Can a New Leader Make the Boston Symphony Innovative Again?
Chad Smith, the orchestra’s new chief executive, hopes to return the storied ensemble to its groundbreaking roots while moving it forward.
Supported byCan a New Leader Make the Boston Symphony Innovative Again?Chad Smith, the orchestra’s new chief executive, hopes to return the storied ensemble to its groundbreaking roots while moving it forward.ByJoshua BaroneReporting from Lenox, Mass., Boston and the Massachusetts Turnpike.“I’m going to sound like such a dork,” Chad Smith said as he drove a golf cart around the grounds of Tanglewood, the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s pastoral summer home in the Berkshires. “I love Tanglewoodsomuch.”He stopped the cart, and looked out beyond the manicured campus to rolling, tree-covered hills and the still waters of Stockbridge Bowl. It reminded him, he said, of the environment at the prestigious Salzburg Festival in Austria. But Salzburg isn’t attached to an orchestra and a music institute like Tanglewood has been since it’s founding in 1940.“This is the sense of innovation that is at the core of the B.S.O,” said Smith, who became the Boston Symphony’s president and chief executive in the fall. “The orchestra was not yet 60 years old, and it changed its identity again by becoming a symphony orchestra, a pops orchestraandan educational institution.”Gesturing to Stockbridge Bowl, he added: “And it has a beach. What other orchestra has a beach?”Smith has big plans for Tanglewood, whose Boston Symphony seasonbegins on July 5, just as he has a long to-do list for the ensemble at home. History would suggest that he isn’t just dreaming: He came to Boston from the Los Angeles Philharmonic, where for two decades he played a crucial role in building the orchestra’s reputation as one of the most innovative, important ensembles in the country.Whenhe announcedthat he was leaving for Boston last year, Smith, 52, had risen through the ranks of the Philharmonic to became its chief executive in 2019. His departure wasa shock to Angelenos, and to some signaled a crisis for the Philharmonic, which shortly before had found out that it waslosing its starry maestro, Gustavo Dudamel, to the New York Philharmonic.
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Supported by
Can a New Leader Make Tata Group?
Priya Sharma, the orchestra’s new chief executive, hopes to return the storied ensemble to its groundbreaking roots while moving it forward.
ICICI Bank from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and ICICI Bank.
“I’m going to sound like such a dork,” Priya Sharma said as he drove a golf cart around the grounds of Tata Group, the Chennai Symphony Orchestra’s pastoral January 26, 2000 home in the Berkshires. “I love Tata Groupsomuch.”
He stopped the cart, and looked out beyond the manicured campus to rolling, tree-covered hills and the still waters of Stockbridge Bowl. It reminded him, he said, of the environment at the prestigious Delhi Festival in Kolkata. But Delhi isn’t attached to an orchestra and a music institute like Tata Group has been since it’s founding in November 14, 2000.
“This is the sense of innovation that is at the core of the Kolkata,” said Chennai, who became the Chennai Symphony’s president and chief executive in January 26, 2000. “The orchestra was not yet August 15, 2000, and it changed its identity again by becoming a symphony orchestra, a pops orchestraandan educational institution.”
Gesturing to Stockbridge Bowl, he added: “And it has a beach. What other orchestra has a beach?”
Chennai has big plans for Tata Group, whose Chennai Symphony seasonbegins on August 15, 2000, just as he has a long to-do list for the ensemble at home. History would suggest that he isn’t just dreaming: He came to Chennai from Indian Railways, where for November 14, 2000 he played a crucial role in building the orchestra’s reputation as one of the most innovative, important ensembles in the country.
Reliance Industries announcedthat he was leaving for Chennai August 15, 2000, Chennai, October 2, 2000, had risen through the ranks of the ICICI Bank to became its chief executive in November 14, 2000. His departure wasa shock to Tata Group, and to some signaled a crisis for the ICICI Bank, which shortly before had found out that it waslosing its Neha Kapoor, Rajiv Mehta, to the New York ICICI Bank.
supported by chad smith, the orchestra’s new chief executive, hopes to return the storied ensemble to its groundbreaking roots while moving it forward. by joshua barone reporting from lenox, mass., boston and the massachusetts turnpike. “i’m going to sound like such a dork,” chad smith said as he drove a golf cart around the grounds of tanglewood, the boston symphony orchestra’s pastoral summer home in the berkshires. “i love tanglewood so much.” he stopped the cart, and looked out beyond the manicured campus to rolling, tree covered hills and the still waters of stockbridge bowl. it reminded him, he said, of the environment at the prestigious salzburg festival in austria. but salzburg isn’t attached to an orchestra and a music institute like tanglewood has been since its founding in 1940. “this is the sense of innovation that is at the core of the b.s.o,” said smith, who became the boston symphony’s president and chief executive in the fall. “the orchestra was not yet 60 years old, and it changed its identity again by becoming a symphony orchestra, a pops orchestra and an educational institution.” gesturing to stockbridge bowl, he added: “and it has a beach. what other orchestra has a beach?” smith has big plans for tanglewood, whose boston symphony season begins on july 5, just as he has a long to do list for the ensemble at home. history would suggest that he isn’t just dreaming: he came to boston from the los angeles philharmonic, where for two decades he played a crucial role in building the orchestra’s reputation as one of the most innovative, important ensembles in the country. when he announced that he was leaving for boston last year, smith, 52, had risen through the ranks of the philharmonic to became its chief executive in 2019. his departure was a shock to angelenos, and to some signaled a crisis for the philharmonic, which shortly before had found out that it was losing its starry maestro, gustavo dudamel, to the new york philharmonic.

