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2022 Essentials of Orchestra Management

Learn More About Essentials of Orchestra Management

July 24 - August 2, 2022

Congratulations to the 2022 Essentials cohort! See the full list of participants in 2022 Cohort below.

2022 Essentials cohort and faculty. Photo Credit: Rosalie O’Connor Photography

Essentials of Orchestra Management provides a unique, 10-day immersive experience to prepare current and aspiring orchestra professionals with the tools and mindsets they need to grow as leaders and progress in their careers. Since its inception in 2000, more than 450 individuals have participated in Essentials, including many who now hold key leadership positions in orchestras. The gold standard of orchestra management training, this residential program on the campus of The Juilliard School in New York City provides an in-depth overview of orchestra management, builds career networks, and offers participants an interactive opportunity to build necessary skills and mindsets to become innovative and successful leaders in the arts. Participants will also receive a non-credit Juilliard Extension certificate upon completion.

Left to right: Alex Laing, Jennifer Barlament, Scott Faulkner, and Simon Woods. Photo credit: Abigail R. Collins

Led by a faculty of currently active orchestra executives and leadership experts, the seminar addresses both theory and practice, integrating the faculty’s extensive practical experience and professional knowledge in the course curriculum. Additional core activities include visits with prominent artists and musicians, concert attendance, and excursions to Carnegie Hall and David Geffen Hall.

2022 Faculty

This year’s seminar is taught and directed by a faculty comprised of master leaders of the orchestra field and beyond, including:

2022 Core Faculty

  • Scott Faulkner (Seminar Director), Principal Bass, Reno Philharmonic & Reno Chamber Orchestra; Former Executive Director, Reno Chamber Orchestra
  • Jennifer Barlament, Executive Director, Atlanta Symphony
  • Alex Laing, Principal Clarinet, The Phoenix Symphony

2022 League Leadership

  • Simon Woods, President and CEO
  • Caen Thomason-Redus, VP, Inclusion and Learning
  • David Styers, Director, Learning and Leadership Programs

2022 Juilliard Leadership

  • John-Morgan Bush, Dean of Juilliard Extension, The Juilliard School

2022 Guest Faculty

  • Lisa Brown Alexander, President and CEO, Nonprofit HR 
  • Astrid Baumgardner, President, Astrid Baumgardner Coaching + Training 
  • Deborah Borda, President and CEO, New York Philharmonic  
  • Rosina Cannizzaro, Executive Director, Vermont Youth Orchestra Association 
  • Patrick Castillio, VP Artistic Planning, NY Phil 
  • Dan Coleman, Crypto Fundraising Strategist, The Giving Block; Former Senior Director of Development, San Francisco Symphony 
  • Rosalie Contreras, VP of Public Affairs, The Juilliard School 
  • Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director, Carnegie Hall 
  • Gary Ginstling, Executive Director, National Symphony Orchestra 
  • Doug Hagerman, Board Chair, League of American Orchestras 
  • Sarah Johnson, Chief Education Officer, Carnegie Hall 
  • Joe Kluger, Principal, WolfBrown 
  • Lee Koonce, President and Artistic Director, Gateways Music Festival 
  • Eun Lee, Founder and Executive Director, The Dream Unfinished: An Activist Orchestra 
  • Najean Lee, Director, Government Affairs & Advocacy, League of American Orchestras 
  • Marlah Bonner-McDuffie, VP of Development, League of American Orchestras 
  • Anwar Nasir, Executive Director, Louisiana Philharmonic 
  • Heather Noonan, VP, Advocacy, League of American Orchestras 
  • Gary Padmore, Director, Education and Community Engagement, New York Philharmonic 
  • Doris Parent, VP of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access Strategies (IDEAS) and Strategic Partnerships 
  • Faith Raiguel, Former CFO, LA Opera; Board Member: Idyllwild Arts, Silk Road, Street Symphony 
  • Lesley Rosenthal, COO & Corporate Secretary, The Juilliard School; Former EVP/General Counsel & Secretary, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
  • Alexa Smith, Assistant VP and Chief of Staff, Manhattan School of Music 
  • David Snead, President and CEO, Handel + Haydn Society 
  • Bill Thomas, Senior VP and COO, New York Philharmonic 
  • Joshua Worby, Executive and Artistic Director, Westchester Philharmonic 
  • Karen Yair, VP, Research and Resources, League of American Orchestras 
  • Michelle Zwi, Operations and Touring Manager, Philadelphia Orchestra • Executive Director, Penn Med Symphony

