TULSA HONORS ORCHESTRA (THO) is in its 41st  year of providing excellent string instruction to youth string players, as well as providing numerous fantastic performance opportunities. THO regularly performs at the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame, Kilkenny's Irish Restaurant, McNellie's Irish  Restaurant, the Tulsa Promenade Mall and the Mayo Hotel. 

     

THO is comprised of 3 orchestras: Tulsa Honors Orchestra, Tulsa Honors Baroque (Advanced Orchestra) and the Debutante Orchestra. THO meets at the Jazz Hall of Fame from 4:30-5:30pm every Monday. The Debutante Orchestra, for beginning sight reading students,  also meets from 4:30-5:30pm. Tulsa Honors Baroque is a more challenging orchestra, which stays for an additional hour, from 5:35-6:30pm.


     Other Performances for the 2019-2020 season will include the annual Irish Street Festival Performance at Kilkenny's on March 17, the Mayo Hotel Holiday Performance on December 22, 2019 benefitting CAN, the Child Abuse Network, and a Young Composer's Concert (date TBA), in which original student compositions are performed with our Orchestra.

    THO was founded by  Jody Naifeh, Mother of  Karen Naifeh Harmon, Violinist & Composer,  the Tulsa Honors Orchestra Executive Director.   Tulsa Honors Baroque directors are Karen Naifeh Harmon and Terry Pollak. THO coaches include Austin Pendergrass, cello coach, Missy Townsend, viola coach, Jocelyn Khalaf, violin coach and  Kyle Wagner, string bass coach. The Debutantte Orchestra directors are Lexy Harmon & Mercy Rose.


THO is pleased to announce our generous grant from the Oklahoma Art Council for the 2019-2020 year. THO is also appreciative of our generous grant from the Patti Johnson Wilson Foundation. We also would like to thank the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame for the use of their amazing Hall and all their support! We could not do this without the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame!
 Tulsa Honors Baroque is pleased to receive a Crescendo Music Award Grant from the Rotary Club of Tulsa for the 2019-2020 Season!

Select programming is made possible in part by the Oklahoma Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Oklahoma and the National Endowment for the Arts. 


AUDITIONS:  Held at the end of August each year. Auditions are an important part of learning to play in an orchestra - THO auditions are a relaxed process of evaluating a students sight reading and playing abilities. Be prepared to play a 1, 2 or 3 octave scale, a solo or etude of your choice (need not be memorized) and we will have each student sightread orchestral excerpts to determine the correct placement of each student in an orchestra. 

Looking ahead: For Fall 2020:

Monday, Sept 7, 2020 is Labor Day - no rehearsal that day. THO will begin rehearsals on Monday, September 14, 2020.

THO Rehearsals are 4:30-5:30pm.

Debutante Orchestra Rehearsals are also 4:30-5:30pm, Tulsa Honors Baroque is 5:35-6:30pm. 

AUDITIONS for next year will be held the last Monday of August for students with last names A-L, which is Monday, August 24, 2020, and the last Thursday of August for students with last names M-Z, which is Thursday, August 27, 2020.   Auditions are held from 4:30-6:00pm at the Jazz Hall. 

Please email Karen Harmon at kakaroo1@yahoo.com. 

THO Rehearsals are held at the Jazz Hall of Fame downtown Tulsa, 111 East 1st street, parking at lower level is free after 5:00pm or you may drop your student off at the circle drive at the upper level just before 4:30pm for rehearsals.

TUITION: (Payable to "THO")

One orchestra: $100 per semester, or $200 per year.


Two orchestras: $150 per semester, or $300 per year. 


(For students in both THO and Tulsa Honors Baroque Orchestras.)