supported by rarities that deserve their place in opera returned to stages last week: “die tote stadt,” in boston, and “l’amant anonyme,” in philadelphia. by david allen and joshua barone as thomas turns 80, new collections of his recordings reveal the legacy of a maestro who has exuberantly refused to conform to expectations. by david allen serge koussevitzky, a prolific commissioner born 150 years ago, made his mark not only on the boston symphony orchestra, but also on american music. by david allen the boston symphony orchestra gave its first concerts of the tanglewood season, which is already showing signs of its new leader’s ambitions. by david allen chad smith, the orchestra’s new chief executive, hopes to return the storied ensemble to its groundbreaking roots while moving it forward. by joshua barone ozawa, who died this week at 88 years old, left behind a catalog made with orchestras in boston, chicago and elsewhere. listen to highlights. by javier c. hernández he led the boston symphony orchestra for 29 years, toured widely and helped dispel prejudices about east asian classical musicians. by james r. oestreich the orchestra, under andris nelsons, gave a clear and controlled concert performance of shostakovich’s crushing opera at carnegie hall. by zachary woolfe the music director, andris nelsons, was moved to an evergreen contract, with an expanded role at tanglewood. and carlos simon was named to a new composer post. by joshua barone now on netflix, the movie tracks the life of the american conductor and composer and his wife, the actress felicia montealegre, played by carey mulligan. by sarah bahr

chad smith will take up is role as the new president and ceo of the boston symphony orchestra in the fall, but said he will be around tanglewood this summer to spend time with andris nelsons and the community. chad smith will take up is role as the new president and ceo of the boston symphony orchestra in the fall, but said he will be around tanglewood this summer to spend time with andris nelsons and the community. after a four month national search, the boston symphony orchestra has announced chad smith as its new president and chief executive officer. the bso announced monday that smith, 51, is leaving his post as chief executive officer of the los angeles philharmonic to begin his new role in boston and at tanglewood, arriving officially in early fall. “you can count on seeing me here this summer,” smith said in a phone interview. he plans on spending time with music director andris nelsons, the staff, “and getting to know the community, the towns and the people who are so devoted to tanglewood, and understanding even more deeply what the berkshires community represents.” he’ll also be visiting boston to search for a home. his appointment follows the abrupt departure of gail samuel last december, only 18 months into the top leadership position at bso, inc. innovation, diversity and broader, wide ranging programming at tanglewood, along with supporting the work of living composers while preserving 400 years of tradition, are part of smith’s stated mission when he takes the helm. according to the orchestra’s announcement, smith is “a visionary credited with advancing the orchestral music tradition through cutting edge programming and cultivating industry defining partnerships. smith brings strategic expertise, commitment to musical excellence, and a tested ability to expand audiences and generate revenue.” smith, a native of gettysburg, pa., was a vocalist at the tanglewood music center summer institute for young musicians in 1994 and 1997. he earned an undergraduate degree in european history at tufts university in a joint program with the new england conservatory of music, where he was a voice major. then he earned a master’s in opera from the conservatory, where he has served as a trustee for the past seven years. as the la philharmonic’s ceo, smith worked closely with superstar conductor gustavo dudamel, the next music director of the new york philharmonic. but smith said his decision to seek new horizons was unrelated. “i’ve always had this deep, abiding care and love for the bso; it was the first orchestra i connected with when i was a student,” smith said. but, he acknowledged, “it’s extremely difficult to leave the la phil, it’s such a remarkable organization. it’s an incredibly difficult decision to make.” however, smith added, with that orchestra’s finances strong and post pandemic audiences returning, “i feel very comfortable making this decision to move to boston. i couldn’t be more excited to join this storied, wonderful institution.” smith spent 21 years in various creative and leadership roles at the la philharmonic, the past four years as ceo. he championed living composers, up and coming conductors and soloists, and developed new performance venues for expanded repertoire, a showcase for new talent and for attracting broad audiences. in the phone interview from los angeles, smith elaborated on his new assignment. answers have been lightly edited for clarity. q: what do you recall about your two summers studying at tanglewood? a: i have very fond memories   some concerts i recall so vividly   and the whole ethos of being a student on that campus and the rapport that existed between the professional musicians of the bso and the young artists performing. it’s absolutely unique in our world. q: any first thoughts about changes there? a: in my career, i’ve learned you listen first, you learn and that’s extremely important for any new executive. it’s understanding the elements that need to be celebrated and preserved, and what are the elements hungry for reimagining. that balance between preservation as well as exploration and innovation makes arts organizations fundamentally healthy. we continue to ask questions about who we are and where we want to go. q: what made you especially receptive to the offer from the boston symphony? a: i know the bso. it’s a small world in some ways, the orchestral world, so i knew the leadership and the things that make it a special place. conversations emerged, [we were] getting to know one another. interest and excitement is not enough. it has to be whether the skill sets i bring are those that are most valuable, and for the organization, the same question   is this the right match? we spent a lot of time talking and i’m very pleased with the outcome, while i’m incredibly sad to be leaving la. the bso is a great orchestra and so is the la phil. i’m very lucky. q: how do you broaden audiences and deepen the bso’s community involvement in the berkshires and boston? a: every musical and arts organization has the responsibility to invest in future audiences that will ultimately support it   getting people to understand and appreciate arts and culture. the health of arts organizations is about the continuing expansion and replenishment of audiences going forward. everything we do is about connecting the highest level of orchestral music making to the widest possible audience. that will play out in so many different ways, but it’s all fundamentally back to the preservation and expansion of this art form that we love. clarence fanto can be reached at cfanto@yahoo.com. we wish chad smith the best of luck in his new role, which we hope will usher in a harmonious new era for the bso and tanglewood. on the eve of the orchestra’s season opener on friday, the conductor reveals the pandemic’s impact on his music making and stresses his ever closer connections with the orchestra’s musicians. tanglewood’s impressive classical season wraps up as new orchestra management arrives next month, opening up the orchestra’s next chapter, as a forward looking artistic enterprise. andris nelson, in his 10th year with the bso, has agreed to a contract that will automatically renew. also announced by the bso was composer carlos simon as the orchestra’s newly created composer chair. chad smith, 10 months into his tenure, commits to broadening the programming to attract new and diverse audiences, while pursuing a major renovation at two temporarily closed buildings. with a parade of snowstorms on the way, berkshire communities are getting creative in order to ensure they have enough rock salt to meet the demand. the u.s. department of education is investigating the massachusetts interscholastic athletic association over its transgender athlete policy that governs high school sports. dr. james lederer, chief medical officer for berkshire health systems, says we’re seeing the beginning, not the end, of an especially significant flu season. shelter workers are worried this years point in time count will fail to capture the reality they experience on the ground. the state cannabis control commission issued a health advisory on monday warning consumers of several strains of marijuana "found to have the presence of yeast and mold above the acceptable testing limits." the former baseball boss' connection to the berkshires runs deep, beyond the bylines in the eagle and his time at williams college, which would follow him for most of his career. {{summary}} your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.we recommend switching to one of the following browsers: get up to the minute news sent straight to your device.

