Symphony Magazine Summer 2023: Building Bridges by League of American Orchestras

S U M M E R 2023 n $6.95 S Y M P H O N Y

Building Bridges Orchestras are connecting with communities in unprecedented ways—inside and outside the concert hall.

The League’s New Strategic Framework Emerging Composers SUMMER 2023

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Youth Orchestras

Rhian Kenny, principal piccolo at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, performs on the city’s Roberto Clemente Bridge.

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Prelude

oseph Bologne, the celebrated Chevalier de Saint-Georges—and his pal, that obscure composer named Mozart. Fanny Mendelssohn—and her brother Felix, who apparently also wrote some music. “Mr.” Clara Schumann—recalled, if at all, as husband to that famous composer, Clara. Counter-historical narratives offer heady alternatives to the familiar; they are stark illustrations of what-might-have-been without the exclusion, the excision, the neglect of those who don’t fit the prevailing mold. There’s a lot of talent out there, and sometimes you just have to wonder: why this composer and not that one? Who determines who’s welcome to the club? This isn’t to say that Mozart should be kicked off his pedestal, but rather that there’s room for Joseph Bologne and others, too. As Brin Solomon asks in this issue, “Is the goal to diversify the clubhouse, or dismantle it altogether?” This issue of Symphony reports on where orchestras are, right here, right now. We meet the people on orchestra staffs who help to build more diverse, equitable organizations. We catch up with emerging composers who are making their own marks, each in highly individual ways. We look at how the New York Youth Symphony’s Grammy win honored this youth orchestra and highlighted youth orchestras nationwide. This print edition of Symphony, produced for the League’s annual Conference, is a snapshot of what orchestras are doing now. That’s invaluable (we love print) but new articles, essays, and analysis are posted all the time on symphony.org. News Briefs reporting the latest developments at orchestras are posted there every weekday. So—yes, here’s the pitch—we’ll see you on symphony.org, too.

TH E M AGA ZIN E OF TH E LE AGUE OF A ME RIC AN ORC H ES TR AS

VOLUME 74, NUMBER 1 / SUMMER 2023

symphony® the award-winning magazine

of the League of American Orchestras, reports on the issues critical to the orchestra community and communicates to the American public the value and importance of orchestras and the music they perform. EDITOR IN CHIEF Robert Sandla PRODUCTION & DESIGN Jon Cannon, LLM Publications ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Stephen Alter ADVERTISING ASSOCIATE Lexi Sloan-Harper PUBLISHER Simon Woods PRINTED BY Dartmouth Printing Co. Hanover, NH The print edition of symphony® (ISSN 0271-2687) is published annually by the League of American Orchestras, 520 8th Avenue, Suite 2005, New York, NY 10018-4167. SUBSCRIPTIONS AND PURCHASES Annual subscription: $15 domestic/$20 international. To subscribe, visit americanorchestras. org/symphony-magazine/subscribe-to-symphony/, call 646-822-4080, or email member@ americanorchestras.org. Current issue $6.95. Back issues available to members $6.95/nonmembers $8.45. League Member Directory, 75th Anniversary, and other special issues: members $11.00/non-members $13.00. Call 646-822-4080 or email member@americanorchestras.org. ADDRESS CHANGES Please send your name and your new and old addresses to Member Services at the New York office (address below) or send an e-mail to member@americanorchestras.org. EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING OFFICES League of American Orchestras 520 8th Avenue, Suite 2005, New York, NY 10018-4167 E-mail (editorial): editor@americanorchestras.org E-mail (advertising): salter@americanorchestras.org Phone (advertising): (646) 822-4051 © 2023 LE AGUE OF A MERIC AN ORCHESTR AS

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4 Prelude by Robert Sandla 8 The Score Los Angeles Philharmonic

8 16

Kyle Flubacker

Courtney Perry

Wayan Barre

ABOUT THE COVER Rhian Kenny, principal piccolo at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, performs on the city’s Roberto Clemente Bridge. This year’s League of American Orchestras National Conference takes place in Pittsburgh and is hosted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The Conference theme: “Bridges to the Future.” Photo by Kristi Jan Hoover for Flying Scooter Productions.

Orchestra news, moves, and events

16 Forward Thinking: Championing and Leading League President and CEO Simon Woods shares his thoughts on the planning process—and the League’s new Strategic Framework.

20 Board Room With the League’s National Conference happening in Pittsburgh, we asked leaders of orchestra boards across Pennsylvania to share their most pressing concerns and hopes. By Piper Starnes

26 At the League The League’s new Impact Report documents the many ways that the League serves more than 650 member orchestras—and the orchestra world. Impact Report 2022 includes detailed information about League programs plus examples of the League’s impact in multiple areas.

34 What’s in a Title? The role of the conductor is changing at orchestras. Is it time to rethink not just the job description but honorifics like maestro and maestra? How might such gendered terms help—or hinder—strides toward greater gender equity in classical music? By Brin Solomon

40 Four Composers, Multiple Directions Emerging composers are pursuing their own musical paths: experimenting with sounds and textures, playing with the concerto’s soloist-vs.-orchestra relationship, and even absorbing hard rock. Meet four composers who are making their marks right now. By Steven Brown

46 Youth on the Rise When the New York Youth Symphony won a Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Performance earlier this year, it was a big deal for this youth orchestra—and for youth orchestras nationwide. By Vivien Schweitzer

54 Change Agents A new class of leaders in equity, diversity, and inclusion is transforming American orchestras. By Naveen Kumar

61 Advertiser Index 62 League of American Orchestras Annual Fund 64 Coda For Big Freedia, the New Orleans rapper, songwriter, and Queen of Bounce, collaborating with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra was a dream come true. By Ann Lewinson Throughout this issue, text marked like this indicates a link to websites and online resources.

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The Score N E WS, M OVES, A N D E VEN TS I N T H E O RCH ES TR A I N D US TRY

Music Director Andris Nelsons congratulates Carlos Simon following the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s world premiere of Simon’s Four Black American Dances in February.

orchestra gave composer Steven Mackey’s RIOT its first hearing. Mackey has roots in rock and the blues, and RIOT captured those influences in a large-scale work for orchestra, full chorus, mezzo-soprano, and Mackey on electric guitar, along with text by U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith. The New Jersey Symphony also commissioned new works from Daniel Bernard Roumain, Chen Yi, and Darryl Kubian this season. In May, the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra wrapped up its season with the debut of Nifrach by composer in residence Jonathan Cziner. The work was inspired by Cziner’s maternal grandfather, who fled the Nazis to find safety in U.S. In May, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra gave the world premiere of “Arquitecta” by composer in residence Angélica Negrón. Suffused with Latin and pop influences, the work was conceived to feature the vanguard vocalization of Lido Pimienta, who was billed on the DSO website as an “Afro / Indigenous / Colombian / Canadian / punk / folklorist / traditionalist / transgressive / diva / angel.”

Dallas Symphony Orchestra

The current season has seen the premieres of a bumper crop of new works, many by composers who were unrepresented until very recently. Here’s a look at just some of the world premieres happening at orchestras across the country. Perhaps the busiest composer around is Carlos Simon. In February, the Boston Symphony Orchestra gave the world premiere of his Four Black American Dances (commissioned by the BSO). In March, the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, where Simon is composer in residence, gave the local premiere of Simon’s recent Tales—A Folklore Symphony, and in April two brand-new works by Simon were seen at the Kennedy Center: “Songs of Separation,” set to poetry by Rumi, and Don’t the Pigeon Sing Up Late!, a whimsical opera created with author Mo Willems. In May, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra gave the world premiere of a trombone concerto, written for Principal Trombone Kenneth Thompkins, based on Underground Railroad conductor William Still’s account of the struggles of enslaved people seeking freedom. Also in May, the Imani Winds quintet gave the first performances of Simon’s Giants, an homage to great women and men of color. And in May, the Minnesota Orchestra gave the world premiere of “brea(dth),” composed by Simon with libretto by Marc Bamuthi Joseph. Commissioned by the Minnesota Orchestra, the work reflects on the meaning of the murder of George Floyd. (“brea(d)th” is also discussed in the “Change Agents” article on page 54 of Symphony.) In March, the La Jolla Symphony and Chorus gave the premiere of “An Elemental Music” by Alex Stephenson, a UCSD doctoral student. Reviewing the work, one critic said that Stephenson Composer Steven Mackey. The New Jersey “has reached a new Symphony commissioned his RIOT and gave its pinnacle of simplic- world premiere in April. ity and directness.” The Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra commissioned “Walk in Dignity” from composer Joel Thompson and gave its premiere in March. The symphonic/choral work is based on “The Pain and the Promise,” a book by Glenda Alice Rabb about the 195657 Tallahassee Bus Boycott, which led to the eventual desegregation of the city’s public transportation. The New Jersey Symphony is celebrating its centenary with several commissioned world premieres—and not the usual brief fanfares that orchestras sometimes order up for special moments, but substantial, often innovative scores. In April, the

Aram Boghosian

New Sounds

Singer Lido Pimienta and Dallas Symphony Orchestra Music Director Fabio Luisi at the world premiere of “Arquitecta” by DSO composer in residence Angélica Negrón.

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Chris Lee

Dudamel: LA Phil to NY Phil

Gustavo Dudamel leads the New York Philharmonic in Mahler 9 on May 21, 2023. He will step down from the Los Angeles Philharmonic to become the NY Philharmonic’s music and artistic director in 2026.

Anyone who has seen him conduct knows that Gustavo Dudamel is a man on the move. In February, Dudamel announced a major bicoastal move with the news that he will become music and artistic director of the New York Philharmonic in 2026. That’s when he’ll step down from the podium of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, which he made into one of country’s most forward-thinking orchestras since his arrival as music director in 2009. Dudamel will be the New York Philharmonic’s music director designate during the 2025-26 season and succeed current Music Director Jaap van Zweden as music and artistic director in 2026-27. Deborah Borda was president and CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic when Dudamel joined the LA Phil in 2009. And Borda, now president and CEO of the New York Philharmonic, was instrumental in bringing Dudamel to NYC. Borda steps down from the Philharmonic this summer and will be succeeded by Gary Ginstling, former executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra. Dudamel is no stranger to the New York Philharmonic, having regularly led concerts there since 2007.

On May 5, the Boston Symphony Orchestra announced that Chad Smith will become its president and chief executive officer this fall. Smith goes to the Boston Symphony Orchestra from the Los Angeles Philharmonic, where he is currently chief executive. At the BSO, Smith will succeed Gail Samuel, who stepped down as CEO last December after 18 months in the job. Jeffrey D. Dunn, who was appointed interim CEO following Samuel’s resignation, will continue as interim until Smith arrives. Smith has worked at the LA Phil for more than 20 years in a variety of roles and has been chief executive for four years. Leading the Boston Symphony Orchestra may be a kind of return for Smith, who attended Tufts University, studied vocal performance at the New England Conservatory of Music, and spent two seasons at Tanglewood, the BSO’s summertime home. At the Los Angeles Philharmonic, current chief operating officer Daniel Song will become interim chief executive officer and chief operating officer.

Kayana Szymczak

LA Phil’s Chad Smith to Head Boston Symphony Orchestra

Chad Smith will leave the Los Angeles Philharmonic to become president and CEO of the Boston Symphony Orchestra this fall.

New Strategic Framework at the League The League of American Orchestras has released a new Strategic Framework that outlines the League’s goals and key strategies for 2023-2026 and revisits the League’s vision and mission statements. Reflecting the League’s dual identity as a service and leadership organization, the Framework articulates a strong focus on audience and community; underscores the urgency for orchestras to build more equitable and inclusive organizations; emphasizes the critical importance of focusing on young people; and re-affirms the League’s commitment to threading a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion through its work. The Framework builds on formal and informal consultation across the field and many discussions among the League’s board and staff. It is intended to be a flexible, living document, updated on an annual basis. Read the League’s new Strategic Framework at https:// americanorchestras.org/strategic-framework-2023-2026/. On page 16 of this issue of Symphony, League President and CEO Simon Woods traces the thinking and processes that guided the creation of the Framework. AMERICANORCHESTRAS.COM

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Mission: Commission

Chris Lee

Sarasota Orchestra

The numbers are impressive: six composers, 30 orchestras, dozens of performances. But stats alone don’t capture the impact of the League of American Orchestras’ Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation Orchestral Commissions Program. Created to address the underrepresentation of women composers at orchestras, the program not only commissions new music from women composers, it ensures that the works will be performed by orchestras for the next few years, with multiple performances throughout the U.S. and Canada. Composers Anna Clyne, Sarah Gibson, Angel Lam, Wang Lu, Gity Razaz, and Arlene Sierra have each been commissioned to write a new score; each work will be given its world premiere by a lead orchestra; the work will then be played by four more orchestras—for a total of 30 composer/orchestra pairings that started this year and will run through 2024-25. The Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation Orchestral Commissions Program for women composers is an initiative of the League of American Orchestras, in partnership with American Composers Orchestra and supported by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation. More premieres and performances are on the way. Stay up to date at americanorchestras.org/learn/artistic-programs/women-composers-readings-and-commissions-program/.

