PACIFIC SYMPHONY ONE OF FIVE ORCHESTRAS CHOSEN BY
LEAGUE OF AMERICAN ORCHESTRAS TO BE PROFILED IN STUDY SHOWCASING INNOVATION: “FEARLESS JOURNEYS”
Orange County, Calif.—May 11, 2010—Pacific Symphony is one of a small group of orchestras selected to take part in a new study by the League of American Orchestras, which explores innovative developments taking place in orchestras today. The study, led by organizational psychologist Lela Tepavac, examines five American orchestras in an effort to better understand what an industry historically anchored by tradition is doing to survive and thrive in today’s fast-changing world.
In addition to Pacific Symphony—noted for its efforts in contextualizing music—the new publication, “Fearless Journeys: Innovation in Five American Orchestras” presents case studies of four other orchestras. The five orchestras, selected from a group of 150, represent a wide range of budget sizes, business models and geographic locations. They include the Atlanta Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Memphis Symphony Orchestra and The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.
“This is the first formal attempt to define and to understand the organizational factors that support innovation in orchestras,” says Jesse Rosen, president and CEO of the League of American Orchestras. “This information is critical for orchestra leaders. The book also serves as hard evidence that, even in these challenging times, the orchestra field is taking risks and discovering ways to become increasingly resilient.
“We hope that ‘Fearless Journeys’ will encourage all orchestras to reflect on and develop their own capacity for innovation,” adds Rosen.
The study—which defines innovation as activities that address areas integral to an orchestra’s health, solve specific problems, and that can be sustained, replicated and adapted—was initiated by the League during an especially relevant time, as orchestras found themselves faced by numerous challenges.
The economic downturn became a particular catalyst for some to begin experimenting with new approaches. The innovative practices by each of the five orchestras included in the study touched upon many different areas and organizational practices. “Fearless Journeys” provides insightful accounts of the specific innovative paths each orchestra has taken to confront challenges that all orchestras face.
Researchers visited the five orchestras in March and April 2009, interviewing approximately 20 people from each organization—a total of 94 people—including presidents and CEOs, music directors, board members, musicians, staff, external collaborators, consultant and community stakeholders. The results provided intriguing portraits of the five diverse orchestras.
The study focused on Pacific Symphony’s unique approaches to contextualizing music and sparking new cultural connections in its decentralized metropolitan community, one which lacks a strong tradition of Western classical music.
The study particularly cites the orchestra’s critically-acclaimed American Composers Festival, whose mission for the last 10 years has been to engage and challenge audiences through the creation and presentation of new and under-appreciated works in unique concert formats accompanied by educational enrichment activities. The study also refers to the three-year Music Unwound initiative, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, which provides for select concerts to contextualize music and enrich the music experience by utilizing varied formats, opportunities for interaction with musicians, and occasional use of visual imagery. (Symphony surveys have revealed that more than 85 percent of audiences have responded favorably to its engagement efforts.)
“We are deeply honored to be among the orchestras studied by the League of American
Orchestras for innovative practices and hope that our risk-taking, mistakes, triumphs and lessons learned will prove useful to other orchestras,” says Symphony President John Forsyte. “We have seen enthusiastic responses from new and traditional audiences who respond to our efforts to breathe new life into symphonic masterworks and provide insights into contemporary American culture.
“Throughout Carl St.Clair’s 20-year tenure as Pacific Symphony music director, he has emphasized the importance of the Symphony’s relevance to a broad cross-section of community
members in Orange County,” Forsyte continues. “Under his guidance, the Symphony has started a tradition of experimenting with festivals and commissions, which observe or commemorate important cultural movements and celebrations of international music traditions that are not regularly a part of orchestral life.”
In looking at Atlanta Symphony, the study revealed that the orchestra’s leaders restructured the decision-making process to create a collaborative organizational culture that impacted every department of the orchestra. For the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the opening of Walt Disney Concert Hall provided a unique opportunity for the orchestra to reach a wider public by spotlighting its commitment to contemporary music and creative interdisciplinary projects. In response to an alarming decline in its audience and revenue base, the Memphis Symphony Orchestra chose to embrace public citizenship anew by engaging in community partnerships and using musicians’ artistic talents and leadership to serve local needs. And with a goal of building its strength as a leading chamber music ensemble, the final profile explored The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, which changed its leadership model, vesting decision-making power in musicians and replacing the music director with a rotating team of Artistic Partners.
All of these initiatives are ongoing and continue to shape the orchestras’ relationships with their communities. The significant conclusion of the study revealed that all of the orchestra iniatives contained six common factors: a committeed and resolute leadership, an expansive vision, an open artistic decision-making model, coordination by an explicit integrator, a prolific use of partnerships and a foundation of artistic excellence.
Tepavac of Fit Leadership, an organizational psychologist experienced in working with leadership assessment and problem solving in Fortune 500 companies, developed the methodology and served as principal researcher for “Fearless Journeys.”
The League appointed a steering committee from the field to oversee the project and provide guidance. The publication, made possible by a grant from the MetLife Foundation with additional support from the National Endowment for the Arts, can be found on the League’s website: americanorchestras.org
The League of American Orchestras leads, encourages, and supports America’s
orchestras while communicating the vitality and value of orchestras and the music they perform. The League strives to stimulate the exchange of ideas and practices, promote innovation, and foster unity across the orchestra field. The League delivers meaningful information, learning and leadership opportunities, grass-roots advocacy and other services to its diverse membership, which encompasses nearly 1,000 member symphony, chamber, youth, and collegiate orchestras of all sizes.
Founded in 1942 and chartered by Congress in 1962, the League links a national network of thousands of instrumentalists, conductors, managers, board members, volunteers, staff members, and business partners.
Pacific Symphony, located in Orange County, Calif., and led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, is the largest orchestra formed in the United States in the last 40 years. It is widely recognized as an outstanding ensemble making strides on both the national and international scene, as well as in its own burgeoning cultural community. The Symphony has played a central role in the phenomenal growth of the performing arts in Orange County. Presenting more than 100 concerts a year and a rich array of education and community programs, the Symphony touches more than 275,000 Orange County residents—from school children to senior citizens. During the winter season, the Symphony performs in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa; the Symphony performs at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater for its Summer Festival.
