Principal  Musician  Biographies

June McCoy, Concertmistress

June, a native of Louisville, KY completed her undergraduate work at the University of Louisville, and her graduate work at Louisiana State University.
   Having professionally played in orchestras throughout the southern states, June currently is a member of the first violin section of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra, the Lawton, OK Orchestra, as well as the Enid Symphony Orchestra in Enid, OK.
June also maintains a studio of private violin students with an emphasis in the Suzuki concept of teaching.
   June is one of four women who started the Fine Arts Institute in Edmond, offering art, drama and other areas such as a children's choir to children as well as adults who want to enrich their lives with fine art experiences.
   June has recently been appointed to the Edmond Arts and Humanities Council.
   She is also very active in the Oklahoma City Orchestra League serving on the board and working on several of the educational projects that they 
fund and support.

Maggie Taliaferro, Principal - 2nd Violin

Maggie graduated from Oklahoma City University with a degree in Violin Performance in 1978 and served as concertmaster of the Oklahoma Community Orchestra until 1996, when she moved to Austin, TX for three years.  Since her return to Oklahoma, she has played both violin and viola with the orchestra, serving as Co-Principal, Viola last year. She has played with the Signature Symphony of Tulsa, Oklahoma and with various string quartets.
    Maggie's "day job" is in insurance.  She has been with the American Fidelity Assurance Company for 29 years, and is currently Associate Vice President of Operations for the eDirect division of the company, involved with developing Voluntary insurance products for Online Employee Benefit Enrollments.
   She currently lives in Tulsa with her husband Robert and their daughter.
 

Diane Durocher, Principal - Viola

Diane attended the University of Oklahoma. She was principal violinist in the OU Symphony and studied with T. Burns Westman and Tosca Kramer. She also played viola in a string quartet with Gail (Boyd) deStwolinski and Colbert Hackler.
She moved to Bakersfield, CA, where she was principal violist with the Kern County Philharmonic. Moving back to Oklahoma, Diane went to work with the Department of Human Services investigating abuse and neglect of children and adults.   During this employment, she finished her Bachelor of Music degree at Oklahoma City University.
Diane retired from DHS after 34 years of service. Currently she works for Osage Land Company in Edmond, Oklahoma. She plays for pleasure in the Oklahoma Community Orchestra and as a member of the Classics Moods String Quartet.

Bob Carroll, Principal - Cello

Bob is a graduate of U.S. Grant High School in Oklahoma City. While attending the University of Oklahoma, he was principal cellist in the OU Symphony and a member of the OU String Quartet.
   He was also a cellist with the Midland-Odessa, TX Symphony following his collegiate years, while working as a YMCA professional.
   Currently, Bob plays for pleasure in the Oklahoma Community Orchestra and as a member of the Classics Moods String Quartet.
   In his professional life, Bob is a jewelry insurance and security expert; owner of the Robert G. Carroll Associates -- Oklahoma's only agency that specializes in insuring both the personal jewelry of individuals and jewelry-related businesses throughout several states in the Southwest.
 

Jeff Ketch, Principal - Bass

Jeff, a native of Stillwater, is a double bass and cello private lesson teacher in the Edmond area. His musical pursuits include orchestral and solo performance.
   Jeff is the assistant to the orchestra at Central Middle School in Edmond, with emphasis in low strings. His former playing positions have included principal bass of the University of Central Oklahoma Symphony, UCO Chamber Orchestra, and bassist for UCO Jazz #1 Jazz Ensemble. Currently he is the principal bass for the Oklahoma Community Orchestra.
   Jeff is a former student of Mr. Larry Moore, director of bands and orchestras at Casady Schools and is a current student of Mr. George Speed, professor of double bass at Oklahoma State University.
 

Janet Romanishin, Principal - Flute

DMA, University of Southern California, has performed in the Tucson Symphony, Ballet and Pops Orchestras, Arizona Opera Orchestra, and Missouri Symphony Society Performing Arts Center Chamber Orchestra. Her many solo recitals include guest artist appearances at the University of Arizona and the University of Redlands, CA., as well as the Ada Arts Council Artist Series.
   Dr. Romanishin has performed at national conventions for both Sigma Alpha Iota and the National Flute Association. She premiered a work for flute and piano by Beverly McLarry at the 2001 NFA Convention. On the founding board of the Oklahoma Flute Society, she presented the inaugural recital for the Society in 1994, performed in the adult flute choir, and has served in many capacities, including president and treasurer.
   Dr. Romanishin has taught flute at Duquesne University and the Northern Arizona University Summer Fine Arts Camp, and flute and piano at South Mountain Community College (Phoenix).
   An active member of Oklahoma Music Teachers Association, she recently attained National Certification as a teacher of flute. As a member of the Norman Arts and Humanities Guest Artist Program, she presents educational performances about the flute family for schools. She teaches flute and piano privately in Norman, serves as adjudicator, freelances, substitutes for the Tulsa Opera and performs in the Norman Flute Quartet.
 

Gerald Warlick, Principal - Oboe

Gerald earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Central Oklahoma. There he studied oboe with Richard Killmer, currently professor of oboe at the Eastman School of Music. He taught instrumental music in Crescent and Oklahoma City Public Schools; was adjunct professor of oboe and bassoon at the University of Central Oklahoma and performed as a member of the Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed with symphony orchestras in Enid, Fort Smith and Lawton.
     Mr. Warlick retired as a music educator after fifteen years with Midwest City-Del City Schools. He is presently adjunct professor of oboe at Oklahoma Christian University and teaches oboe for several school districts. In addition to the Oklahoma Community Orchestra, Mr. Warlick performs regularly as an oboist with the Cimarron Wind Quintet, Crosswinds Reed Trio and as co-principal oboist with the Enid Symphony Orchestra.
 

