Published: November 06, 2006 03:13 pm            

A ‘Very Merry Pops’ Christmas in Pauls Valley

Though the Oklahoma City Philharmonic has only performed its “Very Merry Pops” Christmas Concert once in Pauls Valley, the holiday musical show is already becoming a Christmas tradition for Pauls Valley and area music lovers.

This year’s performance is slated for Wednesday, Dec. 13, and promises to be just as enjoyable as last years show. The concert is part of Pauls Valley’s “Not Your Ordinary Small Town Christmas” campaign this year.

Tickets for the holiday show go on sale Nov. 13 at the Pauls Valley Chamber of Commerce office.

The Pauls Valley Arts Council proudly sponsors the holiday classic concert with financial assistance from the Oklahoma Arts Council, the Chickasaw Nation and the Pauls Valley Tourism Board.

“After last year’s concert we had numerous people call or write the Philharmonic to tell them what a wonderful show it was and they all expressed the desire to welcome the Philharmonic back this year,” said Jeff Shultz, PVAC Board President.

“Officials with the Philharmonic told us that of all the communities they have taken the Christmas concert to, that Pauls Valley gave them the warmest welcome and the response they recieved after the concert from Pauls Valley was overwhelming,” Shultz added.

Tickets for the concert will be $25 and $20 at the door. Advance ticket prices are $20 and $15. PVAC members will receive a $5 discount on tickets.

“People have already been inquiring about tickets for the concert, so we expect the audience to be bigger and better than last year,” Shultz noted.

The first Oklahoma City orchestra was formed as early as 1924. The Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1938 with Ralph Rose conducting its inaugural season. During the 1940's, 50's and 60's, under conductors Victor Alessandro and Guy Fraser Harrison, the Oklahoma Symphony became known nationally and even internationally by a regular series of radio broadcasts on the Mutual Radio Network and the Voice of America, listened to by American troops abroad.

In 1988, when the Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra was disbanded, Joel Levine successfully founded the Oklahoma City Philharmonic with the help of a great many people -- a number of culturally-minded civic leaders, the newly incorporated OKC Orchestra League, and grants from five major Oklahoma corporations.

In 1995, the OKC Philharmonic performance at the Oklahoma City Memorial Service after the tragic bombing of the Murrah Federal Building was recorded and presented on CD by Warner Bros. Records. A portion of the proceeds from the international sale of this recording benefited Project Recovery OKC.

In 1997, the OKC Philharmonic was selected to perform with Kathie Lee Gifford in her Christmas Special Just in Time for Christmas. The show was taped at the Civic Center Music hall and featured performances with the orchestra by pop singer, Amy Grant, and opera star Kathleen Battle in addition to those with Kathie Lee.

The Philharmonic employs fully professional, musicians in a per service contract. With performances from September through May, the Philharmonic presents a series of eight Classics concerts and six pairs of Pops concerts each season. Regional performances and many educational outreach concerts, including the Discovery Series and Youth Concerts to area school children, are presented by the OKC Philharmonic.

Holiday performances of “Yuletide Magic!”, the July 4th concert in Yukon, OK, and the annual Labor Day concert presented at the Oklahoma City Community College have become family traditions for thousands in Central Oklahoma.

Look for more details on the Philharmonic’s return to Pauls Valley in next week’s Daily Democrat.

        

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