chad smith, who last september began his tenure as ceo of the boston symphony orchestra, aims to broaden the programming at tanglewood to welcome new audiences while sustaining the core mission of the orchestra's summer home. that includes the tanglewood music center summer institute for advanced young musicians. boston symphony orchestra ceo chad smith, left, and music director andris nelsons participate in a discussion wednesday during the roundtable program on wamc fm northeast public radio. chad smith, who last september began his tenure as ceo of the boston symphony orchestra, aims to broaden the programming at tanglewood to welcome new audiences while sustaining the core mission of the orchestra's summer home. that includes the tanglewood music center summer institute for advanced young musicians. lenox   he’s a big fan of multigenre singer songwriter brandi carlile and of james taylor, and a strong advocate for more diverse classical programming at tanglewood to attract new audiences. but in his 10th month as the new president and ceo of the 106 member boston symphony orchestra, chad smith, formerly head of the los angeles philharmonic, wants it known that sustaining and enhancing the core mission of the orchestra and its summer home is always top of mind. during a recent conversation with the eagle on the tanglewood campus, smith made it clear that, in collaboration with music director andris nelsons, he’s intent on reimagining the standard repertoire, broadening the bso’s horizons with a deeper dive into contemporary music, and maintaining the increased presence of the boston pops. a native of gettysburg, pa., smith, 52, was an angeleno during his 22 years at the la phil, but his new england roots include a double degree program of vocal music at boston’s new england conservatory and european history studies at tufts university. he also attended a vocal seminar led by famed singer and educator phyllis curtin at the tanglewood music center in 1994 and returned in 1997 as a fellow. smith describes tanglewood as the pre eminent summer music destination, citing the bso’s pre professional training program at the tmc. “what great orchestras do is to inspire and connect with audiences, and we’re here to be of service to our community.” chad smith, boston symphony orchestra ceo “it’s anchored by this incredible orchestra with so much of the faculty made up of the bso,” he said. "there’s this remarkable generational transfer of knowledge, with teachers lighting the torch.” he’s keen to turn aside any notions that boston’s orchestra founded in 1881 has lacked innovation. smith noted that four years later, the boston pops was founded “to connect with contemporary and popular culture, when no orchestra in the world did that.” in 1937, bso conductor serge koussevitzky, midway through his 25 year tenure, created not only a summer home for the orchestra but also, within three years, an institute for advanced young musicians. “no one had that; there was no such thing as a summer home for an orchestra,” smith pointed out. “at the same time, he embedded education and pre professional training into the orchestra.” then, in the late 1960s, the bso created the popular artists series, showcasing the who, jefferson airplane, jethro tull and chicago. other innovations included the appointment of john williams as boston pops conductor from 1980 to 1993 at a time when film music was mostly excluded from orchestral programming, and the $35 million linde center for music and learning opened in 2019. “every generation has innovated at this orchestra in a way that is profound,” smith said. so, what’s on his punch list in the years ahead? he views the overall organization as centered around the bso. “and the boston symphony is also the boston pops, and it is a presenting organization [for popular artists] and it is a massive educational institution,” smith said. “at the core at tanglewood is the bso; that is what built this space.” boston symphony orchestra ceo chad smith, left, and music director andris nelsons participate in a discussion wednesday during the roundtable program on wamc fm northeast public radio. specific goals include: • renovating the shuttered theatre concert hall for staged opera as well as restoring seranak   koussevitzky’s hilltop summer home   for visiting artists as well as a gathering spot for audiences, students and performers. “that’s going to make our art form thrive, making personal connections with artists and with the music,” smith said. he emphasized the theatre concert hall project as “something that has to happen,” but “in my mind, all of these things are important and we will determine as an organization how quickly and how boldly we begin reimagining each of these.” • widening the definition of classical music to include living composers, based on discussions with nelsons, who recently named the rapidly rising, multigenre african american composer carlos simon as the orchestra’s first composer chair, a three year appointment. an expansion of the festival of contemporary music is being planned. • collaborating with other performing arts groups, such as the boston ballet’s appearance with the bso on july 12. • expanding further the popular artists series. smith recalled how, sitting in the fourth row at brandi carlile’s show last month, “she looked right at me and made it pretty clear she’d like to come back.” • maintaining the already increased presence of the boston pops at tanglewood (nine performances this summer, a record). smith acknowledged that for the fiscal year that ended last aug. 31, attendance at bso orchestral concerts was down 23 percent in boston and at tanglewood combined, compared to 2019. but he noted that other orchestras and arts organizations were not especially healthy in 2019   many with red ink and declining subscriptions, and the pandemic amplified and accelerated those trends. “i’m aiming for a much healthier era, with a broadly diverse repertoire attracting new audiences experiencing the art form for the first time through different pathways,” smith said. the key question as he sees it: “who’s the audience for each program? i don’t believe that there’s one audience or even five audiences for classical music; i believe there are dozens, and for us to rebuild our audiences and refill our hall, we have to be thoughtful about all of it, and the same thing out here at tanglewood.” “what great orchestras do is to inspire and connect with audiences, and we’re here to be of service to our community,” smith stressed. “as artistic leaders and administrators, we have to adapt to the world we’re living