The Prestige Performance Series is a high-level accelerated weekend program open to all Northeast Oklahoma student musicians that provides specialized coaching, guest conductors, and concentrated ensemble rehearsals in a professional, energetic setting. The musicians’ hard work culminates in a performance for their families and the community. This rigorous single day series provides a unique opportunity for area students to learn new skills, prepare for advanced auditions, and expand their imaginations, all without a prohibitive time commitment.

The cost to participate in a Prestige Performance Series event is $35. Scholarship opportunities are available on a needs-based basis. Due to the fast nature of this program, participating students are expected to prepare all pertinent materials on their own prior to audition or event days. Accepted students should expect a full day of training including sectionals and large ensemble training, a free provided lunch, and a commemorative shirt to perform in.

Please refer to this page for any updates on the Prestige Performance Series; please note that all dates are subject to change.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

You’ll definitely want to be part of the experience this season!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24: Ascending & Studio Strings

Lorton Performance Center | University of Tulsa campus

Rehearsals begin at 9am with a 5pm concert that is free and open to the public.

Registration deadline: Monday, September 28

ASCENDING STRINGS

Guest Conductor: MICAH NEELY

**Micah Neely** serves as Associate Conductor of the Tulsa Youth Symphony and has been on staff since 2020. He is passionate about teaching the next generation, and believes strongly in the power of classical music to change lives, foster strong communities, and build discipline into the lives of all students.
In addition to his work with TYS, Mr. Neely is an orchestra director at Jenks Public Schools, where he leads the 6th Grade Beginning Orchestra program alongside his wife, Rachel. An active violist, he performs regularly with the Tulsa Signature Symphony, Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, and Fort Smith Symphony, and other local ensembles.
Mr. Neely graduated from the University of Tulsa (*cum laude)*with a Bachelor of Arts in Viola Performance. He lives in the Tulsa area with his wife and son, Rachel and Ezekiel, and if he isn't in his classroom you can find him at church, on the golf course, or sitting in a rocking chair listening to Mahler.

Ascending Strings is recommended for students who have been studying their instrument for approximately 2-4 years and are capable of playing in the keys of D, G, and C major comfortably.

register for ascending strings

Students who would like to participate in this level will be required to film and submit a video of the material below:

VIOLIN VIOLA CELLO BASS

Seating for this event will be determined by the video you submit. All videos should be submitted to the link below by the end of day, Sunday, September 27.

STUDIO STRINGS

Guest Conductor: RON SPIGELMAN

A native of Australia, conductor Ron Spigelman serves as Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra as Principal Pops Conductor. He is an honors graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, London. Earlier in his career he was the Associate Conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic and the Fort Worth Symphony, Music Director of the Fort Worth Dallas Ballet, San Angelo Symphony, Texas Chamber Orchestra, Springfield Symphony (MO), and the Lake Placid Sinfonietta (NY) where he is now Conductor Emeritus. He has also served as Principal Pops Conductor of the Fort Worth and Syracuse Symphony. Prior to moving to the United States, he was Assistant Conductor of the West Australian, Queensland, and Adelaide Symphony Orchestras.

Recent guest conducting appearances include performances with the Tulsa, Atlanta, St. Louis, Baltimore, Utah, Oregon, Kansas City, and Vancouver symphony orchestras, as well as debuts with the Nashville Symphony and Minnesota Orchestra in the 24-25 season. In past seasons he has conducted the Dallas, North Carolina, Phoenix, and Virginia symphony orchestras, the Rochester and Naples philharmonics, the Florida Orchestra, Milwaukee and many others.

He has conducted symphonic, ballet, opera, musical theatre, and pops performances, plus over 30 live-to-film productions including all eight of the *Harry Potter* films. Guest artists he has accompanied include Horacio Gutierrez, Rachel Barton Pine, Richard Stoltzman and Pops artists including Marvin Hamlisch, Peter Paul and Mary, James Taylor, Leslie Odom Jr., Vanessa Williams, Wynonna Judd, Kenny G, and Gladys Knight.

