Michael Reaves – Founder & First Violinist Emeritus
Mike Reaves
A native Oklahoman, Mike earned his Bachelor of Music Degree in Violin Performance from Oklahoma City University and his Master of Music Education Degree from the University of Central Oklahoma. He held the position of Principal Second Violinist with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra for 24 seasons and served as Principal Emeritus until his retirement in 2016. He was also a member of the Lawton Philharmonic Orchestra, where he served as Assistant Concertmaster, Acting Concertmaster, and was a featured soloist on that Orchestra’s European Tour.
Mike served as concertmaster of Oklahoma City's Lyric Theatre Orchestra for 18 seasons, and on several occasions, he performed as the solo violinist with the national touring company's production of "Peter Pan", starring Cathy Rigby. In 2009 Mike performed with the orchestras for the national tours of "The Color Purple", "Lion King", and more recently "Shrek". Mike was a member of the former Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra, as well as the former Oklahoma City Chamber Orchestra. He has also performed with the Fort Worth Symphony, Tulsa Philharmonic, Tulsa Symphony Orchestra, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Norman Philharmonic, Wichita Falls Symphony, Enid Symphony, and the Signature Symphony of Tulsa. A former music educator on both the public school and university levels, Mike often served as an adjudicator for music competitions throughout Oklahoma.
Mike has been widely recognized and respected as a general musical contractor throughout central Oklahoma. Many national touring companies, churches, universities, and other organizations have utilized his expertise to hire an ensemble of the finest orchestral musicians in the area. Mike's contracting experience proved to be a tremendous asset in developing the organizational skills required in coordinating activities for the Mid-America String Quartet.
In 1996, Mike created an educational concert program for the Quartet, which has been met with great acclaim as part of the Oklahoma City Orchestra League’s “We’ve Got Rhythm” program. 20 years later, the Quartet continues its participation in this award-winning program, which has provided as many as 65 school concerts per year.
Mike’s vast orchestral experience gave him the opportunity to work with such conductors as Maestros Joel Levine, Leonard Slatkin, Ransom Wilson, Bobby McFerrin, Marvin Hamlisch, Henry Mancini, Sergiu Comissiona, James De Priest, Jack Everly, Tommy Newsom, Guy Fraser Harrison, Luis Herrera de la Fuente, Skitch Henderson, Mitch Miller, Miriam Burns of the New York Philharmonic, and many others. He’s worked with numerous classical artists, to include Yo-Yo Ma, Itzak Perlman, Pinchas Zuckerman, Sarah Chang, Sir James Galway, Joshua Bell, Van Cliburn, Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Rene' Fleming, Leonard Rose, Andre Watts, Emanuel Ax, Jean Pierre Rampal, Midori, and Christopher Parkening.
Mike also enjoyed working with many pops artists, including Josh Groban, Ben Folds, Tony Bennett, Jerry Lewis, Bob Hope (I was very young!!), Wayne Newton, Johnny Mathis, Dionne Warwick, Liberace, Kathy Lee Gifford, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Reba McEntire, Doc Severinson, Phyllis Diller, Sandy Patti, the Smothers Brothers, Glen Campbell, Aretha Franklin, Rod Stewart, the Moody Blues, Debbie Reynolds, Pete Fountain, Dudley Moore, Chet Atkins, Jim Nabors, Ray Charles, Roberta Flack, John Tesh, Peter Nero, Roy Clark, Carol Channing, Charlie Pride, Michael Martin Murphy, Harry Connick Jr., Stevie Wonder, Bernadette Peters, Olivia Newton-John, Sally Struthers, Kenny Loggins, Toby Keith, The Gatlin Brothers, The Flaming Lips and many others. Mike is grateful to the above-mentioned artists, as well as the countless others he’s had the honor of working with. He believes that each of them has contributed to his sense of musicianship and professionalism.
