What began as a pandemic-era series for non-music majors at the University of Oklahoma has grown into a statewide effort to bring world-class artists into schools, libraries and community spaces - almost always free.  

When Eric Walschap began inviting musicians to speak to students in his Experiencing Music class at OU, there was no Oklahoma House of Music and no artist-residency model. There was simply a teacher trying to make music feel real.  

The class was designed mostly for non-music majors, many taking their only college fine-arts course. Instead of relying only on lectures, Walschap invited accomplished musicians to demonstrate, perform and speak directly with students.  

Then COVID changed the room.  

An Unexpected Opening

When OU moved online in 2020, concerts and tours were canceled, musicians were home, and much of the industry went quiet. Walschap saw an opening.  

Christian Pearson became the first guest in the online series, followed by Patrick Conlon. Then Walschap contacted Shaun Martin, the Grammy-winning keyboardist known for work with Snarky Puppy, Kirk Franklin, Erykah Badu and Chaka Khan.  

Martin agreed.  

The classroom experiment quickly became something larger. Walschap recalls that the first semester included nine guests, seven of whom were Grammy winners. The program soon received a small university budget and a name: the Resonance Series. It reportedly began with about $500 and Zoom conversations, but within its first year, Walschap says about 14 Grammy-winning artists had participated.

"It was off to the races pretty quickly," he recalled.  

From Conversations to Residencies

As live events returned, Resonance moved beyond the screen. Artists began coming to Oklahoma in person, and appearances developed into two-day residencies with school visits, library conversations, masterclasses, rehearsals, lessons, community events and a performance.  

The concert might be the most visible part of the schedule, but it was not always the most important. Walschap found that many visiting artists valued the conversations and educational experiences as much as the performance itself.  

Touring musicians spend much of their lives moving between airports, hotels, soundchecks and stages. An Oklahoma residency gave them a chance to step outside that routine and connect directly with students, local musicians and communities.  

"The second you start talking to them, they're a human," Walschap said.  

That became one of the program's defining principles: remove the barrier between the "superstar" and everyone else.  

Artists People Have Heard 

The series has attracted musicians whose work reaches enormous audiences, even when the artists themselves are not household names.  

Guests and collaborators have included musicians associated with Beyoncé, Prince, Taylor Swift, Journey, Saturday Night Live and other major productions. Participants have included Steve Smith, Paul Shaffer, David Cook, Nikki Glaspie, Spud Searight, Terell Stafford, Philip Lassiter, Bobby Sparks, Summer Camargo, Adam Neely, Austin Wintory and members of Snarky Puppy.  

The names cross stylistic boundaries because Oklahoma House of Music is not built around one genre. Jazz provided the foundation, but programming has expanded into rock, pop, hip-hop, country, film, video-game music, musical theater and other areas.  

"I personally reach out to people who will interest the public," Walschap explained.  

Becoming the Oklahoma House of Music

As Resonance expanded, artists were visiting public schools, libraries and other community spaces, and Walschap wanted the program to serve more than one institution or city.  

The series eventually separated from OU and became Oklahoma House of Music. Although the organization remains headquartered in Norman, its mission is not limited to Norman or the Oklahoma City metro.  

"There's a reason we're called the Oklahoma House of Music," Walschap said.  

If a community, school, library or supporter elsewhere in the state wants to help bring an artist to its area, Walschap is willing to explore it. The goal is to create encounters that would otherwise be unlikely to happen.  

A Different Kind of Nonprofit  

Oklahoma House of Music is funded primarily through grants, donors, institutional relationships and in-kind support. Hotels, schools, libraries, restaurants, community partners and individual supporters have all helped make artist visits possible.  

Walschap jokingly calls the organization "the world's worst talent agency." Unlike a traditional agency, its purpose is not to profit from booking artists. Its role is to use relationships, fundraising and careful scheduling to bring remarkable musicians into communities that might not otherwise be able to reach them.  

Walschap says the organization has presented approximately 250 to 275 events. With the exception of one ticketed event used mainly to manage the expected crowd, he says those events have been free to the public. 

An Opportunity Oklahoma Musicians Should Not Miss

The residency model is also valuable for working Oklahoma musicians. Local players may sit in with a visiting artist, participate in a jam, serve as a backing band, attend a rehearsal or spend enough time with an artist to establish a real professional relationship.  

In some cases, visiting musicians have heard Oklahoma players and recommended them for other work. In every case, Walschap believes there is value in showing up.  

That has also been one of the program's challenges. Extraordinary musicians have sometimes appeared before small audiences, either because the public did not know the artist's name or because information did not reach the people most likely to care.  

For Walschap, the answer is trust. The public has to learn that when Oklahoma House of Music presents someone, that person is worth hearing - even if the name is unfamiliar. 

Building a Musical Destination

The larger vision is to make Oklahoma a place major artists want to visit, return to, and include in future tours.  

Oklahoma arts leaders have set a goal of making Oklahoma a musical destination with the pull of places like New York, Los Angeles, or Nashville. Walschap sees Oklahoma House of Music as a potential "lightning rod" that can draw artists into the state and give them personal reasons to return.  

Oklahoma may not have the music-industry infrastructure of larger cities, but it has audiences, educators, musicians, businesses, and donors who care deeply about music. It also offers touring artists meaningful time with students and communities outside the usual machinery of the concert business.  

"We just want to bring the most insane artists on the planet to Oklahoma," Walschap said, "and we want to elevate our own as high as we can."  

Oklahoma House of Music has grown far beyond the online classroom where Resonance took shape. But the central idea has not changed: introduce students to the people making music, let audiences encounter accomplished artists as people, and give touring musicians a reason to remember Oklahoma.  

And whenever possible, open the doors and let the public experience it for free.  

The challenge now is making sure Oklahoma knows it is happening. 

Diversity and Flexibility is One of Eric's Greatest Strengths