Rachel Hagemeier of the Canton Symphony Orchestra Selected to Participate in Essentials of Orchestra Management, League of American Orchestras’ Immersive Seminar July 8-18, 2019 in Los Angeles

Residential program offers in-depth overview of orchestra management and the knowledge and tools to become innovative and successful orchestra professionals

Rachel Hagemeier, Manager of Education and Community Engagement of the Canton Symphony Orchestra is among a select cohort of 35 orchestra professionals chosen from across the country to participate in Essentials of Orchestra Management, the League of American Orchestras’ premier educational course for developing effective and innovative orchestra administrators. To many, the 10-day seminar—running July 8-18 in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California—represents the gold standard of orchestra management training, offering a powerful curriculum and providing the cohort an invaluable career network for the future.

“These talented individuals will come out of Essentials with the knowledge to adapt and preserve this art form we love,” said League of American Orchestras’ President and CEO Jesse Rosen. “Our objective for the seminar is to keep the program on the forward edge of trends in the orchestra world, and to equip participants to navigate the rapidly changing orchestra field.”

“Essentials of Orchestra Management has a long track record of imparting a large body of knowledge and experience about the orchestra field to the leaders of tomorrow. This year’s curriculum builds on that tradition, taking the best of the past and at the same time opening up the class to a think-tank atmosphere for discussing many of the critical issues of our time,” said Simon Woods, Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Director of Essentials. “Our whole field is in a moment of stepping out to meet the future, and this next generation is critical in that exciting regenerative process.”

“I am beyond thrilled that Rachel was selected,” said Michelle Mullaly, Canton Symphony Orchestra’s President & CEO. “She came to us right out of college already with a high level of learning and experience. I can’t wait to see what she learns!”

Essentials continues in its long tradition of developing the field’s future leaders; since its inception in 2000, over 500 individuals have participated in the program. Many alumni are now professionals excelling at an array of highly-regarded music organizations, including El Sistema USA, the National Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, Silkroad, and many more.

Led by a faculty of orchestra executives, leadership experts, artists, and arts activists with diverse backgrounds and viewpoints, Essentials of Orchestra Management not only explores the challenges faced by orchestra managers today, but also envisions how orchestras must adapt and change to be sustainable in the future. Essentials addresses both theory and practice in a curriculum that integrates the faculty’s extensive practical experience and professional knowledge into a course of study designed to elevate participants’ careers.
The core and guest faculty members comprise a high-profile group of orchestral leaders from around the U.S.:

Essentials of Orchestra Management Core Faculty:
Simon Woods, Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles Philharmonic; Essentials Director
Scott Faulkner, Bassist, Reno Philharmonic; former Executive Director, Reno Chamber Orchestra; Essentials Associate Director
Jennifer Barlament, Executive Director, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Alexander Laing, Principal Clarinetist, Phoenix Symphony
Jesse Rosen, President and CEO, League of American Orchestras
John-Morgan Bush, Director of Learning and Leadership Programs, League of American Orchestras

Essentials Guest Faculty:
Reveta Bowers, Head of School, the Center for Early Education; Board Member, Los Angeles Philharmonic
Dan Coleman, Senior Development Advisor, Cleveland Institute of Music
Amy Fogerson, Director, Street Symphony Chamber Singers
Vince Ford, Vice President, Audiences and Innovation, New York Philharmonic
Ken Foster, Director, Arts Leadership Program, USC Thornton School of Music
Tanya Kalmanovitch, Assistant Professor, the New School University; Faculty, New England Conservatory
Faith Raiguel, Chief Financial Officer, LA Opera (retired)
Laura Reynolds, Vice President of Education and Community Engagement, Seattle Symphony
Rachel Roberts, Associate Professor of Music Leadership, Eastman School of Music
Meredith Snow, Violist, Los Angeles Philharmonic; Chairperson, International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians
Dan Song, Vice President, Philharmonic and Production, Los Angeles Philharmonic
Ed Yim, President, American Composers Orchestra

Prominent musicians and artists from the Greater L.A. area will supplement the seminar experience.

