League Forward: March 2026
Dear Friends,
One of the things I love most about orchestras is the way they help us feel connected, especially in a world that seems increasingly frenetic and fragmented. Over the last few months, I have attended many orchestral performances across the country, with music ranging from Valerie Coleman to Aaron Copland and Beethoven to Daniel Bjarnason. Each concert is a powerful reminder of how live orchestral music inspires reflection, uplifts the spirit, and deepens the connections that make our communities thrive.
With your support, the League connects more than six hundred member orchestras and the people who work in and alongside them, creating opportunities for shared learning, collaboration, and a sense of common purpose that strengthens the artform we all care so much about.
At the League, we are hard at work preparing for one of our most important events of the year: our 81st National Conference, hosted by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. We can’t wait to gather with orchestra colleagues from across the country for three inspiring days of learning, connection, and sharing of best practices. And new this year, we are excited to offer enhanced content specifically for orchestra board members. Register today to secure your spot. We hope to see you there!
Due to the recent winter storm, we moved the Midwinter Managers Meeting from New York City to a virtual format, and the good news is that we can share the General Session recording featuring Laura MacDonald, President of Benefactor Group and one of the nation’s leading experts on fundraising and philanthropy. The recording, transcript, and presentation is also available to all League members. Just be sure you are logged in to access them.
I hope you will join us for our Spring Donor Town Hall on Tuesday, March 24 at 4:00pm Eastern, where I have the pleasure of talking with Nancy Shear, author of I Knew a Man Who Knew Brahms. Nancy is a true classical music insider, with wonderful behind-the-scenes stories from studios, rehearsals, and the homes of legendary figures like Leopold Stokowski, Mstislav Rostropovich, and Eugene Ormandy. I think you will really enjoy this engaging conversation about the people and moments that have shaped the classical music world. Keep an eye on your inbox for the invitation. You won’t want to miss it!
The League is happy to announce the 20 orchestra professionals selected for the Orchestra Personnel Management Intensive, a four-day, deep-dive professional development program and the first in a series of Intensives focused on specific roles in orchestra administration, made possible through the generous support of The Dr. M. Lee Pearce Foundation, Inc. Learn more about the cohort and stay tuned for more information about our next Intensive focused on artistic administrators, coming in Fall 2026.
We are delighted to introduce Sarah Generes, the League’s new Vice President of Development. With a deep commitment to the transformative power of orchestras and a proven track record in building vibrant philanthropic communities, Sarah is already making an impact at the League. We’re excited for our donors to get to know her, and we look forward to the vision and energy she brings to the League’s philanthropic community. Learn more about Sarah.
We hope you enjoyed reading these League highlights. Thank you, as always, for being part of our philanthropic community, and for supporting our work on behalf of orchestras nationwide.
With gratitude,
Simon Woods
President and CEO
League of American Orchestras
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