Student Registration Form

What’s Special About This Concert:

• Students perform side-by-side with members of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony, gaining real-world orchestral experience in a supportive, professional setting.

• From Brahms’ lively Hungarian Dances to Sibelius’ stirring Karelia Suite, this program explores music full of rhythm, color, and national character.

• The concert closes with crowd favorites—cinematic highlights from Jurassic Park and a joyful tribute to our home state with Rodgers’ Oklahoma!

The Program:

Digital Program

• SIBELIUS: Karelia Suite, op. 11 (1893)

  • 1. Intermezzo | 4 mins

  • 3. March | 4 mins

• BRAHMS: Hungarian Dance No. 2 in D minor, WoO 1 | 3 mins

• BRAHMS: Hungarian Dance No. 7 in F major, WoO 1 | 2 mins

• WILLIAMS/arr. Custer: Jurassic Park (Highlights) | 11 mins

• RODGERS: Oklahoma! (1943) | 4 mins

YouTube Concert Playlist

Featured Musicians:

• Kaleb Benda, Music Director & Conductor

• Student Musicians

• Musicians of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony

Additional Information:

• Admission is free.

• Approximately 45 minutes with no intermission.

• See our Concert FAQ Page for information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

What’s Special About This Concert:

• We celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with a world premiere by our Composer-in-Residence, Hamed Erfani, reflecting on the nation's past, present, and future.

• Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait combines sweeping American melodies with the powerful words of Abraham Lincoln—narrated live from the stage.

• Amy Beach’s “Gaelic” Symphony was the first symphony published by an American woman and blends Celtic folk influences with the grandeur of the Romantic tradition.

The Program:

Digital Program

• Hamed Erfani: TBA (world premiere) (2026) | 5 mins

• COPLAND: Lincoln Portrait (1942) | 14 mins

• AMY BEACH: Symphony No. 3 in E minor, op. 32 “Gaelic” (1894) | 41 mins

YouTube Concert Playlist

Featured Musicians:

• Kaleb Benda, Music Director & Conductor

• Hamed Erfani, Composer in Residence

• Musicians of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony

Additional Information:

• Admission is free.

• Approximately 75 minutes with no intermission.

• See our Concert FAQ Page for information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

What’s Special About This Concert:

• Louise Farrenc was the only woman to hold a permanent faculty position at the Paris Conservatory in the 19th century—her Overture No. 2 is a bold, dramatic work that showcases her overlooked brilliance as a symphonic composer.

• One of our own—an Oklahoma Chamber Symphony musician—steps into the spotlight as soloist, performing a concerto chosen through our annual competition.

• Schubert’s “Tragic” Symphony offers stormy drama and lyrical beauty from a composer just 19 years old when he wrote it—bridging the Classical and Romantic styles.

The Program:

Digital Program

• FARRENC: Overture No. 2 in E-flat major, op. 24 (1834) | 7 mins

• RICHARD STRAUSS: Horn Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, op. 11 (1883) | 15 mins

Colton Privette, Horn (Concerto Competition Winner)

• SCHUBERT: Symphony No. 4 in C minor, D. 417 “Tragic” (1816) | 31 mins

• JOHANN STRAUSS JR.: Thunder and Lightning Polka, op. 324 (1868) | 3 mins

YouTube Concert Playlist

Featured Musicians:

• Kaleb Benda, Music Director & Conductor

• Colton Privette, OCS Concerto Competition Winner

• Musicians of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony

Additional Information:

• Admission is free.

• Approximately 60 minutes with no intermission.

• See our Concert FAQ Page for information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

Join us at First Church OKC for a reflective Good Friday service featuring music by the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony. This solemn and moving service will include Florence Price’s Adoration and David Holsinger’s On a Hymning of Philip Bliss, offering moments of beauty and contemplation in honor of the day. All are welcome to attend.

What’s Special About This Concert:

• This performance is presented in collaboration with Crown Heights Christian Church as the church’s Maundy Thursday worship service, marking the beginning of the Easter Triduum. The concert invites audiences to experience Haydn’s sacred masterpiece within the context of Holy Week reflection. This performance will be sung in English.

• The service will be presented as a candlelight concert illuminated by more than 400 candles throughout the sanctuary. The warm glow of candlelight lining the aisles, altar, and performance space creates an intimate and contemplative setting for this powerful Holy Week meditation.

• Joseph Haydn’s The Seven Last Words of Christ was originally composed in 1786 for a Good Friday service in Cádiz, Spain. In the original service, the church was darkened while the music unfolded between reflections on Christ’s final words from the cross. This performance draws inspiration from that historic presentation.

