Tulsa Youth Symphony will present our Ron Wheeler Memorial & Alumni Homecoming Concert on Sunday, March 2, 2025 at 3:00 P.M. in the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center (701 South Main Street, BA, OK 74012).

Lobby doors open at 2:15 P.M., and auditorium doors open at 2:40 P.M., with program to begin at 3:00 P.M. Visit us in the lobby before or after the concert to learn about upcoming events, take photos, and browse our merchandise!

This concert is dedicated as a tribute to Conductor Emeritus, Ron Wheeler, who passed July 2024. Additionally, this concert is a TYS' Alumni Homecoming, welcoming former TYS members to perform and join us in the audience. It's a chance to honor the past, delight in the present, and celebrate the Sound of Tulsa's Future!

About Us

Since 1963, the Tulsa Youth Symphony has been providing advanced musical instruction and performance opportunities to thousands of talented students across northeastern Oklahoma. Our dedicated team of musicians, conductors, and staff work hard with our three orchestras to provide an experience that impacts the life of each student member. We partner with young musicians to help them grow in character, self-discipline, teamwork, and personal growth. Our goal is to inspire the future leaders in our community!

Ronald Wheeler Memorial Scholarship Fund

The Tulsa Youth Symphony honors and celebrates the extraordinary life of our Conductor Emeritus Ron Wheeler, a man whose quiet leadership and incredible influence resonate far beyond the bounds of our community.

Ron was the heart of the Tulsa Youth Symphony for over five decades –- a tenure marked by a relentless pursuit of excellence and an unwavering commitment to nurturing young talent and young minds. He transformed the musical landscape of Tulsa and shaped the lives of thousands, instilling in them not just the skills of their craft, but a deep love for the art form.

As we remember Ron, we celebrate not just his remarkable career, but the way he touched our lives. He was a mentor, a guide, and a friend. His legacy is etched in the hearts of the young musicians he taught, in the scores he conducted, and in the communities he enriched.

And his legacy will continue to impact future generations. With a founding gift by The Albert and Hete Barthelmes Foundation and support from James and Cheryl Clark, Dr. William and Gabriela Belan, Cylde Harrison, Stephen Curry, and the Estate of Ronald Wheeler, the Tulsa Youth Symphony has established the Ron Wheeler Memorial Scholarship Fund in support of the youth and city to whom he dedicated his life’s work.

Together we now carry forward his spirit of generosity, his love for music, and his boundless passion for life. Tulsa Youth Symphony will honor Ron by continuing the work he so devotedly championed, nurturing the next generation of musicians and leaders with the same dedication and enthusiasm that he so freely gave.

If you would like to make a contribution to the Ronald Wheeler Memorial Scholarship Fund, please click here.

Ron Wheeler Memorial Concert & Alumni Homecoming

Tulsa Youth Symphony | 2025