Reflections on A Year of Women
Tara Aesquivel, Executive Director, American Youth Symphony
The American Youth Symphony adopted a theme for its 2018/19 season: The Year of the Woman. It started as an idea for one concert -- a program comprised entirely of female composers.
Event Postponement and update from the League of American Orchestras as of March 11, 2020:
This event has been rescheduled due to concerns of health and safety of everyone involved. Our decision to reschedule has been based on our understanding of the stringent policies and guidelines for "social distancing" put in place by the Mayor of San Francisco and their Department of Health, the guidance we are receiving from the Centers for Disease Control concerning travel and large group gatherings, and our conversations with seminar registrants.
Event postponements and update from Californians for the Arts as of March 12, 2020:
Out of an abundance of caution and to align with current public health recommendations regarding COVID-19, we’ve made the difficult decision to postpone the ACCM 2020 Convening on April 14, 2020 to the Fall in Sacramento and produce a Virtual Arts Advocacy Day on April 15, 2020. Read the full announcement here.
Note from ACSO: Our membership network is full of incredible people with a wealth of life experiences, talents, and diverse perspectives and backgrounds. We want to share their insights, points of view, and wisdom with all of you, as well as raise the voices of individuals who are making a difference for the classical music field. Our guest blog series features people from different communities throughout California and the western region, from different sizes and types of classical music organizations, and with different jobs and responsibilities. They will share what they have learned, express their opinions about the sector, and ask challenging questions that will help us shift our thinking and be better advocates for this art form that we all love.
Your Orchestra’s Value and Financial Health Depend Upon Your Community
Amy Williams, Managing Director, Camerata Pacifica
Recently I have been seeing too many arts organizations put community impact and financial stability in two separate buckets. They think that serving their entire community comes at a high financial price, but this does not need to be the case. What if, instead, this misconception is flipped and it turns out that serving your entire community, BOTH those who attend and support your orchestra (the converts) and those who don’t (the skeptics), actually helps your financial stability.
It's a new year so you may have just gone on a spree of unfollowing and defriending to clean up your social media house and start fresh. Now are you ready to spruce up your feed for 2020 with some new content? Are you looking for some insight, humor, or new ideas? ACSO has you covered! Our own social media guru, Anthony Crespo, has rounded up a few people and organizations (in no particular order) within our membership network that have taken classical music social media content to the next level. You are guaranteed to find something that will make you laugh or challenge your perspective. You may even be inspired with ways to liven up your own content. And you will definitely be reminded why the orchestra/classical music field is a great place to work. Do you have suggestions about other classical music social media accounts that we should be following? Email Anthony to let him know.
1. North State Symphony
Instagram: @northstatesymphony
This orchestra from northern California maintains a very active Instagram account with photos and videos from concerts and outreach events. And no one has more fun than their staff team. They even make a simple day in their administrative offices look like a party. You may already know the North State Symphony from their viral “Stravinsky Firebird Scream” video back in 2017.
We are thrilled to welcome Ben Kutner as our new Membership and Development Manager.
Monday, February 10
from 4:30-6:30 PM
There will not be any formal presentations - just some words of welcome from ACSO leadership and lots of mingling and connecting with your peers in the classical music community. And if you or your organization are not yet members of ACSO, this is a perfect opportunity to learn more about our member services and network.
The mixer includes hors d’oeuvres provided by ACSO and a no-host bar. It is free to members and not-yet-members. Secure your spot today!
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced $27.3 million in grants as part of its first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2020.
“Grants from the NEA truly support ACSO's vision of a California classical music landscape that is vibrant, healthy, diverse, and connected to the communities it serves. The NEA is truly the lifeblood of the arts in our country,” said ACSO Executive Director Sarah Weber.
Eight ACSO organizational members were awarded grants in the Art Works category, the NEA’s largest funding category that supports projects in 13 artistic disciplines and fields ranging from arts education to visual arts. One ACSO organization member was awarded a grant in the Challenge America category.
Note from ACSO: Our membership network is full of incredible people with a wealth of life experiences, talents, and diverse perspectives and backgrounds. We want to share their insights, points of view, and wisdom with all of you, as well as raise the voices of individuals who are making a difference for the classical music field. Our guest blog series features people from different communities throughout California and the western region, from different sizes and types of classical music organizations, and with different jobs and responsibilities. They will share what they have learned, express their opinions about the sector, and ask challenging questions that will help us shift our thinking and be better advocates for this art form that we all love.
