Stuart Langsam, Percussion

                Stuart Langsam has been with the OKC PHIL since the 2007 Oklahoma Centennial Celebration, however, he’s been playing percussion for almost 14 years. In the seventh grade he started with drums though he found them not to be an immediately easy hurdle. Switching to the trumpet he realized he’d chosen an instrument even more difficult for him than the first and so found his way back to percussion. 

                He cites Aaron Copland and Leonard Berstein as some of his favorite composers, as well as Gustav Holst and George Gershwin but does love the tone poems of Strauss.  In spite of his fascination with these composers, his greatest musical influence remains his high school band teacher, Mr. Samaroo. 

                In addition to the OKC PHIL, Langsam has also played with the Kansas City Symphony, Stockton Symphony, Tulsa Signature Symphony, the Vietnamese Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, and the National Children’s Choir. He looks forward to returning to the OKC PHIL each season for the repertoire and the enjoyment of making music with his colleagues. 

                Langsam holds a bachelor of arts in Music Performance from San Jose State University and is an Adjunct Instructor of Percussion at Oklahoma State University, works with the Cowboy Marching Band Drumline, is an Adjunct Instructor at Langston University and works with the Shawnee High School Band.  

                He also has a great love for animals. He makes room in his busy life for a dog, a cat, three guinea pigs, a ball python, a red ear slider turtle, a bearded dragon, and an Uromastyx lizard.