In January, Wang Lu took a bow following the world premiere of her “Surge” at the New York Philharmonic.

In April, Sarah Gibson appeared onstage at the Sarasota Orchestra’s world premiere performance of her “to make this mountain taller.”

New League Report on Racial/Ethnic and Gender Diversity at Orchestras On June 1, the League of American Orchestras released Racial/Ethnic and Gender Diversity in the Orchestra Field in 2023, which provides a detailed understanding of representation across the field. Commissioned by the League, the report covers the ten-year period from the 2013-14 season through the 2022-23 season and presents analyses by orchestra role and demographic group, building upon the League’s landmark 2016 demographic study. The new report was written and researched by Antonio C. Cuyler, Ph.D, Evan Linett, and Karen Yair, Ph.D., the League’s Vice President, Research and Resources. Read the report at americanorchestas.org.

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Robert Torres

From City Hall to Concert Hall

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu acknowledges the applause after performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Andris Nelsons.

It’s not every mayor who can handle Mozart. But that’s exactly what Boston Mayor Michelle Wu did this spring when she performed Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at the BSO’s free Concert for the City. The mayor is a classically trained pianist—she had an upright Yamaha installed in her office— but she didn’t know the concerto before starting rehearsals. Still, she said, practicing “was a wonderful re-invigoration.” The free concert featured the BSO and the Boston Pops, with work by composers including John Williams, Florence Price, Duke Ellington, Valerie Coleman, and Chick Correa. “The arts are necessary,” Wu said at a press conference after the concert. “They are absolutely critical infrastructure for communities and for individuals.”

Symphony Magazine Articles Honored Symphony magazine won two 2022 ASCAP Foundation Deems Taylor/ Virgil Thomson Awards for outstanding journalism: “Native Sounds,” by Rita Pyrillis, a journalist of Mnicoujou Lakota background, discusses the rise in music by Indigenous composers being commissioned and performed by orchestras; “Musicians in the Spotlight,” by veteran arts journalist Nancy Malitz, reports on the novel roles that orchestra musicians took on during the pandemic by commissioning new music, performing as soloists, and producing online content. Winning an ASCAP Award is a real honor in music journalism—but winning two in one year is highly unusual. In 2021, Symphony won an ASCAP Foundation Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Award for “Anti-Black Discrimination in American Orchestras,” written by Aaron Flagg.

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Chevalier de Saint-Georges on the Big Screen

Searchlight Pictures

Joseph Bologne, the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, was a rock star in 18th-century France: a virtuoso violinist, sought-after composer and conductor, and even an ardent fencer. He wrote symphonies, operas, and chamber scores, was admired by Mozart, and performed widely. But Boulogne Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Joseph Bologne, the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, in Chevalier. was Black, born in Guadeloupe of an enslaved Black woman and a French plantation owner, and he was all but erased from history. That includes music history, where his once-popular works went virtually unheard. Now his scores are increasingly being rediscovered and performed by orchestras. This spring, Bologne hit the big screen in Chevalier, a lavish biopic directed by Stephen Williams and Concert attire for musicians got a written by Stefani Robinson. Though the film embellishes the facts of Bologne’s life, fresh look and updated functionality it restores Bologne to his place in history after deliberate neglect and, as one critic at Virginia’s Richmond Symphony this wrote, focuses on “important people of color who did actually exist and who have season. Musicians are experimenting been forgotten and erased.” with newly designed outfits that evoke

Fashion Statements

James Loving

tradition—lots of black, a sense of formality—but also incorporate lightweight textiles, hidden buttons (to avoid snags), and engineered stretch fabrics that ease movement. Plus, said Music Director Valentina Peleggi, “we travel frequently, so we need something that is light, washes easily, and does not wrinkle.” Image consultant Lauren Solomon led the project, taking some cues from current athleisure styles. Flashes of bright blue enliven the ensembles, echoing the color of the James River and the waveforms of the Richmond Symphony logo.

Richmond Symphony musicians (from left) Jeanette Jang, Stacy Matthews, Alison Hall, Hyo Joo Uh, and Susy Yim in the orchestra’s new concert attire.

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Musical Chairs The San Luis Obispo Symphony in California has appointed RACHEL CEMENTINA as executive director.

JINWOO LEE will join the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra as concertmaster with the start of the 2023-24 season.

JOSEPH CONYERS has been named principal bass at the Philadelphia Orchestra. He was appointed the orchestra’s assistant principal bass in 2010 and acting associate principal bass in 2017.

Indiana’s Richmond Symphony Orchestra has named ANDRÉS LOPERA as music director. Lopera is currently associate conductor of the Columbus Symphony and music director of Columbus Youth Symphony Orchestra.

ANDREW CRUST will become the Vermont Symphony Orchestra’s music director starting this September. Florida’s Naples Philharmonic has appointed ZACHARY DEPUE as concertmaster. DePue has served as the orchestra’s acting concertmaster since September 2022, and was previously concertmaster of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Michigan’s Grand Rapids Symphony has named KEITH C. ELDER as president and chief executive officer. ROBERT FRANZ is the newly named music director of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts’ Symphony Orchestra. Franz is also music director of the Windsor Symphony Orchestra in Canada and artistic director of the Boise Baroque Orchestra in Idaho. The Denver Philharmonic Orchestra has appointed ROGER HAAK as executive director. JHERRARD HARDEMAN is the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s new assistant conductor. He recently held the same post at the Chicago Sinfonietta. BEN HARTLEY is the new executive director of Silkroad, which was founded by Yo-Yo Ma to promote cultural collaboration through music and art. The Verde Valley Sinfonietta in Sedona, Arizona has appointed JANNA HYMES as artistic director and conductor. Hymes is also artistic director of Indiana’s Carmel Symphony Orchestra. JOHN KIESER, former executive vice president and provost at the New World Symphony, will join Canada’s Honens International Piano Competition as president and CEO. ALEXANDER LAING will become executive director of Gateways Music Festival, which connects and supports professional classical musicians of African descent, in January 2024, succeeding Lee Koonce. Laing is principal clarinet for the Phoenix Symphony and the Gateways Music Festival Orchestra in Rochester, NY.

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ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ has been appointed principal pops conductor of California’s Pacific Symphony, effective Sept. 1. He is also principal pops conductor of the Nashville Symphony, a post he will retain. JENNIE OH BROWN joins the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra as executive director, succeeding Susan Lappe. PAUL PIETROWSKI has been appointed chief operating officer of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. He goes to the SLSO after six years with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. The Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera in California has named ARI PELTO as artistic advisor and principal conductor. Conductor and composer MATTHIAS PINTSCHER will become music director of the Kansas City Symphony beginning with the 2024-25 season. RICHARD SEBRING has been named principal horn at the Boston Symphony Orchestra, where he has served as associate principal horn since 1982; Sebring is also principal horn of the Boston Pops. ALEXANDER SHELLEY is the incoming artistic and music director of Artis—Naples, home of Florida’s Naples Philharmonic. Shelley is also music director of Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra and principal associate conductor of London’s Royal Philharmonic. LAUREN SILBERMAN has joined Maryland’s Annapolis Symphony Orchestra as director of development. The American Youth Symphony, based in Los Angeles, has appointed ISABEL THIROUX as executive director. Thiroux has been with the youth orchestra for 22 years, first as a member of the viola section and later moving into administration. Canada’s Vancouver Island Symphony has selected COSETTE JUSTO VALDÉS as artistic director. Valdés is also resident conductor of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.

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2023 Avery Fisher Career Grant Winners

Jennifer Taylor

Every year, the Avery Fisher Career Grants spotlight—and support— outstanding early-career classical artists. The recipients of the 2023 Avery Fisher Career Grants, announced on March 28, are Nina Bernat, double bassist; Bokyung Byun, guitarist; Emi Ferguson, flute player; Evren Ozel, pianist; and the Isidore String Quartet. 2023 Avery Fisher Career Grant recipients (left to right): Evren Ozel, pianist; Bokyung Byun, guitarist; Emi Ferguson, flute player; the Isidore String Quartet; and Nina Bernat, double bassist. During a ceremony at classicalmusic station WQXR’s Jerome L. Greene Performance Space in NYC, the five Career Grant recipients performed for an invited audience, with the performances webcast live by WQXR and later broadcast on 105.9 FM. The Avery Fisher Career Grants give professional assistance and recognition to talented instrumentalists and chamber ensembles who are deemed to have potential for major careers. Each recipient receives $25,000 for career advancement, and the Career Grant ceremony performances are professionally recorded for the recipients’ unrestricted use.

League’s Inclusive Stages Program Aims to Increase Musician Racial Diversity

The League of American Orchestras will launch Inclusive Stages, a new program aimed at increasing racial diversity among musicians in American orchestras. The program’s pilot year will be supported by San Francisco-based Sakana Foundation, with additional funders to be announced. “Inclusive Stages will enable us to do critical work supporting orchestras in making our stages more diverse, helping us advance the collective action necessary to strengthen our field,” said League of American Orchestras President and CEO Simon Woods. “I’m so grateful to the League’s donors and especially to Sakana Foundation trustee Sakurako Fisher for helping us build a sustainable long-term future for the orchestral art form.” Led by Caen Thomason-Redus, the League’s Vice President for Inclusion and Learning, the program’s pilot year will focus on four main goals: to collect new orchestra field demographic and audition policy data; to build a coalition of musicians, music directors, executive directors and other orchestra staff, union representatives, and additional stakeholders to help advance change; to add capacity within the League with the addition of a new full-time Manager of Inclusion and Learning; and to create an outline for the program’s future. Learn more at americanorchestras.org. 14

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Forward Thinking

Championing & Leading Thoughts on planning—and the League’s new Strategic Framework. By Simon Woods

trategic Planning! Words that inspire anticipation and hope—but also anxiety, frustration, and exhaustion. It’s a process that every nonprofit embarks on at some point, and at its best is an indispensable mechanism for mapping the future and aligning resources around carefully thoughtthrough priorities. But at its worst, it consumes time and energy and ties an organization up in knots. Over the years, I have been involved in many planning processes with different

organizations. I remember the one that got consumed in data analysis, the one that was never achievable from the day it was published, the one that had promise but never had buy-in, and the overwhelming one with over a hundred strategies designed to keep all voices happy. Many reading this article will have experienced these kinds of problems—as well as hopefully enjoying effective planning processes that were galvanizing and energizing. But what makes

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the analogy of the flexing concertina: a process that alternates between expansive and more intimate work modes. It’s simple, and it works. And as the plan moves into the writing stage, it’s vital for the ideas to be crisply articulated if they are to be of maximum utility to the organization and land impactfully with the external reader. Craig T. Mathew/Mathew Imaging

At the League

Simon Woods, President and CEO, League of American Orchestras.

a good strategic planning process? At the highest level, all strategic planning processes should have two over-arching goals: first, develop a road map to guide future decision-making, resource allocation, fundraising, and messaging; and second, align the people of the organization around a statement of common purpose. These two goals should sit in balance with each other—the execution matters as much as the output. Success can’t be achieved either with the process that develops a clear direction but fails to bring people along for the journey, or with the plan that includes everyone’s voice but does not pinpoint an incisive vision. The famous warning goes: “A camel is a horse designed by a committee”— but to give the camel its due, it is an animal supremely adapted for its desert life! Arts organizations are working in complex environments, and they tend to benefit from committee work that draws on a diverse range of voices. (I would draw your attention to an excellent recent article by our friends at Wolf Brown about equity in planning at wolfbrown.com.) The good news is that the formula for success in strategic planning isn’t rocket science: it’s about designing a process that draws on input from a wide range of voices in the early stages, vests the writing in a small number of key leaders (respecting the power of a unified writing style), and reaches out more widely for review on an iterative basis to test and make improvements. I like AMERICANORCHESTRAS.COM

During 2021 and 2022, the League of American Orchestras followed exactly this journey, and the result is our new Strategic Framework, which we publicly launched a few weeks ago. At the beginning of our process, we observed that the arts in 2023 are in a time of great volatility. What appears true one month seems to change the next, and despite some critical recurring themes, there are few certainties about the future. Our approach respects this by not attempting to describe every single goal and strategy we hope to implement. It has been deliberately conceived as a framework rather than a plan, laying out the broad direction but leaving room for maneuver as the field evolves and needs change. Flexibility is everything; we expect to revisit and revise the Framework annually. In our research and discussions with the field, some clear themes cut through the noise of the moment: equity, diversity, and inclusion; community; audience; and youth engagement. None of these are new—they have been at the forefront of the League’s work for many years—but there are subtle shifts in how we intend to think about our work in these areas. In equity, diversity, and inclusion, the significant change is that rather than simply stressing their importance, we articulate our commitment to speed up progress. Read the demographic field report we issued just a few weeks ago at americanorchestras.org, and the reason for this new commitment is crystal clear: in recent years, the field has made progress in addressing long-standing inequities and adapting to the changing nature of

