Speaker(s): Lee Bynum, Faculty, Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy; antonio c. cuyler, ph.d., Professor of Music, Entrepreneurship & Leadership, University of Michigan; Loki Karuna, Executive Director, American Composers Forum; Vanessa Rose, Chief Executive Officer, American Composers Forum; and Ari Solotoff, Attorney, Drummond Woodsum

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): 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