• The work meditates on Christ’s final words from the cross in a series of deeply expressive movements. In this performance, the texts of the “Seven Last Words” will be sung in English by the Crown Heights Christian Church Chancel Choir, allowing listeners to follow the Passion narrative as the music unfolds.

• The performance brings together musicians of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony and the Crown Heights Christian Church Chancel Choir under the direction of Music Director Kaleb Benda, highlighting a meaningful collaboration between orchestra and church community.

The Program:

• HAYDN: The Seven Last Words of Christ (1786) | 56 mins

  • Sung in English

YouTube Concert Playlist

Featured Musicians:

• Kaleb Benda, Music Director & Conductor

• Musicians of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony

• Crown Heights Christian Church Chancel Choir

Additional Information:

• Admission is free.

• Approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes with no intermission.

• See our Concert FAQ Page for information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

What’s Special About This Concert:

• The concert opens with Chabrier’s España, a brilliant orchestral postcard inspired by the composer’s travels through Spain, bursting with dance rhythms, color, and infectious energy.

• Guitarist Chris Unzicker performs Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, one of the most beloved guitar concertos ever written. Its iconic slow movement evokes the gardens of the royal palace at Aranjuez and remains one of the most emotionally powerful moments in the orchestral repertoire.

• Unzicker previously collaborated with the orchestra this summer, and his return brings a fresh perspective to a work that sits at the heart of the Spanish guitar tradition.

• Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol closes the program with a dazzling display of orchestral color, featuring virtuosic solos throughout the ensemble and drawing on Spanish folk melodies and dance forms.

• Together, these works explore Spain through the imaginations of composers from across Europe, creating a program rich in rhythm, atmosphere, and instrumental brilliance.

The Program:

Digital Program

• CHABRIER: España (1883) | 8 mins

• RODRIGO: Concierto de Aranjuez (1939) | 21 mins

  • Chris Unzicker, guitar

• RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Spanish Caprice (“Capriccio Espagnol), op. 34 (1887) | 15 mins

YouTube Concert Playlist

Featured Musicians:

• Kaleb Benda, Music Director & Conductor

• Musicians of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony

• Chris Unzicker, guitar

Additional Information:

• Admission is free.

• Approximately 60 minutes with no intermission.

• See our Concert FAQ Page for information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

Sponsor Spotlight: An Evening by Candlelight
As a thank-you to our generous supporters, the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony invites sponsors who contribute $50/month or more to an exclusive candlelight concert. This intimate evening will feature a stunning string program including Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, Elgar’s Serenade for Strings, and contemporary favorites like Libertango, A Million Dreams, and Viva La Vida.

Following the performance, guests are invited to a charcuterie reception to meet and mingle with OCS musicians. The concert venue will be shared directly with those on the guest list. This event is free for eligible sponsors as a token of our gratitude.

Interested in attending this concert? Join our Encore Society or Ovation Association to get your exclusive entry for you and your guests! Location will be included on your invitation.

What’s Special About This Concert:

• Festivities begin at 6:00pm with a free hot chocolate bar.

• Get your holiday shopping done while supporting Oklahoma Chamber Symphony at raffle

• The Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Wizards in Winter, Dreams of Fireflies, Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24, and A Mad Russian’s Christmas bring a rock-and-roll energy to the season, with soaring electric guitars, powerful orchestra, and dazzling rhythms.

• We open with Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Christmas Overture, a joyful, rarely heard gem filled with traditional carols — performed in honor of the 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth.

• Experience a rare holiday treasure: William Henry Fry’s Santa Claus Symphony — the first known American symphony, written in 1853. This charming and cinematic work tells the entire story of Christmas Eve, from the quiet of midnight to the joyful arrival of Santa’s sleigh.

• Celebrate the season’s diversity with Jonathan Allentoff’s Chanukah Divertimento, followed by a sleigh-full of favorites from Leroy Anderson

The Program:

Digital Program

• COLERIDGE-TAYLOR: Christmas Overture, op. 74, no. 1 (1908) | 5 mins

  Performed in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth

• WILLIAM HENRY FRY: Santa Claus Christmas Symphony (1853) | 26 mins

• JONATHAN ALLENTOFF: Chanukah Divertimento (2008) | 5 mins

• ANDERSON: Sleigh Ride (1948) | 3 mins

• TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA: Wizards in Winter (2004) | 3 mins

• TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA: Dreams of Fireflies (2012) | 3 mins

• TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA: Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 (1995) | 3 mins

• TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA: A Mad Russian’s Christmas (1996) | 4 mins

• ANDERSON: A Christmas Festival (1950) | 7 mins

Featured Musicians:

• Kaleb Benda, Music Director & Conductor

• Musicians of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony

Additional Information:

• Admission is free.

