TULSA, OK (February 4, 2013) — On January 24th, Ronald Wheeler, Tulsa Youth Symphony Orchestra's (TYSO) Conductor and Executive Director, was honored by his peers for a lifetime of leadership in music. Wheeler received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the Oklahoma Music Educators Association (OMEA) annual convention, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to music education in Oklahoma, and over 40 years leading the TYSO. The Tulsa Youth Symphony, made of up middle school and high school musicians from throughout the Tulsa region, will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2013."It is a great and unexpected honor for me to receive this prestigious award. I am grateful to OMEA and to my colleagues who are such wonderful collaborators in the adventure of bringing the joy of music to students” said Wheeler.
The next TYSO concert is February 18 at 7:30 in the Union Schools Performing Arts Center, and will include music by Beethoven, Stravinsky, Bach, Wagner, Rachmaninoff, Schubert and selections from Evita. Tickets are $10 at the box office prior to the performance, and $6 for seniors and children under 12.
Ron Wheeler has been conductor and executive director of the Tulsa Youth Symphony Orchestra since 1972. He was on the Oral Roberts University music faculty for fourteen years. Mr. Wheeler has designed and conducted concerts for young audiences with the Tulsa Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra and the Sunriver, Oregon Music Festival Orchestra, and presented adult educational lectures for the Tulsa Philharmonic, Tulsa Opera, Tulsa Public Library and California State University at Los Angeles. He has conducted at music camps and festivals in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, California, Oregon and North Dakota, and is an honorary member of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity as a National Arts Associate. Mr. Wheeler currently performs as a violinist with the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra
About The Tulsa Area Youth Symphony Association
The Tulsa Youth Symphony Orchestra (TYSO) is an Oklahoma nonprofit arts organization, founded in 1963 with a defined mission to provide advanced orchestral training and performance experience for talented young musicians in Northeastern Oklahoma. Additionally, we hope to instill a love for music and stimulate an interest in the Arts that will create an audience and patrons for the future. The Youth Orchestras contribute to their community by presenting public concerts of some of the world’s finest music. Currently over 150 students, ages 10 to 18, participate in the program’s two orchestras.
For more information, please visit our website at www.tyso.org, or find us on Facebook.