Other career highlights include the world premiere of *Pegasus* by Lowell Liebermann with the Dallas Symphony in 2001, his Carnegie Hall debut with the Buffalo Philharmonic in 2004, and the world premiere recording of *Sylvan* by Michael Torke which was commissioned for the Lake Placid Sinfonietta’s centennial season in 2017.

Ron lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma with his wife Laura, and they have a combined six children. He is Board president of Harmony Project Tulsa, whose mission is to bring instrumental instruction to underserved youth in collaboration with the Tulsa Public Schools. He also recently graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Family and Human Development with minors in Counseling & Applied Psychology, Sociology, and Communication at Arizona State University, receiving the prestigious School of Social and Family Dynamics Dean’s medal for academic excellence, awarded to one student per graduating class. He was the first fully online student to win this award. Along with a busy schedule of concerts, he is also currently pursuing a master’s in Liberal Studies at Arizona State University with a focus on communication, sociology and psychology in musical leadership.

Studio Strings is recommended for students who have been studying their instrument for at least 3 years and beyond, and will cover music that would be played in a studio such as Film Scores, Pop or Rock music and more. Due to the nature of this style of music students should be prepared for challenging rhythms!

register for studio strings

Students who would like to participate in this level will be required to film and submit a video of the material below:

VIOLIN VIOLA CELLO BASS

Placement and seating for this event will be determined by the video you submit; applicants for Studio Strings will be placed in either Studio Strings or Ascending Strings as a result. All videos should be submitted to the link below by the end of day, Sunday, September 27.

SUBMIT YOUR VIDEO AUDITION HERE

SATURDAY, MARCH 27: INTRODUCTORY & ADVANCED STRINGS

INTRODUCTORY STRINGS

Guest Conductor: KAREN NAIFEH HARMON

Karen Naifeh Harmon, ASCAP, is a versatile concert and film composer who blends classical foundations with the rich, exotic textures of gypsy, Arabic, Latin, blues, and Irish fiddling traditions. Her genre-crossing works have resonated globally, performed by members of the New York Philharmonic, international recording orchestras in Bulgaria, Ukraine, and Moscow, and numerous ensembles across Oklahoma, including the Tulsa Signature Symphony and the Tulsa Youth Symphony.

A dedicated educator and leader, Karen is the Executive Director of both the Tulsa Honors Orchestra and the Tulsa Honors Baroque Orchestra, and holds credentials as a Nationally Certified Teacher of Violin. Her technical expertise is backed by a Bachelor’s degree from Berklee College of Music (2020) and a Graduate Diploma from the Film Scoring Academy of Europe (2022).

Most recently, she brought her cinematic vision to the screen as the composer for the Oklahoma-based sci-fi series pilot, Sweet Everly. Ultimately, Karen's creative journey is guided by a singular, uplifting purpose: “My life as a composer embodies instilling a feeling of hope in others while creating beautiful sound worlds.”

ADVANCED STRINGS

Guest Conductor: ALEXANDER MICKELTHWATE

Born and raised in Frankfurt, Germany, **Alexander Mickelthwate** grew up in a home filled with classical music. He received his degree from the Peabody Institute of Music, and has worked with orchestras in Atlanta, Winnipeg and Los Angeles.
Currently, he serves as the Conductor of the OKC Philharmonic and is Music Director Emeritus of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in Canada, and in 2022, accepted the position of Music Director for the prestigious Bear Valley Music Festival in Bear Valley, California. In early 2023, Mickelthwate traveled to Hanoi where he was Guest Conductor at the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra.
Since he’s been in Oklahoma, Mickelthwate has received numerous awards and honors, including being twice-named “The Face of Music” by *405 Magazine*. The *OKC Friday* newspaper named him one of the “Top 50 Most Powerful,” and the Ladies Music Club of Oklahoma City lauded him “Musician of the Year.”

2025-2026 prestige impact report

If questions should arise, please direct them to programs@tulsayouthsymphony.org