2024 Essentials of Orchestra Management
More About EssentialsJuly 24 - August 2, 2024
2024 Essentials cohort and faculty. Photo Credit: Juan Patino
Congratulations to the 2024 Essentials cohort! See the full list of participants in 2024 Cohort below.
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 600 individuals have participated in Essentials, including many who now hold key leadership positions in orchestras. 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.
Led by a faculty of currently active orchestra executives and leadership experts, the program 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.
2024 Faculty
2024 Faculty Leadership
- Scott Faulkner (Faculty Director) Principal Bassist, Reno Philharmonic & Reno Chamber Orchestra; Former Executive Director, Reno Chamber Orchestra; Director, League Alumni Network
- Laura Reynolds, VP, Impact and Innovation, San Diego Symphony
- John McCann, Founder and President, Partners in Performance
2024 League Leadership
- Simon Woods, President and CEO
- Caen Thomason-Redus, VP, Inclusion and Learning
- David Styers, Director, Learning and Leadership Programs
- Maria Martini, Meetings Manager
2024 Juilliard Leadership
- John-Morgan Bush, Dean of Juilliard Extension, The Juilliard School
- Alex Jackson, Special Projects Coordinator, The Juilliard School
- Isabella Wang, Operations Lead, The Juilliard School
2024 Guest Faculty
Guest faculty will include:
- Lisa Brown Alexander, President and CEO, Nonprofit HR
- Jennifer Barlament, Executive Director, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
- Deborah Borda, Executive Advisor, New York Philharmonic; Non-Executive Chair, Intermusica; Founder, BordaArts
- Michelle Miller Burns, CEO, The Minnesota Orchestra
- Lee Bynum, Board Chair, The Dream Unfinished: An Activist Orchestra
- Sara Cutler, President, Local 802, AFM
- Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director, Carnegie Hall
- Phil Gutierrez, Assistant Director of Production, New York Philharmonic
- Doug Hagerman, Immediate PastBoard Chair, League of American Orchestras
- Jonathon Heyward, Music Director, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; Chief Conductor, Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie; Renée and Robert Belfer Music Director, Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center
- Rei Hotoda, Music Director and Conductor, Fresno Philharmonic Orchestra
- Joe Kluger, Principal, WolfBrown
- Alex Laing, President and Artistic Director, Gateways Music Festival
- Najean Lee, Director,Government Affairs and Education Advocacy, League of American Orchestras
- Katie McGuinness, Chief Artistic Officer, Dallas Symphony Orchestra
- Anwar Nasir, Executive Director,Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
- Kim Noltemy, President and CEO, Los Angeles Philharmonic
- Doris Parent, Chief Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access Strategies (IDEAS) Officer, The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc.
- Jessica Phillips, Musician, Metropolitan Opera
- Faith Raiguel, Former CFO, LA Opera; Current Board Service: Ojai Music Festival, Silk Road
- Vanessa Rose, Executive Director, American Composers Forum
- Paul Scarbrough, Principal, Akustiks, LLC
- Alexa Smith, Associate Artistic Director, The Public Theater
- Bill Thomas, David Geffen Hall Project Executive, New York Philharmonic
- Maarten Walraven, Co-CEO, Symphony Media
- Michelle Zwi, Director of Orchestra Operations and Touring, Philadelphia Orchestra
2024 Cohort
The 2024 Essentials of Orchestra Management cohort includes:
- Rosalyn Aninyei, Founder/Artistic Director, Vesta Orchestra and Opera Foundation (Nigeria)
- Guiomar Blanco, Head of European Strategy, Arabella Arts; Advisory Council and Artistic Committee Member, OAcademy (Orchestra of the Americas Group) (Spain)
- Lindsay Calmes, Senior Patron Engagement Manager, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
- Gabriela Garza Canales, Director of Seattle Conservatory of Music, Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra (WA)
- Sandy Choi, Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications, DC Youth Orchestra Program
- Rich Coburn, Senior Manager, Community Partnerships and Repertoire Diversity, National Arts Centre Orchestra (Canada)
- Julienne Cormier, Marketing and Communications Director, Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute (PA)
- Brandy Crawford, Co-founder, Secretary of the Board, Personnel Manager, Operations Manager, Symphony847 (IL); Director At Large, Personnel Manager, Kenosha Symphony Orchestra (WI); Secretary of the Board, Lake Geneva Symphony (WI)
- Rachel Crozier, Executive Director, Hudson Valley Symphony Orchestra (NY)
- Dan Dardon, Manager of Visiting Faculty and Musician Advancement, New World Symphony (FL)
- Virginia Evans, Chief Operating Officer, Reno Philharmonic (NV)
- Michael Finley, Executive Director, Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra (TX)
- Mariah Forde, Director of Marketing and Communications, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
- Chason Goldschmitz, Director of Production, Music, and Arts & Health, Office of Renée Fleming (NJ)
- Madison Hookfin, Academy Program Manager, Columbus Symphony Orchestra (OH)
- Adarsh Kumar, Director of Orchestra Personnel, The Juilliard School (NY)
- Andrew Lee, Artistic/Executive Director, DC Strings Workshop
- Joohyun Lee, Senior General Management Associate, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (NY)