American society, but the pace won’t get us quickly enough to where we need to be. Our commitment is to help the field move faster—and to weave the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion through everything we do here at the League. An early insight also informed our articulation of the work around audiences. When it comes to the critical work of welcoming and retaining new audiences, artistic planning, marketing, and community engagement are deeply intertwined. Our commitment is to support a more holistic approach that brings together these interdependent disciplines, as orchestras program creatively to build relationships with communities that are not well represented in our current audience—all the while laying the groundwork for long-term revenue growth. Most orchestras work with young people, yet—with the exception of youth orchestras—the strategies do not always sit at the center of organizations’ priorities. The pandemic has not helped this, as attention was pulled elsewhere. But it’s hard to imagine any field that can envisage a successful future without deeply investing in young people, listening to their voices, and nurturing their potential. Music impacts young people’s lives in profound ways—and if orchestras build consistent partnerships within local education ecosystems, our field will stand a greater chance of seeing the radically more inclusive “pipeline” into the profession that we need in order for truly diverse stages to be a reality. Lastly, we observe that the challenge of change is a theme that pervades the entire orchestral field. Unlike for-profit companies with their linear arrow toward financial outcomes, we have complex missions, and our organizations tend to have intricate matrices of priorities and authorities that can make change hard. This is not a criticism of the field—it’s a fact of the field. We hope that by building a new change leadership program as a successor to our Emerging Leaders program, we will help equip the leaders

Our new Strategic Framework has been deliberately conceived as a map rather than a plan, laying out the broad direction but leaving room for maneuver as the field evolves and needs change. 17

BOARD ROOM

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The League’s new mission: “To champion the vitality of music and the orchestral experience, support the orchestra community, and lead change boldly.” These words matter, and we intend to live by them.

change boldly.” These words matter, and we intend to live by them. The Strategic Framework can be found at americanorchestras.org/strategic-framework-2023-2026/. Thank you to all who filled out surveys, provided thought leadership, gave helpful edits, and offered constructive criticism—we could not have done it without you and we count on your continued partnership to bring this new direction to fruition. Onward!

SIMON WOODS is the President and CEO of the League of American Orchestras. He brings over 30 years of experience working with orchestras, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and Seattle Symphony. He was honored to become an American citizen in 2018.

of today and tomorrow to navigate these complexities and align their organizations around big and exciting ideas. Our Framework also encompasses some internal strategies for us at the League, including advancing our journey to become a “digital first” organization, urgently building a broader base of individual philanthropy to underwrite our work in support of the field, and optimizating a remote staff team that is increasingly based in cities beyond New York. As of the time of writing, we have team members in Detroit, Cleveland, Grand Rapids, Milwaukee, Dallas, Houston, Austin, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.—a geographic breadth that can be a new resource for the field. I’ll end with perhaps the most significant change of all, which is our mission statement. Everything flows from mission. But having experienced plans that spent months parsing out a new mission statement word by word before even starting on the real strategic detail, I increasingly doubt that this is a good way to proceed. Granular discussions about strategy often bring new clarity to vision and mission. After intense discussion about the prioritization of our work around equity, diversity, and inclusion, audiences, communities, and young people, we turned back to the mission statement and were struck that the League would need to be more than a support organization to realize the change we envision. So we now embrace more explicitly the notion of leadership, declaring unequivocally that our mission is to “To champion the vitality of music and the orchestral experience, support the orchestra community, and lead

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Board Room

Pennsylvania’s Board Perspectives Orchestras and their boards of directors are finding new ways to move forward in the “new normal” of post-pandemic life and a rapidly evolving society. With the League’s National Conference happening this June in Pittsburgh, we asked leaders of orchestra boards across Pennsylvania to share their most pressing concerns and hopes for the next generation of orchestra leaders, musicians, and audiences, and how they plan to connect with younger, more diverse communities. By Piper Starnes

he League of American Orchestras’ 78th National Conference, hosted this summer by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, is an opportunity for orchestras from across the country to come together and share ideas. And since this year’s Conference takes place in Pennsylvania, it’s a good time to ask board chairs of orchestras throughout the state for their perspectives. These interviews include comments from board leaders of Pennsylvania’s professional orchestras, community ensembles, and youth symphonies, and provide a glimpse into their day-to-day programs, shortterm projects, and long-term initiatives. Many board chairs discuss their efforts to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, as well as their commitment to expanding and innovating their artistic programming, community engagement, and educational offerings. The League’s 2023 National Conference, June 14-16 in Pittsburgh, features sessions, meetings, and programs tailored specifically for members of orchestra boards. The agenda for board members includes “High-Performing Governance = Exceptional Orchestras,” an intensive half-day seminar, and sessions on “Board Members as Ambassadors and Advocates” and “Building a Fundraising Board.” Learn more about programming for board members at this year’s Conference at leagueconference.org/constituency-meetings#board.

Each orchestra faces its own unique challenges and opportunities, and some board chairs prefer one philosophy of governance over another. But while their perspectives may differ, the vast majority are on the same page in that orchestras must adapt to their changing and growing communities to see the best version of classical music’s future.

Timothy V. Blair, President, Kennett Symphony Kennett Symphony

What do you see as the most pressing issues and opportunities facing your orchestra right now? From a pragmatic perspective, it’s the opportunity to rebuild a post-pandemic audience and grow an increased sponsorship base coupled with additional grant funding. How do you view your orchestra’s role in the community? The Kennett Symphony is the only professional orchestra in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and our community is one of the nation’s smallest communities to have continually supported our beloved symphony for 83 years. We exist to perform, engage, and enrich the community we serve. Our

orchestra must be fully integrated into the community providing musical support for numerous organizations, and they, in turn, will support the Kennett Symphony. It needs to be remembered that the arts are good for business because the arts, including orchestras, create vibrant communities that help businesses attract the very best employees. How do you view your board in light of growing calls for equity, diversity, and inclusion in orchestras? Orchestras over the years have become more diverse, and our Kennett Symphony Board needed to reflect our community diversity. We received a generous grant from the League of American Orchestras to do a thorough self-evaluation of our Board makeup and launch a thoughtful EDI initiative. As a result, while our efforts and awareness are ongoing, Kennett Symphony has added seven new Board members, and we are on our way to better reflecting the community in which we live and serve.

“It needs to be remembered that the arts are good for business because the arts, including orchestras, create vibrant communities that help businesses attract the very best employees.” –Timothy V. Blair, President, Kennett Symphony

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What’s your vision for your orchestra in the future? Simply put, to grow and welcome new and larger audiences of all ages and from all backgrounds and in a variety of venues to enjoy and share in the true beauty of musical creativity. Orchestras must always represent the highest artistic quality while being flexible in adapting to an ever-changing world around them, including incorporating creative and engaging programming.

Anthony L. Bucci, Chair, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

What inspires you to lead your board? I believe people have the ability and the opportunity to do good things in community sentiments. I think there’s an obligation we all individually have. The arts are a critical part of any community’s quality of life, learning opportunities, and economic impact. It’s important that those of us who care for the community should participate in making sure these kinds of things survive and thrive.

“What legacy are we going to leave for the next generation of orchestra leadership? Are we going to give them the status quo? Or are we going to have things in place that help transform it to survive and thrive?” –Anthony L. Bucci, Chair, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra What is your philosophy of governance for nonprofit organizations like orchestras? My belief has always been that you have three choices: lead the market, follow the market, or ignore the market. I’ve always advised my clients that you need to follow the market. The market will lead you to where you need to be. If you ignore it, you’re basically on a path to a slow death. I believe the symphonic world ignored the market, and that’s why it’s in the situation that it’s in today. There

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are things that should have been done 30 years ago that weren’t, but now we are at a moment of transformational legacy. We’re living and managing with the legacy that was given to us, so what legacy are we going to leave for the next generation of orchestra leadership? Are we going to give them the status quo? Or are we going to have things in place that help transform it to survive and thrive in tomorrow’s world today? What’s your vision for the orchestra field? How should orchestras adapt to changing times? If you just look at the statistics and the data, you can see the significant changes that are going on in the composition of our communities, and with those demographic changes come cultural, lifestyle, and attitude changes. However, adapting to a changing environment does not mean that you give up and abandon the standards you have established. We may change how we present it, and we may add some new music, but this fear that we are going to put a stake in the heart of the essence of classical music is just a fallacious, flawed perspective. We’re just preserving what we have and adapting it to the new world. You’re able to maintain quality music while increasing diversity on the stage, and that plays out all across the board.

Pat Ferris, Chair, Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra

How do you view your orchestra’s role in the community? We want our role in the community to be an organization that brings people together and brings world-class symphonic music and pops programs to everyone. But that’s also something we know we are not fully completing at this point. We are still challenged by pushback against masterworks concerts. Sometimes people think they need to know the whole score and have gone to school in order to listen to it, so we’re saying, “You have ears, just listen.”

What do you see as the most pressing issues and opportunities facing your orchestra right now? Our vision is to keep doing what we’re doing. We did well coming out of COVID-19 and would just want to keep building on that. More tickets are being sold, more posteriors are in the seats, and our education [programming] is moving ahead in the schools. I just love doing this. It’s very satisfying and exciting. Things are getting better and better.

“What I think is most important is having our board reflect our community, which means women, African American people, and Latin Americans. We have made a little bit of a strive forward with our two new board members, who are reflecting other communities than white men with money.” –Pat Ferris, Chair, Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra How do you view your board in light of growing calls for equity, diversity, and inclusion? What I think is most important is having our board reflect our community, which means women, African American people, and Latin Americans. We have made a little bit of a strive forward with our two new board members, who are reflecting other communities than white men with money. It’s $2,500 a year to join our board, and we need that money. Not even considering other communities is something I’m really pushing back on. We can come up with ways because I think our board needs to reflect our community. What’s your message for orchestras in the future? Don’t give up, no matter what anyone says. The future is bright. We have all these great students who are devoted to their instruments, and they will be our audience in the future, so I feel good about that. We have a really strong Harrisburg Youth Symphony Orchestra, and I’m very proud of them and our great conductor, Gregory Woodbridge.

BOARD ROOM

Ralph W. Muller, CoChair, The Philadelphia Orchestra The Philadelphia Orchestra

Michael D. Zisman, CoChair, The Philadelphia Orchestra The Philadelphia Orchestra

What are the most pressing issues and opportunities facing your orchestra right now? The Philadelphia Orchestra navigated the COVID-19 pandemic with three priorities: to take care of our people, maintain the integrity of the ensemble and the business, and, as a major cultural institution of the city, help Philadelphia thrive on the other side of the pandemic. Now, in the post-pandemic era, these important investments, and, most importantly, the creation of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc.—the first national post-COVID innovation in the performing arts—are helping us to create a brighter, more equitable future for the arts, a future in which all feel welcome and embraced and where everyone can see themselves on our stages. The Orchestra’s 2022 Grammy win for its recording of Florence Price’s Symphonies Nos. 1 and 3, led by Music and Artistic Director Yannick NézetSéguin, is an example of how we are embracing an ever-growing and diverse group of composers. While embracing our long-term audiences, we are deeply committed to building programs and strategies to attract younger and more diverse audiences in this richly diverse

“While embracing our longterm audiences, we are deeply committed to building programs and strategies to attract younger and more diverse audiences in this richly diverse city and beyond.” –Ralph W. Muller and Michael D. Zisman, Co-Chairs, The Philadelphia Orchestra

city and beyond. Through the profound lessons of the past few years, we see new possibilities for orchestral music and the performing arts every day. How do you view your orchestra’s role in Philadelphia? Nézet-Séguin enthusiastically connects with our communities, embraces audiences of all ages, and actively expands the role of an orchestra in society today. It was thrilling to witness him lead the Orchestra’s first-ever Pride Concert last season—one of many examples of his devotion to the diverse communities of Philadelphia. From music therapy programs to neighborhood concerts to side-by-side music-making events, we are able to meet members of our communities where they are. During the pandemic, we launched “Our City, Your Orchestra,” a free digital series that uncovers and amplifies the voices, stories, and causes championed by unique Philadelphia organizations and businesses. The series has created powerful bonds between the communities of Philadelphia and the Orchestra, helping to eliminate barriers to access and showcase the Orchestra in a new light. Programs like these are integral to the future of any modern orchestra.