Founding and organizing the Mid-America String Quartet was one of Mike’s proudest accomplishments. He enjoyed several decades of his experiences leading and performing with the Quartet, providing the finest in string quartet entertainment for all occasions. Michael turned over the contracting and consulting responsibilities to his wife Cathy in 2016, after being diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia. Michael passed away on February 24, 2020.
Mike served as concertmaster of Oklahoma City's Lyric Theatre Orchestra for 18 seasons, and on several occasions, he performed as the solo violinist with the national touring company's production of "Peter Pan", starring Cathy Rigby. In 2009 Mike performed with the orchestras for the national tours of "The Color Purple", "Lion King", and more recently "Shrek". Mike was a member of the former Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra, as well as the former Oklahoma City Chamber Orchestra. He has also performed with the Fort Worth Symphony, Tulsa Philharmonic, Tulsa Symphony Orchestra, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Norman Philharmonic, Wichita Falls Symphony, Enid Symphony, and the Signature Symphony of Tulsa. A former music educator on both the public school and university levels, Mike often served as an adjudicator for music competitions throughout Oklahoma.
Mike has been widely recognized and respected as a general musical contractor throughout central Oklahoma. Many national touring companies, churches, universities, and other organizations have utilized his expertise to hire an ensemble of the finest orchestral musicians in the area. Mike's contracting experience proved to be a tremendous asset in developing the organizational skills required in coordinating activities for the Mid-America String Quartet.
In 1996, Mike created an educational concert program for the Quartet, which has been met with great acclaim as part of the Oklahoma City Orchestra League’s “We’ve Got Rhythm” program. 20 years later, the Quartet continues its participation in this award-winning program, which has provided as many as 65 school concerts per year.
Mike’s vast orchestral experience gave him the opportunity to work with such conductors as Maestros Joel Levine, Leonard Slatkin, Ransom Wilson, Bobby McFerrin, Marvin Hamlisch, Henry Mancini, Sergiu Comissiona, James De Priest, Jack Everly, Tommy Newsom, Guy Fraser Harrison, Luis Herrera de la Fuente, Skitch Henderson, Mitch Miller, Miriam Burns of the New York Philharmonic, and many others. He’s worked with numerous classical artists, to include Yo-Yo Ma, Itzak Perlman, Pinchas Zuckerman, Sarah Chang, Sir James Galway, Joshua Bell, Van Cliburn, Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Rene' Fleming, Leonard Rose, Andre Watts, Emanuel Ax, Jean Pierre Rampal, Midori, and Christopher Parkening.
Mike also enjoyed working with many pops artists, including Josh Groban, Ben Folds, Tony Bennett, Jerry Lewis, Bob Hope (I was very young!!), Wayne Newton, Johnny Mathis, Dionne Warwick, Liberace, Kathy Lee Gifford, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Reba McEntire, Doc Severinson, Phyllis Diller, Sandy Patti, the Smothers Brothers, Glen Campbell, Aretha Franklin, Rod Stewart, the Moody Blues, Debbie Reynolds, Pete Fountain, Dudley Moore, Chet Atkins, Jim Nabors, Ray Charles, Roberta Flack, John Tesh, Peter Nero, Roy Clark, Carol Channing, Charlie Pride, Michael Martin Murphy, Harry Connick Jr., Stevie Wonder, Bernadette Peters, Olivia Newton-John, Sally Struthers, Kenny Loggins, Toby Keith, The Gatlin Brothers, The Flaming Lips and many others. Mike is grateful to the above-mentioned artists, as well as the countless others he’s had the honor of working with. He believes that each of them has contributed to his sense of musicianship and professionalism.
Founding and organizing the Mid-America String Quartet was one of Mike’s proudest accomplishments. He enjoyed several decades of his experiences leading and performing with the Quartet, providing the finest in string quartet entertainment for all occasions. Michael turned over the contracting and consulting responsibilities to his wife Cathy in 2016, after being diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia. Michael passed away on February 24, 2020.
