Development OK

Linda E. Cubbage

Development Director
Bartlesville Symphony Orchestra
Bartlesville, Oklahoma
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Years in current position: 5
Years in the field: 22

Majors:
English

Additional Training:
Too many workshops and seminars to list

Career Path:
OK Mozart International Festival: Ticket Manager, Development Director, General Manager

What are the most surprising, interesting or challenging aspects of your day-to-day work?
It is always surprising, interesting, and challenging to see which members of our board’s development committee have the best new ideas and to see which members are willing to step up to the plate to make the new ideas work.

What inspired you to work for an orchestra?
I have learned over the years how important our symphony is to this community. When I retired from 20 years with the OK Mozart International Festival I jumped at the chance to do the same type of work on a part-time basis for the Bartlesville Symphony.

What were your first steps toward an orchestra career?
I fell into the career accidentally more than twenty years ago. I was a stay-at-home wife, mother, and community volunteer and had never worked outside the home. The OK Mozart International Festival was a new organization and the executive director asked me to take the job of ticket manager. It was a tiny, part-time job and the executive director was a personal friend, so I agreed. After a couple of years, the Festival’s development director moved out of town and the E.D. asked me to take over that job. I had no background but agreed to try it. I learned on the job and loved working with patrons, sponsors, and board members and have had my finger in development ever since.

What advice would you offer to someone considering the orchestra field?
Today there are college degrees in development and many, many continuing education programs devoted to the field. I would recommend following an educational path into the field. When I first went into development work I had to learn everything the hard way, through trial and error.