• Approximately 90 minutes, including a 15 minute intermission.

• See our Concert FAQ Page for more information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

What’s Special About This Concert:

• Celebrate Día de Muertos with the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony in a night filled with vibrant rhythms, colorful melodies, and music that honors life, memory, and tradition.

• Moncayo’s Huapango has been called the "second national anthem of Mexico" — a joyful, high-energy piece based on three traditional Mexican dance rhythms from Veracruz.

• Revueltas’ Sensemayá is inspired by a poem about an Afro-Caribbean ritual to kill a snake. The music’s heavy drums and hypnotic rhythms create an intense, almost trance-like atmosphere.

• Straight from Disney and Pixar’s Coco, Remember Me captures the heart of Día de Muertos: the idea that our loved ones live on as long as we remember them.

• The Coco Medley brings more of the film’s unforgettable songs to life with full orchestra, celebrating family, heritage, and joyful remembrance.

• Manuel Ponce’s Ferial paints a musical picture of a festive fair in Mexico, blending lively folk tunes with elegant orchestral writing — a celebration full of life and spirit.

• We close with Márquez’s Danzón No. 2, one of the most famous pieces of contemporary Mexican music, known for its irresistible dance rhythms and rich, soulful melodies that make it impossible to sit still.

The Program:

• JOSÉ MONCAYO: Huapango (1941) | 7 mins

• SILVESTRE REVUELTAS: Sensemayá, R. 67 (1938) | 7 mins

• KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ & DAVID LOPEZ/arr. McCoy: Remember Me from “Coco” (2017) | 2 mins

• KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ & DAVID LOPEZ/arr. Hoh: Coco Medley (2017) | 5 mins

• MANUEL PONCE: Ferial (Symphonic Divertimento) (1940) | 16 mins

• ARTURO MÁRQUEZ: Danzon No. 2 (1994) | 10 mins

YouTube Concert Playlist

Featured Musicians:

• Kaleb Benda, Music Director & Conductor

• Musicians of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony

Additional Information:

• Admission is free.

• Approximately 60 minutes with no intermission.

• See our Concert FAQ Page for information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

Qué tiene de especial este concierto

• Celebre el Día de Muertos con la Sinfónica de Cámara de Oklahoma en una noche llena de ritmos vibrantes, melodías coloridas y música que honra la vida, la memoria y la tradición.

• El Huapango de Moncayo ha sido llamado el "segundo himno nacional de México": una pieza alegre y llena de energía basada en tres ritmos de danza tradicionales mexicanos de Veracruz.

• El Sensemayá de Revueltas está inspirado en un poema sobre un ritual afrocaribeño para matar una serpiente. Los tambores potentes y los ritmos hipnóticos de la música crean una atmósfera intensa, casi de trance.

• Directamente sacado de Coco, de Disney y Pixar, Remember Me captura la esencia del Día de Muertos: la idea de que nuestros seres queridos viven mientras los recordemos.

• El Coco Medley da vida a más de las inolvidables canciones de la película con orquesta completa, celebrando la familia, la herencia y el alegre recuerdo.

• El Ferial de Manuel Ponce pinta una imagen musical de una feria festiva en México, combinando animadas melodías folclóricas con elegantes composiciones orquestales: una celebración llena de vida y espíritu.

• Cerramos con el Danzón n.° 2 de Márquez, una de las piezas más famosas de la música mexicana contemporánea, conocida por sus irresistibles ritmos bailables y sus melodías ricas y conmovedoras que invitan a quedarse quieto.

El Programa:

• JOSÉ MONCAYO: Huapango (1941) | 7 min

• SILVESTRE REVUELTAS: Sensemayá, R. 67 (1938) | 7 min

• KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ y DAVID LOPEZ/arr. McCoy: Remember Me de “Coco” (2017) | 2 min

• KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ y DAVID LOPEZ/arr. Hoh: Coco Medley (2017) | 5 minutos

• MANUEL PONCE: Ferial (Divertimento Sinfónico) (1940) | 16 minutos

• ARTURO MÁRQUEZ: Danzón n.° 2 (1994) | 10 minutos

Lista de reproducción de conciertos en YouTube

Músicos destacados:

• Kaleb Benda, Director musical y director de orquesta

• Músicos de la Orquesta Sinfónica de Cámara de Oklahoma

Información adicional:

• Entrada gratuita.

