The Oklahoma Concert Band Foundation sponsors the Oklahoma City Symphonic Band. The Oklahoma City Symphonic Band is a community band comprised of ninety-seven professional and amateur musicians. Our historic band has performed in the Oklahoma City area for decades. While we are a cross-section of the community made up of all different professions, we are also musicians who find that our band activities give us a chance to grow musically. Our band rehearses and performs throughout the year, taking breaks only in the months of May and August. We perform several concerts throughout the year. The Oklahoma City Symphonic Band is made up of volunteers. Every person who performs in our band is important to our success.

The Oklahoma Concert Band Foundation was formed in 1995 to provide financial and other support to the band. The purpose of the Oklahoma Concert Band Foundation is to engage in the promotion, appreciation, and support of concert band music throughout the State of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Concert Band Foundation is a 501C3 non-profit organization supported by member dues, donations from individuals and organizations, and grants.

The Oklahoma City Symphonic Band was originally organized in the late 1970’s as the Oklahoma City University Alumni Band. The band was organized and conducted by Dr. Steve Coker, choral director at OCU. They rehearsed one night a week in May and performed only one concert a year at the Father’s Day Concert for the Methodist Father’s Day Conference at OCU.

In 1980 the late Jim Haught, a very talented musician and owner of his own instrument repair store, re-organized the band for a longer playing season. Working with Dr. Thurston, who at that time was the Dean of Music at OCU, Mr. Haught arranged for the band to meet from October through June of each year. At that time, the name of the band was the Oklahoma City Community Band.

In 1986 the band added benefit and public service concerts to their agenda. Organizations for whom they played benefit concerts included Southern Nazarene University, the Oklahoma City University Music Scholarship Fund, and the Western Heights High School Band. Public service concerts included: Festival of the Arts, the 4th of July celebration at the Myriad Gardens, and concerts at local churches and malls. The band continues to perform a variety of these same types of concerts today. One fun summer concert is the “Concert in the Park” series in Yukon where people can bring their picnics, lawn chairs and blankets and enjoy a good old-fashioned concert in the park.

Conductors of the Oklahoma City Symphonic Band have included a long list of very talented people:

• 1978-1979 - Dr. Steve Coker
• 1980-1981 - Jim Haught
• 1982-1983 - Tom Hutchison
• 1983-1984 - Dr. Richard Thurston
• 1984-1985 - Martin Pachey
• 1986-1987 - John Pennington
• 1988-1995 - Don Todd, assisted by Al Buswell
• 1995-1997 - Dr. Alfred N. "Buzzy" Green
• 1997-2000 - Don Todd, assisted by Steve Campbell 97-99
• 2000-2003 - Marty Marks
• 2003-2004 - Steve Campbell
• 2004-current - Dr. Mark G. Belcik