Additional faculty to be announced. Faculty subject to change.

2022 Cohort

The 2022 Essentials of Orchestra Management cohort includes:

  • Bethel Balge, Executive Director, Mankato Symphony Orchestra Association Inc.            
  • Anthony Barbir, Deputy Director, Silkroad        
  • Erica Cherry, Executive Director, Youth Orchestra of Bucks County            
  • Charity Clark, Development Director, New Haven Symphony Orchestra      
  • Marie-Claude Codsi, Coordinator, Education, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal
  • Danny Cordero, Finance Associate & Digital Content Producer, Spokane Symphony   
  • Jenny Darlington-Person, Executive Director, Music in the Mountains    
  • Timothy Dillow, Director, Corporate Relations, Houston Symphony    
  • Michael Dwinell, Orchestral Studies Associate, Keston MAX Project Manager (MAW), Juilliard and Music Academy of the West 
  • Kristen Flock-Ritchie, Programming Manager, Los Angeles Philharmonic Association
  • Alexander Fruin, Director, CCS Fundraising     
  • Phil Gutierrez, Production Manager, New York Philharmonic             
  • John Haverkamp, Director of Development, Omaha Symphony Association      
  • Jennifer Hermann, Executive Director, Olympia Symphony Orchestra      
  • Ana Jaquim, Director of Marketing & Digital Productions, Chamber Music Detroit     
  • Samantha Johnson-Helms, Executive Director & Principal Clarinet, Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra     
  • Erin Jones, Director of Sales, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
  • Allison Lambacher, Senior Manager of Classical Marketing & Analytics, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra     
  • Margaret Liu, Assistant Manager, Corporate Relations, John F. Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts       
  • William Loder, Senior Individual Giving Manager, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra          
  • Evander Louis, Manager of Community Programs, Orchestra of St. Luke’s
  • Brooke Mead, Orchestra Personnel Assistant, The Cleveland Orchestra      
  • Alfredo Muňoz, MBA Candidate at Questrom School of Business, Boston University; Corporate Relations Manager, Boston Ballet
  • Ted Nelson, Section Cello; Board of Directors, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra          
  • David Nuss, Executive Director, Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra      
  • Julie Nystedt, Assistant Vice President and Assistant General Manager, Grand Rapids Symphony    
  • Keith Obaza, Vice President of Production, The Philly POPS             
  • Samuel Phillips, Director, Access & Civic Engagement | Stage Management | Director of Operations, Minnesota Opera Company | Minnesota Orchestra | Lake George Music Festival          
  • Jessica Phillips, Musician / Educator / Advocate, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra | Juilliard + MSM | Local 802
  • Terrell Pierce, Director of Operations, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra      
  • Sophie Press, Assistant Manager, NSO Individual Giving, National Symphony Orchestra – Kennedy Center       
  • Anna Rybicki, Executive Director, Chippewa Valley Symphony
  • Jason Stasiuk, Manager, Artistic Operations, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra    
  • Benjamin Tisherman, Manager of Orchestra Personnel, Detroit Symphony Orchestra       
  • Stephanie Yoon, Artistic Operations Manager, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra

For additional information, please contact David Styers at dstyers@americanorchestras.org.


Essentials of Orchestra Management is made possible, in part, by grants from the Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.


Banner: Geetha Somayajula at an Essentials session. Photo Credit: Abigail R. Collins

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