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livestream 11:55am
10-13-2026
Maestro Alexander Mickelthwate
Music Director, Oklahoma City Philharmonic
Artist-in-Residence, University of Central Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra
Now in his ninth season as Music Director of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and his fourth as Artist-in-Residence with the University of Central Oklahoma Symphony, Alexander Mickelthwate continues to energize Oklahoma City with dynamic programming that brings diverse communities together through music. Known for his adventurous spirit and artistic vision, he has built a reputation for blending classical masterworks with bold, contemporary storytelling.
Originally from Frankfurt, Germany, Mickelthwate grew up surrounded by classical music. His studies took him from Karlsruhe, where he sang Brahms’ German Requiem in Strasbourg’s cathedral, to the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, where he studied under the legendary Frederic Prausnitz. He further honed his craft at Tanglewood under the guidance of André Previn, Seiji Ozawa, and Robert Spano.
In addition to his work in Oklahoma, he serves as Music Director of the Bear Valley Music Festival in California and is Music Director Emeritus of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in Canada. His previous roles include Associate Conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Assistant Conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
Mickelthwate has passionately embraced Oklahoma’s cultural richness. His programming highlights have included concerts centered on Native American themes, a commissioned work marking the 25th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, and an original piece honoring civil rights icon Clara Luper. Most recently, he led the commissioning of American Indian Symphony by Chickasaw composer Jerod Tate, celebrating Oklahoma’s First Americans.
A dedicated educator, Mickelthwate has taught conducting at the University of Winnipeg, Kennesaw State University, and now UCO, where he collaborates across departments—from the Jazz Lab to Fine Arts and Design. He revived the UCO Young Soloist Competition and brought performances to regional campuses in Ada and Durant.
His contributions have earned widespread recognition. He has been twice named “The Face of Music” by 405 Magazine, included in OKC Friday’s “Top 50 Most Powerful”, and honored as “Musician of the Year” by the Ladies Music Club of Oklahoma City.
Mickelthwate has appeared with major North American orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Houston Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, and Toronto Symphony. His European engagements include the Hamburg Symphony, BBC London, Stuttgart Radio Orchestra, Royal Scottish Orchestra, and Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen. He has also conducted the São Paulo Symphony, Simón Bolívar Orchestra of Venezuela, and made his Australian debut with the Adelaide Symphony and Tasmanian Symphony, recording Mozart’s piano concerti Nos. 7 and 10 with the Silber-Garburg Duo.
He has collaborated with many of the world’s leading artists, including Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, Yuja Wang, Dawn Upshaw, Plácido Domingo, Sarah Chang, and worked closely with composers such as Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Sofia Gubaidulina, Kaija Saariaho, John Adams, and Mason Bates.
Alexander Mickelthwate lives in Oklahoma City with his two sons.
Chair of the Day
Terri Cooper
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