When you first arrive at Conference, please stop at the Registration Area, located in the Exhibit Hall on the 2nd Floor, to pick up your badge and Conference materials. Feel free to visit us again throughout Conference to say hello, ask questions, and let us know how your experience is going!
The Education and Community Engagement (EdCE) Half-Day Meeting is a dedicated time for professionals from member orchestras who specialize in this work to learn together, building and strengthening constituency connections in a focused session before the League's National Conference begins.
Full details to come; exact start and end times are subject to change with an optional constituency dinner to follow. If you have any questions, please contact nlee@americanorchestras.org. Space may be limited and therefore priority will be given to EdCE registrants.
Cost: $75 Early Bird (by April 24); $85 Regular
Speaker(s): Rachel Lev, Commissioner, Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service; Xavier Merizalde, Commissioner, Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service; Stephen Millen, Commissioner, Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service; and Jimmy Valentine, Commissioner, Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service
Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service (FMCS) mediators will share best practices for developing mutually beneficial relationships between orchestra managements and musicians and for resolving conflicts when they occur. Key takeaways will be how to:
Develop collaborative orchestra committee structures
Resolve grievances at the earliest stage of your grievance procedure
Work proactively together on strategic objectives
Create strategies for conducting productive contract negotiations
Cost: $45 League Member
Speaker(s): Simon Woods, President and CEO, League of American Orchestras
Every orchestra needs to be intentional about what it believes in and where it is headed. Strategic planning is a vital organizational process that brings people together, aligns stakeholders around a common purpose, guides strategy, and provides a backbone for public messaging.
League President and CEO Simon Woods will demystify 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. Key topics will include mission statements, research, types of planning processes, workflows and sequencing, and communications. Participants will leave with a practical and actionable toolkit to help them plan effectively and release the power of collective thinking in their organizations.
Cost: $310 League Member / $385 Not-Yet-Member
Location: Tracy Aviary
Round trip transportation will be provided from the Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City.
Enjoy an outdoor concert at the historic Tracy Aviary, a serene, wooded oasis in the heart of Salt Lake City, and just minutes from the Hyatt Regency, the Conference host hotel. Produced by the Eden Festival and sponsored by Cadenza Artists International, this 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, with a special appearance by pianist Lara Downes.
Dinner will be provided.
Cost: $45
When you first arrive at Conference, please stop at the Registration Area, located in the Exhibit Hall on the 2nd Floor, to pick up your badge and Conference materials. Feel free to visit us again throughout Conference to say hello, ask questions, and let us know how your experience is going!
Come to the Exhibit Hall to grab a cup of coffee and a pastry, network with your colleagues, and visit Tech Fair exhibitors before their presentations.
Join us for a half-day event showcasing technology offerings in the areas of marketing, data management and CRM, ticketing, online program notes, audience engagement apps, in-hall concert technologies, and more. Get to know the companies behind these offerings, learn how your peers are innovating with technology, and pick up tips and tricks for creative ways to take better advantage of the tools you have.
The Tech Fair will take place in the Exhibit Hall, with presentations in adjoining rooms. See the schedule of presentations at https://leagueconference.org/tech-fair.
No additional cost. The Tech Fair is included in your Conference registration!
Connect and collaborate with fellow Inclusive Stages coalition members at our in-person national convening. This convening will provide an opportunity to share insights across the coalition and will feature a learning session led by Leading ChangeMakers. A detailed agenda will be shared directly with coalition members.
Note: This event is open to Inclusive Stages Coalition Members only.
Connect with your fellow volunteers and learn from their award-winning programs.
Stop by the Exhibit Hall to meet with your business partners and colleagues. Be sure to pop in during networking breaks throughout the week.
Welcome to Salt Lake City! Whether you are here for the first time or a Conference regular, you are invited to hear about the highlights of this year’s Conference, receive tips on how to maximize your experience, and get to know some new friends among the delegates.
Throughout the Conference, you’ll gather for stimulating meetings with those who best understand the challenges of your position: your peers. Whether you’re working at an orchestra as an executive director, board member, volunteer, staff, or musician, there is learning designed specifically for you.
Find more information about constituency meetings.