• Aproximadamente 60 minutos sin intermedio.

• Consulte nuestra página de preguntas frecuentes sobre conciertos para obtener información sobre estacionamiento, entrada, asientos y más.

What’s Special About This Concert:

• Celebrate Día de Muertos with the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony in a night filled with vibrant rhythms, colorful melodies, and music that honors life, memory, and tradition.

• Moncayo’s Huapango has been called the "second national anthem of Mexico" — a joyful, high-energy piece based on three traditional Mexican dance rhythms from Veracruz.

• Revueltas’ Sensemayá is inspired by a poem about an Afro-Caribbean ritual to kill a snake. The music’s heavy drums and hypnotic rhythms create an intense, almost trance-like atmosphere.

• Straight from Disney and Pixar’s Coco, Remember Me captures the heart of Día de Muertos: the idea that our loved ones live on as long as we remember them.

• The Coco Medley brings more of the film’s unforgettable songs to life with full orchestra, celebrating family, heritage, and joyful remembrance.

• Manuel Ponce’s Ferial paints a musical picture of a festive fair in Mexico, blending lively folk tunes with elegant orchestral writing — a celebration full of life and spirit.

• We close with Márquez’s Danzón No. 2, one of the most famous pieces of contemporary Mexican music, known for its irresistible dance rhythms and rich, soulful melodies that make it impossible to sit still.

The Program:

Digital Program

• JOSÉ MONCAYO: Huapango (1941) | 7 mins

• SILVESTRE REVUELTAS: Sensemayá, R. 67 (1938) | 7 mins

• KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ & DAVID LOPEZ/arr. McCoy: Remember Me from “Coco” (2017) | 2 mins

• KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ & DAVID LOPEZ/arr. Hoh: Coco Medley (2017) | 5 mins

• MANUEL PONCE: Ferial (Symphonic Divertimento) (1940) | 16 mins

• ARTURO MÁRQUEZ: Danzon No. 2 (1994) | 10 mins

YouTube Concert Playlist

Featured Musicians:

• Kaleb Benda, Music Director & Conductor

• Musicians of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony

Additional Information:

• Admission is free.

• Approximately 60 minutes with no intermission.

• See our Concert FAQ Page for information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

Qué tiene de especial este concierto

• Celebre el Día de Muertos con la Sinfónica de Cámara de Oklahoma en una noche llena de ritmos vibrantes, melodías coloridas y música que honra la vida, la memoria y la tradición.

• El Huapango de Moncayo ha sido llamado el "segundo himno nacional de México": una pieza alegre y llena de energía basada en tres ritmos de danza tradicionales mexicanos de Veracruz.

• El Sensemayá de Revueltas está inspirado en un poema sobre un ritual afrocaribeño para matar una serpiente. Los tambores potentes y los ritmos hipnóticos de la música crean una atmósfera intensa, casi de trance.

• Directamente sacado de Coco, de Disney y Pixar, Remember Me captura la esencia del Día de Muertos: la idea de que nuestros seres queridos viven mientras los recordemos.

• El Coco Medley da vida a más de las inolvidables canciones de la película con orquesta completa, celebrando la familia, la herencia y el alegre recuerdo.

• El Ferial de Manuel Ponce pinta una imagen musical de una feria festiva en México, combinando animadas melodías folclóricas con elegantes composiciones orquestales: una celebración llena de vida y espíritu.

• Cerramos con el Danzón n.° 2 de Márquez, una de las piezas más famosas de la música mexicana contemporánea, conocida por sus irresistibles ritmos bailables y sus melodías ricas y conmovedoras que invitan a quedarse quieto.

El Programa:

• JOSÉ MONCAYO: Huapango (1941) | 7 min

• SILVESTRE REVUELTAS: Sensemayá, R. 67 (1938) | 7 min

• KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ y DAVID LOPEZ/arr. McCoy: Remember Me de “Coco” (2017) | 2 min

• KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ y DAVID LOPEZ/arr. Hoh: Coco Medley (2017) | 5 minutos

• MANUEL PONCE: Ferial (Divertimento Sinfónico) (1940) | 16 minutos

• ARTURO MÁRQUEZ: Danzón n.° 2 (1994) | 10 minutos

Lista de reproducción de conciertos en YouTube

Músicos destacados:

• Kaleb Benda, Director musical y director de orquesta

• Músicos de la Orquesta Sinfónica de Cámara de Oklahoma

Información adicional:

• Entrada gratuita.