Ann Ouyang, President, Hershey Symphony Orchestra Hershey Symphony Orchestra

What are the most pressing issues and opportunities facing your orchestra right now? A community orchestra like ours provides an opportunity for musicians who are not full-time performers to be part of creating the amazing sound of symphonic music and sharing that with their audience. For many of us, this includes playing a repertoire of classical music that has inspired us throughout our lives. Generally speaking, classical music— and particularly live classical music—is no longer a part of many people’s experience growing up and may not be part of someone’s experience at school. The audience for live orchestral music is shrinking and aging. The COVID-19 pandemic

exacerbated the problem, and we, like many other orchestras, have seen a decrease in numbers of subscribers but hope that we will see increases in the post-pandemic years. A community orchestra can only thrive if it supports the interests of both the orchestra members and the audience. Developing a program that attracts a broader and younger audience is a challenge. Underscoring the relevance of the orchestra to its players and the community is critical.

“A community orchestra can only thrive if it supports the interests of both the orchestra members and the audience. Underscoring the relevance of the orchestra to its players and the community is critical.” –Ann Ouyang, President, Hershey Symphony Orchestra What inspires you to serve on your orchestra board? I have played in community orchestras since finishing medical training. Working on a piece of music and bringing it to a performance level is an amazing creative experience and a true team effort. The sum is so much greater than its parts! Having this opportunity is a treasure and is not guaranteed; it requires tremendous commitment on the part of the musicians, the artistic director, the management team, and the Board. Over the years, I have recognized that the success of the orchestra requires more than committed musicians; it requires the support and commitment of our community. Our Board members serve as ambassadors for the orchestra and bring perspectives and talents that are critical to our survival. I encourage anyone who has strong opinions on the orchestra and its future to serve on the Board. What’s your vision for your orchestra in the future? My vision is that the Hershey Symphony Orchestra continues to flourish artistically and provide an opportunity for all players to grow in their individual musicianship. I also hope to see the orchestra recognized as a community resource—for artists, our youth, and for the wider community to have access to high-quality live music that will enhance their lives and

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expand their musical horizons. I believe the symphony has been and will continue to be recognized as critical to the quality of life in the community.

Robert Pick, Chair, Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute

What is your philosophy of governance for nonprofits like orchestras? How involved should boards of directors be in day-to-day operations? PYO Music Institute Board envisions, guides, and supports our professional staff, but does not engage in the day-today operations in any material way. The one exception area would be development and fundraising, in which Boards often have a more active role, but typically work under the auspices of a professional development director. Our Board spends the vast majority of time thinking

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about our mission, longer-term strategic matters (facilities, development, endowment), community engagement, efforts enriching professional efforts, and providing vision and counsel to our CEO, Maestro Louis Scaglione, who captains the ship day-to-day. How do you view your board in light of growing calls for equity, diversity, and inclusion in orchestras? For us, a real emphasis has been on belonging. While diversity, equity, and inclusion are actions, belonging is a feeling or a sense. A feeling of belonging is vital to a sense of comfort, safety, and inclusion, all of which are vital in today’s tumultuous times. We take this seriously, not just for our students but for the families who come in contact with PYOMI. Our revised five-year strategic plan and newly adopted DIEB (Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Belonging) Committee build on what was already a solid, open, and inclusive foundation for our students and their families. Being a reflection of the Philadelphia area, diversity has many lenses, especially including

our immigrant and first-generation families who came to our community from all over the world, comprising a significant portion of our nearly 500 students served annually.

“When I sit down to a rehearsal or performance of any of our ensembles, I see and hear community—diverse students coming together as one to produce music that is grand and timeless.” –Robert Pick, Chair, Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute What inspires you to serve on your orchestra board? A perhaps trite answer would be: the students and the music. And this would be true. But as I have become more involved with PYOMI over the years, I am also inspired by our families, our faculty, and our CEO. When I sit down to a rehearsal or performance of any of our ensembles, I see and hear community—diverse

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students coming together as one to produce music that is grand and timeless. I see and hear them discovering on their own that hard work and commitment do pay off and lead to not just excellence and applause, but joy. How could one not wish to be a small part of this?

Patricia Stagno, Vice President, Butler County Symphony Orchestra Butler County Symphony Orchestra

What are the most pressing opportunities and issues your orchestra is facing right now? We are at the beginning of a nationwide conductor search. Our conductor, Matthew Kraemer, was very fortunate to accept a position with the Louisiana Philharmonic and just conducted his last concert with us in April 2023. As the Vice President of the Butler County Symphony Association Board of Directors, I’m very proud of the product that we produce, the orchestra, and the improvement that has happened over the last 11 years under Kraemer. He has taken great steps to set the bar higher each season, and we need to keep continuing with that growth because we don’t want his loss to be felt in that respect.

Our patron base is growing due to changes in some marketing strategies that we’ve used over the past years, and we have a very strong community outreach committee and educational initiatives, especially that take up about 25% of our budget each year. We bring a reduced orchestra into area schools during the fall to present our programs and provide content for teachers. We also have a partnership program with other school orchestras, a side-by-side concert, and an annual concerto competition, so we recognize young musicians of note. What is your vision for Butler County Symphony Orchestra? We’d like to increase our legacy giving, sponsorships, and corporate underwriting of some of our concerts. We also would like to be able to bring in guest artists and soloists and program some very meaty works, which I know the orchestra is very capable of handling. We also have a possible option to relocate to a new venue of our own. Right now, we are renting space in a school building, so that’s something in our vision three to five years out.

PIPER STARNES is a journalist who specializes in music and film. She has written for Opera America, Syracuse.com, Rochester City, and Charleston City Paper. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Clemson University in performing arts for keyboard instruments and a master’s degree from Syracuse University in Arts Journalism and Communications.

PROGRAMMING FOR BOARD MEMBERS AT THE LEAGUE CONFERENCE Every year, the League of American Orchestras’ National Conference features programming created specifically for members of orchestra boards. Programming for board members at the League’s 2023 Conference in Pittsburgh features an intensive half-day seminar as well as sessions focusing on “Board Members as Ambassadors and Advocates” and “Building a Fundraising Board.” Learn more at leagueconference.org/ constituency-meetings#board.

“Orchestras absolutely have to keep growing and changing. As your audience changes, you need to provide more opportunities to reach them.” –Patricia Stagno, Vice President, Butler County Symphony Orchestra How do you view the orchestra’s role in your community? We have an outreach committee that is really growing in its involvement with the community, providing three months of free summer concerts every Friday. We also have a “Symphony Storytime” that we do in collaboration with the Butler Public Library, and we’re looking to grow that involvement even more. Orchestras absolutely have to keep growing and changing. As your audience changes, you need to provide more opportunities to reach them.

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At the League

Impact Report 2022 This spring, the League of American Orchestras issued an Impact Report that documents the many ways that the League serves more than 650 member orchestras—and everyone in the orchestra world. The Report includes detailed information about League programs along with examples of impact in five areas of the League’s support for orchestras: advocacy; research; convenings and events; equity, diversity, and inclusion; and learning and leadership.

Impact Report 2022

The 2022 Impact Report shows all the ways that the League is helping to strengthen orchestras and bring the gift of orchestral music to communities across the country. Read the full version of the Report at americanorchestras.org/impact-report-2022/.

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Mathew Imaging

Advocacy

Dear Friends, Thank you for being part of the League’s philanthropic community and supporting our mission to strengthen orchestras through advocacy, research, convenings, leadership, and so much more. As the orchestra field looks forward boldly, the League continues to be an indispensable resource and advocate for orchestras. We hope you will enjoy reading our 2022 Impact Report to see all we have accomplished through your generosity. With gratitude, Simon Woods, President and CEO

In November, the League’s Vice President for Advocacy, Heather Noonan, returned from two weeks of global conservation negotiations in Panama City, Panama, focused on Pernambuco — the wood used in most string instrument bows. The League represented global musicians and partnered with instrument makers to achieve a successful outcome that will protect the rare and endangered wood, without losing the rights for transportation across borders that is critical for orchestras. The League also provided essential support for orchestras navigating the visa requirements for guest artists, all to boost opportunities for international cultural engagement. The League saw years of advocacy pay off with the passage of the new charitable giving incentives in a 2022 year-end Congressional spending bill. As donations become an even larger percentage of revenue that fuels orchestras,

The League of American Orchestras has approximately 650 member orchestras, in all 50 states.

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the League advocated alongside more than 60 national nonprofit partners to increase the amount donors can give through the IRA charitable rollover provision, and to expand it to allow seniors to make tax-free contributions to life-income plans. Expect more details on this new giving opportunity in the coming months.

Convenings and Events Conference 2022

Greg Grudt/Mathew Imaging

The League’s Najean Lee (left) and Heather Noonan (second from left) with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams, National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellowship Alum Lourdes de la Peña (cellist), and National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellow Kerri Elizabeth Robinson (violinist) at an event celebrating World Wildlife Day and the 50th anniversary of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

More than 1,000 Conference attendees from 47 U.S. states and 10 countries, representing 248 orchestras, gathered in Los Angeles in June 2022 to discuss the field’s most pressing topics, including audience development; revenue generation; equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI); environmental sustainability; and more. The Conference had a festive atmosphere of fellowship and collegiality, coming after an in-person hiatus of three years due to the pandemic. Conference delegates heard from speakers such as Gustavo Dudamel, Thomas Wilkins, and John Williams, and enjoyed performances by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles), LA-based Baroque chamber ensemble KONTRAPUNKTUS, and the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles.

Webinars 2022 Composer John Williams (center) and Los Angeles Philharmonic Music and Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel (right) in conversation with Los Angeles Philharmonic CEO Chad Smith at the League’s National 2022 Conference in Los Angeles.

Screenshot from the League webinar “How Far We’ve Come: What’s Working and What Isn’t,” which featured League Vice President of Inclusion and Learning Caen Thomason-Redus as speaker.

Nearly 800 individuals representing over 350 orchestras and arts organizations across the country learned and gained

Over 1,000 orchestra managers, musicians, trustees, and volunteers gathered in Los Angeles for the League’s first in-person Conference in three years.

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The League of American Orchestras through its Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation Orchestral Commissions Program is an invaluable partner in supporting and advancing opportunities for today’s composers. Marie-Hélène Bernard, President and CEO of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra insights from 21 live and on-demand digital learning events on topics such as getting your organization started on an EDI journey, handling burnout and improving mental health, and engaging younger audiences.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation Orchestral Commissions Program Thirty orchestras from nineteen U.S. states and Canada will take part in the latest round of the League’s Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation Orchestral Commissions Program, beginning in 2023. This unprecedented national consortium program ensures that new works by women composers, each commissioned by the League, will be infused in orchestra seasons to come, with multiple performances throughout the country.

A map shows the orchestras participating in the Toulmin consortium.

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To form a successful career, a composer needs both opportunities to hear their music played and to understand how to network across the field.

The Catalyst Fund Incubator and Catalyst Publications

Stacy Garrop, Toulmin composer 10.7%

Composer Comparison

Composer Comparison Women composers of color see an

Women composers of color see increase of increase of 1425% in an programming 1425% in programming since 2015. since 2015.

6.1%

5.7% Men of Color White Women Women of Color

2.9% 1.3% 0.4% 15–16

17–18

19–20

21–22

In Spring 2022, The Catalyst Fund Incubator grant program launched, with continued support from both the Mellon Foundation and the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation. The Incubator is a three-year program, with 20 member orchestras each receiving $75,000. The orchestras are engaging EDI consultants of their choice in building their orchestra’s capacity to support their vision of embedding EDI into all aspects of the organization’s operations. This program aims to help orchestras accelerate organizational inclusivity and field-wide learning. Findings from The Catalyst Fund Incubator program were highlighted in three different publications released in 2022: Promising Practices, Catalyst Snapshots, and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Artistic Planning.

2022 Orchestra Repertoire Report The 2022 Orchestra Repertoire Report, a new report by the Institute for Composer Diversity, produced in partnership with the League of American Orchestras, examined the programming of composers of color, women composers, and living composers by U.S. orchestras.

2015 – 2022 Season Comparisons How has programming of music by 2015–2022 Season Comparisons women composers and composers of

How hascompared programming music by women color toofthe music of composers and Mozart, composersand of color compared to Beethoven, Tchaikovsky the musiclast of Beethoven, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky in the two years? in the last two years?.

22.6% 19.1% 16.9%

16.4% 12%

10.6%

11.8%

7.6% 5%

4.4%

3.6% 4.4% 19–20

Ludwig van Beethoven

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky

21–22

Beethoven + Mozart + Tchaikovsky

19–20

21–22

Women & Composers of Color

Composers of Color

Women Composers

Data from the Institute for Composer Diversity.

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I will carry my Essentials experience with me for the rest of my life, as it brought to light how I want to and can best serve the greater orchestra community. Brooke Mead, Manager of Artistic Services, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Essentials Class of 2022

Learning and Leadership Anne Parsons Leadership Program

Courtesy of Detroit Symphony Orchestra

The League established the Anne Parsons Leadership Program to honor Anne’s life and legacy of leadership and mentoring in our field. This three-year pilot program will support promising women and non-binary orchestra professionals in their career progression, create and train a new network of established orchestra leaders to mentor and support them, and build a wider pool of candidates for leadership roles in the country’s leading orchestras.