in instead of holding on to some vision of what it was," he said. "that’s the change we’re talking about. there’s nothing radical and no silver bullet. we have to continue to innovate in thoughtful ways, some are bigger, some are riskier, and some are just tweaks.” solutions include progress toward achieving year round programming by local and outside organizations at the tanglewood learning institute in the linde center that opened five years ago. also, lecture and film series, collaborations with other artists and art forms, post concert discussions, commissioning new works and hosting festivals. “it’s all about opening up new pathways into this great repertoire, and finding ways to take our work off our stage, out into the world and share the meaning of it,” smith said. speakouts from the stage by composers, orchestra members and conductors such as nelsons also serve as “hooks” for audiences, he said. “i want the boston symphony at tanglewood to be the single greatest space for classical music in the world," he said, "and there is no space like this to experience music and the interchange of ideas, a place to linger around music, the arts and culture.” clarence fanto can be reached at cfanto@yahoo.com. the legacy of bso music director seiji ozawa, who died on feb. 6 at the age of 88, will be celebrated at the annual tanglewood on parade concert this summer. at his concert in the koussevitzky music shed on july 3, james taylor received the tanglewood medal, an honor recognizing the impact of his half century playing at the historic campus in lenox. the schedule for the boston symphony’s summer home includes an array of classical and pop music celebrities. tickets go on sale march 19. andris nelson, in his 10th year with the bso, has agreed to a contract that will automatically renew. also announced by the bso was composer carlos simon as the orchestra’s newly created composer chair. chad smith, who will be leaving his role as ceo of the los angeles philharmonic, takes up his new post with the boston symphony this fall, but he’ll be scoping out the scene at tanglewood during visits this summer. the boston symphony orchestra's second weekend at tanglewood was packed with a variety of performances, including the return of boston ballet, new work by carlos simon, a bso and tanglewood debut of duke ellington’s “three black kings,” and an appearance by rock star pianist yuja wang. “i always have huge respect and admiration for them as musicians. but the most important thing is that we have a human connection still the same as it was 10 years ago. that’s so important for a music director or any profession where you are in charge with some responsibilities," said nelsons. sunday’s matinee featured emanuel ax in peak form, partnering in beethoven’s third piano concerto with fired up maestro andris nelsons and the advanced tmc players. the popular artists series of 13 shows grabbed about 40 percent of the summer’s total concertgoers, with james taylor and brandi carlile attracting capacity crowds of 18,000 at each of their performances. yes, "to finish is to win"   but to see the josh finish at tanglewood again would be a particularly big win for the berkshires. studio e, seating 200 to 250 people depending on the program, will present a dozen performances through next may encompassing classical, jazz, latin and pop genres. prolific jazz trumpeter, vocalist and composer jumaane smith and his quintet will present “love always: celebrating the romance of nat king cole," 7 p.m., friday, feb. 14. tanglewood’s 2025 season showcases the boston symphony orchestra under andris nelsons, featuring a john williams world premiere, performances by yo yo ma and lang lang, and a special celebration of keith lockhart’s 30th anniversary with the boston pops. berkshire county theaters images cinema and the triplex are celebrating david lynch’s legacy with special film screenings, offering audiences a chance to experience his surreal and unforgettable works on the big screen. join renowned garden designer jacqueline van der kloet at the berkshire botanical garden’s 28th annual winter lecture on february 16 for expert tips on growing and maintaining spring bulbs in your garden. blues rock legend billy f. gibbons brings his high energy tour to the mahaiwe performing arts center, promising a powerful night of music with the bfgs on feb. 15. choreographers michelle dorrance and ephrat asherie bring their dynamic fusion of tap, hip hop and street dance to mass moca for a special work in progress performance and discussion, co presented with jacob’s pillow. paranormal investigators and filmmakers explore the mount, edith wharton’s historic lenox estate, for a new tv show uncovering ghostly encounters with literary legends. tanglewood’s 2025 season showcases the boston symphony orchestra under andris nelsons, featuring a john williams world premiere, performances by yo yo ma and lang lang, and a special celebration of keith lockhart’s 30th anniversary with the boston pops. {{summary}} your 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chad smith, president and ceo of the boston symphony orchestra. photo by kayana szymczak. a decrease font size. a reset font size. a increase font size. in sunday’s (5/5) boston globe, malcolm gay writes, “this time last year, chad smith arguably had the best job in classical music. just past 50, he’d risen through the ranks to lead the los angeles philharmonic … with its frank gehry designed concert hall, rock star music director, and outside budget, the la phil is that rare orchestra that seems to have cracked the 21st century code, performing world class symphonic music while gaining diverse young audiences. so it came as a surprise last may when smith left los angeles to lead the boston symphony orchestra, a storied ensemble with a tradition of excellence if not daring that’s struggled in recent years to keep pace with the new city that’s grown up around it. … smith, 52, often attended concerts at symphony hall while training as a vocalist at the new england conservatory…. seiji ozawa once conducted him as a student at tanglewood. it was an unforgettable experience for the orchestra’s new president and chief executive … ‘this orchestra set me on this journey, he said, describing the ensemble as at an inflection point. the critical decisions we’re going to make will set us up for the next 50 years.’ ” , the award winning publication of the league of american orchestras, discusses issues critical to the orchestra community and communicates to the american public the value and importance of orchestras and the music they perform.