Constituency sessions have been generously sponsored by the following:
Development: Bennett Direct
Executive Directors, Groups 5-6: Nave Strategies
Finance: Cast & Crew
General Managers & Operations: Kirkegaard
Marketing, Groups 1-2: VATIC
Join your friends and colleagues in the Exhibit Area for this annual reception.
The League Alumni Network connects more than 862 alumni from League leadership programs like Essentials of Orchestra Management, Emerging Leaders Program, Executive Leadership Program, and the Orchestra Management Fellowship Program. Join your fellow alumni in the Exhibit Area for this reception.
This reception has been generously sponsored by Colbert Artists.
Location: Maurice Abravanel Hall
Speaker(s): Marin Alsop, Conductor and Educator, TACF; Jessica Rivero Altarriba, Assistant Conductor, Utah Symphony; Clarice Assad, Composer and Pianist; Steven Brosvik, President and CEO, Utah Symphony | Utah Opera; Renée Fleming, Goodwill Ambassador for Arts and Health, World Health Organization; Quinn Mason, Composer and Conductor; Barbara Scowcroft, Music Director and Conductor, Utah Youth Philharmonic and Utah Youth Symphony; and Simon Woods, President and CEO, League of American Orchestras
The opening general session at Maurice Abravanel Hall will feature the Utah Youth Philharmonic and Utah Youth Symphony and Music Director and Conductor Barbara Scowcroft, performing two world premieres by Brazilian-American composer and pianist Clarice Assad and American composer and conductor Quinn Mason.
The opening keynote address will be given by American soprano Renée Fleming, a leading advocate for the study of the powerful connection between art and health. Renée serves as the World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador for Arts and Health and was the former Artistic Advisor at Large to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Renée 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, exploring the intersection of music, health, and neuroscience.
Another highlight of the opening will be the presentation of the League’s Gold Baton award to American conductor Marin Alsop, Music Director Laureate and OrchKids Founder 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 (NOI+F) 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.
The Opening Session has been generously co-sponsored by Akustiks, HGA Architects & Engineers, and Schuler Shook.
Enjoy connecting with your fellow LGBTQIA+ League members this Pride month in Salt Lake City, where you can network with your community from across the country.
This reception has been generously sponsored by David M. Schwarz Architects.
Join us for a special networking event with your colleagues and friends. More information is coming soon!
Stop by the Exhibit Hall to meet with your business partners and colleagues. Be sure to pop in during networking breaks throughout the week.
When you first arrive at Conference, please stop at the Registration Area, located in the Exhibit Hall on the 2nd Floor, to pick up your badge and Conference materials. Feel free to visit us again throughout Conference to say hello, ask questions, and let us know how your experience is going!
Music is a powerful source of engagement, emotion, and artistic expression. However, an artist’s performance or an orchestra’s concert program is also a form of speech (whether explicit or implicit) rooted in the history and context of today’s world. As a result, an orchestra’s charitable and artistic purposes may appear to be at odds with maintaining a neutral or objective position as a publicly-funded nonprofit and tax-exempt organization. How can orchestras continue to demonstrate why symphonic music matters, when they must also attempt to remain institutionally neutral as artistic enterprises? Or, should they? Drawing from their lived experiences in and around orchestras, session leaders will highlight successes, challenges, and the degree to which orchestras can embrace freedom of creative expression as a pathway for transformation, while also adhering to advocacy constraints, anti-discrimination laws and policies, and other internal and external forces.
Speaker(s): TBD
With relief funds depleted, expenses climbing, and earned revenue plateauing, many orchestras are experiencing true financial pain. While campaigns and transformational gifts may offer long-term promise, they require time to develop – and orchestras need immediate and stable revenue streams to sustain their missions today.
Your solution is within reach. RSC Associates has developed the best practices that drive consistent, year-over-year fundraising growth for orchestras of all sizes. Whether you have a full development team or just one person juggling it all, these strategies deliver results.
This session will equip staff and Board members with proven, scalable strategies for building a resilient Annual Fund program, strengthening donor engagement, and creating a reliable revenue stream to help your orchestra thrive.
This session has been sponsored and developed by RSC Associates.
Sponsored Business Perspective Sessions feature League business partners sharing specific learnings based on their unique view of the industry. This year’s Sponsored Innovation Sessions will be developed and presented by Capacity Interactive, Nave Strategies, Symphony.live, and VATIC. Stay tuned for more details.
