On March 3, 2025, Tulsa Opera will name its office building in honor of Laven Sowell.

Sowell was a longtime chorus master, musician, mentor, and educator in the area. He was chorus master for 34 seasons and worked on 80 productions in that time span from 1962-1994. In the 1960s, he started teaching and leading choral programs at Edison High School and then took on the role of Choir director at First Presbyterian Church from 1969-1985. He was also Associate Professor and Director of Choral Activities at the University of Tulsa from 1970-1999.

“It’s hard to overstate the impression he had on me,” said Ronnie Jobe, Director of Institutional Investment Advisors at the Bank of Oklahoma Financial and a student of Sowell. “Even though I was only his student for a couple of years, a lot of what he taught me has helped me in life and in my career. Just the discipline that he demanded … a lot of those things that he taught me in choir are skills that have helped me for the rest of my life.”

The naming ceremony of The Laven Sowell Opera Center at Tulsa Opera will feature performances by 28 chorus members comprised of former students and choristers of Sowell’s, including tenor Justin Kroll, who is a Laven Sowell Artist with Tulsa Opera’s Filstrup Resident Artist Company. The event kicks off at 5 p.m. local time.

Read Related Stories

• Tulsa Opera & Spotlight on Opera Collaborate for Opera Intensive

• Tulsa Opera Announces ‘The Tragedy of Carmen: Domestic Violence and the Operatic Stage’ Event With DVIS & Family Safety Center

• Renée Fleming Among Headliners of Tulsa Opera’s 2024-25 Season