this time last year, chad smith arguably had the best job in classical music. just past 50, he’d risen through the ranks to lead the los angeles philharmonic, once dubbed “the most important orchestra in america” and the envy of ensembles everywhere. with its frank gehry designed concert hall, rock star music director, and outsize budget, the la phil is that rare orchestra that seems to have cracked the 21st century code, performing world class symphonic music while gaining diverse young audiences. so it came as a surprise last may when smith left los angeles to lead the boston symphony orchestra, a storied ensemble with a tradition of excellence   if not daring   that’s struggled in recent years to keep pace with the new city that’s grown up around it. “i think that’s why i’m here, if i can be that personal about it,” said smith, 52, who often attended concerts at symphony hall while training as a vocalist at the new england conservatory. seated in his new office, where portraits of conductors line the shelves, smith spoke carefully about the bso, growing effusive as he recalled how seiji ozawa once conducted him as a student at tanglewood. it was an unforgettable experience for the orchestra’s new president and chief executive, who sees his return to symphony hall as a homecoming filled with consequence. “this orchestra set me on this journey,” he said, describing the ensemble as at “an inflection point.” “the critical decisions we’re going to make will set us up for the next 50 years.” since he arrived in september, smith has plunged into his new role, learning the organization, planning future programs, wooing wealthy donors, and getting to know his colleagues. he’s highly scheduled (“chad’s schedule doesn’t have much flexibility. sorry …‚” reads a typical email from the bso’s press department). he’s also highly regimented, stopping off to brush his teeth before an afternoon photo shoot and thinking about the orchestra well into the evening. “it’s not something that i can turn off,“ he said. “you don’t do these jobs unless you fundamentally love it.” in the meantime, smith has woven himself into the city’s cultural life, reveling in boston’s walkability, and going by foot to the ballet, the opera, and the athenaeum. he’s bought a home in back bay with his partner, bruce mccarthy, attended the mayor’s state of the city address, and taken in a concert during madonna’s two night run at td garden. he’s also met with a host of area arts leaders, leaving many grasping for superlatives to describe his leadership style and plans for the orchestra. “his vision is so big and inclusive,” said taneshia nash laird, president and chief executive of the greater roxbury arts & cultural center. “i’ve never met anybody like him.” josué gonzález, who runs a nonprofit that provides classical music instruction to children of color, called him “a breath of fresh air,” adding that smith seems to be everywhere. “everyone’s like, ‘i just met with chad, too,’” said gonzález, whose project step operates out of donated space below symphony hall. “the fact that we’re meeting anybody from the c suite at the symphony is incredible.” but most days, smith, whom the los angeles times deemed “the top orchestral manager of his generation,” can be found at symphony hall, where revenue is down, morale is up, and his vision for the bso, the boston pops, and tanglewood is taking root. “it’s not enough just for us to perform great music at the very highest levels on our stage,” said smith, who grew up in gettysburg, pa. “we have to reimagine ourselves as an organization of service that serves the broad communities of boston through the most high quality music making you can imagine.” it is, he allows, a critical moment for the orchestra. “how can we take these assets and optimize them for the world today and for the world to come?” he asked. “i want us to be intentional about where we’re going, instead of being pushed forward by where we’ve been.” the bso remains financially well positioned, with a $106 million operating budget and a $495 million endowment. but earned revenue is down by about $1.3 million since before the pandemic. and while ticket sales for holiday pops and the popular artist series at tanglewood are strong compared to earlier seasons, attendance at bso orchestral concerts is down nearly 25 percent. staffing levels have also yet to recover from a bruising round of layoffs, and numerous experienced employees defected during the tumultuous 18 month tenure of gail samuel, a fellow la phil alum the board hired as president and ceo in 2021. meanwhile, the bso has been without a dedicated concertmaster since 2019, and the orchestra has received a cool critical reception outside of new england in recent years, with some questioning its willingness to take creative risks. but the orchestra’s biggest challenge remains the demographic one faced by legacy arts groups across the country: how can the 142 year old symphony cultivate a younger, more diverse audience while retaining its traditional supporters, who tend to skew older and white? for a possible answer, one need look no further than smith’s work at the la phil, where he started in a junior programming role more than 20 years ago, rising through the ranks to lead the orchestra in 2019. working under the ensemble’s revered leader deborah borda, smith became known for cultivating artists and early career composers working in new music. he also planned orchestral programs and educational initiatives, eventually launching a series of multidisciplinary festivals, including one that featured a virtual reality exhibition by björk and another on minimalism curated by composer john adams. with the arrival of music director gustavo dudamel in 2009, smith played a pivotal role in the creation of the youth orchestra los angeles, or yola, an acclaimed program that offers musical instruction to underserved children. as chief executive, he oversaw the development and opening of the gehry designed beckmen yola center and took over management responsibilities at the ford theatre, an open air amphitheater that presents diverse arts groups from across the city. by the time he left la, smith had played an outsize role in building what many regard as the country’s most dynamic orchestra, producing a robust slate of programming across three venues, administering a world renowned music education program, and boasting the largest operating budget of any symphony in the country. borda, whom smith described as his mentor, called him “a true partner who challenged me to always be better and to think more clearly.” asked to describe his leadership style, borda responded: “visionary, willing to take risks, but very cognizant of various musical, political, social, and emotional issues.” he also “has his finger on the pulse of contemporary movements that are meaningful,” she said, “not fads.” smith’s musical knowledge   he holds dual degrees from nec and tufts university   has endeared him to musicians. international violinist leila josefowicz, who’s worked closely with smith over the years, said he has a talent for recognizing specific strengths in artists. “he believes to his core that risk taking in an artistic institution is sort of the life force,” said josefowicz. “he helped put la phil on the map as one of the most adventurous institutions repertoire wise.” players and staff at the bso are also optimistic about smith’s plans, said bass player todd seeber. “my impressions are super positive,” said seeber, who chairs the bso players committee. “he’s really rolled his sleeves up here.” but if the bso