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Legacy of the Arts |
Tulsa Symphony Orchestra
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The Legacy
of the Arts
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Our goals within
the Fine Arts of Tulsa, considering
the history and commitment of the
community and its desires within
cultural heritage
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Legacy of the Arts
Metropolitan Tulsa numbers 850,000 people.
The common goal of its citizens is to
support a thriving community that aspires to
the highest ethical, educational, cultural,
and economic standards. A full-time
symphonic orchestra is an essential
component of such an effort. The presence of
such an orchestra is clearly its own reward,
from both an artistic and societal
perspective, and is also a high-profile
symbol to the wider world of our community’s
dedication to enhancing the quality of life
of its citizens. Throughout the first 100
years of Oklahoma statehood, the City of
Tulsa has been a cradle of creativity and
artistic accomplishment—a powerful and
enduring presence in this regard, without
question. The legacy of exemplary dedication
to the arts by the people of Tulsa is one of
our proudest traditions. We remain the home
of world-renowned opera and ballet
companies, and a resident professional
orchestra was for many years the centerpiece
of the Tulsa performing arts community.
When, in September 2002, the Tulsa
Philharmonic Orchestra ceased operations
forever, the stature of the arts in Tulsa
suffered a severe blow. That this happened
was in no small part due to the persistence
of a model for orchestral governance and
employment that was antiquated, one that
required replacement for a new orchestra to
be born in Tulsa.
The New Model
In October of 2005, we began the massive
task of creating a new model for an
orchestra of the highest musical standards.
It was clear that the new model, in order to
have true sustainability, would have to
depart radically from past models of
musician employment and engagement. Our
progress in delivering this new model has
been increasingly gratifying and
encouraging; we now number over 55
professional musicians dedicated to the
realization of our goal. Over the course of
the next five years, we intend to expand to
about 70 musicians in total—and for all of
these musicians to be full-time employees of
the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra. Their
employment will be for 52 weeks out of the
year. The TSO will function not only to
provide year-round symphonic music
performances, but also to engage intensely
and actively with the many various
educational institutions of our community.
It is our ultimate goal to play a key role
in the restoration and continued development
of the arts infrastructure of Tulsa. As our
state begins its second century, we at the
TSO vow to keep faith with Tulsa and its
proud legacy of the arts.
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About the TSO...
The Tulsa Symphony Orchestra employs professional
musicians with the focused, collective, and ongoing
aim of presenting all kinds of music of the highest
quality. The TSO functions throughout the year, and
is comprised of self-governing “executive
musicians”—individuals who perform masterful music
and execute the many decisions involved in
sustaining a major orchestra. With a variety of
performances and concerts, in-school events,
community-engagement programs, classroom lessons,
collaborative master classes, and other such
appearances, the TSO intends to invigorate and
broaden arts education all across the City of Tulsa
and, further, the State of Oklahoma. Rebuilding and
strengthening the musical arts infrastructure of
this city and its environs will remain a key concern
and core value of the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra.
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