For the second year in a row, the League of American Orchestras is excited about hosting its National Conference in a new city. This year’s Conference embraces the theme ASCEND with a focus on upward momentum and collective action. The setting of Salt Lake City, against the mighty Wasatch Mountains, provides an inspiring backdrop to rise boldly toward new heights for our art form and our communities. As the site of the 2002 and upcoming 2034 Winter Olympics, Salt Lake City—and our Conference host Utah Symphony | Utah Opera—is ready to welcome the orchestra field with a unique blend of natural beauty, vibrant culture, and innovation.
Here’s a look at just some of what’s in store at the League’s 2025 National Conference.
Inspiring Music and Speakers
“We know that our musical colleagues will be surprised in the best possible ways by Salt Lake City, our vibrant and beautiful home in the Intermountain West,” says Steven Brosvik, president and CEO of Utah Symphony | Utah Opera. “This is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States, and Utah Symphony | Utah Opera is proud to be a key component of the quality of life that has drawn so many to our community. We can’t wait to share the exceptional musicianship of our orchestra, outstanding hospitality of our community, and stunning natural setting of our state with all of you.”
The Utah Symphony’s concert will be Thursday evening, June 12, at 7:30 p.m., led by Music Director Emeritus Thierry Fischer at Maurice Abravanel Hall, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2024. Violinist Clara-Jumi Kang will make her Utah Symphony debut with the Korngold Violin Concerto on a program bookended by Mexican composers past and present. Silvestre Revueltas’ Noche de encantamiento, composed in 1939, warns of the dangers of cultural clashes, while Gabriela Ortiz’ Téenek, from 2017, leaves us with the timely message that a hopeful future lies in recognizing each other’s respective identities and differences—and that weaving them together creates something stronger than the sum of the parts.
The Utah Symphony and Music Director Emeritus Thierry Fischer in a recent concert in Maurice Abravanel Hall. During the League’s 2025 Conference, Fischer will conduct the Utah Symphony in works by Korngold, Revueltas, and Gabriela Ortiz. Photo courtesy of Utah Symphony.
On Tuesday evening, June 10, enjoy an outdoor concert produced by the Eden Festival and sponsored by Cadenza Artists at the historic Tracy Aviary, a serene, wooded oasis in the heart of Salt Lake City just minutes from the Hyatt Regency, the Conference host hotel. The program will explore the intersection of Latin American, classical, and popular musical styles, featuring the multi-instrumentalist and composer Clarice Assad, alongside Alecia Lawyer, oboist and artistic director of ROCO, and including a special appearance by pianist Lara Downes.
The Conference’s Opening Session at Maurice Abravanel Hall on Wednesday afternoon, June 11, will feature the Utah Youth Philharmonic and Utah Youth Symphony led by Music Director and Conductor Barbara Scowcroft performing world premieres by Brazilian-American composer and pianist Clarice Assad and American composer and conductor Quinn Mason. Mason will be at the podium for his work, which focuses on the texture and the interplay of instruments to create a dynamic experience for musicians. Assad’s work, entitled SINGULARITY, features Assad as soloist and explores the dialogue between traditional symphonic textures and electronic instruments, examining the boundaries where acoustic and digital realms converge.
Live music-making is a focal point throughout the Conference.
The opening keynote address will be given by American soprano Renée Fleming, a leading advocate for the study of the powerful connection between the arts and health. Aside from being the most celebrated American soprano of her generation, Fleming serves as the World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador for Arts and Health and is the former Artistic Advisor at Large to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Fleming partnered with Dr. Francis Collins from the National Institutes of Health to develop the Sound Health partnership, a collaboration between the National Institutes of Health, Kennedy Center, and National Endowment for the Arts, to explore the intersection of music, health, and neuroscience. On Thursday morning, Fleming will facilitate a panel discussion based on the anthology she edited, Music and Mind: Harnessing the Art of Health and Wellness, followed by a book signing.
At the Conference, soprano Renée Fleming will give the opening keynote address and lead a panel discussion about the connections between the arts and health.