The Kids Are Alright
Alana Richardson, Director of Education, Tucson Symphony Orchestra
Note from ACSO: Our membership network is full of incredible people with a wealth of life experiences, talents, and diverse perspectives and backgrounds. We want to share their insights, points of view, and wisdom with all of you, as well as raise the voices of individuals who are making a difference for the classical music field. Our guest blog series features people from different communities throughout California and the western region, from different sizes and types of classical music organizations, and with different jobs and responsibilities. They will share what they have learned, express their opinions about the sector, and ask challenging questions that will help us shift our thinking and be better advocates for this art form that we all love.
Community and Continuance for Small Budget Orchestras
Donald Marshall, President, Downey Symphonic Society
One of ACSO’s many admirable features is the support it gives small budget orchestras (SBOs) like mine, the Downey Symphony Orchestra (DSO). To an extent, all orchestras share the same challenges and opportunities, though on different scales and with different resources. But SBOs have to be especially close to the communities that they serve and that sustain them.
As you may know, Assembly Bill 5 (AB5) was signed into law in September and goes into affect on January 1, 2020, making it more difficult for employers to classify workers as independent contractors instead of employees.
In the past few months many of ACSO's members have reached out to us with concerns about how this law will impact the way they currently employ contract educators, musicians, production support, and many other types of workers. We know many of you rely on contractors to carry out your missions and programs and to bring classical music to your communities. We have heard your concerns and we have been in ongoing communication about them with Californians for the Arts, our statewide arts advocacy organization, and California Arts Advocates, their lobbying arm.
Last week, Californians for the Arts issued an important report summarizing their efforts over the past year to draft exemption language for AB5 on behalf of performing arts workers. And even though the bill passed without as much support and clarity for the arts sector as we all wanted, they are still working to advocate and educate the legislature on the ways that arts do business in California and to hopefully seek corrections and add exemptions to the bill.
But they need our help. Here are three things you should do right away:
Also, consider joining with ACSO by becoming a member of Californians for the Arts. They advocate and lobby at the state capital for all of us to raise public awareness of the importance of the arts, to increase state funding levels, and to influence legislation that will benefit the arts.
There could be more changes to AB5, including cleanup language and new exemption in the future. ACSO will continue to work closely with Californians for the Arts and share with our members the latest developments.
Note from ACSO: Our membership network is full of incredible people with a wealth of life experiences, talents, and diverse perspectives and backgrounds. We want to share their insights, points of view, and wisdom with all of you, as well as raise the voices of individuals who are making a difference for the classical music field. Our guest blog series features people from different communities throughout California and the western region, from different sizes and types of classical music organizations, and with different jobs and responsibilities. They will share what they have learned, express their opinions about the sector, and ask challenging questions that will help us shift our thinking and be better advocates for this art form that we all love.
So…What Exactly is a Youth Orchestra?
Cheryl Marvin, Executive Director, Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra
People often assume they know what a youth orchestra is simply by the words “youth orchestra." While “youth orchestra” or “youth symphony” may seem self-explanatory, misunderstandings even among the musically inclined are surprisingly common.
It is often assumed that a youth orchestra is synonymous with a local school orchestra, but a youth orchestra is a different animal entirely. To borrow from sports jargon, youth orchestras can be thought of as the “minor league” when compared to professional orchestras, the “major league.”
It is true that youth orchestras work with young musicians, typically ranging from pre-teens or teenagers to those in their mid-20s. However, these musicians are accepted and placed based on their auditions, allowing directors to program music appropriate for the ensemble.
You may be wondering what the primary function of a youth orchestra is. In brief, they provide an opportunity for young musicians to study and perform music at a high level. They also provide homeschooled musicians a place to play with an ensemble. The typical youth orchestra will have multiple ensembles ranging from entry level to a pre-professional level of orchestra. Often, they participate in community outreach and education programs.
Youth orchestras also vary between organizations. Some are sponsored by a professional orchestra or a university, while others are stand-alone. Many youth orchestras, like the Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra, have a long and rich history in the community, while others are new to the scene. More established youth orchestras may have over 700 musicians, 12 ensembles, and a staff of 20. By contrast, a newer youth orchestra may only have 30 musicians, one ensemble, and be run by one or two people. In almost all cases, youth orchestras charge tuition and require fundraising to participate.
In addition to size variations, youth orchestras perform at widely differing levels. For example, the American Youth Symphony located in Los Angeles draws musicians, mostly in their 20s, from all over the world. These musicians receive a stipend. Contrast this with a small youth orchestra serving its local community, and it is easy to account for the different performance levels.
Youth orchestras face some of the same challenges that professional orchestras face: concert ticket sales, donor cultivation, board governance, and strong leadership, just to name a few. Perhaps the biggest challenge common to all orchestras is the public perception that classical symphonic music is only for the elite. Many orchestras, whether youth, community, university, or professional, have responded with creative performances and marketing to combat this issue.