- Sarah McDonner, Executive Director, ECHO (TX)
- Kathryn Marks, Director of Learning & Community, Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra (MI)
- Cameron Massey, Executive Director/CEO, Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra (MI)
- Emily Miclon, Development Manager, New Haven Symphony Orchestra (CT)
- Jane Morrison, Advisory Council Chair, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (GA)
- Hannah Muzzi, Learning Programs Associate, The Cleveland Orchestra (OH)
- Courtney Normandin, Digital Marketing Manager, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra (FL)
- Sam Pavel, Director of Operations, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra
- Jacob Pope, Executive Director, Chamber Orchestra of the Springs (CO)
- Kelly Racicot, Manager, Family and Youth Programs, National Arts Centre Orchestra (Canada)
- Hannah Reffett, Marketing Manager, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (MO)
- Silvia Regalado-Zachlod, Executive Director, Napa Valley Youth Symphony (CA)
- Anna Royzman, Director of Performance Activities, Preparatory Division, The Juilliard School (NY)
- James Shamblin, Operations and Annual Fund Manager, West Virginia Symphony
- Sarah Thrall, Director of Artistic Operations, Lexington Philharmonic (KY)
- Caroline Wittschen, Client Regulatory Analyst, Wellington Management Company LLP (MA)
- Thomas J. Zera, Executive Director, Boise Baroque Orchestra (ID)
Who Could Apply?
Early and mid-career professionals, musicians, career changers, and students are eligible to apply, as well as experienced administrators who wish to expand and deepen their knowledge base in all aspects of an orchestral organization. The League especially invites applicants from backgrounds that have been historically underrepresented in the orchestral field.
In a highly competitive application process, up to 36 applicants will be selected based on demonstrated experience, potential, commitment to serving American orchestras, and motivation and goals for participating in this professional development program. Program applicants will receive a one-year membership to the League of American Orchestras.
Application Guidelines
Find details about application materials and requirements in the 2024 Application Guidelines.
Cost
- Application fee: $60 *
- Program tuition: $3,960
Tuition covers 10 days of instruction and housing for up to 11 nights on The Juilliard School campus, and concert tickets. Residency on site is required. Each participant will be responsible for covering their own costs of travel and most meals. Full and partial scholarships based on financial need are available.
Participants are expected to commit to all 10 days of the program and attend all sessions and associated events. Partial attendance is not permitted: participants will receive a non-credit Juilliard Extension certificate upon completion.
We will have a Zoom welcome for introductions on Wednesday, July 10, 2024 from 3:00-4:30 p.m. Eastern. The program will begin at Juilliard with lunch on Wednesday, July 24 at 12:00 noon and conclude on Friday, August 2 at 7:00 p.m. following dinner.
Accommodation is provided in single-occupancy bedrooms with shared private bathrooms and lounge space in the Meredith Willson Residence Hall on The Juilliard School campus. Check-in is on Tuesday afternoon, July 23 or Wednesday, July 24; check-out on Friday, July 2 or Saturday morning, August 3.
A limited number of need-based tuition awards are available for U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents only. Those wishing to apply for financial aid may do so in the application.
Note: Applicants will be notified by Thursday, April 25, 2024. If accepted into the Essentials Class of 2024, a non-refundable tuition deposit of $1,000 will be due immediately. The tuition balance will be due by Wednesday, July 10, 2024.
Scholarship Opportunities
The cost of tuition and travel expense can be prohibitive for many aspiring orchestra leaders, and our goal is to remove this barrier as we work to recruit a higher number of talented candidates. We are pleased to announce two scholarship opportunities for Essentials of Orchestra Management participants.
The Trish and Rick Bryan Scholarships for Orchestral Leadership will provide full and partial scholarships for participants in the Essentials of Orchestra Management program for whom the cost of attending is a barrier to access.
The 25th Century Foundation has established a fund to support scholarships for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) participants from the Philadelphia metropolitan region including Greater Philadelphia, Delaware, and Southern New Jersey. The grant from the 25th Century Foundation will provide select BIPOC participants full scholarships including tuition and travel expenses.
Applicants can request consideration for financial aid as part of the application process.
For additional information, please contact David Styers at dstyers@americanorchestras.org.
Essentials of Orchestra Management is made possible by grants from Trish & Rick Bryan, 25th Century Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts and New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Banner: Essentials 2023 at Juilliard. Photo Credit: Juan Patino Photography
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2025 Midwinter Managers Meeting, New York City
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