Anne Parsons

League Alumni Network At the National Conference in June, the League launched the League Alumni Network, a national membership group for 800+ alumni of League leadership programs where alumni can connect both personally and professionally to share insights and experiences, seek advice, and build meaningful relationships.

Essentials of Orchestra Management In 2022, after a three-year hiatus, Essentials of Orchestra Management was held in person on the campus of The

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Rosalie O’Connor Photography

AT THE LE AGUE

2022 Essentials of Orchestra Management participants and faculty.

Juilliard School. Thirty-five outstanding participants took part in this residential program designed to prepare current and aspiring orchestra professionals with the tools and mindsets they need to grow as leaders and progress in their careers. Since the summer of 2020, 20% have received promotions, awards, or new positions in the field.

Symphony

Launched in December 2022, symphony.org reports breaking news and provides insight and analysis with in-depth feature articles.

In December 2022, the League launched a new, free, digital platform for Symphony, the League’s signature publication, and merged the former Hub, the League’s daily news aggregator, with Symphony to provide a single news source for the orchestra field. Now published year-round at symphony.org with a special print issue for Conference, Symphony features breaking news, cutting-edge research, provocative essays, interviews, personnel appointments, and in-depth articles that examine how orchestras are innovating to meet today’s challenges. Since launching, Symphony receives 18,000 views per month (compared to 14,000 per month for The Hub). Symphony’s feature articles can be widely influential and have won multiple awards for outstanding coverage of music. Recent award-winning articles report on anti-Black discrimination at American orchestras, the rise in music by Indigenous composers, and the new roles that orchestra musicians took during the pandemic.

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WHAT’S IN A TITLE? The role of the conductor is changing at today’s orchestras. Is it time to rethink not just the job description but honorifics like maestro and maestra? Are such gendered terms sexist, antiquated, or simply affectionate? How might they help—or hinder—movements toward greater gender equity? By Brin Solomon

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Mélisse Brunet is Music Director of the Lexington Philharmonic in Kentucky and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic in Wilkes-Barre, PA. “I don’t think maestro and maestra are good words,” she says.

Michaela Bowman for the Lexington Philharmonic

Mothwing Photography

Music Director Mélisse Brunet leads the Lexington Philharmonic in a rehearsal of Ellen Taafe Zwilich's Symphony No. 1 for the orchestra’s February 2023 “Continuous Variation" concert, named after a technique Zwilich used for the piece. Brunet is wearing a "Bonjour Y'all" t-shirt—the LexPhil's marketing slogan for the Paris-born Brunet’s inaugural season.

Darren Elias Photography

he word maestro has some baggage. For many, the term conjures an image of old-fashioned luxe, of a well-seasoned gentleman whose musical knowledge leaves little room for questioning and whose leadership style tends to the hierarchical, even authoritarian. To be a maestro, in this image, is to belong to a close-knit club, as exclusive as it is a little out of date. Small wonder, then, that in a moment when many rising conductors are taking a more collaborative, downto-earth approach to leading an orchestra, the term maestro has lost some of its allure. And yet this shift in ethos is not the only change afoot in the conducting world; the gendered barriers to leading an orchestra are being broken down. As the field shifts towards gender parity, a certain tension arises: Should eminent female conductors be called maestra, or should that term be left behind, regardless of gender? Is the goal to diversify the clubhouse, or dismantle it altogether? Like so many musical terms, maestro comes from Italian, a language with masculine and feminine grammatical genders. Outside of classical music, the term most commonly means teacher, a sense it shares with its Latin origin, magister. (The same Latin term, in English, gives us mister, mastery, and magistrate.) But dry etymological facts don’t capture the texture of how a word is used in a social context rife with unstated norms and powerful assumptions. In some places, the word is a grave honorific that carries the weight of centuries of tradition; in others, it is an almost familial term of endearment. And in other places, it has all but disappeared—in all my years as a music student, the only conductor who anyone called maestro or maestra was an exacting taskmaster prone to exploding with rage at high school students for playing Tchaikovsky with insufficient sensitivity. Everyone else just went by their first names. Nevertheless, in professional ensembles, the terms persist, to mixed reviews. I interviewed several women who lead orchestras for this article, and some were quick to express a distaste for the word maestra. Mélisse Brunet, the Frenchborn music director of two American orchestras—the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic in Wilkes-Barre

Music Director Mélisse Brunet leads the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic in a recent concert.

and Kentucky’s Lexington Philharmonic—was emphatic and explicit: “I don’t think maestro and maestra are good words.” Brunet understands that the terms are commonplace in classical music culture, but still feels that they’re “very nineteenth century” and wishes for titles

that are “more accurate and less dictatorial.” (Brunet participated in the League of American Orchestras’ 2018 Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview.) Every conductor I spoke with described their artistic process as deeply collaborative—they see their role not 35

Kyle Flubacker

Kristin Hoebermann

“In general, American orchestras are not big on titles; I hear them much more in Europe,” says Mei-Ann Chen, music director of Chicago Sinfonietta. “In Germany and Austria, people are almost afraid to call conductors by their first name.”

Music Director Mei-Ann Chen leads Chicago Sinfonietta. Chen also conducts widely in the U.S. and abroad.

Daniel Jones

Joey Wharton Photography

“Part of what will shift these terms is just being more inclusive all around,” says Naima Burrs, music director of the Petersburg Symphony Orchestra in Virginia. “More women, more Black people, a more diverse group on the podium and in the orchestra.”

Music Director Naima Burrs leads Virginia’s Petersburg Symphony Orchestra in an April 2022 concert.

as imposing their own vision on an ensemble but as helping bring music to life through a constructive dialogue with the other musicians. A word that implies a top-down style where the conductor’s vision overrules all others is a poor fit for such an approach. Different places expect this topdown style to different degrees. MeiAnn Chen, the music director of the Chicago Sinfonietta, has conducted extensively in both Europe and the U.S. after beginning her career as a violinist in Taiwan. “In general, American orchestras are not big on titles; I hear them much more in Europe,” she says. “In the States, we don’t have the same expectation [of a conductor’s authority]. In Germany and Austria, people are almost afraid to call conductors by their first name.” This fear can stem from simple respect, but it can also have more negative origins. Classical music is not different from any other field; we have our share of those who use their authority to abuse those below them in their institutions’ hierarchies. To date, the highest-profile such cases in our field have been men, but this is not exclusively the fault of gender: Such abuse is only possible from a position of power, and to date, such positions have been overwhelmingly reserved for men alone. Achieving gender parity will not stop abuse; only dismantling the systems of that lend impunity to the powerful will do that. A title with a hierarchical legacy might serve to reinforce a worldview that sets conductors up beyond reproach, but Alexandra Enyart—a freelance conductor in Chicago who serves on American Opera Projects’ Artistic Advisory Council—sees it as a potential cautionary tale as well. “As a conductor, you have power, you can’t not have it,” she says, “so the question is, what are you going to do with it? And I think there’s something about [the title maestra] that serves as a reminder—first, do no harm. We would be better for it if we remembered that, from the podium, you do have the ability to do harm to people.” If maestra can be a cautionary reminder, it can also have a gentler side. Naima Burrs, the Music Director of the Petersburg Symphony Orchestra

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At a time when the word “master” is under scrutiny, do terms like “maestra” and “maestro” also require reconsideration? (in Petersburg, VA), is regularly called maestra by the board and president of the symphony she leads. “For them, it’s a term of endearment,” she says. “I have a lot of family history here in Petersburg, and I think that calling me maestra is a way for some of these people who come from an older generation to acknowledge what they feel is an accomplishment. They’re proud of me and proud of what I’ve done, and they’re encouraging me to

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“As a woman conductor, [the term] maestra can help other women find hope, find community with one another,” says Chicago-based conductor Alexandra Enyart. “As a conductor, you have power, you can’t not have it,” says Alexandra Enyart, “so the question is, what are you going to do with it?”

Adriane White

“I don’t think that what women are called is as important as that women are called,” says conductor Marin Alsop.

embrace that term as a way of embracing that accomplishment.” This gentler side can build community, too. Enyart likened going by maestra to publicly embracing the fact that she is transgender. “Transgender can be a very helpful word for letting other trans people find you, find hope,” she says. “And I think that’s really true as a woman conductor, too, that maestra can help other women find hope, find community with one another.” Still, she expresses concern about being pigeonholed: “Being a woman conductor is fantastic, and it’s so powerful, but at

the same time, there are moments where I’m like, ‘Why can’t I just make art? Do we have to analyze every moment of my career when we don’t do the same for some of my colleagues who are men?’” Here, we start to run up against the limits of linguistic change. Marin Alsop—the first woman to be named music director of a major American orchestra and perhaps the most famous female conductor in the U.S. today—declined to be interviewed for this article but offered the following statement through her publicist: “I don’t

Conductor Claire Gibault co-founded La Maestra, a biennial international competition for female conductors in Paris that highlights talented women conductors. The competition is complemented by an academy that provides selected candidates with professional support. The next La Maestra Competition takes place at the Philharmonie de Paris in March 2024. Gibault also founded the Paris Mozart Orchestra, one of the few female-led orchestras in France.

Meg Smitherman

think that what women are called is as important as that women are called.” All of my interviewees echoed this sentiment. Language is important, and the words we use can have a profound impact on how we understand the world, but language change alone will not bring about complete equality in the world of conducting. Doing that takes the long, patient work of supporting new artists from historically excluded backgrounds and removing the obstacles to their full participation in this world. “Part of what will shift these terms is just being more inclusive all around,” Burrs said. “More women, more Black people, a more diverse group on the podium and in the orchestra. You can use whatever words you want; the most important thing is the human relationships involved.”

As a music journalist, dramatist, and composer, BRIN SOLOMON writes words and music in various genres and is doing its best to queer all of them. It has written essays, profiles, and reviews for Symphony, San Francisco Classical Voice, and NewMusicBox, among other publications, and its theatrical works have been hailed as “soul-stirring.”

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Four Composers, Multiple Directions

Today’s emerging composers are pursuing their own musical paths—from experimenting with sounds and textures to playing with the concerto’s soloist-vs.orchestra relationship to absorbing progressive metal as an influence. And they’re getting out of their studios to connect with audiences and inspire schoolkids. Here are snapshots of four composers who are making their marks right now.

Doug Gifford

Aaron Jay Young

By Steven Brown

VIET CUONG— Viet Cuong’s new piano concerto, Stargazer, employs a musical gambit he has drawn on in several recent works. The piano part sometimes mimics the effect of an electric guitarist’s delay pedal, with melodies doubling up on themselves as they unfold. “It ends up sounding sort of electronic, and very reverberant,” says Cuong, whose concerto was just premiered by the California Symphony and pianist Sarah Cahill. “It sounds like everything is echoing off itself, like there’s more than one piano playing. It’s a magical effect when it really works.” Exploring textures and sounds is one of Cuong’s hallmarks: “finding ways to

The Pacific Symphony performed Viet Cuong’s 2017 Re(new)al, a concerto for orchestra and percussion quartet, on the opening night of its 2022-23 season. Acknowledging the standing ovation are, in foreground from left, Music Director Carl St.Clair, Viet Cuong, and Sandbox Percussion.

write for instruments that sound enchanting,” as he puts it. His Re(new)al, a concerto for percussion quartet premiered by the Albany Symphony’s Dogs of Desire new-music ensemble in 2017, marshals a percussion battery ranging from conventional instruments to compressed-air cans and a vibraphone with some notes wrapped in aluminum foil. Cuong also harkens back at times to Baroque music: Now and Then, commissioned by the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and premiered in 2022, grows from a chord progression he borrowed from a J.S. Bach concerto.

But there’s one potential ingredient that doesn’t figure into Cuong’s music. “People often ask me if I have any Vietnamese folk-music influence in what I do,” Cuong says. “I really don’t. Because I was born here (in the United States), and I grew up as an American kid.” Cuong’s ancestry is Vietnamese, but he was raised in an Atlanta suburb, where he played in his high school band. He applauds U.S. orchestras for at last beginning to spotlight composers from underrepresented groups—“They’re showing how multifaceted our country

“It’s almost like part of my mission is to show people that an American composer—and by extension, an American person— can be of any background.” — Viet Cuong 40

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Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra

Doug Gifford

Composer Viet Cuong speaks with Pacific Symphony Music Director Carl St.Clair about his Re(new)al, which the Pacific Symphony performed on opening night of its 2022-23 season. Cuong is currently Pacific Symphony’s composer in residence.

