The Oklahoma City Philharmonic is turning familiar movie scores into a kid-friendly introduction to the orchestra, with a family concert set for September 20 at Civic Center Music Hall. The 2 p.m. program will weave storytelling and interactive elements around selections from E.T., Toy Story, Back to the Future and Edvard Grieg's In the Hall of the Mountain King, alongside pieces inspired by birds, boats and other themes. Guest conductor Caroline Hand will lead the performance, according to the seed facts drawn from this story.
The concert opens the Philharmonic's 2026–2027 Discovery Family Series, a three-part annual lineup designed for children ages 4 to 13, according to The Journal Record. General admission tickets for the September 20 show run $11, while families can subscribe to the full three-concert season for $32, per the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. That single-ticket price marks an increase from the $9 general admission tickets charged in previous seasons, the orchestra notes on its family programming page.
An hour before the downbeat, at 1 p.m., families can head to the Instrument Playground in the lobby, where children get the chance to explore and play real orchestra instruments. The hands-on activity is presented in partnership with the volunteer-led Oklahoma City Orchestra League, which supports 18 educational programs each year, including student scholarships, per the orchestra's family series page and MetroFamily Magazine's earlier reporting on the partnership.
Who's Conducting, and Why It Fits
Leading the performance is Dr. Caroline Hand, who was named Director of Concert Bands at the University of Oklahoma School of Music in an appointment announced in March 2026, following her three years as the university's Associate Director of Bands. Before arriving in Oklahoma, Hand held a faculty band-conducting position at Ball State University, according to the university's bands program.
Hand's background lines up neatly with the Discovery Series' mission. She initiated the University of Oklahoma School of Music's Sensory Friendly Concert Series and has conducted research on including people with intellectual disabilities and community engagement, per the University of Oklahoma. She has also presented at the Midwest Clinic and the Oklahoma Music Educators Association Conference.
A Season-Long Commitment to Young Audiences
The September 20 concert kicks off a season that continues with Exploring the Sounds of Our City on February 7, 2027, and Musical Wonders: What Makes Music Magical on May 16, 2027. Each Discovery concert runs on a Sunday afternoon and lasts approximately 60 minutes, a format built for younger attention spans, according to the orchestra's subscription page.
The family series is one piece of a much larger educational push. The Philharmonic's education and community outreach programs include free youth concerts. Full ticket and program details for the movie music concert, titled Phil's Great Symphonic Adventure, are available at okcphil.org/concerts/phils-adventure.
Inside a Historic Downtown Stage
The concert takes place in the Thelma Gaylord Performing Arts Theatre inside Civic Center Music Hall. The venue provides the setting for the performance.
Civic Center Music Hall hosts performances by the Philharmonic. The orchestra also has its own history and leadership.
Part of a Broader Artistic Footprint
The family concert is part of the orchestra's broader artistic footprint. Together with the Discovery Series' movie-music matinees, it shows an organization focused on music education for young audiences.
