It Takes a Hard-Working Executive Director

The top administrative executive is most commonly known as the executive director, but some orchestras use titles such as general manager or president instead.

Main Responsibilities: 
The executive director manages all of the organization’s human and financial resources in order to accomplish the orchestra’s mission. He or she performs and/or supervises all tasks necessary for the organization’s operations. The executive director also implements any policies that are set by the board of directors and reports to them regularly through the board’s president. The executive director is to administration as the music director is to artistic development. 

Purpose: 
The executive director must ensure that the organization is always operating within their financial scope, always developing quality musical output, and that it is always staying true to its community service and education mission. This is important in order to accept and solicit contributions from the public, due to its federal tax law requirement as a 501(c)(3) organization. This does not mean that the executive director must do all of these things alone. He or she usually simply overseas that these operations are being handled correctly.

Who is the CEO?

The Chief Executive Director is the chief spokesman of the organization; the sole individual who takes responsibility for either the success or failure of the organization. He or she carries the weight if the orchestra’s mission or financial goals are not met. The executive director is not always the CEO. This position is sometimes filled by the board president or less frequently, the music director. 

Specific job duties and responsibilities for the executive director are coming soon!

It Takes an Organized and Engaged Board of Directors

In this post, I will reveal the roles and responsibilities of the Board of Directors, as well as the importance of ensuring organization and engagement among members.

Before I begin this post, I must say that I've realized that it is somewhat difficult to gather specific advice on various symphony management aspects. I gather much of my information through the League of American Orchestra's website, which has a somewhat high click-depth for each resource. I then condense my findings into an easier to read, straightforward format. My blog is meant to make it easier for you to decide on which bits you are most interested in, and to provide a path to the more scholarly source. Now, let's get back to the post.

The Board of Directors is the main committee that initiates the strategic planning for the organization while ensuring alignment with its policies. After the break, you'll find a checklist of necessary Board duties:

It Takes Creative and Innovative Concert Programming

The piece that you hear in the video below was commissioned by the Orchestra of Southern Utah. This is a programmatic work (meaning a piece of music that is based on something other than music), that was composed by Marshall McDonald and Steven Sharp Nelson. It's about 3 cultures that settled along the Old Spanish Trail; the longest trail in American history. This route stretches about 1120 miles long from Santa Fe all the way to Los Angeles, which took about two and a half months to travel.

"The Spanish Trail Suite" 

Composed by Marshall McDonald and Steven Sharp Nelson

Conducted by Xun Sun

Video Producted by Video Ideas Productions

The Orchestra of Southern Utah used the music to complement the images and interactive visuals, while the video brought the music to life. The music was performed by a live orchestra while playing the video in the background. The fact that the work uses images straight from the Spanish Trail in Utah makes this work a great way to connect to the local community. This type of performance is not very common, as not many of these types of programmatic works exist, which emphasizes its creative and innovative quality.

The following video takes you behind the scenes with the composers of the piece and the conductor, Xun Sun as they talk about their ideas that led to the final product and its performance.

It is difficult for many symphony orchestras to commission new works, and implement them into new concert programs. The reason for this is because it takes coordination with the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as partnerships with other foundations and funding. However, I believe that it is important to implement news works into symphony programs in order to support existing composers and to add some variety now and then.

I hope you enjoy the videos! I know I did!

See more videos by the Orchestra of Southern Utah here!

It Takes an Orchestra Personnel Manager

This post will summarize the duties that are required by the Orchestra Personnel Manager.

The Orchestra Personnel Manager administers all personnel of the orchestra. This means that he/she applies the master contract, prepares and maintains payroll and other records, schedule musicians, hires substitute/extra musicians, and coordinates auditions. The Personnel Manager is the liaison between the conductor and musicians; the administrative staff and musicians; and the management and musicians’ union.  See specific tasks and duties after the jump!

It Takes an Orchestra Librarian

This post will summarize the duties that are required by the Orchestra Librarian.

This position is necessary to provide and organize the music for performances, and to keep track of the orchestra’s music collection, complete with all parts and scores.

The Orchestra librarian must purchase or rent music when needed, take or send shipments of music, make sure music is in acceptable condition, and ensure that copyright laws are being followed. The librarian must also edit, proofread, distribute, and annotate parts. He/she works with the music director and orchestra soloists to prepare music according to their preferences, in addition to providing legible parts to musicians in advance for rehearsals. The librarian is also responsible for cataloguing and filing the library, maintaining an up-to-date inventory, and ensuring the return of all borrowed music.

Administrative duties are as follows:

• Processing payments for music and supplies
• Reporting all music performed at concerts to ASCAP, BMI, and/or SESAC for licensing, and paying their annual fees
• Projecting repertoire expenses for budgeting
• Keeping orchestra performance records
• Providing program lists and instrumentation needs to staff when requested
• Preparing concert time sheets
• Researching costs for required music purchases
• Preparing music for auditions
• Working with artistic staff to acquire and prepare scores for performances

More symphony staff job descriptions are to come!

It Takes Conscientious Personal Communication

A couple of weeks ago, I interviewed Sally Fitts, the Office Manager of the Stockton Symphony to learn about the role of communication skills in her profession. She informed me that most valuable form of communication in symphony correspondence in the office was personal communication with donors, patrons, and partners.