Audiences turn out for such things, too, he adds. “It invites them into your world for more than just the length of the piece” at the premiere, Cuong says. “They see the piece from its humble beginnings.” One St. Paul session stands out in his mind. “I met this older Vietnamese couple who came to one of the workshops,” Cuong says. “It was their first time coming to a St. Paul Chamber Orchestra event. I think maybe the fact that they saw a Vietnamese composer, which they had probably never seen before, intrigued them. They reminded me of my parents. They were so proud. It was very touching.”

CeCe Salinas

Viet Cuong and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra at an open rehearsal of his new work in September 2022, part of the SPCO’s Sandbox Residency program, which offers intensive multiweek residencies for composers.

Viet Cuong, 2020-23 Young American Composerin-Residence at the California Symphony, works on a score for Next Week’s Trees with Music Director Donato Cabrera.

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— Jens Ibsen Mike Grittani

and society are”—while offering his own take on that. “There have been times when I’ve gone and done performances, and people have assumed that I’m not an American—not out of any animosity, but (because) they have never met or heard the music of an American composer who has a name like mine,” Cuong says. “So it’s almost like part of my mission is to show people that an American composer—and by extension, an American person—can be of any background.” Cuong also salutes orchestras that don’t just premiere a work but bring in the composer to workshop it while it’s on the drawing board. He points to the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra’s Sandbox Composer Residency, which allotted Cuong several sessions with the musicians as he crafted Now and Then. “I was able to write just sketches—like random things—and they read through them, and we experimented,” Cuong recalls. “Then I went home and wrote some more, and we tried some more. By the end, it felt like the piece just worked. It really is super-valuable experience for composers to have that.”

“If I have any agendas, one of them is expanding the notion of what the Black experience can be. Black people can be metalheads. We can be classical musicians. We can be multicultural. We can be scholarly and philosophical.”

JENS IBSEN— A few days have passed since the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Orchestra devoted a reading session to Drowned in Light, Jens Ibsen’s work-in-progress. But the composer still feels the glow. “It really brought the piece to life,” Ibsen recalls. “Naturally, there will be some tweaks before the final version is done in November, but it was exhilarating to hear

it in its current form. There’s absolutely nothing like hearing a live orchestra play your music. I could get used to that!” The San Francisco Symphony will premiere Drowned in Light this November as part of Ibsen’s prize as the winner of the second annual Emerging Black Composers Project, a collaboration between the orchestra and the conservatory. The ten-year project, which awarded its inaugural prize to Trevor Weston in 2021, spotlights early-career Black American composers; winners receive a commission

San Francisco Conservatory of Music

Jens Ibsen in the San Francisco Conservatory of Music’s Bowes Center, when he was announced as winner of the 2022 Emerging Black Composers Project. Ibsen is writing a new orchestral score as part of the project, which is a collaboration of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the San Francisco Symphony.

Composer Jens Ibsen at work.

In addition to being a composer, Jens Ibsen is a conservatory-trained vocalist. In photo: Ibsen and harpist Abigail Kent perform his arrangement of “The Final” by Japanese heavy-metal band Dir En Grey at the Mannes School of Music in 2019.

Composer Jens Ibsen, fifth from left, backstage with performers and the creative team at the January 2023 premiere of his Bubbie and the Demon, with libretto by Cecelia Raker. The work was commissioned as part of the Washington National Opera’s American Opera Initiative and performed at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

for a score for large ensemble, workshops and reading sessions with orchestras, a public world premiere, mentorship opportunities, and a prize of $15,000. Born in Ghana to a white American father and a Ghanaian mother, Ibsen grew up in the Bay Area, and his program note for Drowned in Light calls it “my poem to the place I call home.” He adds, “I have really specific images of what daylight and sunshine (in the Bay Area) mean to me, and what the city is like by night. I definitely was drawing on that.” At the same time, Drowned in Light also has roots in Ibsen’s fascination with progressive-metal rock music. While Ibsen loves metal’s percussiveness and wall-of-sound impact—and declares, by the way, that Sergei Prokofiev is “one of the most metal guys who ever was”—he points out that metal’s progressive branch sometimes throws the ferocity aside. “People [in progressive metal] incorporate influences from classical music, folk music, electronica, and more to try and craft sounds entirely new yet catchy and memorable, and I relate strongly to that.” Ibsen’s musical tastes have always been eclectic. His parents met, he notes, when his father journeyed from the United States to Ghana to learn about West African drumming. Ibsen himself moved to Austria as a youngster to join the Vienna Boys Choir—and he went on to study composition alongside voice. (He will perform a recital of his own vocal works a few days before Drowned in Light premieres.) As a youth in the Bay Area, where multiculturalism was “accepted and

normal,” Ibsen says, he soaked up bossa nova as readily as rhythm ’n’ blues and music of the African diaspora. That variety influences Ibsen’s view of what it means to be a Black composer—or a Black person. “I’m interested in rock and metal and Arab music and Turkish music and Indian music, and all these things, and I’m Black,” Ibsen says. “I have interests that may not be in the standard narrative of what we allow a Black artist to be. If I have any agendas, one of them is expanding the notion of what the Black experience can be. Black people can be metalheads. We can be classical musicians. We can be multicultural. We can be scholarly and philosophical. All this stuff that we’re not given breadth to do.” Ibsen sees himself as a direct beneficiary of the push for inclusiveness spurred in part by the killing of George Floyd. “I basically didn’t have anything going on for me professionally until 2020 happened,” he says. He had submitted scores to contests and done “what everyone tells you to do” to advance his career as a composer, but no responses came in until the national soul-searching kicked in. Then, commissions came from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and others. “Initially, it was pretty bittersweet to feel like, ‘Only now that there’s this zeitgeist-driven search for Black composers am I getting any attention,’” Ibsen says. “I have had a lot of experiences since then that made me feel confident there are people out there who like me for me, not just because I’m Black. But it took me some time to feel really secure about that.” SUMMER 2023

“If anything is unclear or not as impactful as it could be, I’m relentless with it. And I try to make it right.” — Kevin Lau

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Blueprint Film Co, Ray Kuglar

KEVIN LAU—

Courtesy of Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

ROCO, based in Texas, commissioned Kevin Lau’s Between the Earth and Beyond, a concerto for erhu and orchestra, and gave the world premiere of the work in 2020. Taking a bow at the premiere are, from left, erhu soloist Andy Lim, Kevin Lau, and, gesturing at right, conductor Christopher Rountree.

Kevin Lau confers with conductor Peter Oundjian and Toronto Symphony Orchestra musicians at a rehearsal of his Down the Rivers of the Windfall Light in 2014.

Composer Kevin Lau works with musicians of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony at a rehearsal of The Spirit Horse Returns in 2023.

Courtesy of Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra

When Kevin Lau picks up the phone for this interview, he has just returned home from a workshop with Toronto schoolchildren. In a project sponsored by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, he’s coaching the youngsters as they compose a work of their own. To climax the program, members of the Toronto Symphony will premiere the young people’s collective creation. “These kids may have had some exposure to music, but they may not have had the chance or the resources to tap into that,” Lau says. “I go in and prompt them a little, and sure enough, they start to generate these little ideas. We’ll go to the piano and take them to all sorts of places. It’s a way of exposing them to the joy of creativity. We’ve had a couple of infectious moments here and there, which have been really fun. “There’s something about me that enjoys going in cold and being totally surprised, and then reacting and creating alongside them,” Lau continues. “This has been an amazing learning experience, from the point of view of letting my own inner child take over, and sort of playing in the sandbox with them—while still guiding them and giving them options.” In his own work, Lau is focusing on two ballet scores: one looking back on the internment of Japanese Canadians during World War II, the other depicting Taoist teachings about life. The Manitoba Chamber Orchestra recently premiered his song cycle The Ruins of Time, which capitalizes on mezzo-soprano Lizzy Hoyt’s double-barreled stylistic bent and ability to bridge classical singing and Celtic folk music. Exploring the contrast, the piece “begins with a contemporary folk sound,” Lau says, then “plunges backward in time into something like the Baroque era.”

Composer Kevin Lau and solo artists Jodi Contin, Ken MacDonald, and Rhonda Snow, among others, take a bow at premiere of The Spirit Horse Returns at the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in 2022.

Nina C. Young/Cabrillo Festival

At the 2019 Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, Nina C. Young addresses the audience before the West Coast premiere of her 2015 Agnosco Veteris. Music Director and Conductor Cristian Măcelaru led the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra at the concert.

Chris Lee

Born in Hong Kong and raised in Toronto, Lau bridges cultures in his life and music. Between the Earth and Beyond, inspired by a NASA photo of an astronaut on a spacewalk, evokes a solitary figure in space by putting an erhu—a twostring Chinese instrument—in front of a chamber orchestra, originally Houston’s ROCO in 2020. “When we think of the erhu, we don’t think of a person in a space suit on a spacewalk,” Lau says. “The incongruity of it and the unlikeness of it attracted me to the idea. The more I thought about it, the more I felt the erhu was this perfect metaphor for that loneliness, that solitary sound.” Lau enjoys speaking to audiences to offer them “a framework” to understand what they’ll hear. But even as he composes, he imagines a listener next to him, listening and reacting to what he puts down. “Obviously, I can’t inhabit (the mind of) any particular audience member,” he says. “I’m in dialogue with myself. But it’s still a dialogue. If anything is unclear or not as impactful as it could be, I’m relentless with it. And I try to make it right.”

NINA C. YOUNG—

While taking a bow at the world premiere of her Tread Softly by the New York Philharmonic in 2020, Nina C. Young shakes hands with Concertmaster Frank Huang. The work was commissioned by the Philharmonic for its Project 19 series, which commissioned new scores from women composers to mark the passage of the 19th Amendment, which in 1920 gave women the right to vote.

Nina C. Young enjoys prodding at the boundaries of classical music’s genres and attitudes. “It’s creatively fascinating to think, what are the things we take for granted? What are the tropes? And what are things we can explore deeply without unraveling the whole system?” Young says. She takes that on in Traces, a violin concerto that Jennifer Koh and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra—which co-commissioned it with the Philadelphia Orchestra—will premiere in November. “As an audience, we look at the soloist as this virtuosic champion,” Young says. But she thinks that notion collides with the “internal politics” onstage. “Everyone is supposed to be supposed to be playing

in communion with one another,” she continues, but the reality involves “power play and struggle” between soloist, conductor, and orchestra. Traces, spawned by several years of discussions between Young and Koh, picks up there. “It starts out as sort of an homage to the standard concerto, with the soloist taking the primary role,” Young explains. “But as the piece unfolds, a lot of chamber music takes place. Jennifer ends up playing duos and trios with members of the orchestra—a little bit like a concerto grosso. It confuses the conventional hierarchy a bit.” Young also bills herself as a sonic artist, and she creates site-specific

installations incorporating electronic sounds. But even when she works with traditional forces, she brings a modern perspective. An example: Tread Softly, commissioned by the New York Philharmonic for its Project 19 celebration of the 19th Amendment, which in 1920 gave women the right to vote. The score springs from an insight that came to Young as she explored the history of women’s quest for the vote. “What I found really fascinating was that for centuries, there was this fluctuation of progress and backstepping, progress and backstepping,” Young recalls. Taking that fitful course as a model for the piece, she decided to “do something SUMMER 2023

Chris Lee

Juergen Frank

“It’s creatively fascinating to think, what are the things we take for granted? What are the tropes? What can we explore deeply without unraveling the whole system?” — Nina C. Young

Nina C. Young addressed the audience when the New York Philharmonic gave the world premiere of her Tread Softly in 2020. Music Director Jaap van Zweden (in photo with Young) conducted the work.

very personally vulnerable and fragile— which was to show all the little musical ideas that I usually edit out of my music.” In Tread Softly, premiered in February, 2020, those ideas bubble up “in a cascading way. They’re trying to peek out and appear, and then they get closed off. It’s a series of anticlimactic moments, until finally there’s a resolution.” As composers often are, Young was “very nervous” as Tread Softly’s rehearsals approached, she recalls. But the orchestra provided generous rehearsal time, “and everybody played with such enthusiasm that I just started crying in the first five minutes. It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life.” Another bright spot: Young says she feels “uplifted” by the fact that the orchestral industry’s quest for diversity is “lasting season after season. That’s really hopeful and wonderful,” Young says. “I think it’s a testimony to the fact that the music that everyone is making is interesting and well-crafted, and audiences are being receptive.”

Jennifer Koh will perform the world premiere of Nina C. Young’s violin concerto, Traces, this fall with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. The concert was co-commissioned by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

In addition to composing musical scores, Young creates installations incorporating sound. In photo: Sound Constructions, an “ephemeral site-specific performative sculpture” created by Young, Leilehua Anne Lanzilotti, and Senem Pirler at California’s Montalvo Arts Center in 2018.

STEVEN BROWN writes about classical music and the arts. He is the former classical music critic of the Orlando Sentinel, Charlotte Observer, and Houston Chronicle.