• Aproximadamente 60 minutos sin intermedio.

• Consulte nuestra página de preguntas frecuentes sobre conciertos para obtener información sobre estacionamiento, entrada, asientos y más.

What’s Special About This Concert:

• Be in the audience for a world premiere as the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony debuts a brand-new work by our Composer-in-Residence, Hamed Erfani, — written just for us and performed for the very first time!

• Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances were inspired by real village musicians he recorded on early field equipment. Some of the original performers were so poor, they played on homemade wooden instruments — but their music was full of life and soul.

• Florence Price’s Dances in the Canebrakes was originally written for solo piano and orchestrated by her close friend William Grant Still. The piece captures the spirit of early 20th-century Black communities in the American South, blending classical music with the rhythms of ragtime.

• Beethoven once called rhythm “the soul of music” — and his Seventh Symphony proves it. Richard Wagner famously described it as "the apotheosis of the dance," and its driving energy makes it one of Beethoven’s most exciting symphonies.

The Program:

Digital Program

• Hamed Erfani (Composer in Residence): TBA (world premiere) (2025) | ~10 mins

• BARTÓK: Romanian Folk Dances, BB. 76 (1915) | 6 mins

• FLORENCE PRICE: Dances in the Canebrakes (1953) | 9 mins

• BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 7 in A major, op. 92 (1812) | 36 mins

YouTube Concert Playlist

Featured Musicians:

• Kaleb Benda, Music Director & Conductor

• Musicians of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony

Additional Information:

• Admission is free.

• Approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.

• See our Concert FAQ Page for information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

Celebrate International Make Music on the Porch Day with the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony String Quartet! Made up of our principal string players, this quartet will perform one of Beethoven’s iconic string quartets in a special 30-minute outdoor concert. Join us on the patio at The Big Friendly for this global celebration of music in community spaces—no ticket required, just come and enjoy live chamber music on the porch. Admission is free.

Join the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony cello section for an evening of rich, resonant sound in a relaxed setting! This special chamber concert at The Big Friendly brewery features a 30-minute program of music for cello ensemble—ranging from classical favorites to unexpected gems. Grab a drink, find a seat, and enjoy an up-close musical experience with the low strings of the OCS. Admission is free.

What’s Special About This Concert:

The Oklahoma Chamber Symphony partners with the Celedonio Romero Guitar Institute for a landmark event: the first-ever guitar concerto masterclass with full orchestra at the Leyenda Convention. Participants from around the world will perform Vivaldi’s and Rodrigo’s most celebrated guitar concertos, marking their orchestral solo debuts.

The Program:

• RODRIGO: Concierto Andaluz

• RODRIGO: Concierto de Aranjuez

• RODRIGO: Fantasía para un gentilhombre

Youtube Playlist

This masterclass will be artistically directed by the legendary Los Romeros, offering a rare opportunity to experience the next generation of classical guitarists accompanied by full orchestra.

More information available at leyenda-foundation.com.

What’s Special About This Concert:

The Oklahoma Chamber Symphony partners with the Celedonio Romero Guitar Institute for a landmark event: the first-ever guitar concerto masterclass with full orchestra at the Leyenda Convention. Participants from around the world will perform Vivaldi’s and Rodrigo’s most celebrated guitar concertos, marking their orchestral solo debuts.

The Program:

• VIVALDI: Mandolin Concerto in C major, RV 425

• VIVALDI: Lute Concerto in D major, RV 93

Youtube Playlist

This masterclass will be artistically directed by the legendary Los Romeros, offering a rare opportunity to experience the next generation of classical guitarists accompanied by full orchestra.

More information available at leyenda-foundation.com.

Join the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony at the ballpark as we help kick off an exciting night of baseball and space-themed fun! OCS will perform the national anthem, followed by iconic music from Star Wars and 2001: A Space Odyssey before the Oklahoma City Comets take on their next opponent.

This special performance is part of the Comets’ space-themed game night, celebrating adventure, imagination, and America's favorite pastime. Regular Comets game tickets are required for entry; no separate OCS ticket is needed.

Grab your tickets, wear your team colors — and get ready for an unforgettable evening under the stars!