Speaker(s): Maarten Walraven, Co-CEO, Symphony.live
Videos tell a story, what’s yours? This panel brings together video producers, marketers and artistic administrators to explore how orchestras can leverage video storytelling to enhance their artistic narrative and community presence. While high-quality concert recordings remain valuable, there is untapped potential in creating focused, narrative-driven video content that captures the essence of an orchestra's mission, artists, and impact. Through case studies and practical discussion, panelists will demonstrate how strategic video content can strengthen an orchestra's brand and deepen audience engagement—often at a fraction of the cost of traditional concert recordings.
This session has been sponsored and developed by Symphony.live.
Join your colleagues and your business partners for this mid-morning networking break in the Exhibit Hall.
This networking break has been generously sponsored by American Piano Awards.
Speaker(s): TBD
Why should building an inclusive organizational culture be a top priority for your orchestra? Inclusion and belonging are more than ideals—they are critical drivers of individual and organizational success. People who feel valued and respected are more engaged, more likely to reach their full potential, and tend to contribute their best in the workplace.
In this interactive session, you’ll explore practical strategies and real-world examples from orchestras of various budget sizes. Discover how these organizations foster respect, belonging, and unity; address stress and frustration; and strengthen relationships between leadership and musicians.
You’ll leave with actionable, data-driven insights to cultivate a supportive environment where every member of your organization feels valued, connected, and aligned with your mission. Learn how prioritizing inclusion and belonging can fulfill your orchestra’s potential as a thriving, impactful community.
Speaker(s): Daniel Crupi, Executive Director, Asheville Symphony; Joseph McKenna, President & CEO, Sarasota Orchestra; and Jan Newcomb, Executive Director, National Coalition for Arts' Preparedness & Emergency Response (NCAPER)
Orchestras, like any business or home, increasingly need to prepare for damage that can result from natural disasters or other threats that could occur. When it comes to natural disasters and public safety measures, the League and several other national arts organizations worked with Congress and federal agencies to ensure arts organizations have improved access to preparation resources and relief. Given all the scenarios that require more hands on deck to mitigate damage, assess threats, and forge ahead after a disruption happens, is your orchestra prepared?
Speaker(s): Renée Fleming, former Artistic Advisor at Large, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; Assal Habibi, Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Southern California; and Indre Viskontas, Associate Professor, University of San Francisco
Following her keynote at the Opening Session, Soprano Renée Fleming is joined by leading experts from the music and health field for a free-ranging conversation about the power of music to improve health and support brain development. We will hear insights from the cutting edge of research that can inform orchestras as they continue to expand their work in this life-changing area that deeply enhances their relationships with their communities.
Speaker(s): TBD
Institutional (grant and sponsor) funding often requires extensive research, cultivation, and discussions with funders, along with reporting and/or marketing requirements. Organizational alignment that supports meeting requirements such as research, cultivation, program delivery, and reporting, relies on development, program, finance, marketing, and executive offices working together.
This type of collaboration is often referred to as a "culture of philanthropy," in which all staff and departments understand how philanthropic funding supports their work. Within a culture of philanthropy, development staff leverage the subject matter expertise of program staff in support of funding proposals as well as the systems and workflows used by other departments to sustain philanthropic support, often uncovering inefficiencies in the organization.
This session will address how to create and sustain a culture of philanthropy, examine these best practices, and demonstrate the lifecycle of an institutional gift, highlighting case studies with lessons learned and commentary from panelists along the way.
Enjoy a special lunchtime gathering with fellow members of the ALAANA Affinity Group, designed to foster connections and meaningful conversations. This event brings together individuals at all levels of responsibility in their organization who self-identify as people of African, Latinx, Asian, Arab/Middle Eastern, or Native American descent (ALAANA). If you are not already part of the ALAANA Affinity Group, opt in at the end of this demographic survey. Lunch will be provided for ALAANA members who register.
Enjoy lunch on your own or with colleagues. Nearby dining options are listed in Things to Do in Salt Lake City.
Facilitator(s): TBD
To truly integrate orchestras into their communities, efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion must go beyond surface-level perceptions and become a foundational part of organizational strategy. Through real-world examples and discussion, this session will assist you in articulating your organization's "why", identifying barriers, and developing strategies for sustainable organizational change.