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YOUTH ON THE Rise

Chris Kim

By Vivien Schweitzer

The New York Youth Symphony at Carnegie Hall. The orchestra performs standard repertoire as well as new music at its annual Carnegie Hall concerts.

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When the New York Youth Symphony won a Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Performance this year, it was a big deal for this youth orchestra—and for youth orchestras nationwide. It’s the first Grammy to go to a youth orchestra, and the other nominees—the LA Phil, the Berlin Philharmonic— were not exactly slackers. The recognition for the NY Youth Symphony’s recording of works by Black American women spotlights the vital roles of youth orchestras in today’s musical scene and in the lives of their young artists.

fter the New York Youth Symphony submitted its debut album in the Best Orchestral Performance category for the 2022 Grammy Awards, neither the young musicians nor their music director, Michael Repper, thought they’d edge out competition like the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Berlin Philharmonic. Yet in February, the fresh-faced ensemble became the first youth orchestra to be awarded a Grammy, winning with a recording of music by Black women. The album, which reached #1 on Billboard’s “Traditional Classical Albums” chart, features the first recording by an American orchestra of Florence Price’s Ethiopia’s Shadow in America (1932). It also includes Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement (1934) with soloist Michelle Cann. The NYYS had been scheduled to perform the work with Cann at Carnegie Hall in the spring of 2020, but after the pandemic shuttered concert halls Repper decided instead to record it with Cann. Also on the disc are Jessie Montgomery’s Soul Force (2015) and Valerie Coleman’s Umoja: Anthem of Unity for Orchestra (2019), both of which Repper says seemed meaningful to record during the physical separation of the pandemic and the social justice protests following the murder of George Floyd. It was an important moment, he says, “to record works that addressed systemic racism from the point of view of Black women.” Montgomery’s piece, whose title is inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, “attempts to

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The New York Youth Symphony’s recording of works by Florence Price, Valerie Coleman, and Jessie Montgomery, on the AVIE Records label, won a 2022 Grammy Award for Best Orchestral

It was important “to record works that addressed systemic racism from the point of view of Black women,” says New York Youth Symphony Music Director Michael Repper.

Photo courtesy of Michael Repper.

New York Youth Symphony Music Director Michael Repper with the Grammy Award the youth orchestra won in February at the Grammy ceremonies in Los Angeles.

Composer Jessie Montgomery, whose Soul Force was recorded by the New York Youth Symphony, is herself an alumna of the NYSS, where she played violin. “Youth ensembles are as important today as they have always been,” she says. “Young people need places where they can be challenged in a positive way toward making something beautiful and meaningful.”

THE LEAGUE’S YOUTH ORCHESTRA DIVISION Youth orchestras play a unique role in supporting young people in realizing their creative potential, and the League of American Orchestras’ Youth Orchestra Division helps youth orchestras nationwide with focused training, support, information, advice, and networking. Learn more about the League’s Youth Orchestra Division at https://americanorchestras.org/ learn/youth-orchestras/. The Youth Orchestra Division has its own set of constituency meetings at the League’s National Conference this June in Pittsburgh. The meetings offer opportunities to network with YOD peers, and subjects may include student engagement and development, organizational structure, and roundtables on hot topics. Check it out at https://leagueconference.org/constituencymeetings.

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portray the notion of a voice that struggles to be heard beyond the shackles of oppression,” according to Montgomery’s program notes. An album of works by Black American women sends “a strong message that meaningful art happens to us all and that if you’re not listening to Black music, you’re probably missing out on something very special,” says Montgomery, a composer, violinist, and, in an interesting turn, herself an alumna of the New York Youth Symphony. “This album says: we see you, we hear you, and let’s start to re-write this history.” Montgomery adds that she is honored to have her work “performed with such stunning nuance and commitment. I’m happy to share this win with a group that is doing such tremendous work in music education. It is part of my mission to empower young people and this win accomplishes just that.” Repper, 32, who became the youth orchestra’s music director in the 2017-18 season and conducts his last performance as music director on May 28 at Carnegie Hall, agrees, saying that “one of the most important things that all professional musicians can do is to look out for the next generation.” He notes that his career took off because he had mentors such as conductor Marin Alsop, another an alumna of NYYS, “who believed in me and created opportunities for me when I was a kid.” Representation in Classical Music Cellist Noelia Carrasco, a New York University sophomore of Asian and Latinx heritage, says she didn’t expect anything beyond recognition for entering the Grammys, “and anything more than that would have been overwhelming, which it was in the end!” She describes winning the Grammy Award as an “empowering” event that offered the young musicians a sense of pride and ownership, as well as being a win for greater representation in the classical music world. It was exciting, she says, that a youth ensemble was able to bring this repertory to a wider audience. “A lot more youth orchestras will take the initiative and give composers from underrepresented backgrounds and new composers a chance,” she adds. “The NYYS has opened so many doors and given me a lot of opportunities. I’ve been able to not only work with

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New York Youth Symphony Music Director Michael Repper discussed the circumstances behind the orchestra’s recent recording of compositions by Black women in a video from the youth orchestra.

“A lot more youth orchestras will take the initiative and give composers from underrepresented backgrounds and new composers a chance,” says New York Youth Symphony cellist Noelia Carrasco. AMERICANORCHESTRAS.COM

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classical music but with different genres, which has definitely enriched my musical education,” she says. “I really cherish all of the time that I’ve spent with the symphony.” Before the pandemic, the NYYS met every Sunday to rehearse. In 2020, of course, rehearsing and recording became complicated. In order to adhere

to social distancing protocols, the orchestra split into string and wind sections to record the album separately in the DiMenna Center’s cavernous performance space. Multiple recordings were then layered during the edit by veteran producer Judith Sherman, who won a 2022 Grammy as Classical Producer of the Year.

New York Youth Symphony bassoonist Kennedy Plains spoke about the importance of representation and inclusion in classical music in a video from the youth orchestra.

“I think people will start taking youth orchestras more seriously now, because we proved that teenagers and young adults are capable of doing great things,” says Joshua Choi, a clarinet player with the New York Youth Symphony.

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While the recording circumstances were unusually stressful, the young musicians of the NYYS are certainly accustomed to learning contemporary music alongside Brahms and Mahler symphonies. In addition to the classics, the NYYS, founded in 1963, provides its members (who range in age from 12 to 22) a strong training in contemporary music and has a robust commissioning program, presenting a new piece at each of its annual Carnegie Hall concerts. Joshua Choi, a freshman clarinet major at Juilliard in his fifth year with the NYYS, describes learning new music as intense and anxiety-provoking when the composer is at rehearsals and concerts. But, he adds, it’s “definitely a really cool experience,” pointing out that it’s exciting to get feedback directly from the composer. Choi says that before the NYYS’s Grammy win, audiences might have thought of youth orchestras as casual community groups. But “our win really kind of shocked people,” he says. “I think people will start taking youth orchestras more seriously now, because we proved that teenagers and young adults are capable of doing great things.” For Montgomery, playing in NYYS was her first experience in a full-sized orchestra, “so it had a strong impact on my perception of music and performance at the time,” she says. “Youth ensembles are as important today as they have always been. Young people need places where they can be challenged in a positive way toward making something beautiful and meaningful. It helps you to see good in the world.” VIVIAN SCHWEITZER is a writer and pianist who contributes to publications including The Economist, The New York Times, and American Scholar. Her book, “A Mad Love: An Introduction to Opera,” was named one of the New Yorker’s “Best Books We Read in 2021.”

Change Agents A new class of leaders in equity, diversity, and inclusion is transforming American orchestras. By Naveen Kumar

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f commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion has grown more apparent at orchestras around the country, that’s likely because it has increasingly become a full-time job. The number of leadership positions specifically focused on some permutation of EDI have multiplied following the calls for social justice that ignited during pandemic shutdowns. As live performances have resumed, many orchestras are reevaluating how best to connect with and serve their communities, a mission that’s essential to their survival. “Our history suggests that representation, diversity, and inclusion doesn’t just happen; it has to be intentional and committed to,” says Harold Brown, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, where he was among the first top brass doing such work at American orchestras when he was hired in March 2021. “George Floyd’s death spurred folks to action, and I think people finally got the message,” Brown adds, noting that EDI initiatives had been on the rise at orchestras over the past 10 years but have recently kicked into high gear. Orchestras with EDI as part of their core mission consider such principles integral to every part of their organization. A growing class of leadership roles are positioned within existing administrative structures in different ways, which reflect the many aspects of operations their priorities encompass. What unites these new leaders, who largely report to orchestra CEOs, is the intention to welcome people with diverse lived experiences to work behind the scenes, perform on stage, and connect with their programming. Such efforts work synergistically; diverse artists on stage can help attract diverse audiences, and education initiatives that reach diverse young people can lead to more diverse orchestra professionals and audience members—the people who are key to the artform’s future. “It’s a really pivotal moment in terms of orchestra culture, behavior, and business,” says Caen Thomason-Redus, Vice President for Inclusion and Learning at the League of American Orchestras. “There’s a lot of enthusiasm among the people doing this work, and that’s momentum we need to maintain and hopefully build on.”

“It’s a pivotal moment in terms of orchestra culture, behavior, and business,” says Caen Thomason-Redus, Vice President for Inclusion and Learning at the League of American Orchestras. “There’s a lot of enthusiasm among the people doing this work.”

“Our history suggests that representation, diversity, and inclusion doesn’t just happen; it has to be intentional and committed to,” says Harold Brown, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

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Roger Mastroiannit

A Focus on People & Culture

At the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s April 2023 Classical Roots concert, CSO Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Harold Brown, center, spoke with (left) Kala Gibson of Fifth Third Bank and (right) Jonathan Martin, CSO President and CEO. The Classical Roots Community Choir, led by Interim Resident Conductor Jason Alexander Holmes, performed with the Cincinnati Symphony, conducted by John Morris Russell.

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Making orchestras feel like a welcoming environment for people from all walks is a major objective for EDI leadership. Though such efforts may be more visible to the public in concert halls, that work is also being done behind the scenes among administrative staff and executive boards. “We’re really intentional about trying to create a space where everyone feels valued, heard, and engaged to do their best work,” says Sheri Notaro, Vice President of People and Culture at the Minnesota Orchestra, where her position has replaced what was previously known as a human resources leadership role and now has a wider scope. A conceptual focus on people and culture means Notaro’s purview extends across how the Minnesota Orchestra connects with everyone who comes into contact with the organization, including in education, programming, community engagement, and audience growth. “We’re really distributing DEI and antiracism across departments so that it doesn’t seem like a silo or some separate activity,” Notaro says. 55

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Harold Brown, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, rehearses reading programmatic descriptions written by Duke Ellington ahead of the CSO’s performance of Ellington’s Night Creature.

Posters for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s 2023 Lunar New Year Concert were bilingual.

In carrying out the orchestra’s human resources functions, Notaro oversees how people from diverse backgrounds are brought in and supported by the organization. “We’re very particular and transparent about interrogating hiring processes and looking for ways to make them as fair and equitable as we can,” Notaro says. Creating a culture where people feel welcomed and want to stay long-term is another key priority, not just in cultivating a dynamic and forward-thinking workplace, but in competing to attract top talent. That was one draw for Notaro herself, who recognized the Minnesota Orchestra’s existing commitment to inclusivity as she considered taking on her role. “I could feel that the culture was a warm and supportive place to be and that they want to do even better,” Notaro says.

with the city’s middle and high school students, who are 50% people of color, on music instruction, Gonzalez says. “I also make sure music is happening in places where it wasn’t before, or with programs that draw diverse communities together,” including a partnership with a Stamford immigration center, and devising events and marketing materials in both English and Spanish. [As this issue of Symphony went to press, Orchestra Lumos announced that Gonzalez would step down in June to become Associate Vice President for Strategic Innovation and Special Initiatives at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City.]

For Orchestra Lumos, which has only four full-time staff, reaching the broader community of Fairfield County, Conn., was part of what inspired its name change last year, from Stamford Symphony. As part of Lumos Orchestra’s core team, Nicolas Gonzalez, Director of Learning and Community Engagement, says EDI is central to his work on education and other community-focused programs. “Among the areas we serve, Stamford has the highest need for music education and access to opportunities, so I work very closely with schools to make sure our musicians are inspiring kids and reinforcing techniques” when they work

Making orchestras feel like a welcoming environment for people from all walks is a major objective for EDI leadership.

Education & Community Engagement

“We’re really distributing DEI and antiracism across departments so that it doesn’t seem like a silo or some separate activity,” says Sheri Notaro, Vice President of People and Culture at the Minnesota Orchestra. Courtney Perry

Strengthening ties with local communities, and responding to their needs, is another major focus of EDI efforts, and marks a shift away from the conventional elitism that has sometimes characterized larger institutions. “We need to be listening to what the community wants as opposed to sitting up in an ivory tower and waiting for the folks to come and pay us,” Brown says.

