OSU Symphony Orchestra earns national recognition for innovation and excellence

Friday, August 22, 2025

Media Contact: Elizabeth Gosney | CAS Marketing and Communications Manager | 405-744-7497 | egosney@okstate.edu

The Oklahoma State University Symphony Orchestra is hitting the right note.

OSU is one of only five college orchestras named a national finalist for the Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in Orchestral Programming — a distinction that celebrates inventive and impactful orchestral performances.

“This is truly wonderful news,” said Dr. Lucia Unrau, director of the Greenwood School of Music. “To be recognized on the national level for the great things we are doing here at OSU means the world to our students.”

The award for orchestral programming acknowledges the breadth and diversity of the OSU Symphony Orchestra’s repertoire. From classical symphonies and operas to contemporary pieces by female composers and composers of color, the orchestra is committed to performing a wide range of music.

“Our mission is for students to have the experience of performing a variety of works by composers of various backgrounds, while also exposing our audience to these very same works,” Unrau said.  

Looking ahead, the orchestra plans to continue dreaming big under the direction of new Visiting Assistant Professor of Orchestral Studies and OSU Symphony Orchestra Conductor, Dr. Luca Antonucci.  

“Our repertoire shows off the color, power and emotional depth of the twenty-first century orchestra,” Antonucci said. “Alongside traditional orchestral repertoire staples, each concert features works by composers from historically underrepresented backgrounds in Classical music, including rising stars of American music today.”

With its growing national reputation, the OSU Symphony Orchestra hopes to attract top-tier musical talent from across Oklahoma and beyond. Recruitment efforts are focused on showcasing the orchestra’s excellence — building on this national recognition — and ensuring that OSU remains a destination for aspiring young musicians.

“The OSU Symphony Orchestra’s success is a testament to the hard work of our students and faculty,” Unrau said. “We are excited for what lies ahead and confident that this recognition will inspire even greater achievements in the coming years.”

Story By: Matthew Hunter | Photo By: Jason Wallace | casnews@okstate.edu