Principal  Musician  Biographies

June McCoy, Concertmaster
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.

Richard Wright, Principal,  Ass't Concertmaster 
Richard Wright is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music with a bachelors degree in Violin Performance. At Oberlin he was a student of Stephen Clapp (Dean Emeritus of the Julliard School). Richard also holds a BA in Religious Studies from Oberlin College, an MA from Abilene Christian University, an MTS from Southern Methodist University, and a PhD from Brown University.
  Richard has taught violin privately and at Abilene Christian University. He has played in the Abilene Philharmonic, the San Angelo Symphony, and also performed with the Abilene Chamber Players.
  Richard is Chair of the Graduate School of Theology at Oklahoma Christian University.

Kathy and Bill Thompson,  Co- Principals - Viola
Kathy, Bill and violas go way back.  As dating teenagers 
they shared a viola stand in Wichita Falls (TX) high school 
orchestra, where a good date often involved some viola 
practice together.  As newlyweds, they played together in the
Abilene Christian University orchestra.  For many years 
they have continued to share a viola stand in the Oklahoma
Community Orchestra. 41 years into marriage, they still 
make music together. The viola can be very romantic.
  Kathy completed her Masters in Piano Performance and 
Pedagogy and her  PhD in Music Education at the University 
of Oklahoma and now serves as  the chair of the music 
department and teaches at Oklahoma Christian 
University. 
  Bill collects violas and works as an insurance 
agent in Edmond, Oklahoma.  

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.
 

Janet Romanishin, Principal - Flute
DMA, University of Southern California , has performed in the Tucson Symphony, Ballet and Pops Orchestras, Arizona Opera Orchestra, Tulsa Opera Orchestra, Norman Flute Quartet, 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.  She has performed at national conventions of Sigma Alpha Iota and the National Flute Association.  On the founding board of the Oklahoma Flute Society, she 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 is a Nationally Certified 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, adjudicates, freelances, and performs and records with the Arioso Consort.

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 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.
  Kristi and her husband Cory reside in south Oklahoma City.

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, Co-Principal - Trombone
Matt is a resident of Norman, Oklahoma. In addition to serving the Oklahoma Community Orchestra as webmaster, photographer, trombonist, and past board member, he is a local business owner providing audio recording, mastering, videography, and web design services. Matt is also Operations Director for the International Trombone Association. A non-profit organization serving the trombone community.
   Matt holds a Bachelor of Musical Arts degree and has also worked towards a masters degree in trombone performance from the University of Oklahoma where he has studied with Dr. Irvin L. Wagner. Matt is also a member of the University of Oklahoma trombone choir, has performed on trombone for the Pope, the Enid Symphony, the Pollard Theatre in Guthrie, and was a member of the Taipei Symphonic Winds in Taiwan. Matt enjoys traveling the world, serving the community, and supporting the arts.

Cory Nagode, Co-Principal - Trombone
Cory began playing with the Oklahoma Community Orchestra in 2006.  He attended the University of Oklahoma for undergraduate studies and graduated from OU medical school in 1984.  He is a family physician serving in south Oklahoma City since 1987.
   In undergraduate school, Cory was active in music, performing with the Pride of Oklahoma marching band and the OU trombone choir.  He studied privately with Dr. Irvin Wagner and Dr. Kent Kidwell. While in medical school, he played trombone for the contemporary Christian group, "Daystar". 
   In addition to performing with the Oklahoma Community Orchestra, he also plays with the OU Trombone choir and the St. Luke's United Methodist church brass ensemble.  Cory has also sung in various church choirs and ensembles and has been featured as a singer and actor in the casts of several musicals at the Poteet Theatre.

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.