What’s Special About This Concert:

• Oklahoma Chamber Symphony performed Hungarian composer Franz Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2. Originally composed for piano, this rhapsody’s melodies were borrowed by cartoons, commercials, and other media forms. You are sure to recognize some of the tunes. Having studied at the Liszt Academy, and in the Liszt Archives of the composer’s home in Budapest, Maestro Benda will bring special insight to the piece.

• OCS principal flute Kat Herbison shares the spotlight as the winner of the annual Oklahoma Chamber Symphony Concerto Competition.

• While spending some vacation time in Bohemia, Beethoven began to realize that he was going deaf, the worst travesty for a musician. Hear the symphony he composed to help him through this time of his life.

• Bridging the gap between Beethoven’s stay in Bohemia, and Liszt’s rhapsody, OCS concludes the concert with Queen’s iconic Bohemian Rhapsody.

The Program:

Digital Concert Program

• LISZT/arr. Müller-Berghaus: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C minor (1851) | 11 mins

• MOZART: Flute Concerto No. 2 in D major, KV 314 (1778) | 21 mins

  • Kat Herbison, flute

• RICHARD ROGERS: Oklahoma! (1943) | 4 mins

• BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 2 in D major, op. 36 (1802) | 32 mins

• FREDDIE MERCURY/arr. Peter Martin: Bohemian Rhapsody (1975) | 5 mins

Featured Musicians:

• Kaleb Benda, Music Director & Conductor

• Kat Herbison, flute

  • Oklahoma Chamber Symphony 2024-2025 Concerto Competition Winner

• Musicians of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony

Additional Information:

• Admission is free.

• Approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.

• See our Concert FAQ Page for information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

What’s Special About This Concert:

• Composer in Residence, Clint Williams, gives the world premiere performance of a requiem composed specifically for the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the OKC Bombing.

• OCS will give a performance of Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings in the hall built due to the damage our venue sustained in the bombing.

• Dvořák’s A Hero’s Song tells the story of the Oklahoma Standard; a people rising and helping their neighbors to overcome tragedy.

The Program:

Digital Program

• BARBER: Adagio for Strings, op. 11 (1936) | 10 mins

• CLINT WILLIAMS: Elegy (2025) | 20 mins

  • World Premiere Performance

• SIBELIUS: In Memoriam, op. 59 (1909) | 5 mins

• DVOŘÁK: A Hero’s Song, op. 111 (1897) | 23 mins

Featured Musicians:

• Kaleb Benda, Music Director & Conductor

• Clint Williams, Composer in Residence

• Musicians of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony

Additional Information:

• Admission is free.

• Approximately 75 minutes with no intermission.

• See our Concert FAQ Page for information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

What’s Special About This Concert:

• Oklahoma Chamber Symphony musicians and local student musicians will perform side by side to present a concert featuring music from video games, musicals, opera, and more!

The Program:

Digital Program

• BIZET: Toreador March from Carmen (1874) | 2 mins

  • Katie Crim, conducting fellow

• BIZET: Habanera from Carmen (1874) | 2 mins

  • Katie Crim, conducting fellow

• CLINT WILLIAMS: TBA | 5 mins

• SCHWARTZ/arr. Ted Ricketts: Wicked (Highlights) (2003) | 4 mins

• Arr. Ford: Video Games Live Suite | 11 mins

• SIBELIUS: Finlandia, op. 26 (1900) | 8 mins

• RICHARD ROGERS: Oklahoma! (1943) | 4 mins

Featured Musicians:

• Kaleb Benda, Music Director & Conductor

• Katie Crim, Conducting Fellow

• Clint Williams, Composer in Residence

• Musicians of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony

• Student Musicians from the Oklahoma City Metro

Additional Information:

• Admission is free.

• Approximately 60 minutes with no intermission.

• See our Concert FAQ Page for information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

What’s Special About This Concert:

• This concert features two rarely heard British composers, Ethel Smyth and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Ethel Smyth joined the women’s suffrage movement, composing March of the Women as an anthem for the movement. Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was referred to as the “African Mahler” because of the success he achieved, paired with his symphonic writing.

• Austrian composer, Franz Joseph Haydn, composed his 104th symphony, titled the “London Symphony” for a trip to the symphony’s namesake city.

• It can’t be the British Invasion without music from the band that started it all, The Beatles.

