Ronald E. Predl
ron.predl@tulsasymphony.org
Executive Director

After 40 years of teaching, conducting and administration at the University of Tulsa, Ron Predl retired from the fulltime faculty as Emeritus Professor of Music in 2006. During his tenure, he served as Director of Music for eighteen years, Director of the School of Art for three years, Chair of the Division of Fine and Performing arts, Director of Bands and designed and developed the Bachelor of Arts in Arts Administration degree, which includes an optional semester of internship at the London Diorama Arts Centre.

After a national search of candidates, Predl was selected as the first Executive Director of the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra in October 2008.

The Tulsa Symphony is breaking ground nationally with a new and different model for symphony orchestras, that of a musician-led orchestra. TSO musicians serve on the Board, on Board committees and work in the TSO office as Executive Professional Musicians.

Predl received his Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music degrees from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. In 2003 he received T.U.’s Excellence in Teaching Award for the Henry Kendall College of Arts and Sciences and in 2006 published Trumpet-Naturally, a compilation of trumpet performance techniques presented in a master-class format.

Tim McFadden
tim.mcfadden@tulsasymphony.org
Executive Musician
Principal Trumpet
Orchestra Manager

Timothy McFadden, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, earned his Bachelor of Music from Duquesne University before doing graduate work at Bowling Green State University. His past teachers include Roger Sherman, of the Pittsburgh Symphony, and Edwin Betts. Tim is currently principal trumpet with the Tulsa Symphony, and is also Orchestra Manager of this newly formed, self-governing professional orchestra. In addition, Tim is also principal trumpet with the Tulsa Opera Orchestra, and has served as principal trumpet for the Tulsa Philharmonic, and the Charleston Symphony. Tim was a featured soloist on all of the Tulsa Philharmonic's series.

For the past five years, Tim has served as principal trumpet for the Breckenridge Music Festival in Breckenridge, Colorado. Tim has been a featured soloist at BMF as well, performing the Haydn Trumpet Concert, and Bach's Second Brandenburg Concerto.

Tim has also performed with the Mexico City Philharmonic, the Symphonies of Ann Arbor, and Lansing, Michigan, and the American Wind Symphony Orchestra. In addition to performing, Tim is currently on faculty at the University of Tulsa and has also served on the faculty at Oklahoma State University, the University of Michigan-Flint, Bowling Green State University, Findlay (Ohio) University, and Langston University.

In addition to orchestral playing, Tim is one of the founding members of Bravo Brass Quintet. Bravo has been performing chamber concerts throughout the state of Oklahoma for thirteen years.

Marc Facci
marc.facci@tulsasymphony.org
Executive Musician
Principal Bass
Music Librarian
Production Coordinator

Kathy Rad
kathy.rad@tulsasymphony.org
Executive Musician
Cello
Education / Community
Engagement Director

Kathy has dedicated her life to sharing the joy of music with others. While Music Coordinator for Tulsa Public Schools, she established String Programs at more than 30 elementary schools and helped raise over half a million dollars to support music. Kathy has taught music to students of all ages in the greater Tulsa area. She began teaching Strings at Walt Whitman Elementary School, then taught at Oliver Middle School, was director of the award-winning Broken Arrow High School Orchestra, and taught the Central High School Stylin’ Strings Orchestra. She taught Cello at Northeastern State University and currently is on the faculty at Tulsa Community College, where she teaches Cello and directs the Tulsa Cello Choir. Kathy is director of the Tulsa Honors Orchestra, the Tulsa Honors-Chamber Orchestra, the Stardust Strolling Strings, and teaches Elementary Strings in Jenks Public Schools. Kathy plays Cello in the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra, the Brady Orchestra, and is Principal Cellist of the Light Opera Oklahoma Orchestra. She was Associate Principal Cellist of the International Orchestra in Graz, Austria, has performed live on National Public Radio and has recorded on the Universal-Republic record label. Kathy Rad is listed in Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in American Women, Who’s Who in Education and Who’s Who Among American Teachers.

Martha Mattes
martha.mattes@tulsasymphony.org
Executive Musician
Violin
Grant Coordinator

Having been raised in a musical family, Martha Mattes is a native of Barrington, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Her mother is a retired church organist/choirmaster and an elementary school music teacher. Martha received a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from Northwestern University and also studied at the University of Tulsa. While a student at Northwestern, she served as Principal Second Violin of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the training orchestra of the Chicago Symphony. Martha joined the Tulsa Philharmonic shortly after graduating from Northwestern in 1980, and remained with the orchestra until its demise in 2002. She continues to perform with the Tulsa Opera Orchestra. Martha regularly performs with the North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra in Fayetteville, Arkansas, as well as other regional orchestras, as a substitute/extra. She has launched A Touch of Class, which provides string quartets and solo violin for weddings and other special occasions, using musicians from the Tulsa Symphony. An active member of Trinity Episcopal Church, Martha sings in the highly acclaimed Trinity Choir and has enhanced Trinity’s worship through her violin playing. She has a cat named Phoebe whom she adopted seven years ago from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Martha enjoys cooking, watching good movies, and taking care of her cat.

Michael McUsic
mike.mcusic@tulsasymphony.org
Tessitura/Ticketing Director
IT Support

Mike is a Tulsa native who has a lifelong interest in music. He has performed in the Tulsa Opera Chorus and the Tulsa Oratorio Chorus, two of TSO's long-time musical partners. Integrating the new arts database Tessitura into TSO's operations gives him the opportunity to stand at the intersection of art and commerce -- "...and try not to get run over!"

Wade Bray
wade.bray@tulsasymphony.org
Marketing Director

With twenty years experience in graphic design and marketing, Wade Bray is pleased to apply his knowledge and creativity to the Tulsa Symphony. Born and raised in Tulsa, Wade is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Arts. His understanding of strategic marketing concepts combined with a love for the arts makes his job as Marketing Director for TSO especially rewarding. Wade’s background includes working as Creative Director for a L’oreal-owned company, where he created a full service, in-house agency for the largest professional beauty supply distributor in North America. He also has a significant history working in sports and music, and he owns a marketing and creative firm here in Tulsa.

Austin Pendergrass
austin@tulsasymphony.org
Education Assistant

Austin was born and raised in Tulsa until age eleven when he moved to Nashville to live with his grandparents. While in Nashville he started playing violin but quickly switched to cello, not to have his first lesson until age fifteen when he moved back to Tulsa to join the Barthelmes Conservatory classes in the summer of 2002. When Kathy began teaching at Central High School he joined her to help build the orchestra and, upon graduation, received the Great Spirit Award that only two Central High School graduates receive each year, as well as the Mervin Boviard Foundation Scholarship to attend the University of Tulsa where he studied music education and composition. He took a vacation from school but returned in spring of 2010 to Tulsa Community College where he has been a member of the Tulsa Community College Cello Choir for many years. His focus has always revolved around education, music, and his philosophy that nothing should stand in the way of either. He is excited to be working as the Assistant Education / Community Engagement Director of Tulsa Symphony Orchestra.

Brenda Moody
brenda.moody@tulsasymphony.org
Accounting