wonder about my ancestors…
Under the Habsburg dynasty in Vienna, my old family contributed to the fabric of the city for centuries. While Mozart composed works of unrivaled and unprecedented beauty– the likes of «Symphony No. 25,» «Lacrimosa,» and «Dies Irae”– and later Strauss, famed for his classic waltz piece, and likewise an ode to the city’s famed Danube, my ancestors proudly called Vienna home. They watched the city rise to become the heart of culture in Europe, and they remained in the city until nearly a decade after World War II.
Now, here I am in a place that is the polar opposite of Austria’s esteemed capital. The Oklahoma City Philharmonic certainly leaves something to be desired. While anything «Oklahoma City (insert cultural venue here)» makes one want to pinch the city on the cheek and say, «oh, that’s so cute!» it still leaves a cultural void and vacancy for the would-​be attendee. Their schedule is quite sporadic and erratic, and performances are relatively far apart from each other. This is in contrast to the New York Philharmonic, where musicians perform frequently and almost year-​round. Sadly, it seems that musicians in the Oklahoma City Philharmonic need to request a night off from their shifts at Starbucks to perform on the occasional night they do have a show.
I do give it two stars for effort, and being a step or two above what one might expect: «A Night With Toby Keith: An Orchestral Experience of a Homegrown Maestro»…or «Blue Collar Opera: Featuring Larry the Cable Guy and Brett Butler in a duet of ‘Libiamo né’lieti calici’, Bill Engvall singing «Habanera» and Jeff Foxworthy performing ‘O mio babbino caro’.» While it seems to have managed to stay around, this organization needs some improvement, but methinks the local market will not support an expansion.