The Program:

Click Here for the Digital Concert Program

• ETHEL SMYTH: The Boatswain’s Mate Overture (1914) | 7 mins

• SAMUEL COLERIDGE-TAYLOR: Ballade in A minor, op. 33 (1898) | 13 mins

• LENNON & McCARTNEY/arr. Custer: Best of the Beatles | 5 mins

• HAYDN: Symphony No. 104 in D major, Hob I:104 “London” (1795) | 29 mins

Featured Musicians:

• Kaleb Benda, Music Director & Conductor

• Musicians of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony

Additional Information:

• Admission is free.

• Approximately 60 minutes with no intermission.

• See our Concert FAQ Page for more information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

What’s Special About This Concert:

• Festivities begin at 6:00pm with a free hot chocolate bar.

• Get your holiday shopping done while supporting Oklahoma Chamber Symphony at the silent auction.

• Ring in the holiday season with music by Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Leroy Anderson, and more.

• Hear a concerto written to be performed on Christmas night.

• Experience musical sleigh rides composed by 5 different composers.

The Program:

Digital Program

• HUMPERDINCK: Gingerbread Waltz (“knusperwaltz”) from Hansel and Gretel (1892) | 5 mins

• CORELLI: Concerto grosso in G minor, op. 6, no. 8 “Christmas Concerto” (1714) | 13 mins

• LEROY ANDERSON: Sleigh Ride (1946) | 3 mins

• FREDERICK DELIUS: Sleigh Ride (1890) | 5 mins

• PROKOFIEV: Troika, op. 60 (1934) | 2 mins

• W.A. MOZART: Sleigh Ride (1791) | 3 mins

• TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA/arr. Bob Philips: Siberian Sleigh Ride (2004) | 3 mins

• TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA/arr. Bob Phillips: Wizards in Winter (2004) | 3 mins

• TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA/arr. Bob Phillips: Dreams of Fireflies (2012) | 3 mins

• TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA/arr. Bob Phillips: Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 (1995) | 3 mins

• TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA/arr. Bob Phillips: A Mad Russian’s Christmas (1996) | 4 mins

• LEROY ANDERSON: A Christmas Festival (1950) | 7 mins

Featured Musicians:

• Kaleb Benda, Music Director & Conductor

• Musicians of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony

Additional Information:

• Admission is free.

• Approximately 90 minutes, including a 15 minute intermission.

• See our Concert FAQ Page for more information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

What’s Special About This Concert:

• Oklahoma Chamber Symphony dedicates this season’s annual film music festival to the music of Hans Zimmer.

• Experience music from the Dark Knight, Pirates of the Caribbean, Gladiator, and Man of Steel franchises.

The Program:

• HANS ZIMMER/arr. Lavender: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006) | 7 mins

• HANS ZIMMER/arr. Lavender: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (symphonic highlights) (2007) | 8 mins

• HANS ZIMMER: Interstellar Suite (2014) | 7 mins

• HANS ZIMMER/arr. Wasson: Music from Gladiator (2000) | 7 mins

• HANS ZIMMER/arr. Ford: Man of Steel selections (2013) | 10 mins

• HANS ZIMMER/arr. Lopez: The Dark Knight Suite (2008) | 7 mins

• HANS ZIMMER/arr. Ford: Batman: The Dark Knight Rises (2012) | 7 mins

Featured Musicians:

• Kaleb Benda, Music Director & Conductor

• Katie Crim, Conducting Fellow

• Musicians of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony

Additional Information:

• Admission is free.

• Approximately 75 minutes with no intermission.

• See our Concert FAQ Page for more information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

What’s Special About This Concert:

• Oklahoma Chamber Symphony celebrates Oktoberfest with some of the holiday’s most traditional songs.

The Program:

• German Festival Band Book | 30 mins

Featured Musicians:

• Kaleb Benda, Music Director & Conductor

• Musicians of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony

Additional Information:

• Admission is free.

• Approximately 30 minutes with no intermission.

• See our Concert FAQ Page for more information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

What’s Special About This Concert:

• Oklahoma Chamber Symphony celebrates the 150th birthday of composer Gustav Holst by performing his galactic masterpiece, The Planets.

• OCS Composer in Residence Clint Williams gives the first ever performance of a new piece based on the theme of Pluto.

• Inspired by the Austrian Alps, In This Broad Earth will be performed as a representation of our home planet. This piece was originally composed for concert band in 2015, but has since been rescored for orchestra in 2022. OCS will perform the orchestral version.

The Program:

• STEVEN BRYANT: In This Broad Earth (2015/2022) | 4 mins

• CLINT WILLIAMS, Composer in Residence: Pluto, Shepherd of Souls (2024) | 5 mins

  • World Premiere Performance

• HOLST: The Planets, op. 32 (1916) | 51 mins

Digital Program available here.