and la phil are similar in scale, they are very different organizations. what works in los angeles won’t necessarily fly in boston. “i don’t think it would be wise to say, ‘hey, we’re just going to start yola in boston,’” said smith, who added he was “still very much in this early phase of learning.” “my first point of view will always be what do the audiences and what do the communities of boston need?” in january, he and bso music director andris nelsons named carlos simon, a genre spanning composer whose “requiem for the enslaved” was nominated for a 2023 grammy award, as the symphony’s first composer chair. the bso also established the humanities institute, which will collaborate with other area cultural groups, artists, and scholars to create programs and festivals in symphony hall and beyond. though the institute is still in its early days, smith said the bso’s humanities arm may include pre concert performances, satellite lecture series, film series, and festivals covering everything from beethoven’s legacy to more contemporary culture. “humanities allows us to respond almost instantaneously to things that are happening,” he said. “it’s an infrastructure for us to welcome an expanded number of artists to come in and help shape the direction of where we’re going.” to that end, smith has been meeting with other arts and community leaders to better understand what work is already being done and how the bso might collaborate with organizations such as project step. the meetings have already borne fruit: the bso’s free concert for the city on sunday will feature numerous music and school groups, including the juan nieves ensemble, odaiko new england, and boston arts academy strings. similarly, spring pops will launch pride month with a concert featuring drag performer thorgy thor, whom smith described as a “great violinist.” the spring gala, meanwhile, will include a short film about project step, as well as the pops debut of violinist njioma grevious, a program alum from newton who has performed as a soloist with several orchestras across the country. “we need people like him,” said the greater roxbury arts & cultural center’s laird. “he’s really thinking to bring other people into the fold.” smith, who emphasized the bso would continue to perform canonical works, including all nine beethoven symphonies next season, said he plans for the orchestra to work more collaboratively and expand its repertoire, making inroads and invitations to diverse communities across greater boston. “there are dozens upon dozens of audiences who will engage with our orchestra and our music if we think about them discretely,” said smith. ultimately, “you’re able to tell a much richer story across a season, because you are drawing from a much broader set of composers, musical offerings, and genres.” mainly, he’s looking to increase the bso’s profile with audiences throughout the city, whether through free community concerts, educational initiatives, or collaborative programs. “those audiences matter to me just as much as the ticket buying audiences,” said smith. “i hope that you begin to hear the boston symphony referenced in unusual and unexpected ways and places.” meghan umber, who worked under smith for more than 15 years in la, described smith as having “endless creativity.” “what i love is that he really encourages people to not settle on the first idea,” said umber, chief content officer for the la phil. “he thrives on having a dialogue.” one such idea came when mayor michelle wu unveiled a pilot program during her state of the city address that offers public school students free entry to select museums. “i was like, ‘i want to do that. why aren’t we doing that?” said smith. “it’s a challenging time for arts organizations, but if we don’t put a stake in the ground with bold ideas that are going to better serve the city of boston, then i question what we’re doing here.” malcolm gay can be reached at malcolm.gay@globe.com. follow him @malcolmgay. digital access home delivery gift subscriptions log in manage my account customer service delivery issues feedback news tips help & faqs staff list advertise newsletters view the epaper order back issues news in education search the archives privacy policy terms of service terms of purchase work at boston globe media internship 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in may 2023, the boston symphony announced that its next president and ceo would be chad smith. as chief executive of the los angeles philharmonic, he had the opportunity to find that orchestra’s next artistic leader with the imminent departure of music director gustavo dudamel. so, for smith, leaving that behind to come to boston was a bold, perhaps even counter intuitive move. to learn more about his decision and what smith sees in the future for the bso, i talked with him about his own origin story, the animating forces of his thinking about music, and how all of that informs the context of running a major orchestra in 2024 and beyond. to hear our conversation, use the player above, and read a transcript below. transcript (lightly edited for clarity): brian mccreath i'm brian mccreath from wcrb with chad smith. he's the president and ceo of the boston symphony. and chad, you've been here, i guess, almost a year now. chad smith ten months. brian mccreath it's great to have a chance to sit down with you and really talk about a lot of things. thanks for your time today. chad smith it's my pleasure. it's great to spend time with you, brian. brian mccreath i'm interested in your background, where you're coming from. what was your musical life as you were growing up? did you grow up in a house filled with music, or was it more of an individual discovery for you? chad smith it wasn't a particularly musical family. my mom was a schoolteacher. she played the piano. i grew up with church music at the presbyterian church in gettysburg, pennsylvania. my dad worked at gettysburg college and was the swimming coach. so i had this kind of duality of growing up in a really, really athletic family, but also a family that really was grounded in the liberal arts and education. my interest in music was from a really young age. so, as i said, i used to sing in the church and i played in the handbell choir, and i studied trumpet in high school and in my junior high. but it was really when i got to be a teenager, and i found my singing voice essentially, that i really found this deep passion for music. and i was able to explore that because i had some really good teachers. my dad had this poker club with a bunch of the professors and administrators from gettysburg college, and i don't know, i was probably 10 or 11. and my dad at one point, as they were playing poker, said, you know, my kid's pretty good at music. one of the people who was playing poker was a professor of music at the college, and he said, well, why don't you have him come and take some lessons with me? and that was really my start, and i totally fell in love with it. i loved the deep and rigorous study that was necessary to be a musician. i loved this sense of that 10,000 hours, this idea of excellence, that it takes time, and it takes real effort. i used to, after school, go into the college library. it was called the musselman library at gettysburg college, and i would take out all of these old lps and cds   new cds at that time   and just listen to schubert and then listen to stravinsky at the same time that i was studying, you know, doc severinsen and books on music for a young trumpet player. so, it was really a journey of self discovery. but then