Thursday, October 10, 2013, 6:00-8:30PM
OKLAHOMA HISTORY CENTER
The Presidential Reception will take place at the stunning new Oklahoma History Center. An architectural masterpiece, the Oklahoma History Center is an 18-acre, 215,000 square-foot learning center exploring Oklahoma’s history, culture, and heritage. The reception will be held in the soaring 80-ft glass atrium with a dramatic view of the Oklahoma State Capitol.
The five state-of-the-art galleries housing more than 200 hands-on audio, video and computer activities will be open for viewing. Exhibits include We Are Who We Were representing all 38 federally recognized American Indian tribes currently associated with Oklahoma and Oklahoma @ the Movies, a major new exhibit celebrating Oklahomans’ involvement with the motion picture industry.
Bob Blackburn, the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Historical Society, will provide a short introduction to Oklahoma history. The featured entertainment of the evening will be a performance of the musical piece Polango. Polango is inspired by the music and the lives of Appalachian coal miners of central Pennsylvania. Scott McAllister, the composer, used a research grant from the Institute for Oral History at Baylor University to record the stories and music of coal miners from the early to mid-twentieth century. Inspired by these oral histories, he wrote this arrangement, combining elements of tango and polka forms, virtuosic cadenzas, lyrical and pyrotechnical music to feature soloists on accordion, piano, bassoon, and clarinet.
Come join us for a wonderful gathering including food and a cash bar. There will be a $5 charge to attend the reception, payable with registration, which will cover transportation. Shuttle bus service to the Oklahoma History Center will depart from the Skirvin Hotel beginning at 5:30 pm and return guests to the Skirvin after the reception.
