Orchestra Management Handbook: Building Relationships in Turbulent Times

Orchestra Management Handbook: Building Relationships in Turbulent Times

Those who choose to make the orchestra enterprise their life's work face a host of challenges that have beset orchestra managers since the very beginning of the art form, alongside new challenges that continue to arise in the twenty-first century. Written for those who are contemplating jumping into the orchestra management realm, the Orchestra Management Handbook will provide a significant head-start for people entering this complicated, exciting, and challenging line of work. Whether short-term, long-term, internal, external or existential, an intentional approach to building, maintaining, and sustaining relationships must be at the core of the orchestra manager's daily routine. Few arts organizations have more potential for building community than orchestras. With a typically large permanent complement of artists, a high volume of performances, and a need for large audiences, building community should be central to the internal and external operations of the modern orchestra. Each chapter of this handbook provides practical strategies, tools, and a variety of resources to workers in the orchestra management field, always with an emphasis on building relationships. Throughout the book, author and experienced orchestra manager, violinist, and professor Travis Newton regularly features illustrative case studies highlighting innovative practices being undertaken at orchestras across the country, providing the reader an opportunity to learn from the experiences of others. Additionally, each chapter concludes with a series of discussion questions to ponder, teasing out some of the key concepts. "In the Orchestra Management Handbook , Travis Newton has performed an extremely valuable service. He has captured a wide range of intelligent thinking about the complex job of managing symphony orchestras in the United States, he has added his own intelligence and synthesized it all in a way that is not only remarkably readable, but useful and practical as well. Anyone interested in orchestra management, or in the health of orchestras in general, should read this book." -- Henry Fogel, Former President, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and League of American Orchestras " Orchestra Management Handbook offers a road map to navigate the specialized management needs of orchestras in challenging times. The information is practical, accessible and comprehensive. Highly recommend!" -- Ellen Rosewall, author of Arts Management: Uniting Arts and Audiences in the 21st Century Travis Newton is Associate Professor of Music at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY, where he is director of the Arts Administration program. Also an active performer, he conducts the Le Moyne College Symphony Orchestra and maintains a steady performing schedule as a violinist. Travis is a former board member of the Association of Arts Administration Educators (AAAE) and has worked in orchestra management and arts administration for nearly 20 years.