Youth orchestras help develop student musicians by giving them an experience modeled after professional orchestras. Musicians earn their place within their orchestra, exercise leadership skills, and, as they advance, have the opportunity to study and perform original literature written by the Masters of classical symphonic music. Not all youth orchestra musicians continue on to study music for their profession. However, youth orchestras serve as a gateway and conduit for serious student musicians to achieve their full potential by giving them the experience they need to be successful in their college and university ensembles.
Let me close by conveying just how fun youth orchestras are to watch! The excitement from the musicians is contagious and the performances are generally excellent. The youthful exuberance and amazing talent on stage gives patrons a glimpse into the future that these budding leaders will usher in.
About the Author: Cheryl Marvin has been with the Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra since 2002 serving as a volunteer, board member, treasurer, and business manager. In 2014 she accepted the position of executive director for the orchestra. In 2003, Cheryl started the first elementary strings program in Moorpark, CA. From there, she expanded the programs to include both the middle and high school levels. In 2012, the Ventura County Arts Council awarded Cheryl the Arts Stars Award for Music Education. Being a musician from a young age, Cheryl has experienced what a profound affect music programs can have on growing musicians. She is passionate about the positive influences the Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra has not only the musicians, but the community as a whole.
We are excited to share the latest developments and changes in the professional lives of our members. This edition covers announcements made July through September 2019. If you want to share the administrative, board, or staff member happenings at your organization, send announcements to [email protected].
Aubrey Bergauer has stepped down from her role as Executive Director of the California Symphony. She plans to to deploy her revenue-generating and audience-building strategies in greater service to the field as an advisor and consultant to other arts organizations.
The Santa Rosa Symphony, as it enters its 92nd season, announced four new appointments to its board of directors. They are Garth Bixler, Pam Chanter, Barb Spangler and Mark Wardlaw. New board officers are as follows: Al Seidenfeld, Chairman of the Board; Corinne Byrd, Vice-Chairman; Sean Pryden, Treasurer; Linda Castiglioni, Secretary; and Jamei Haswell, Immediate Past Chairman.
The Las Vegas Philharmonic announced that Christina Castellanos has been appointed as Principal Flute. A member of the orchestra since 2001, Castellanos joined the LVP when she was a senior at UNLV. Castellanos has played with opera legends Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Andrea Bocelli, and Renee Fleming. Castellanos is currently principal flute for both the Salt Lake Symphony and the Nevada POPS and plays flute and piccolo as the first call substitute for Utah Symphony, Utah Opera, Ballet West, Orchestra at Temple Square for The Tabernacle Choir and the Boise Philharmonic.
Marin Symphony Association announced that with its expansion of Pops programming, Stuart Chafetz has been appointed to the new position of Principal Pops Conductor of the Marin Symphony. Chafetz also serves as the Principal Pops Conductor of the Columbus Symphony and is increasingly in demand with orchestras across the continent. This season he will be on the podium in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Naples, Philly Pops, and Pittsburgh.
ACSO has been tracking two pieces of legislation that could have a big impact on orchestras and other classical music organizations in California. The latest developments are outlined below.
SB 1343 - Employers: Sexual Harassment Training Requirements
On August 30, 2019, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 778, extending California employers’ obligation to provide employees with sexual harassment training from January 1, 2020 to January 1, 2021. This means your organization now has an additional twelve months to comply with the recently legislated sexual harassment training requirements laid out in SB 1343. Click here for more information on the extension, courtesy of the National Law Review. Click here to learn more about the original legislation and the training requirements. Please note that SB 1343 was passed into law a year ago and SB 778 extends the timeframe in which the training must be carried out.
Note from ACSO: Our membership network is full of incredible people with a wealth of life experiences, talents, and diverse perspectives and backgrounds. We want to share their insights, points of view, and wisdom with all of you, as well as raise the voices of individuals who are making a difference for the classical music field. Our guest blog series features people from different communities throughout California and the western region, from different sizes and types of classical music organizations, and with different jobs and responsibilities. They will share what they have learned, express their opinions about the sector, and ask challenging questions that will help us shift our thinking and be better advocates for this art form that we all love.