Facilitator(s): Lydia Connolly, Independent Consultant and Mentor; Former Senior Director and Head of Artist Management, HarrisonParrott; and Raff Wilson, Vice President, Artistic Planning, Seattle Symphony
Artist managers and artistic administrators face stress on many fronts: limited resources, the marginalization of classical music in schools and society, and constantly changing audience preferences. Crafting a concert season feels like trying to spin plates in the middle of a circus ring.
They also share goal of ensuring orchestral music thrives as a transformative force, reaching all of society. The best music-making depends on creative partnership—and those behind the scenes must be partners too. A mutual understanding of challenges and opportunities is essential for a sustainable, healthy orchestra industry. Flexibility, mutual respect, pragmatism, and teamwork are more important than ever.
In this session, artist managers and those involved in artistic planning will reflect together on the challenges they face, their shared commitments and goals, and their hopes for the future.
Facilitator(s): Evin Blomberg, Musician, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
When given the opportunity, musicians can become ambassadors who drive an organization forward and serve as powerful assets for philanthropy, advocacy, education, learning departments, and more. These opportunities not only strengthen their bond with the organization but also empower them creatively and energize them in ways that their traditional roles as orchestral musicians often do not. This empowerment leads to greater satisfaction among musician employees, fosters stronger musician-management relationships, and enables them to connect more meaningfully with the community they serve, ultimately helping the organization thrive.
Facilitator(s): J. Andrew Bradford, President & CEO, Santa Rosa Symphony; Michelle Miller Burns, President & CEO, Dallas Symphony Orchestra; Marena Gault, Member, Dallas Symphony Orchestra League and League Volunteer Council; Roger Gault, Board Chairman, Dallas Symphony Orchestra; and Terry D. Loftis, President & CEO, New Jersey Symphony
As volunteering has evolved over the years its value has been stretched, renewed, and redefined. There is a deeper need for collaboration, connection, clear communication, and relevant, achievable goals. Hear results from a League orchestra volunteer survey and learn how orchestras are investing in their volunteer groups. Discover how to set strategies, explore the opportunities, and feel empowered and encouraged to create or redefine a volunteer program that fosters greater impact and service to your orchestra.
Throughout the Conference, you’ll gather for stimulating meetings with those who best understand the challenges of your position: your peers. Whether you’re working at an orchestra as an executive director, board member, volunteer, staff, or musician, there is learning designed specifically for you.
Find more information about constituency meetings.
Constituency sessions have been generously sponsored by the following:
Development: Bennett Direct
Executive Directors, Groups 5-6: Nave Strategies
Finance: Cast & Crew
General Managers & Operations: Kirkegaard
Marketing, Groups 1-2: VATIC
Enjoy dinner on your own or with colleagues. Nearby dining options are listed in Things to Do in Salt Lake City.
Location: Maurice Abravanel Hall, First Tier Room
Join us for a pre-concert chat about the evening’s program with guest artists and symphony musicians, held 45 minutes prior to the performance start time in the First Tier Room.
Location: Maurice Abravanel Hall
Concert tickets can be added on to your Conference registration [link to reg form] until May 16, 2025. After that date, please purchase directly from the Utah Symphony.
Hear the Utah Symphony led by Music Director Thierry Fischer on Thursday, June 12 at Maurice Abravanel Hall, one of the nation’s premiere concert venues. 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. Revueltas’ Noche de encantamiento warns of the dangers of cultural clashes, while Gabriela Ortiz’ Téenek leaves us with the message that a hopeful future lies in recognizing each other’s respective identities and differences—and weaving them together creates something stronger than the sum of the parts.
The Conference Tune-Up Party will follow.
Location: Plaza in front of Maurice Abravanel Hall
Following the Utah Symphony’s performance, be sure to join us for the Tune-Up Party. Enjoy music by Utah Symphony Principal Clarinet Tad Calcara and his New Deal Swing Orchestra and sample locally sourced refreshments. We hope you’ll join the staff, musicians, board, and volunteers of Utah Symphony | Utah Opera on the plaza in front of iconic Maurice Abravanel Hall. Come for the performance and festivities; stay for the conversation and company!