As Office Manager, Sally Fitts takes phone calls throughout the day, dealing with ticket sales, donations/grants/in-kind contributions, and community outreach endeavors. Sally is the first person that people speak to when they call the Stockton Symphony phone line. For this reason, she must take great care in assisting potential concert attendees, donors, sponsors, local school district affiliates. She must listen carefully to any questions or requests that the caller might have and ask upon them accordingly.

Sally is responsible for directing information to any symphony board or staff member when it is appropriate for their line of work. Emails are sent in these cases, however, Sally believes that personal communication is the most effective in this environment in order to transfer information clearly and quickly.
The Stockton Symphony has a website where people may buy tickets to concerts. Sally is concerned that the internet is taking away from developing personal relationships with the public. Without good personal relationships, it is difficult to guarantee that people will continue to return to symphony concerts. This is why Sally places great importance in being helpful, mindful, and engaged when communicating with people on a personal level.

Conscientious personal communication is important for any symphony organization to work on in order to develop a loyal customer base.

It Takes "Artistic Vibrancy"

According to the Australia Counsel for the Arts, a performing arts organization with "Artistic Vibrancy" possesses and integrates five different key things.  These include:

1. artistic quality or excellence; how well the musicians and the orchestra as a whole executes its performances
2. audience engagement and stimulation; thought provoking to the audience, influences listeners to question, think and feel
3. a fresh approach to the preservation or development of the art form; 
4. catalyst for artist growth/improvement
5. community relevance; an ideal asset to communities even outside of its usual audiences

It makes sense for a symphony to have artistic vibrancy, as these qualities match the business' goals as well as the standards to which the performers work towards.

Some ways in which symphonies can attain artistic vibrancy are by:

It Takes a Director of Finance and an Information Systems Manager

This post will summarize the duties that are required by a symphony orchestra's Director of Finance and the Information Systems Manager. In cases of larger orchestras, these functions are divided between multiple roles. 

Director of Finance
The Finance Director handles business and financial functions for the organization such as planning, control, and reporting. This person must prepare an annual operating budget and long-term plan complete with projections, monthly financial statements, banking correspondence, information systems management, and facilities operations. He is also responsible for dealing with payroll, employee benefits, and personnel policies.
 
Information Systems Manager
The Information Systems Manager plans, purchases, installs, configures, and maintains all information systems hardware and software. This staff member assists the entire organization with applications, programming and technical issues dealing with accounting marketing and development applications. He must train and guide staff in how to use applications efficiently and also makes recommendations for appropriate purchases of new systems and applications to the organization.


To see the full list of staff that is essential to run a professional symphony orchestra, click here.

It Takes a Director of Education and an Operations Manager

This post will summarize the duties that are required by the symphony orchestra's Director of Education and the Operations Manager. In cases of larger orchestras, these functions are divided between multiple roles. 

Director of Operations

This person is like the glue of the orchestra because they are the one who makes sure that scheduling and production (facility/equipment rental, staging requirements, logistical arrangements) of each event operates steadily, effectively, and with financial responsibility in mind. This Operations Manager must make sure to execute several specifications provided by the master agreement and also corresponds regularly between the orchestra and the rest of the organization. He works closely with Development, Marketing, and Public Relations departments.

Director of Education

This person is responsible for creating, developing, managing, and evaluating each education and outreach program that parallel the organization policies and education goals. The Director of Education plans and regulates all educational activities, and oversees all volunteers and staff participating in any part of a program. The Director of Education serves as a representative for the symphony when working with other arts, education, and civic institutions to establish partnerships in the community. This Director might work with the Marketing Director occasionally to handle ticketing for education programs, brochures, newsletters, flyers and advertisements.

To see the full list of staff that is essential to run a professional symphony orchestra, click here.

It Takes a Director of Development and Marketing

In this post, I will talk about the duties that are required by a symphony orchestra's Directors of Development and Marketing. In cases of larger orchestras, these functions are divided between multiple Directors. 

Director of Development

This person is responsible for the development, management, implementation, and evaluation of the main fund-raising campaign that matches the organization’s objectives and needs. He guides staff and any volunteers with planning all giving programs, such as annual, sponsorship, capital, endowment, and planned funding, in addition to events and benefits. Grant applications are made by the Director of Development to federal, state, and local government agencies that issue arts funding, as well as to private foundations and corporations that supply art grants. The Director of Development must recommend fund-raising policies and procedures to the Executive Director and to the Board in order to create an overall program for the whole year that exhibits the professionalism and ethical control of the symphony. Regular reporting to the Board and the Executive director is necessary to inform them on event and campaign progress.

Director of Marketing

This person is in charge of planning, supervising, operating, and examining programs in accordance with attendance and ticket selling goals for events while increasing visibility of the organization. The Director of Marketing constructs and runs all marketing activities such as: 

• public relations (press, program books, newsletters)
• advertising using print, electronic and/or media
• season subscriptions and renewals (via direct mail and/or phone)
• ticket sales (box office)
• audience research
• subscriber activites
• merchandising

To see the full list of staff that is essential to run a professional symphony orchestra, click here.

It Takes an Appropriate Concert Hall

This fascinating video explains why it is important to have a concert hall with good acoustics and a welcoming design. Good acoustics will highlight the talent and virtuosity of the symphony, and a welcoming design will create a comforting atmosphere for patrons. Such a large and sophisticated hall is usually only within the financial scope of well established symphonies, so each organization must be well aware of their fiscal capabilities before contracting a new project.



Yup, just in case you didn't notice, that is my background =) Isn't it GREAT? I love experiencing new halls!