The 2019 Essentials of Orchestra Management Cohort:
Selina Fischer, Orchestra Coordinator, Colburn School
Heidi Gempeler, Board Liaison and Executive Administrator, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
Rachel Hagemeier, Manager of Education and Community Outreach, Canton Symphony Orchestra
Andrew Hay, Executive Director, Amarillo Symphony
Chrysa Kovach, Director of Development, Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra
Emily Lair, Education Project Manager, Los Angeles Philharmonic
Larry Lang, Executive Director, Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra
Kay Linan, Box Circle and VIP Concierge, Pacific Symphony
Aileen MacDonald, Orchestra Personnel Assistant/Auditions Coordinator, New York Philharmonic
Dave Moss, Executive Director, Haymarket Opera Company
Ji Hae Oh, Director of Donor Relations, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Gokul Parasuram, Data Analyst, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Emily Paris-Martin, Director, Business Operations, Bozeman Symphony
Joseph Peterson, Trombone Fellow, New World Symphony
Mara Prausa, Executive Director, Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra
Virginia Reynolds, Education Programs Manager, San Francisco Symphony
Rebecca Roling, Director of Marketing and Audience Development, New West Symphony
Hunter Safrit, Associate Executive Director, Salisbury Symphony Orchestra
Jessica Satava, Executive Director, Johnstown Symphony Orchestra
Sydney Schless, Marketing and Communications Manager, Jacksonville Symphony
Erik Shinn, Concert Operations and Personnel Manager, York Symphony Orchestra
Ebner Sobalvarro, Assistant to the Music and Artistic Director, Los Angeles Philharmonic
Geetha Somayajula, Fulbright Student Researcher- Music, Fulbright U.S. Student Program
Andrew Stiefel, Senior Digital Communications Manager, Seattle Symphony
Timothy Storhoff, Philanthropy & Patron Engagement Manager, Winston-Salem Symphony
Elizabeth Trower, Executive Manager, Sinfonia da Camera
Catharine Walby, Continuing Education, Chicago College of Performing Arts
Morgan Walker, General Manager, Paducah Symphony Orchestra
Dina-Marie Weineck, Executive Assistant and Board Liaison, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
Lisa White, Publicist, Los Angeles Philharmonic
Sarah Whitling, Manager of Strategic Initiatives, Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Rachel Wilken, Program Coordinator, Indiana University
Marissa Winship, Freelance Musician, Self Employed
Brooke Wyatt, Director of Development, Mississippi Symphony Orchestra
Alexander Zhu, Music Faculty, Pasadena Conservatory of Music

Essentials of Orchestra Management is made possible by generous grants from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

About the Canton Symphony Orchestra
Founded in 1937, the Canton Symphony Orchestra is a fully professional ensemble and organization dedicated to performing concerts that enrich, educate and entertain. Under the direction of Gerhardt Zimmermann, the orchestra performs classical, pops, holiday, and educational programs. Most performances are in Umstattd Performing Arts Hall, 2323 17th Street NW, Canton, Ohio (at McKinley High School across from C.T. Branin Natatorium). For more information, please visit www.cantonsymphony.org.
About the League of American Orchestras
The League of American Orchestras leads, supports, and champions America’s orchestras and the vitality of the music they perform. Its diverse membership of more than 2,000 organizations and individuals across North America runs the gamut from world-renowned orchestras to community groups, from summer festivals to student and youth ensembles, from conservatories to libraries, from businesses serving orchestras to individuals who love symphonic music. The only national organization dedicated solely to the orchestral experience, the League is a nexus of knowledge and innovation, advocacy, and leadership advancement. Its conferences and events, award-winning Symphony magazine, website, and other publications inform people around the world about orchestral activity and developments. Founded in 1942 and chartered by Congress in 1962, the League links a national network of thousands of instrumentalists, conductors, managers and administrators, board members, volunteers, and business partners. Visit americanorchestras.org.

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