OCO Documentary PROJECT

​​
​This six-part video series tells the story of the Oakland Civic Orchestra from its humble beginnings in Redwood Heights Community Center over 32 years ago, up until the present day. Thirty-two OCO members have been interviewed, and their stories are supported with OCO concert videos, archival photos, and recorded audio. 
 
Please bookmark the OCO documentary PLAYLIST on YouTube, which will be continuously updated as the project progresses. 
This playlist will always contain the most recent version of the OCO documentary.

Videographer: Carol DeArment (bass)

LIST OF DOCUMENTARY VIDEO EPISODES:

Dear OCO Part 1: The Early Years

• Welcome to the Oakland Civic Orchestra (OCO) documentary!  Part 1 tells the story of the beginnings of OCO in 1992.  Enric "Ric" Zappa established OCO through the City of Oakland Department of Parks and Recreation Cultural Arts Division. Our storytellers (Roger Raphael, Wendy Shiraki-Raphael, Sr. Laurel O'Neal, Daniel Bao and Margaret Wu) are OCO members who were there for the Ric Zappa years. Most are still active members of the orchestra.  Five years after founding OCO, Ric Zappa announced that he would step down.  OCO members were sad to lose Ric, and were eager to recruit a new conductor to keep the orchestra going.  They placed ads in newspapers and interviewed conductor candidates.  In 1997, they selected Martha "Marty" Stoddard as their new Artistic Director and Principal Conductor. They liked that Marty sang their parts to them and helped them to learn the music.  The story of Marty's early years is told by four OCO members (Margaret Wu, Sue Shallenberger, Susanne Rublein, Tim Erickson) who joined the orchestra during those years. Most are still active in OCO, and Marty is still our Artistic Director and Principal Conductor.

Dear OCO Part 2: Our Conductors

• In this episode, we meet Martha "Marty" Stoddard, our Artistic Director and Principal Conductor since 1997.  Marty tells us her story about responding to a newspaper ad, for the position of Oakland Civic Orchestra conductor in 1997.  Today, Marty is still our leader!  She built up the orchestra from approximately 20 members when she began, to about 75 members currently.  Marty shares her thoughts about what is important in a community orchestra, including musical development and building a community.  We will also meet three assistant conductors:  Jason Oestenstad, who joined OCO in 2012; Shannon Houston who joined us in 2016; and Christine Brandes, who joined OCO in 2018 as an Associate Conductor.

​ 
Dear OCO Part 3: VIOLINS

• In Part 3, we meet the extraordinary VIOLIN section of the Oakland Civic Orchestra.  Our Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, Martha "Marty" Stoddard, shares her thoughts about the importance of friendships and connections between orchestra members.  This video highlights seven members of the OCO violin section.  Their stories are compelling, and illustrate the richness of experience within this section.  We will hear from several OCO concertmasters, as well as long-time section players, a soloist, the principal conductor, and two assistant conductors who movingly describe how OCO has touched their lives.  Violinists include:  Lila McDonald, Christopher "Topher" Liao, Margaret Wu, Phil Trujillo, Sr. Laurel O'Neal, Jason Oestenstad, and Christina Owens.

Dear OCO Part 4: LOWER STRINGS

• Welcome to OCO Part 4, the Lower Strings.  Here we meet members of the viola, cello, and bass sections.  Principal violist Thomas Chow begins with his high school days when Marty Stoddard was his music teacher.  We also hear from violists Sara Rusche, Nansamba Ssensalo, Bill Finzer and Myeast McCauley.  Next we go to the cello section where we hear from Diane Louie, Shannon Bowman and Tim Erickson.  Then down to the bass section with Carol DeArment, who is also the videographer of this OCO documentary.

Dear OCO Part 5: WOODWINDS

• Welcome to OCO Part 5, the Woodwinds.  Our Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, Martha "Marty" Stoddard, shares her thoughts about why adults join a community orchestra, and some of the factors that are important to them.  Key woodwind players share their stories:  Deirdre Sanders (bassoon), Tom Berkelman (clarinet), Susanne Rublein (flute), Roger Raphael (oboe), and Wendy Shiraki-Raphael (oboe and English horn).

​Dear OCO Part 6: BRASS and Percussion

• Welcome to OCO Part 6, the Brass and Percussion sections.  Michael Cox, trumpet, tells his story first.  We'll hear from French horn players Daniel Bao, Carol Yarbrough and Alex Strachan.  Next we'll head to the percussion section where we'll meet Nate Cavalieri and Nancy Geimer.

​

Please visit our three YouTube playlists to view
OCO performances on video:
NEW! Virtual performances recorded at home:  OCO "virtual performances"
OCO short list of favorites: OCO "greatest hits"
Complete video playlist from our rich history: OCO playlist on YouTube