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Courtney Perry

The Minnesota Orchestra commissioned “brea(d)th” from composer Carlos Simon and librettist Marc Bamuthi Joseph and gave its world premiere on May 18-20, 2023. The work is inspired by the legacy of George Floyd—a powerful touchstone for Twin Cities communities. In photo: conductor Jonathan Taylor Rush leads the Minnesota Orchestra and Marc Bamuthi Joseph, who performed as spoken word artist, in “brea(d)th.”

The Minnesota Orchestra held a pre-concert talk before the world-premiere performances of “brea(d)th” at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. In photo, from left: composer Carlos Simon, librettist Marc Bamuthi Joseph, and host Garrett McQueen at the event.

Orchestras’ EDI leaders are also working to diversify programming, both on their own stages and in partnership with their surrounding communities. At the Norfolk-based Virginia Symphony Orchestra, education initiatives extend to developing a pathway for aspiring musicians in-house. A fellowship program that began last year is offering four young Black musicians extensive training with the VSO, including mentorship, private lessons, and audition prep. “We’re trying to help them be successful in their careers as performers, so they know what to expect as professional musicians,” says VSO Director of Diversity and Engagement Nikki Thorpe, who works closely with every department on their EDI goals.

Developing Inclusive Programming EDI leaders are also working to diversify orchestra programming, both on their own stages and in partnership with their surrounding communities. “We are making an impact by going out to where people are; that’s as important as inviting people in,” Thorpe says, noting a Christmas event that the Virginia Symphony organized with a church in the Hampton Roads area, which is 40% Black. People from that area were not coming to the

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Orchestra Lumos

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“When we offer bilingual programming or have artists of color on stage, people who feel represented or identify with the artists show up,” says Nicolas Gonzalez, Director of Learning and Community Engagement at Orchestra Lumos in Stamford, Connecticut, whose population is close to 30% Hispanic or Latinx.

orchestra’s concerts, Thorpe says. Bringing the symphony to the congregation has led to ongoing crossover. Later, the orchestra invited the church’s gospel choir to sing at a pops concert, an example of how community engagement can shape programming. Thorpe, Notaro, and others also cite having a voice in collaborative artistic decision-making, which has increasingly showcased more diverse composers, musicians, and guest performers. In May, the Minnesota Orchestra will debut a commissioned piece called “brea(d)th”, from composer Carlos Simon and librettist Marc Bamuthi Joseph, inspired by the legacy of George Floyd, a powerful

Orchestra Lumos

Laura Bald, violin, and Nicolas Gonzalez, Director of Learning and Community Engagement, of Orchestra Lumos in Stamford, Connecticut, with students from the Stamford-Norwalk Chapter of Jack and Jill America Incorporated reading Your Name is a Song on February 12, 2023.

Nicolas Gonzalez, Director of Learning and Community Engagement at Orchestra Lumos, and Louis Day, violin/viola, get into the holiday spirit with a reading of The Gingerbread Man at one of the orchestra’s Luminous Storytelling events at Norwalk Library.

In Stamford, Connecticut, whose population is close to 30% Hispanic or Latinx, Orchestra Lumos offers bilingual programming as well as marketing materials in both English and Spanish for select events.

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“The orchestra is making an impact by going out to where people are; that’s as important as inviting people in,” says Virginia Symphony Orchestra Director of Diversity and Engagement Nikki Thorpe, who works closely with every department at the orchestra on their EDI goals.

touchstone for the Twin Cities community. “That trauma has not gone away,” Notaro says. “This piece is very much in response to that continued reckoning, and we’re really excited to support artists who are bringing something different and new to the stage.” In Stamford, whose population is close to 30% Hispanic, Gonzalez says he hears more Spanish being spoken in the concert hall lobby when Lumos programs culturally specific artists. “When we offer bilingual programming or have artists of color on stage, people who feel represented or identify with the artists are showing up,” Gonzalez says.

Virginia Symphony Orchestra

Improving Communication

Nikki Thorpe, Director of Diversity and Engagement at the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, with Dr. Michael Panitz, Rabbi, Temple Israel and Dr. Ahmed Motawee, Imam, Islamic Center of Tidewater at the VSO’s annual CommUNITY Play-in and Singalong. The event brings together multiple communities through dance, spoken word, and playing music alongside VSO musicians.

Communication is a key component of EDI work when it comes to reaching potential audiences where they are and speaking their language (at the Virginia Symphony, for example, the communications manager works under Thorpe). But internal communication is also essential for EDI leaders, whose mission reaches across every department and impacts many different groups, including musicians, staff, board, and audiences. “We really need to focus on how we are communicating and collaborating internally on this work,” says the League’s Thomason-Redus, who works to support the growing number of EDI leaders in the field. “Consensus building is probably the toughest challenge for any EDI

Internal communication is essential for orchestras’ EDI leaders, whose mission reaches across every department and impacts musicians, staff, board, and audiences. 60

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Virginia Symphony Orchestra

EXECUTIVE EDI

Nikki Thorpe, Director of Diversity and Engagement at the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, with Virginia Symphony Orchestra musicians, from left, Angelina Gondolfo, Alexandra Takasugi, Michael Daniels, and Brendon Elliott at partner organization Teens with a Purpose’s regional community engagement event, Fuse Fest, June 2022.

professional,” he says. Fortunately, many leaders feel their mission is supported, or even driven by, their organizations’ core values, so that the importance of their work is clearly acknowledged. But the processes for drawing input, and for articulating what’s being done and why, are areas of focus for future progress. Helping people recognize the value of EDI work also ensures its sustainability with adequate funding and resources. One model has been to carve out administrative positions that fit within existing departments, like HR or community engagement. Brown’s position at the Cincinnati Symphony is endowed by a board member, which guarantees its funding beyond his tenure. “The culture of philanthropy supporting the artistic community needs to embrace the need for this internal work as much as external programming,” Thomason-Redus says. EDI leaders are helping orchestras understand what it means to engage with communities that are becoming more diverse, a mission that’s crucial to both artistic richness and the longevity of their organizations. That doesn’t mean they haven’t encountered some resistance, for example from patrons who prefer familiar repertoire. But programming a season with old favorites and work from underrepresented artists is a balancing act. “We don’t have to take

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Orchestras around the country are creating positions for onstaff diversity officers. In addition to the ensembles in this article, multiple orchestras have created administrative positions to foster equity, diversity, and inclusion; these jobs have a wide variety of titles and responsibilities. Among the many orchestras are the Cleveland Orchestra, Handel and Haydn Society, Jacksonville Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

Advertiser Index American Academy of Arts and Letters.........................................19 Ann Hampton Callaway................................13 Boulanger Initiative........................................38 Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI)..............................7 Brass Transit..................................................60 Concord Theatricals.......................................23 Dave Bennett.................................................15 Diane Saldick...............................................31 Dispeker Artist Management..........................37 Doug Cameron.............................................52 Dukes of Dixieland........................................29 G Schirmer / AMP....................................... C3 Greenberg Artists.........................................2-3 International Violin Competition of Indianapolis............................................. C4

The VSO’s Harmony Project builds reciprocal relationships with historically Black churches. Musicians perform in church services and teach children, the churches host VSO rehearsals and community events, and pastors participate in VSO community programs.

League of American Orchestras................................................4, 18

away anything from anybody, we have to continue to build,” Brown says. “This is a field that’s steeped in tradition, but long-term successful organizations have to innovate.”

Opus 3 Artists...............................................49

NAVEEN KUMAR is a journalist and critic whose work appears in The New York Times, Variety, The Daily Beast, and more.

The Cliburn...................................................33

Marcus Roberts.............................................59 Marilyn Rosen Presents..................................12 National Alliance for Audition Support...........................................11 Parker Artists..................................................5 Peter Throm Management................10, 14, 45, 57 Propulsive Music.............................................1 Sametz Blackstone.........................................25 Schiedmayer Celeste.....................................39 The Stander Group........................................24 Video Ideas Productions.................................50 Young Concert Artists................................... C2

League of American Orchestras With the support of our valued donors, the League continues to have a positive impact on the future of orchestras in America by helping to develop the next generation of leaders, generating and disseminating critical knowledge and information, and advocating for the unique role of the orchestral experience in American life before an ever-widening group of stakeholders. We gratefully acknowledge the generosity of the following donors who contributed gifts of $750 and above in the last year, as of March 31, 2023. For more information regarding a gift to the League, please visit us at americanorchestras.org/donate, call 212.262.5161, or write us at Annual Fund, League of American Orchestras, 520 8th Avenue, Suite 2005, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

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L E A G U E L E G A C Y SOCIETY

The League of American Orchestras recognizes those who have graciously remembered the League in their estate plans as members of the League Legacy Society. Janet F. and Dr. Richard E. Barb Family Foundation Wayne S. Brown & Brenda E. Kee † ‡ John & Janet Canning † ‡ Richard *◊ & Kay Fredericks Cisek ‡ Martha and Herman Copen Fund of the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven Myra Janco Daniels Samuel C. Dixon • Henry & Frances Fogel ◊ ‡ Susan Harris, Ph.D. Louise W. Kahn Endowment Fund of The Dallas Foundation The Curtis and Pamela Livingston 2000 Charitable Remainder Unitrust † ‡ Steve & Lou Mason † ‡ Charles & Barbara Olton † ‡ Walter P. Pettipas Revocable Trust Rodger E. Pitcairn Patricia A. Richards & William K. Nichols ‡ Robert & Barbara Rosoff ◊ ‡ Robert J. Wagner ‡ Tina Ward • † ‡ Mr. & Mrs. Albert K. * ◊ & Sally Webster ‡ Robert Wood Revocable Trust Anonymous (2) ‡ Members of The Helen M. Thompson Heritage Society The Helen M. Thompson Heritage Society Named after the League’s first executive director and a passionate advocate for American orchestras, The Helen M. Thompson Heritage Society recognizes the visionary individuals who have not only provided essential support to the League through a planned gift, but have led the League through service on its board of directors. Helen’s own generous bequest to the League established an annual award to recognize the achievements of young orchestra professionals.

Coda

Chasing Rainbows The summer of 2023 is shaping up to be Big Freedia Summer, with a Pride-propelled international tour; a new show, “Big Freedia Means Business,” on Fuse TV; an eyeglass line, Shades by Big Freedia; and a makeup line with Black Opal. But New Orleans’ explosive Queen of Bounce got the party started in April, making an unlikely debut with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. It was a collaboration long in the making, and longer in the dreaming. As told to Ann Lewinson.

It was a long journey from the Gospel Soul Children to the collaboration with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, which was two years in the making. The conductor, Jonathan Rush, and the arranger, Jay Weigel, had to take apart my songs and reimagine what they could sound like with a 60-piece orchestra. We had quite a few rehearsals. It had been a dream of mine to do my music with an orchestra since that visit to Australia. So to finally get to that moment was surreal. To blend the two sounds together was magical. And I had a blast.

Timothy Chen/Louisiana Philharmonic

Wayan Barre

round 2010 I was performing in Australia, so I went sightseeing. The Sydney Opera House was so beautiful, just the whole aesthetic of it. I was like, “Oh my God, that would be so dope if I did something with bounce and an orchestra.” Bounce is a New Orleans-based subgenre Big Freedia of hip hop. It’s up-tempo, heavy bass, call-and-response music. It has a lot to deal with shaking of the ass, and we all do it, from babies to grandmothers. Crucial to its sound is the “triggerman” beat. It’s a sample from “Drag Rap” by the Showboys, which is not about drag but the old police show “Dragnet.” That triggerman beat is raunchy, it’s raw, it has the sirens and the scratches—and much love and respect to the Showboys for allowing us to use that beat for so many years. I got involved with bounce just being a New Orleans native. I started backgrounding for Katey Red, who was the first trans in bounce music. I did a solo project at a block party, things sparked from there, and I never looked back. But I was already known around the city for being the choir director at my high school and at my church. I started singing in the choir when I was very young. I also played bass drum when I was in middle school and high school. That didn’t last too long. I got tired of carrying that big-ass drum. My high school choir sang in competitions, and through the New Orleans choir the Gospel Soul Children and the Gospel Music Workshop of America conventions I was able to travel and meet choirs from around the world. I was able to widen my horizons and bring a variety of things back to my choirs and the wonderful pianists and organists. With the Gospel Soul Children, I learned valuable lessons about performing. At the beginning of “The Lord’s Prayer,” as we sang, “Our Father who art in heaven,” we would drop to our knees, all at once. As we dropped, the whole audience would stand—a standing ovation from the beginning of the song! And we did the whole song on our knees. The power of that alone was amazing.

On April 13, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Jonathan Taylor Rush joined forces with Big Freedia for a concert at the Orpheum Theater.

ANN LEWINSON is a journalist based in New York, where she has written most recently for ARTnews, Hell Gate, The Rumpus and Screen Slate. She is also the author of Still Life with Meredith (Outpost19).

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