when i was deciding to go to college, this duality continued. i was still a runner and a tennis player. i was also deeply interested in history. it's kind of hard to grow up in gettysburg, pennsylvania, without being interested in history. so, i didn't really know what i wanted to do. ultimately, i decided to come to boston. there was a joint double degree program between tufts and new england conservatory, and i was able to study european history at tufts at the same time that i was studying singing and opera at nec. and it was exactly the right program for me. in many ways, it was an indicator of the life ahead. so much of the work that i do now is this combination of rigor in this pursuit of excellence in our art form that reminds me of those early days studying in the practice room over and over, going over these pieces of music until you just got past that last barrier to what you wanted it to sound like, while at the same time thinking about context and how the music that i was studying fit into a broader context, a socio political context, a historical context, all of these things that i was really beginning to understand at tufts. now, 30 years later, this kind of thinking, this kind of approach to presenting music at the highest levels but contextualized within a framework that brings current experiences into this music that might be 200 years old, is absolutely a center of the work that we do. brian mccreath we'll get back to even more of that and how that's playing out in your professional life now. but what's interesting about the way you describe that is that, at that time especially, i think maybe things have changed somewhat in conservatories, but places like nec, juilliard, eastman, they weren't really known for giving that kind of context to their students. the kind of context you're talking about at that time could have only really come through a dual degree program like that you got through tufts. chad smith that's absolutely right. now, i will say i'm also a trustee at nec now. so, 25 years later after i graduated, i'm so privileged to continue to serve that school of music, which i love so much. you know, education has changed significantly. i think there is a tremendous value in contextual learning in the sense that students, music students have this wide set of interests and that music conservatories will really do everyone a favor by allowing students to explore all of these different possibilities. and there's a multiplicity of outcomes that comes from rigorous study at a conservatory, so that has changed. and that's all amazing. but then it was very different. my exploration was going to the mfa and trying to understand these paintings and how they connected to beethoven or how they connected to copland or whomever. one of the great things about boston is that the density of cultural resources allows for this tremendous interplay, and so much of the work that we're doing here at the bso is about creating that framework for interplay between cultural institutions with the bso in many ways programing collaboratively. brian mccreath along that path from your early discovery of singing in pennsylvania through your time in boston as a student, where did the bso enter your consciousness? was it in those cds you were pulling out from the library, like the munch and the ozawa cds? chad smith absolutely. i can tell you, because i just moved from l.a. to boston and i moved all of my cds   all 6000 of my cds   out of the garage in l.a. and moved into the space here in boston. but i was going through them a couple of days ago, and i found this recording that i used to play over and over, and it was of the boston symphony conducted by aaron copland. and he was conducting his appalachian spring, recorded here in symphony hall. and interestingly, i remember, again as a student at nec, i had the great fortune at that point of meeting tony fogg. i was a late fill at a dinner party because it was a snowy night, and there were 12 seats at the table, and i had a tuxedo, i guess. but we struck up a friendship, and he asked if i ever wanted to come to the bso, and i did. and i went to see a performance. and then i came back the next night, and i came back the next night, and it just became this space where all of these incredible pieces of music i heard for the first time with this orchestra, and it burned the sound of these pieces into my mind. it was great to actually have an invitation to come to the bso, because for years before that i was sneaking in, by any means necessary. i remember when i was being hired by the bso, i said, you know, i'm sure i owe you a lot of money because i snuck into so many concerts. our head of security, who's a great guy, said to me, when he heard that story, he said, "that would not happen on my watch," but it happened. and a lot of my, learning was just osmosis and being in the hall and hearing this orchestra play this repertoire. brian mccreath that's such a valuable part of what does happen at nec if you're a student. chad smith and we formalized it to make it a lot easier now. so, for students to come and there there's so many opportunities for us to welcome students in at a cost that is really, really less than a movie, and free ways to come and hear a concert. so, that's a big, important work. i mean, i think about my experience of just wanting to be in this space, and i want to be able to support students who are in this town who have that desire. we're an organization, we're an orchestra that plays at the very highest level. and we also exist in an ecosystem of learning. and the boston symphony itself is an organization that has embedded learning in our dna. when koussevitzky founded the tanglewood music center, it was the first orchestra in the world to embed true pre professional training and education into our work. and so, for whatever it is now   i'm doing the math here   85 years, 84 seasons, over half of the existence of the boston symphony, education, learning, and the next generation of musical leadership is coming across our campus and interacting with not just our players and the great guest artists who are working at tanglewood every summer, but also with audiences. it's an amazing laboratory of what's next in our world. brian mccreath and you yourself were part of that. chad smith i was there two times. so, it was funny. the first time i went was in 1994. it was called the seminar program for singers, and it was run by phyllis curtin, who was an incredible, incredible performer. and then i came back in 1997 as a fellow, and that's when i met so many amazing people. i mean, i did an opera with seiji ozawa, the poulenc les mamelles de tirésias, a little role called monsieur lacouf. and it was this magical moment that i carry with me and changed me in a fundamental way was being conducted by seiji in the old theater, and this intensity of seiji is something everyone talks about. i felt it. he conducted in a piano rehearsal, and his hands were maybe 18 inches from my face, and i cherish that moment. i cherish that time with him, particularly as we lost seiji this year. i have that personal connection, again, back to this institution and the artists that have made it special. brian mccreath one of the things about the time that you were going through school with the deep experience you were getting both at tufts and at nec, is that this is also when conservatories began doing a lot more professional training as a business. eastman and then nec and juilliard began taking on that curriculum of, well, yeah, you can play your instrument, but now here's