United States
THO: Youth String Orchestra Celebrating the 45th Season!
Tulsa Honors Baroque performing with Dallas String Quartet, June 2021
Tulsa Honors Orchestra, Tulsa Honors Baroque and Debutante
Welcome
VENUE: Lorton Performance Center at the UNIVERSITY of TULSA:
550 S. Gary Place. Tulsa, 74104
REHEARSAL TIMES FOR 2024-2025:
DEBUTANTE 4:15-5:15pm (NEW TIME!)
THO 5:30-6:25pm
BAROQUE 6:30-7:40pm
We are now using ZELLE for Tuition Payments and Donations.
Tuition Payments
Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and fund our mission.
2025 Auditions
AUDITIONS will be held in person.
AUDITIONS For the 2025-2026 Orchestra Season:
MONDAY, AUGUST 25, 2025: 4:45-6:45pm:
AUDITIONS for New Students with last names beginning A-L.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2025: 4:45-6:45pm:
AUDITIONS for New Students with last names beginning M-Z.
Please email Karen Naifeh Harmon at kakaroo1@yahoo.com to schedule an Audition.
Auditions will be held at Lorton Hall at the University of Tulsa.
TUITION: (Checks Payable to "THO") You may also pay on the THO Paypal, QR Code is found on the home page.
One orchestra: $200 per semester, or $400 per year.
Two orchestras: $300 per semester, or $600 per year.
(For students in both THO and Tulsa Honors Baroque Orchestras.)
Audition requirements
Auditions are a relaxed process to get to know your Orchestra Directors and show off your skills! Please prepare a one, two or three octave scale. You will play your most polished piece (unaccompanied and it does not need to be memorized.) You will have some rocking sight reading that your Orchestra Directors will give you. Don't be alarmed - we just need to see that you understand how to read notes!
Questions? Please email Karen Harmon at kakaroo1@yahoo.com.
Our Partners
Photo Gallery
Tulsa Honors Baroque, at the Jazz Depot, September 2019.
Introducing Tulsa Honors Baroque!
The Tulsa Honors Orchestra
Additional Information
TULSA HONORS ORCHESTRA (THO) is a youth string orchestra in its 45th year of providing excellent string instruction to youth string players, as well as providing numerous fantastic opportunities for orchestra performances. THO regularly performs at Kilkenny's Irish Restaurant, Arnie's St Patrick's Day, TU Lorton Performance Center, Tulsa PAC downtown Tulsa, Cascia Hall and the Mayo Hotel for Holiday Concerts.
THO is comprised of 3 orchestras: Tulsa Honors Orchestra, Tulsa Honors Baroque (Advanced Orchestra) and the Debutante Orchestra. THO meets every Monday. The Debutante Orchestra, for beginning sight reading students, meets from 4:15-5:15pm. The Tulsa Honors Orchestra rehearses from 5:30-6:30pm, the Tulsa Honors Baroque is a more challenging orchestra, which stays for an additional hour, from 6:30-7:40pm.
Performances for the 2024-2025 season will include the annual Irish Street Festival Performance at Kilkenny's on March 17 & the Mayo Hotel Holiday Performance in December 2024 benefitting CAN: the Child Abuse Network. The 3rd Annual Alumni Concert will feature a special guest artist, Ethan Landis, violist extraordinaire in the fall of 2025. End of the Semester Performances will be scheduled at TU Lorton Performance Center. The OkM (formerly OkMozart) Performance for Tulsa Honors Baroque will be scheduled for June 2025.
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, Jocelyn Khalaf, violin coach and Kyle Wagner, string bass coach. The Debutante Orchestra director is Mercy Rose.
THO was founded by Jody Naifeh 45 years ago. Jody past away in December of 2019. We are all mourning her loss. Her spirit lives on through the amazing students she taught and through her loving family. The spirit, strength and level of commitment were evident especially in the fact that Jody was conducting the Tulsa Honors Orchestra until 3 weeks before her death. Jody Naifeh was a 2017 Harwelden Award: Bart Betow Memorial Music Education Award recipient and a 2011 Oklahoma Governor's Arts Award recipient and most recently, a Lifetime Educator Achievement Award recipient in 2019 through the National Fiddler's Hall of Fame. In June of 2021, Jody won a posthumous award as the OMTA Fellow of 2021 through the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association.
THO has announced our generous grant from the Oklahoma Art Council for the 2024-2025 year. THO is also appreciative of our generous grant from the Patti Johnson Wilson Foundation.
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.
Questions? Please email Karen Harmon at kakaroo1@yahoo.com.
THO Rehearsals are held at Lorton Hall at the University of Tulsa.
We are committed to hosting orchestra in a space that is amazing and musically inspiring.
The Tulsa Honors Orchestra does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.
TUITION: (Payable to "THO")
One orchestra: $200 per semester, or $400 per year.
Two orchestras: $300 per semester, or $600 per year.
(For students in both THO and Tulsa Honors Baroque Orchestras.)
Tulsa Honors Orchestra, Mondays at TU Lorton Performance Ctr
Tulsa Honors Baroque Orchestra
The Tulsa Honors Baroque (then the Chamber Orchestra - Advanced Orchestra Students) had the opportunity to perform a Side by Side Concert with the Tulsa Signature Symphony July 3, 2018! The original composition "Catapult"by Karen Naifeh Harmon was commissioned by Erica Parker, of the Tulsa Signature Symphony.
Tulsa Honors Orchestra at Kilkenny's St Patrick's Day
Each year, the Tulsa Honors Orchestra performs Irish Fiddling at the Kilkenny's Street Festival for St. Patrick's Day!
Summer Camps
The Tulsa Honors Orchestra holds summer camps at the Naifeh Ranch to keep students motivated and performing year round!
Please Go To Sumer Camps tab for more information.