This event is open to all Conference registrants; you’ll just need your badge to enter.
When you first arrive at Conference, please stop at the Registration Area, located in the Exhibit Hall on the 2nd Floor, to pick up your badge and Conference materials. Feel free to visit us again throughout Conference to say hello, ask questions, and let us know how your experience is going!
Come to the Exhibit Hall to grab a cup of coffee, network with your colleagues, and visit with business partners.
Stop by the Exhibit Hall to meet with your business partners and colleagues. Be sure to pop in during networking breaks throughout the week.
All orchestras can take steps to limit climate impact, such as choosing energy efficient options, reducing waste, encouraging use of public transit, and bringing focus to environmental concerns through the music we present. Join us to discuss innovative solutions and how to build sustainability into our operations, from global efforts to protect endangered woods to changes in offices, performance venues, and touring practices.
Speaker(s): Jessica Phillips, Musician and Educator, Metropolitan Opera, Manhattan School of Music and The Juilliard School
Using design thinking strategies and generative dialogic methods for agile culture change, this workshop will engage motivated stakeholders to explore and ideate new pathways for change. Together, we will build connections both internally and externally and conceptualize what a modern and unified culture for orchestra could be to our community and audiences. Attendees will:
Learn how to encourage and reward a culture of informed risk and normalize change in our business
Learn and experience design thinking techniques to spark innovation
Learn and engage in generative dialogue to better engage multiple constituencies and stakeholders to enhance organizational agility
Learn how to catalyze change in your organization by fostering a “performance-enhancing” culture
Build multi-stakeholder networks (communities of practice) to resource share
Speaker(s): TBD
All orchestras are challenged to raise awareness of orchestral music, expand their reach, attract new audiences, and diversify the revenue streams that make the music possible. Regardless of your orchestra’s staff and budget size, learn how your orchestra can communicate and measure its relevance and address real time community needs and priorities. This session will extract key strategies from recent successful case studies on how to create a convincing and authentic narrative that generates new support and engagement.
Speaker(s): Elizabeth Brown-Ellis, Executive Director, Lima Symphony; Sean Claire, Violinist and Concertmaster, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and Symphony of the Mountains; Ben Kipp, Vice President of Education and Community Engagement, Utah Symphony | Utah Opera; Dr. Mark Rappaport, CEO and William H and Edna D Stimson Presidential Endowed Chair; Professor and Chair Department of Psychiatry, Huntsman Mental Health Institute and University of Utah School of Medicine; Theodore Wiprud, Composer and Consultant
With a growing understanding of music’s profound influence on wellbeing, orchestras are finding meaningful roles in addressing community health needs. From live music in healthcare settings and performances for neurodivergent audiences to mental health support and wellness events, orchestras are stepping into new territory, even partnering in medical research. This session will provide the practical insights your orchestra needs to take its first steps or deepen its role in community health and wellness. Learning from the experiences of innovative, well-established programs across budget groups, attendees will gain both inspiration and actionable guidance. Join us to explore how orchestras are building the partnerships they need to listen and respond to community needs, and—in the process—to expand their impact.
Join your colleagues and your business partners for this mid-morning networking break in the Exhibit Hall.
Throughout the Conference, you’ll gather for stimulating meetings with those who best understand the challenges of your position: your peers. Whether you’re working at an orchestra as an executive director, board member, volunteer, staff, or musician, there is learning designed specifically for you.
Find more information about constituency meetings.
Constituency sessions have been generously sponsored by the following:
Development: Bennett Direct
Executive Directors, Groups 5-6: Nave Strategies
Finance: Cast & Crew
General Managers & Operations: Kirkegaard
Marketing, Groups 1-2: VATIC
Speaker(s): Kinan Azmeh, Composer and Clarinet Player; Alan Mason, Board Chair, League of American Orchestras; and Simon Woods, President and CEO, League of American Orchestras
During the Closing Luncheon, following the League’s Annual Meeting, the conclusion of the Conference will feature a performance by and conversation with Kinan Azmeh, Syrian clarinet player and composer of contemporary classical music. A champion of artistic freedom, 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.
No additional cost. The Closing Luncheon is included in your Conference registration!
The Closing Luncheon has been generously sponsored by Threshold Acoustics.
