Chicago Symphony Orchestra shares talents at OSU masterclasses
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Media Contact: Mack Burke | Associate Director of Media Relations | 405-744-5540 | editor@okstate.edu
A good musician can make their instrument sing. A great one can make their instrument cry.
At Oklahoma State University’s McKnight Center for the Performing Arts, students recently witnessed both during masterclasses with members of the world-renowned Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
“The world needs people coming together to appreciate great art,” said Alex Hanna, CSO’s principal bassist. “The world needs people coming together and not saying things, just listening.”
Hanna, who began his musical journey at age 4 with piano before finding his way to the bass at 14, represents the caliber of musician regularly visiting The McKnight Center’s stage. His path to musical excellence included attending Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music before landing the principal bass position with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra just one month after graduation. Five years later, he earned his current position with the CSO.
“When you’re the leader of an instrument section in one of the leading ensembles of the world, you have this incredible responsibility to maintain the standard,” Hanna said. “My bass section is full of virtuosi, great people that I admire so much. I do my best to support them, and they do a great job of supporting me.”
Under the direction of Maestro Riccardo Muti for the past dozen years, Hanna has found both a mentor and a taskmaster.
“I’ve never encountered somebody who I can trust so much yet also be challenged by so much,” Hanna said. “If anything, it’s harder tonight than it was 12 years ago. He has that amazing way of pushing you to be the absolute best, pushing you to be better than you ever even thought you could be.”
The orchestra’s visit to Stillwater included two distinct programs. One featured traditional favorites like Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony, while the other showcased lesser-known works, including what CSO violist Danny Lai described as a Verdi piece that’s not often played, conducted by one of the best Verdi conductors in the world.
What sets the CSO apart isn’t just its technical excellence but its collaborative spirit.
“We’re known for being an especially nice orchestra,” Hanna said. “When we’re on tour, everybody’s looking out for each other. I went bowling on Wednesday night in Stillwater with the bass section. So much of what we do is communicating with our colleagues on stage.”
The orchestra’s legendary “CSO brass sound” remains a point of pride, but Hanna emphasized it’s not just about one section.
“Our winds are incredible,” Hanna said. “We just have this chorus of all-stars over there. And I’m really proud of the way the strings sound right now. This orchestra always plays at 100%, whether we’re at Carnegie Hall or Stillwater.”
For students, the masterclasses were likely even more impactful than the performances themselves.
“Masterclasses are fun because you’re teaching a lesson to what feels like 50 people,” Lai said. “I always try to cater my comments to what could be most helpful to whoever’s in the room.”
During his session, Lai addressed common concerns among music students, from performance anxiety to artistic expression.
Lai’s own journey to the CSO wasn’t typical. Unlike many of his colleagues who started young with private lessons, Lai began playing viola at age 10 in the Iowa public school system.
“I actually didn’t know I wanted to be a musician,” Lai said. “I did it for fun.”
That changed during his transformative experience with Mahler’s Second Symphony, leading him to pursue a double major in music performance and economics at Northwestern University.
After a year with the Colorado Symphony, he joined the CSO, where he’s been for the past decade.
Hanna found similar inspiration teaching at OSU’s Greenwood School of Music.
“The attention and enthusiasm of the students was inspiring,” Hanna said. “I grew up in a town similar to this ... it’s a small college town, pizza places and burger joints and karaoke. But then there’s this amazing music school here.”
This commitment to excellence provides OSU students and the surrounding community with unprecedented access to world-class artistry.
“The masterclass itself was phenomenal,” said Carson Pitts, an OSU saxophone student. “I performed last in the masterclass and a few of the comments he had for me changed the way that I now approach music. It was a terrific experience, and I know that it was one that all the saxophones in my studio will never forget.”
For both CSO musicians, the value of live classical music transcends mere entertainment.
“In a world that’s so full of distractions, stress, all kinds of things that are out of our control, to be able to put yourself in a place where you’re hearing the most incredible sounds, or maybe even no sounds, but that carry so much meaning, to be present in the moment and share that moment with thousands of other people, that kind of experience really can’t be replicated by anything else,” Lai said.
The impact of bringing high-caliber performances to Oklahoma extends beyond the concert hall. It creates a cultural bridge, connecting students and community members to a rich tradition of classical music excellence. Through masterclasses and performances, the CSO musicians demonstrate not just technical mastery but the profound human connection that makes live music so powerful.
Hanna echoed this sentiment, encouraging community members to experience The McKnight Center firsthand.
“Bring your friends, bring your neighbors, bring your barber, bring your kids’ piano teacher — just get them here,” Hanna said. “This is truly extraordinary.”
Photos By: Luis Mejia
Story By: Mak Vandruff | STATE Magazine