MISSION STATEMENT The McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra is deeply committed to fostering a profound and enduring connection with the community of McKinney and its surrounding areas through the transformative power of music.
OUR CORE VALUES
- Artistic Excellence
-Educational Excellence
-Leadership
-Community Engagement
-Lasting Impact
-Organizational Viability and Innovation
OUR CORE VALUES
- Artistic Excellence
-Educational Excellence
-Leadership
-Community Engagement
-Lasting Impact
-Organizational Viability and Innovation
MPO's ORIGIN & HISTORY
The McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra was established in May 2012 in Denton, Texas, under the leadership of Artistic Director Jason Lim. Originally known as the Odysseus Chamber Orchestra, it comprises professional classical musicians from the Dallas/Fort Worth area who share a commitment to fostering a vibrant community through the power of music and the arts.
Since its inception, the orchestra has achieved remarkable milestones. Its debut performance in 2012 featured esteemed local soloists, including Christopher Deane, a renowned Professor of Percussion at the University of North Texas.
Building on this early success, Artistic Director Jason Lim commissioned the world premiere of Brad Robin's captivating composition, "Breathe." In 2019, the orchestra performed the highly anticipated US premiere of "Musica Con Cello" by Pavel Karmanov, featuring the brilliant Tess Crowther as the principal cellist and soloist. Additionally, the orchestra embarked on groundbreaking collaborations, including a full ballet production of Prokofiev's enchanting "Peter and the Wolf" with the Denton City Contemporary Ballet, a mesmerizing North Texas premiere performance of Igor Stravinsky's "A Soldier's Tale" with Amity Perry and Company, an extraordinary showcase of Astor Piazzolla's Tango music in partnership with world-renowned double bassist Jeff Bradetich, and a captivating collaboration with legendary guitarist Andy Timmons. The orchestra even shared the stage with the Grammy Award-winning Polka band, Brave Combo, in 2018.
Today, the McKinney Philharmonic has expanded its concert season to encompass up to seven subscription concerts, featuring an innovative and diverse array of series, including Pops, Family, Chamber Music, Recital, and Classical performances. The orchestra's programming has gained national recognition, with Artistic Director Jason Lim being honored with the prestigious 2021 American Prize in Orchestral Programming/Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in the professional division.
Despite its relatively short history, the orchestra has garnered an increasing national reputation as an emerging ensemble, earning second and third prizes in the American Prize Competition for professional orchestras in 2014 and 2015, respectively. In 2016, the orchestra received the esteemed Ernst Bacon Memorial Award for its outstanding performances of American Music. Beyond its artistic endeavors, the orchestra actively supports local service clubs, schools, and community events. Moreover, the orchestra has expanded its outreach efforts by offering free chamber music series concerts, hosting amenity concerts in neighborhoods, conducting TEKS-aligned educational school tour performances, and collaborating with the Arts and Music Guild to organize the Summer Music Intensives—a week-long music workshop for middle and high school orchestra students.
In 2017, the organization launched the Greater North Texas Youth Orchestra, thereby enhancing its mission. Members of the McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra serve as mentors to the youth orchestra students, providing them with valuable knowledge and experiences to support their musical aspirations and future careers. The youth orchestra benefits from a range of programs, including the "Mentorship Program," which enables exceptional high school orchestra students to rehearse and perform alongside the McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra in subscription concerts. Additionally, the "Side-by-side" program brings together the youth orchestras and the McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra in an annual collaboration, while the "Concerto Competition" offers an exciting opportunity for young musicians to showcase their talent. In 2019, the organization introduced the Celtic String Ensemble, directed by Keyreel Raskolenko, the Principal 2nd Violinist. This unique program allows students to explore traditional music by ear, offering them a rare and enriching educational experience. In 2023, the GNTYO has expanded to three orchestras to meet the needs of various ages and abilities, and to expand the potential progression for the area's most talented youth.
To better reflect its growing ties with and support from the City of McKinney, the organization changed its name to the McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) in 2019. We have undertaken a rebrand in 2023 and are enthusiastically focused on growing awareness of our organization to better fulfill our Mission.
Since its inception, the orchestra has achieved remarkable milestones. Its debut performance in 2012 featured esteemed local soloists, including Christopher Deane, a renowned Professor of Percussion at the University of North Texas.
Building on this early success, Artistic Director Jason Lim commissioned the world premiere of Brad Robin's captivating composition, "Breathe." In 2019, the orchestra performed the highly anticipated US premiere of "Musica Con Cello" by Pavel Karmanov, featuring the brilliant Tess Crowther as the principal cellist and soloist. Additionally, the orchestra embarked on groundbreaking collaborations, including a full ballet production of Prokofiev's enchanting "Peter and the Wolf" with the Denton City Contemporary Ballet, a mesmerizing North Texas premiere performance of Igor Stravinsky's "A Soldier's Tale" with Amity Perry and Company, an extraordinary showcase of Astor Piazzolla's Tango music in partnership with world-renowned double bassist Jeff Bradetich, and a captivating collaboration with legendary guitarist Andy Timmons. The orchestra even shared the stage with the Grammy Award-winning Polka band, Brave Combo, in 2018.
Today, the McKinney Philharmonic has expanded its concert season to encompass up to seven subscription concerts, featuring an innovative and diverse array of series, including Pops, Family, Chamber Music, Recital, and Classical performances. The orchestra's programming has gained national recognition, with Artistic Director Jason Lim being honored with the prestigious 2021 American Prize in Orchestral Programming/Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in the professional division.
Despite its relatively short history, the orchestra has garnered an increasing national reputation as an emerging ensemble, earning second and third prizes in the American Prize Competition for professional orchestras in 2014 and 2015, respectively. In 2016, the orchestra received the esteemed Ernst Bacon Memorial Award for its outstanding performances of American Music. Beyond its artistic endeavors, the orchestra actively supports local service clubs, schools, and community events. Moreover, the orchestra has expanded its outreach efforts by offering free chamber music series concerts, hosting amenity concerts in neighborhoods, conducting TEKS-aligned educational school tour performances, and collaborating with the Arts and Music Guild to organize the Summer Music Intensives—a week-long music workshop for middle and high school orchestra students.
In 2017, the organization launched the Greater North Texas Youth Orchestra, thereby enhancing its mission. Members of the McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra serve as mentors to the youth orchestra students, providing them with valuable knowledge and experiences to support their musical aspirations and future careers. The youth orchestra benefits from a range of programs, including the "Mentorship Program," which enables exceptional high school orchestra students to rehearse and perform alongside the McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra in subscription concerts. Additionally, the "Side-by-side" program brings together the youth orchestras and the McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra in an annual collaboration, while the "Concerto Competition" offers an exciting opportunity for young musicians to showcase their talent. In 2019, the organization introduced the Celtic String Ensemble, directed by Keyreel Raskolenko, the Principal 2nd Violinist. This unique program allows students to explore traditional music by ear, offering them a rare and enriching educational experience. In 2023, the GNTYO has expanded to three orchestras to meet the needs of various ages and abilities, and to expand the potential progression for the area's most talented youth.
To better reflect its growing ties with and support from the City of McKinney, the organization changed its name to the McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) in 2019. We have undertaken a rebrand in 2023 and are enthusiastically focused on growing awareness of our organization to better fulfill our Mission.