A century ago, before Oklahoma was even a state, settlers in Indian Territory still had an air of sophistication about them.
The thriving town of Ardmore — the cotton center for the Chickasaw Nation, and an oil hub — already had a public school system before the turn of the century. Hargrove College, founded in 1895, offered music courses as part of its regular curriculum. And it was a culturally-oriented community — the perfect place for the first school orchestra program.
Now, 100 years later, the school’s orchestra program is still going strong, with 14 members at the high school level and 14 in the middle school.
Orchestra instructor Jill Hagan and her students celebrated the birthday last week by performing concerts at four local elementary schools — Charles Evans, Franklin, Jefferson and Lincoln.
“We were the very first orchestra in Oklahoma. I think that’s a great accomplishment to still be around,” Hagan said, opening the program Tuesday afternoon at Jefferson.
She brought 12 of her orchestra students with her, consisting of two double bass players, two cellists, six violinists and two viola players.
To get the fifth-graders interested in the program, Hagan enlisted some “volunteers” to be part of a story she told, using the orchestra behind her for the sound effects.
“These stringed instruments can make a lot of sound effects,” she said. “We are going to tell a story with these chosen people.”
Hagan then started telling a story about a noble king “Wes,” whose theme song was “Pomp and Circumstance.” He had a beautiful daughter and lived in a beautiful kingdom with babbling brooks and chirping birds.
In the kingdom was a horrible, fire-breathing dragon, for which the basses, cellos and violas imparted a deep, ominous musical score.
The strong, brave prince, “Chris,” from a neighboring kingdom (insert “The William Tell Overture” here) traveled through a scary forest (insert the theme from “Jaws”) and killed the dragon. His reward was the beautiful princess (wolf whistle, followed by the wedding march).
After the story, Hagan talked about the difference between the various musical instruments before the orchestra played “The Dance of Iscariot.”
Not a bad show for a 100-year-old program. It even got some of the elementary students interested in joining the group when they get to middle school next year, which is one of the things Hagan was hoping for with the centennial tour.
“We got several kids that came up to me and said, ‘We want to be in your class next year,’” she said. “That’s what keeps the program going, is enthusiastic youngsters like these.”
This is Hagan’s first year as the orchestra director for Ardmore, and she credits her predecessors for giving her a strong program.
“I think there have been some really dedicated teachers in the past that have kept it going,” she said.
Hagan learned the rich history of Ardmore’s orchestra when she attended the Oklahoma Music Educators Association convention in Tulsa.
Assistant band director Dan Chisham went to a session on Oklahoma’s centennial and they talked about Ardmore being the first school to have an orchestra program.
She later found some records written by historian George McDow that outlined the program’s history.
Although her students find the history interesting, they are relishing in the present. Her two double bass players — both girls — are orchestra fanatics. Leticia LeAnn Roberts said music in general is her passion.
“Music, to me, is just a part of my life,” the high school sophomore said. “I joined the orchestra when I was in sixth grade. I played the violin. In seventh grade, I switched to the double bass. It gives me empowerment to play something that big, that people only think of as a guy’s instrument.”
In higher grades, some students are forced to give up electives to take weighted core classes, Roberts believes there will always be a place for music in her high school curriculum.
“Some people are good and English and math. I’m good at music. I’m in choir; I sing alto. And I play the tuba in band,” Roberts said. “I feel I’m better in orchestra. I feel it’s part of my soul. When I play bass, I feel like I’m floating on a cloud.”
Roberts said the distinction of being the first orchestra in Oklahoma is “pretty exciting” and has received plenty of feedback from her classmates who say they would like to get into orchestra.
Her fellow bass player, Lyndsey Key, a freshman, has been in orchestra since seventh grade, joining because she “first thought that learning an instrument would be cool. But now it’s one of the most important things in my life.”
She chose the double bass, which is a few feet taller than she is because it looked interesting and has learned from her instructor that even though the bass instruments don’t get as much music written for them as others, that the lower-stringed instruments are important because they provide a base for the others.
And, even though marching bands have a powerful sound, she believes orchestras have more feeling.
“We have a little war going between the band and orchestra,” she said.
And, like her counterpart, music is practically the center of her world, besides family, of course.
“I love music. You can’t find me at home more than 30 minutes before I have music playing,” she said. “I love country, but I also like anything orchestra. I play it at night when I’m in my bed.
“Music is the greatest thing in life, next to family and friends,” Key said. “I love listening to songs and being able to break them apart and know how they were written.”