Another highlight of the opening will be the presentation of the League’s Gold Baton award to American conductor Marin Alsop, music director laureate of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, principal guest conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra, chief conductor of the Ravinia Festival, music director of the National Orchestral Institute + Festival at the University of Maryland, and director of Graduate Conducting at the Johns Hopkins University’s Peabody Institute, among others. The award will be presented by Latin American conductor Jessica Rivero Altarriba, assistant conductor of the Utah Symphony and a Taki Alsop Fellowship Award recipient from 2024-26.
Conductor Marin Alsop will receive the Gold Baton award, the League’s highest honor, at the Conference in Salt Lake City. Photo by Andrej Grile.
Jessica Rivero Altarriba, assistant conductor of the Utah Symphony and a Taki Alsop Fellowship Award recipient, will present the Gold Baton award to Marin Alsop.
During the closing luncheon on Friday, June 13, following the League’s annual meeting, the conclusion of the Conference will feature a performance by Kinan Azmeh—Syrian clarinet player, composer of contemporary classical music, and frequent guest artist at orchestras—and a conversation between him and Martha Gilmer, president and CEO of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, on the themes of home, freedom, and belonging. Azmeh plays in his own Arab-Jazz Quartet CityBand and his Hewar trio as well as with the Silkroad Ensemble since 2012, whose 2017 Grammy Award-winning album “Sing Me Home” features Azmeh as a clarinetist and composer.
Pre-Conference Seminars and Conference Sessions
Open to everyone for an extra fee, pre-Conference seminars on Tuesday afternoon, June 10 will engage participants in three-hour explorations of two vital topics:
- “Best Practices for Collaborative Orchestra Management and Musician Relationships” will feature two former federal mediators—Myla Hite and Xavier Merizalde—who will share best practices for developing mutually beneficial relationships between orchestra managements and musicians and for resolving conflicts when they occur.
- “Demystifying Strategic Planning” will be led by League President and CEO Simon Woods, who will help you chart a course on a topic that tends to inspire apprehension and anxiety, helping participants to run planning processes that are ambitious, clear, and collaborative, and generate positive energy across the organization.
Pre-Conference seminars will engage participants in concentrated, interactive explorations of vital topics.
Clarice Assad is among the composers who will participate in the Conference and whose work will be performed during the week. Photo by Marcelo Macaue.
Composer Quinn Mason will conduct the world premiere of his new work at the Opening Session of the Conference.
Throughout the Conference, experts from inside and outside the orchestras field will lead conversations and participate in panels, providing insights on audiences and subscriptions; disaster preparedness and response; equity and diversity; inclusion and belonging; music and wellness; organizational culture; philanthropy; and sustainability, among other timely and relevant topics.
After last year’s successful pilot of sessions to promote dialogue with delegates across constituencies, we are returning this year with critical conversation sessions focused on targeted topics such as artist management; equity, diversity, and inclusion; organizational culture; volunteer groups; and youth development.
Networking and Learning
From delegates’ feedback, small-group peer Constituency Meetings are one of the most valued parts of the Conference. Whether you are connected to the orchestra field as an executive director, board member, staff member, conductor, musician, or student, there will be agendas focused on your most pressing concerns designed specifically for you, as well as special networking events, including—new this year—a lunch for administrators of African, Latinx, Asian, Arab/Middle Eastern, or Native American descent (ALAANA).
Sessions at this year’s Conference will examine key strategic action areas for orchestras.
For the fourth year, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, and other (LGBTQIA+) attendees will gather for a networking reception on Wednesday evening, June 11, featuring special guest Clarice Assad.
The League’s Volunteer Council is planning inspiring sessions and networking opportunities for orchestra volunteers from across the country, including presentations of the 2024 Gold Award of Excellence winners. Attendees will also participate in a networking event focused on the personal rewards of volunteering, an instructive session exploring strategies for effectively managing today’s volunteers, and several dedicated constituency dinners throughout the Conference.
As always, the Exhibit Hall will serve as the central gathering point for networking breaks and receptions: a place to reconnect with old friends, make new ones, and visit with Conference exhibitors and sponsors.
Come to Salt Lake City to ascend with everyone in the orchestra field!
Conference Hotel
With guest rooms and suites boasting views of the snow-capped Wasatch Mountains, the new Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City is a stylish headquarters for our Conference and a short walk from Maurice Abravanel Hall and all that downtown has to offer. Visit leagueconference.org to learn more.