If You Do Only One Thing This Season
Aubrey Bergauer, Independent Consultant
I recently had a realization. I was working on an upcoming talk I’m going to be giving, and in one of my dry-runs I rattled off a line about how we need to really get our arts marketing into the 21st century. And then it occurred to me: the 21st century is about to be 20% over. One fifth of the century is behind us come next year. Is that crazy to you? It is to me. All of a sudden this realization felt so urgent. We can’t keep talking about how to update our marketing practices; rather, it’s imperative that we actually do it, because for a lot of our organizations, we’ve wasted nearly the last twenty years only tweaking how things used to be done, while consumer behavior and marketing trends are passing us by. Sadly for orchestras, most of us have the declining revenue numbers to support this thesis.
In a time when there are so many different challenges facing orchestras, if you only do one thing this upcoming season, no matter your budget size, let it be to double down on marketing. I don’t mean update the copy on the copy-filled season brochure (although as an aside, all of our materials would be stronger if we dropped about half the copy and about 99% of the exclamation points…for the love of orchestras, seriously, please stop the forced enthusiasm exclamation points). What I do mean is that now is the time to catch up on what other industries have been doing for the last decade or two. The good news is that we don’t have to reinvent the wheel because we get to emulate what has already proven successful again and again in other sectors, which covers three areas.
At the ACSO Annual Meeting held at the 2019 Annual Conference in Monterey on August 8, ACSO welcomed four new board members, re-elected a board member, elected officers for 2019/20, and said farewell to several outgoing board members. New board members include:
Loribeth Gregory-Beck currently serves as the Director of Education & Community Engagement at the Santa Barbara Symphony, where she oversees programs and cultivates community partnerships. With experience as a teacher, arts administrator, and in business management, Loribeth brings a breadth of knowledge and practice to her work in education. At the Los Angeles Philharmonic, she led the Young Composer Programs (Composer Fellowship Program, National Composers Intensive) and projects for the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA), through which she worked with prominent artists in the classical music industry, such as Andrew Norman, Gabriela Ortiz, Tania León, and the International Contemporary Ensemble, and prepared students for performances at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Hollywood Bowl, and Ojai Music Festival. In addition to her work in music education, Loribeth has presented original research papers at conferences for the Society for Ethnomusicology and the Association for Asian American Studies. Loribeth earned an M.A. in Ethnomusicology from University of California, Riverside, where she was a lecturer, and a B.A. in Music, magna cum laude, and a minor in Anthropology from Webster University.
Note from ACSO: Our membership network is full of incredible people with a wealth of life experiences, talents, and diverse perspectives and backgrounds. We want to share their insights, points of view, and wisdom with all of you, as well as raise the voices of individuals who are making a difference for the classical music field. Our guest blog series features people from different communities throughout California and the western region, from different sizes and types of classical music organizations, and with different jobs and responsibilities. They will share what they have learned, express their opinions about the sector, and ask challenging questions that will help us shift our thinking and be better advocates for this art form that we all love.
Don't Be Afraid to Break Old Habits
I’m someone who loves a challenge, whether it’s learning to conduct a new work or bench pressing 150 pounds. Yes, me. Just shy of 110 pounds was *challenged* recently by my trainer to do just that. While it was difficult, and didn’t think I could do it, I did. It was quite life affirming and opened a whole new mental and physical avenue for me.
Was I afraid? Yes. The thought of pulling something (or worse breaking something) was first and foremost. The thought of doing something that might threaten my career was very real. But, I decided I need to do this, and boy I’m glad I did. Not only did this newness inspire me to hit the gym more, it challenged me to think differently about HOW I go to and experience the gym.
You might be thinking, "What on earth does this have to do with anything music related?" A whole lot actually.
Oftentimes, we, as musicians, music directors, executive directors, boards, get stuck in a rut. We let our creative muscles atrophy.
We—and I count myself in the “we”—are in the habit of repeating our successes, even if they become less successful and stale over time. Season in and season out, presenting and doing the same thing year after year. This is a habit we need to break.
Are we challenging ourselves to offer new experiences or seizing different opportunities to connect to our audiences or new audiences in different ways?
If we want reach new audiences and stay relevant to our communities, we, as creative organizations and musicians, need to make this a priority. Much like I took on lifting 150-pound weights, we need to have the confidence to lift the giant weight of doing things in more creative and inventive ways.
I feel strongly that our arts organizations should serve our communities, and this may mean we need to think and present music differently. Let’s embrace a new “spirit of creativity” that is meaningful to these communities. In my position of Music Director of the Fresno Philharmonic, and as I approach my third season, there is even more momentum to instill this “spirit of creativity” to all that we do. Little by little, program by program.
Always thinking creatively and assessing if there is a rut can be exhausting and unnerving. It can be hard to be honest and even harder still to accept what you find.
