OKC Philharmonic Music Director Alexander Mickelthwate is featured as “the Face of Music” in Oklahoma City in the August issue of 405 Magazine (Oklahoma), as part of the magazine’s annual “Faces” issue. “When Alexander Mickelthwate told his young son Jack they were moving from Winnipeg, Canada, to Oklahoma City, his first thought was: ‘But Dad, they have tornadoes there!’ It was 2018, and Mickelthwate had just accepted a new position as Music Director of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. Tornadoes aside, he knew instinctively Oklahoma City would be a good fit—both personally and professionally…. During his four years with the OKCPHIL, Mickelthwate has brought a sort of ‘coolness’ factor to the Philharmonic. His young, fresh approach is … ‘giving our audiences the traditional music they love, but also letting them experience a new palate,’ [he said]…. He has programmed several concerts with a Native American theme, and has created some touching tributes to our city’s history. Two years ago, he commissioned a special piece for the 25th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, and next season the OKCPHIL will present an original work celebrating the centennial of civil rights icon Clara Luper. ‘I have so much I want to do,’ Mickelthwate said.”
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