Category: Help Yourself

Attention orchestra administrators: Now is the time to show off your orchestra’s 2009-10 world, U.S., or Canadian premieres by submitting them for inclusion in the annual Symphony survey. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, June 3, 2009. In the September/October issue of Symphony, we’ll summarize premieres planned across the country between September 1, 2009 and August 31, 2010, and will direct readers to a complete listing of performances on the League of American Orchestras website, americanorchestras.org. Searchable by composer and orchestra name, the directory will be accessible to anyone searching the Web all season long. National press will also be informed of this important resource. To submit your premieres, go to https://secure.americanorchestras.org/premierslist-09.shtml . Then follow the directions to fill out and send a paperless Premieres form. If you’d rather receive a printable form by e-mail attachment or return mail, please contact Assistant Editor Ian VanderMeulen at ivandermeulen@americanorchestras.org .

Posted April 30, 2009

The Orchestras Feeding America National Food Drive has brought together 251 orchestras from across the country in a national effort to relieve hunger in the United States, a growing and particularly significant issue given the state of the U.S. economy.  As of April 27, 2009, ninety seven orchestras have reported their drive’s total food pounds for a combined total of 83,002 pounds of food and we still have over one-hundred more orchestras conducting food drives who will add to the national total in May!

Lock in the 2008 Conference rates by registering before April 17! This year’s Conference promises to be one of the most important ever. With all the essential information, sessions, toolboxes and plenaries planned, you can’t afford not to be in Chicago June 9-12. Check out our special rates for one-day, First-Timers, and Second-Timers – the League is striving to make Conference as affordable as possible, don’t miss out!

We are pleased to make available Constituency Meeting information on the Conference website. To find out what your constituency has planned, visit League Conference 2009 and click on the My Conference drop down menu. Choose your constituency to see your complete Conference schedule.

The League is pleased to announce the 2009-2010 class of our Orchestra Management Fellowship Program (OMFP):

• James Boyd
• Elizabeth Sustar

(Click here for bios and photos.)

Over the course of the next year, the Fellows will pursue an intensive course of study, gain valuable hands-on work experience through residencies with a wide variety of host orchestras throughout the country, and acquire a comprehensive overview of the field.

Since its inception in 1980, more than 165 Fellows have participated in OMFP,  the country’s premier leadership training program for orchestra administrators.

Our graduates hold more than 55 leadership positions in American orchestras; 23 are currently executive directors.

Click here for more info on OMFP. 

A good orchestra librarian can be a critical "best friend" to a musician, conductor, composer, and orchestra manager, ensuring that the music is thoroughly prepared, and helping in ways that guarantee efficient use of time and maximum focus on music-making. This seminar is designed for those who serve or aspire to serve as orchestra librarians, and for those who can benefit from their services – including composers, conductors, and orchestra staff.

Friday, April 17

Marriott at Metro Center Hotel
775 12th Street NW
Washington, DC 20005

Click here for complete information, and to register.

Presented by the Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association and the League
 

Looking to get the word out about the Orchestras Feeding America food drive? A new video public service announcement is now available for use by all orchestras participating in the food drive, both for their own websites and to air on television stations. The 30-second video was created by Ovation TV using footage provided by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Feeding America, and Participant Media. The public service video will air on Ovation TV. To watch the video, click here: (Windows Media or QuickTime). For more information or to obtain the video, contact John T. Bence at jbence@americanorchestras.org.

In related food drive news, eight orchestras have already reported the results of their participation in Orchestras Feeding America. Collectively, they have brought in a total of 7,184 pounds of food, which will be donated directly to their local food banks. These orchestras are: Asheville Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Hawaii Youth Symphony, Naples Philharmonic, Oklahoma Youth Orchestras, Orchestra of Southern Utah, Phoenix Symphony, and San Luis Obispo Symphony. Congratulations to these generous orchestras and their dedicated supporters!

With the accelerating pace of technological change, the League will now post monthly summaries of relevant news and information regarding changes, trends and developments that may affect the electronic media activities your orchestra uses to achieve its institutional mission. You’ll find these monthly summaries in the Knowledge Center’s newly created Electronic Media Services area under Technology News of Note.  (Read this month’s update)  

If you are not a member sign up here: Facebook.com.

Existing Facebook members can find us here.

We look forward to networking with you soon.

If your orchestra is undertaking successful work in the areas of endowment, cash flow management, marketing, development, programming, cost control or planning and communications and you think it worthy to share with your colleagues, please complete this questionnaire.

At the National Conference in Chicago, June 9-12, 2009, the League of American Orchestras is planning a peer-to-peer round table session that will allow individuals from our membership to share their experience with concrete and specific activities that they have successfully implemented during the current economic downturn. To be considered for this session – Solutions for Our Time, to take place on Thursday, June 11, 2009 from 4:15 pm – 5:30 pm, we must receive your completed survey by Monday, March 9, 2009, and obviously, you must attend Conference.
 
The presentations will be given at least twice – with up to 20 minutes for presentation, and 15 minutes for Q&A. Up to 50 round tables will take place simultaneously in a roundtable format, and our delegates will have the opportunity to select those projects about which they most want to hear.
 
If you are coming to Conference and you know that your orchestra’s clever idea is working, please volunteer to share it with your colleagues. You will be much appreciated as good ideas travel far and your organization will enhance its reputation as inventive and effective.