FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Susan Webb (405) 232-7575
December 19, 2019

OKCPHIL Announces a Change
to the February 1, 2020 Classics concert

The Oklahoma City Philharmonic announces changes to the Saturday, February 1, 2020 concert, to be held at 8:00PM at the Civic Center. Says Agnieszka Rakhmatullaev Executive Director of the OKCPHIL “It is with great regret that pianist Ingrid Fliter has withdrawn from her upcoming Oklahoma City Philharmonic performance in February on the advice of her doctors, who have recommended that she not fly during her pregnancy. We wish her well and hope to see her on our stage again at some point in the future. We are thrilled to announce that the soloist Angela Cheng will perform Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, op 21.” Praised for her brilliant technique, tonal beauty, and superb musicianship, Canadian pianist Angela Cheng is one of her country’s national treasures, and is sure to bring a thrilling performance to our Oklahoma City audiences.

In a change to the original programming, the OKCPHIL is thrilled to present two commissioned works to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. These will replace the works of Kancheli and R. Strauss.

Matthew Patton’s new work The Limits of Almost, is a new commission featuring The University of Oklahoma Choruses, and Jonathan Leshnoff’s Of Thee I Sing, will feature the Canterbury Voices. In a special request from Maestro Alexander Mickelthwate, audiences are asked to wear white to symbolize bright hope for a new tomorrow while bringing visual unity to reflect the musical emotion of the program. “Imagine a hall filled with everyone dressed in white! It will have such an evocative affect and provide significant symbolism on so many levels as we experience these newly commissioned works for the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing together.” Says Alexander Mickelthwate, OKCPHIL Music Director and conductor of the concert.

The OKC Phil is pleased to have Inasmuch Foundation as both the presenting sponsor for the 2019-2020 Classics Series as well as this program featuring an Inasmuch Foundation Commissioned work.
Additional support is provided by the Ad Astra Foundation. Through the generosity of these sponsors the Phil is orchestrating passion for excellence in orchestral music in central Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma City Philharmonic has gained recognition as one of the nation’s premier regional orchestras. Tracing its roots to 1924, the Oklahoma City Philharmonic was formed in 1988 under the musical direction of Founder and Music Director Emeritus Joel Levine and began a new era with the passing of the baton to Maestro Alexander Mickelthwate in 2018. The Orchestra remains steadfast in its mission “to provide inspiration and joy for the community through orchestral music.” Through its consistent commitment to excellence, the Oklahoma City Philharmonic strives to enrich lives, expand cultural development, educate future generations, and provide audiences with a diverse and inspirational performance experiences. Committed to expanding its reach well beyond the concert hall, the Oklahoma City Philharmonic enjoys a close collaborative relationship with Oklahoma’s schools, colleges, and universities as well as the city’s other premier arts organizations including Oklahoma City Ballet and Canterbury Voices. Through high-caliber performances and a variety of education and community engagement programs the OKC Phil serves over 135,000 throughout the state of Oklahoma. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 405-“TICKETS” (842-5387), or visit okcphilharmonic.org.