Musical Opportunities
The musical life in Norman and on the OU campus is among the most exciting in the State and Midwest. In a typical academic year, the School of Music sponsors over 250 concerts and recitals. These performances include both faculty and student chamber recitals and concerts by bands, choruses, and orchestras sponsored by the School.
The School of Music SUTTON MUSIC SERIES consists of performances by artist-faculty and major ensembles of the School of Music. Normally scheduled for Sunday afternoons at 3:00 PM and Monday evenings at 8:00 PM, faculty recitalist and student ensembles provide over forty concerts a year. This distinguished series was named after Dr. George Miksch Sutton who was a world-famed ornithologist and a friend of the School of Music. Dr. Sutton gave funds to purchase one of the grand pianos on the Holmberg Hall stage and a bequest that helped build the recital hall in the final phase of the Catlett Music Center. Sutton Music Series concerts are attended by patrons from Norman and the surrounding metropolitan area.
The SPENCER NORTON DISTINGUISHED MUSIC SERIES at the University of Oklahoma School of Music is dedicated to bringing to the OU Campus the very finest musical performers in the world. Named for and supported in part by a gift from the late Spencer Norton, distinguished George Lynn Cross Professor Emeritus of Music at the University of Oklahoma, the Series spans all aspects of the School’s curriculum in an effort to expose students, faculty, the University community, and citizens of the State to outstanding talent in all areas of musical performance.
The MASALA WORLD SERIES at the University of Oklahoma is dedicated to bringing diversity and culture to our campus. In India, the word masala means spice mixture and, beyond food, may apply in other contexts, such as music. The Masala Series presents concerts of Native American and world music. The goal of this series is to present a cross-section of music from around the globe. Recent events have featured Native American powwow and stomp dance; Japanese shakuhachi and koto music; drumming and dancing from Manipur and Bengal, India; Nur, a group specializing in music from the Middle East; and Ron y Ritmo, a group showcasing the music of Latin America. These concerts give students the opportunity to see and hear live music and dance to complement their classroom study of a variety of musical expressions from non-Western cultures.
The Oklahoma Philharmonic Orchestra in Oklahoma City provides an exciting classics series during the academic year as well as pops concerts and other special performances. The famed Canterbury Choral Society provides the finest choral performances in the region. Chamber music series in both Norman and surrounding communities provide additional classical musical opportunities.