Think of it this way: Say there is a new restaurant in town, but you always had good food at one that you often frequent. You’re hungry and you want to eat, but the thought of being disappointed at a new place is making you avoid something new. So, instead of going to the new restaurant and having some potentially exciting new food, you go to the same old, same old. Did you eat? Yes. Was it good? Yeah, perhaps, but not exciting. However, would you have found a new place to go to and had a new experience? No. (And, for the record, I would always try the new place; I’m a foodie through and through!)
The mark of a good and successful business is its ability to adapt and grow, change and challenge itself. And I firmly believe music is a creative business. As arts leaders, we MUST continue to push our creativity and bring in new ideas!
I truly believe that those in artistic leadership roles should be the role models for our musicians, our boards, our audiences. The fear of failure or experiencing something unsuccessful should not be our first thoughts, and truthfully, they often are. We need to stop looking at change as being a disruptive impediment. We must expand our thinking beyond our monetary value and place the lasting impact in our communities squarely in the driver’s seat.
Don’t worry, I’m not recommending we throw all caution to the wind. I’m just encouraging you to do something, try something different and challenging. No matter how small All it takes is one step. Like we did in Fresno. One small change had a huge impact!
In Fresno, we had a “Meet the Artist Luncheon” series. It was held at the same place and in the same way year after year. While it was attended, the event started to feel stagnant and was not relevant to the dynamic changes that were taking place on stage.
So, we decided to try a new approach. Thanks to my awesome staff – Stephen Wilson and Annie Schmidt – we started holding our luncheons in places in the community that were relevant to what was happening on stage. We formed new alliances and partnerships with these spaces and organizations, opening up and expanding our reach and making many new connections. The result has been overwhelmingly positive.
We broke the habit of always falling back on what we knew, we challenged our creative muscles, and we had a fabulous work out -- and the rewards have been wonderful!
About the Author: Rei Hotoda, the newly appointed Music Director of the Fresno Philharmonic, is rapidly becoming one of America’s most sought after and dynamic artists. She has appeared as a guest conductor with many of today’s leading ensembles, including the Symphony Orchestras of Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Edmonton, Jacksonville, Utah, Toronto, and Winnipeg, as well as the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and the St. Louis Symphonies, among others. She most recently made her conducting debuts with the Nashville and Asheville Symphonies. Read more here.
We are excited to share the latest developments and changes in the professional lives of our members. This edition covers announcements made April through June 2019. If you want to share the administrative, board, or staff member happenings at your organization, send announcements to [email protected].
Individuals
The California Arts Council has invested a projected $24.5 million in arts funding for 2019/2020, and it will fund more than 1,300 grants in support of strengthening California’s arts sector. This year's projected total award amount marks an increase of more than $8.1 million over last year's investment and represents the second highest investment in statewide arts programming, surpassed only by the 2000/2001 fiscal year.
Awarded project designs span the whole of the arts and cultural fields, with funding offered in 14 unique grant program areas. ACSO members have received grants in six categories totaling more than $400,000 for their incredible projects! Please join us in congratulating ACSO members Carmel Bach Festival, Pasadena Symphony, Fresno Philharmonic, Long Beach Symphony, Monterey Symphony, Music in the Mountains, Pacific Symphony, Redlands Symphony, San Bernardino Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Santa Rosa Symphony, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, California Symphony, Mill Valley Philharmonic, San Diego Youth Symphony, Santa Barbara Symphony, Santa Monica Youth Orchestra, Golden State Youth Orchestra, and Youth Orchestras of Fresno! More on their projects below, courtesy of the California Arts Council.
Last year the California legislature passed SB 1343 expanding the requirement for who has to be trained on sexual (and other) harassment issues, largely in response to the #MeToo movement. Previously, only supervisors had to complete the training, and it was only required for organizations with 50 or more staff members. Now it is required for all employees in organizations with five or more paid staff. Since the bill includes temporary or seasonal employees, it means that orchestras must ensure that paid musicians receive the training as well.
The required training has to be completed by January 1, 2020. The training must meet certain standards and must be repeated every two years. New employees must be trained within six months of hire or promotion to a supervisory position. Non-supervisor training is a one-hour session; supervisor training is a two-hour session.
Organizations with five or more employees will also need to update their employee manuals with the training requirements and anti-harassment and retaliation policies, plus post updated notices and hand out the California sexual harassment brochure (all available here).
The Department of Fair Employment and Housing will be developing sexual harassment trainings by the end of the year, but those are not yet available.
In the meantime, there are many vendors and companies that provide the training. If your organization is a member of CalNonprofits, as ACSO is, your supervisors can take the required harassment training for free and your non-supervisory staff can get discounts on the required training. Learn more here.
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