Featured Musicians:

• Kaleb Benda, Music Director & Conductor

• Clint Williams, Composer in Residence

• Musicians of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony

• Edmond Community Chorale

Additional Information:

• Admission is free.

• Approximately 75 minutes with no intermission.

• See our Concert FAQ Page for more information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

What’s Special About This Concert:

• Oklahoma Chamber Symphony performs a rarely heard piece, by one of the greatest female composers who is only now getting the recognition she deserves.

The Program:

• LOUISE FARRENC: Nonet, op. 38 (1849) | 31 mins

Featured Musicians:

• Kaleb Benda, Music Director & Conductor

• Musicians of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony

Additional Information:

• Admission is free.

• Approximately 31 minutes with no intermission.

• See our Concert FAQ Page for more information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

What’s Special About This Concert:

• Oklahoma Chamber Symphony musicians will showcase in a series of small ensembles with music of diverse genres.

The Program:

• TBA

Featured Musicians:

• Musicians of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony

Additional Information:

• Admission is free.

• Approximately 30 minutes with no intermission.

• See our Concert FAQ Page for more information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

Join the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony for an Oklahoma City Baseball Club game! OCS will be performing the national anthem.

Join Oklahoma Chamber Symphony for a season finale featuring some of the grandest music ever composed.

What’s Special About This Concert:

• Celebrate the 120th anniversary of the oldest pipe organ in the state of Oklahoma with a piece that pulls out all the stops, Saint-Saëns’ symphony with an unconventional featured instrument, the organ!

• OCS musicians share the spotlight as winners' of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony Concerto Competition, playing a piece by an unknown composer so great, his music was often attributed to Haydn. It’s a piece so fantastic, two winners will perform in a double concerto - a genre usually reserved for a single soloist.

• OCS Composer-In-Residence Clint Williams gives the first ever performance of a brand new piece.

The Program:

• CLINT WILLIAMS: Tribulation | 15 mins

  • World Premiere Performance

• JOHANN BAPTIST VANHAL: Concerto in F major for Two Bassoons (concerto competition winner) | 23 mins

  • Dr. Kate Sekula & Dustin Seay, bassoons

• DAVID BALAKRISHNAN: Skylife | 5 mins

• SAINT-SAËNS: Symphony No. 3 in C minor, op. 78 “Organ Symphony” | 36 mins

  • performed in celebration of the 120th anniversary of the organ at First Church OKC

Admission is free. Approximately 75 minutes with no intermission. See our Concert FAQ page for information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

Celebrate Music in the Schools Month and hear the Oklahoma musicians of tomorrow in this side-by-side concert featuring local music students performing with Oklahoma Chamber Symphony musicians. Click here to register a student.

• VERDI: Aïda Triumphal March | 7 mins

• CLINT WILLIAMS: Undaunted Symphony | 5 mins

  • mvt. 1

• BRAHMS: Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G minor | 3 mins

• WILLIAMS: Suite from the Star Wars Epic | 10 mins

• RICHARD ROGERS: Oklahoma! | 4 mins

Admission is free. Approximately 60 minutes with no intermission. See our Concert FAQ page for information about parking, entry, seating, and more.

Join Oklahoma Chamber Symphony for an evening exploring changes in nature through time. Our concertmaster, Dr. Elaine Bastos will perform Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Astor Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, a tango twist on Vivaldi’s music.

What’s Special About This Concert:

• OCS Concertmaster, Dr. Elaine Bastos, will showcase two imaginations of the seasons. The first, by Vivaldi, was one of the first pieces to incorporate extra musical elements - poems to tell the story, bird calls and dog barks on string instruments, chattering teeth in snow, a thunderstorm, and more!

• The second, by Piazzolla, is an homage of Vivaldi’s Italian story as a collection of Argentinian tangos.

• The first of a three piece cycle of nature, life, and love, Dvorak’s overture introduces his musical theme of life that would later appear in the rest of the cycle.

The Program:

• DVORÁK: In Nature’s Realm Overture, op. 91, B. 168 | 12 mins

• VIVALDI: “The Four Seasons” (Le Quattro Stagioni) | 37 mins

  • Dr. Elaine Bastos, violin

• PIAZZOLLA: “The Four Seasons of Buesons Aires” (Cuatro Estaciones Portoñas) | 25 mins

  • Dr. Elaine Bastos, violin

Admission is free. Approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. See our Concert FAQ page for information about parking, entry, seating, and more.