Barre Griffith, Principal – Bassoon

Barre, an Oklahoma native, studied bassoon from 1953-1962 with the late Betty Johnson, former principal bassoonist with the Oklahoma City Symphony and the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra.  He attended Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, from 1962-1966 and earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree.  During that time, he played with the ASU Orchestra, Sun Devil Band, Opera Workshop Orchestra, and the ASU Student Woodwind Quintet.  In addition, he performed as second bassoonist with the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra.  From January - June 1967, he was a Graduate Assistant with the Music Department of the University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, and was the principal bassoonist with the University of Idaho Orchestra.  From 1967-1971 he was a member of the U.S. Navy Band in Washington, D.C., and attended the Catholic University of America from which he earned a Master of Music Education degree.  While living in the Dallas, Texas, area from 1971-1979, he played with the Fort Worth Civic Orchestra as principal bassoonist.
   Barre is president of the American Exchange Bank, Lindsay, Oklahoma, and vice-president of the First National Bank, Fletcher, Oklahoma.  He is also the Music Director, Choir Director, and Bell Choir Director of the United Methodist Church, Lindsay, Oklahoma.  Along with being a free lance musician, he performs as principal bassoonist with the Oklahoma Community Orchestra, the Cimarron Wind Quintet, and is the third bassoonist/contrabassoonist with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra.
 

Kristi Nagode, Principal - French Horn

Kristi graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a combined vocal and instrumental Bachelor of Music Education degree. She studied horn with Dr. Melvin Lee and played in the band, orchestra and various ensembles. 
  After graduating, she taught vocal music at Newcastle High School and Junior High for four years, and also played with the Westside Wind Quintet.  During a two-year stay in Enid , Kristi played principal horn with the Enid/Phillips Symphony orchestra and studied with Dan Meier.
  After returning to Oklahoma City in 1987, she directed adult and children’s choirs at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church for nine years.  She and her husband, Cory, who plays trombone in the Community Orchestra, also play in the St. Luke’s brass ensemble. Kristi serves on the Poteet Theatre Board, a branch of Arts at St. Luke’s, as volunteer box office manager and website administrator for the small church / community theatre housed in St. Luke’s.
  In addition to performing with the Oklahoma Community Orchestra, she is a member of the Harmonious Winds woodwind quintet. She and Cory, a family practice physician, reside in south Oklahoma City . Both of their children attend the University of Oklahoma , where Kristi recently began studying horn with Dr. Eldon Matlick.

Bill Knisely, Principal - Trumpet

Bill is serving his third year as president of the Oklahoma Community Orchestra. Under his leadership, the orchestra entered a period of growth and a transformation from a “club-like” group of musicians into a vital organization providing music to the greater Oklahoma City metropolitan area.
   Growing up in Midwest City, Oklahoma, Bill is a graduate of Midwest City High School; earning his Bachelors degree from Oklahoma State University and his Masters degree from the Northwestern University School of Music. Currently, Bill is the band director for Del Crest Junior High School in Del City, OK. He lives in Midwest City with his wife Tonya and their three sons.

Matt Horton, Principal - Trombone

Matt is serving his second year as vice president of the Oklahoma Community Orchestra and is a resident of Norman, OK. In addition to serving the Oklahoma Community Orchestra, he is a local business owner providing CD/ DVD/Blu-ray recording, duplication and manufacturing services. He also provides professional audio recording services.
     He holds a BMA from the University of Oklahoma. In addition to being Principal in the Oklahoma Community Orchestra, he is a member of the University of Oklahoma Trombone choir, has performed trombone with the Pollard Theatre in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Matt was also a member of the Taipei Symphonic Winds in Taiwan in 2007. Matt enjoys serving the community and supporting fine arts in Oklahoma.

Martin Bellows, Principal - Tuba

Having performed in many local productions, Martin has always been an active musician and supporter of the arts.
After graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 1970 with a Bachelor of Music Education degree, he taught instrumental and vocal music in New Mexico and Oklahoma until 1976.
   After working a few years for the state of Oklahoma and then in private industry, he started Bellows Musical Instrument Services in Edmond, where he repairs band instruments and tunes pianos.
   Martin has sung with various quartets and directed the local Barbershop chapter in Chickasha. He established the church orchestra at Henderson Hills Baptist Church in Edmond and continued to direct for fifteen years. Currently he sings in the choir at Waterloo Road Baptist church, and plays tuba in the Coffee Creek Brass Quintet. 
   He has been with the Oklahoma Community Orchestra since 1993.
 

Maurice Galoob, Principal - Percussion  

Maurice is a 1970 graduate of the University of Oklahoma and taught in Oklahoma public schools for fives years.  In the Ardmore area, he both played in and conducted the Southern Oklahoma Symphonette and participated in and conducted various pit orchestras for the Ardmore Little Theater. 
    In the Oklahoma City area Mr. Galoob is the former conductor of the Adult Flute Choir of the Oklahoma Flute Society and has guest conducted the University of Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra.  He regularly performs in pit orchestras for the Jewel Box Theater in Oklahoma City, Summer Stock in Edmond, the Pollard Theater in Guthrie, the Sooner Theater in Norman and plays drums with “Talk of the Town”, a Glenn Miller style jazz band.   He is the current principal percussionist with the Oklahoma Community Orchestra and has also been its guest conductor.
   He and his wife, Gyan, (piccolo) have been active players in the OCO for many years and have served on its Board of Directors.  They are the owners of The Candy Basket in Norman.