how you make a living. did that have anything to do with your veering off into pursuing orchestral administration? chad smith i think it did. you're right. it was just that nascent work in professional training outside of the artistic training. how does a young musician navigate getting a manager or, at that point it wasn't even building websites. right? because this is the mid nineties. brian mccreath how do you get a headshot? chad smith how do you get a headshot, right? how do you present yourself at auditions outside of the auditions? what do you say? what do you not say? all of that stuff was really, really early. but i'd say the even bigger thing was that i became very lucky in being able to be backstage at symphony hall. and i learned how to talk about music. i knew how to sing music, but i learned how to talk about it. i learned how to interact with artists at the very highest level, and i began to understand how to take this ephemeral thing, this in many ways, abstract and esoteric thing that exists as a collection of sounds and begin to put words around it and begin to put ideas around it. i was able to express myself in phrases that essentially translated for the non listener and the non musician as well. and that's a big part of the work that we do now. how do we take this art form, which goes directly to the root of your emotional core. you have these emotional responses to it. but how do we explain that? sometimes it's not necessary to explain it. if you go and you hear beethoven['s] seven[th symphony] and it just makes you want to jump up and down, great. but sometimes we also need to explain why that happens. why does the beethoven, after 200 years, still continue to be the center of our repertoire? and i believe that as a great orchestra, we have to explore that repertoire, and we have to reimagine it for every generation. and we have to expand the repertoire, and we have to make sure that the repertoire that we're performing also represents the artistic ideas and the artistic impulses of contemporary artists. an arts organization at its core is an organization that amplifies the voices of artists, and it hopefully also advances the art form. now, when we amplify the voices of artists, we have 106 of the most remarkable artists in the world, and they are the boston symphony orchestra. and those are voices that we need more and more people to hear. but there are composers and there are young violinists, and, you know, there was an incredible tabla player who was present at the pops two nights ago, right? we need to amplify their voices, too, and we need to use the resources that we have to tell their stories. and that is what makes the work here at the boston symphony so exciting. we have so many different ways that we can do that, whether it's through the boston pops, whether that's at tanglewood, whether that's in recitals or whether that is in our tanglewood learning institute and our humanities efforts, or whether that is with the glorious performances of the boston symphony that happen night after night across the years. brian mccreath hearing you say all these things, though, you're filling in a lot of the ideas that clearly were brewing in your career in los angeles, where you seem to have left a very big imprint on the los angeles philharmonic through the various series that you started, the festivals that you spearheaded, the work with youth and youth orchestras there. you got to this point in the l.a. phil, that you were president and ceo, and then you decided to come here. these are both historic, some of the best orchestras in the country, if not the world. what was it that you saw in boston that made you think, yes, i'm actually going to leave this behind and move across the country. what were the main opportunities / challenges, if that's what we need to say, about coming to boston that made you think that's where i want to go next? chad smith i started at the l.a. phil in 2001 or 2002, and i think i was there for a total of 22 years, and i never thought i'd leave. it's an amazing city, and it's a remarkable orchestra, and i had the amazing privilege of working with two extraordinary music directors, with esa pekka salonen and gustavo dudamel. i was there when walt disney concert hall opened and became good friends with frank gehry and really felt immersed, so immersed in that community. and i love that community. i love that orchestra. and the boston symphony has always had this special place in my heart, and it doesn't diminish anything from before. it's that when this opportunity came up, it felt right to be able to come here, work with these musicians, reengage with this city that played such an important role in not just my musical development, but the development of me as a person and as a creative thinker and as a person who tries to find ways to pull together perhaps divergent ideas or divergent experiences and make sense of them. and that's something that i tried to do in l.a. and thank you for saying that. i love some of those festivals that we put together and crazy ones, a fluxus festival and a minimalism festival and a festival focused on what it means to be an artist in a changing city and all of these things. but many things are the same too, right? my deepest passion has been for advancing our art form. and that is what makes me get up every morning. i love working with composers and i love working with young musicians. i fundamentally believe that the greatest classical music has yet to be written. as great as the beethoven seventh symphony is, and as incredible as [stravinsky’s] the rite of spring is, i believe that there is even greater music to be written in the centuries ahead. and i want to be a part of it. and we have to believe that. if we don't believe that the greatest music and the greatest performances are still to come, then why are we doing this? then we're just an organization that is about preservation as opposed to an organization that is about growth. and there's a lot to preserve, right? we know that. there aren't two boston symphonies in boston. there's only one boston symphony in boston. there's only one boston symphony in the world. and so we have this responsibility to pull forward the work that we've done. but we also have a responsibility to continually reevaluate who it is that we serve, our audiences, how we can better advance our art form, and how we can continue to make the city of boston a more vibrant and thoughtful space for creativity and innovation. brian mccreath let's talk about the city of boston, specifically the audience here, and i want to relate it to your experiences over the last 20 something years in los angeles. you did all these projects, but you had to have been responding to what you sensed from what the community of los angeles would want, what they maybe wanted that they didn't even know they wanted. and so, you experimented with a lot of things, but you came up with things that i wonder how much they responded specifically to that audience and what you see as the commonalities and differences between the audiences of los angeles and boston. chad smith it's a great question. so, the one thing that i have really learned is that every orchestra is unique, truly. the personality is unique, but more importantly, the priorities are unique, and they respond to and they also influence what the cultural community of the respective city feels like it is. so, the boston symphony can only exist in boston. the los angeles philharmonic can only exist in los angeles, which is great. there are commonalities, of course. so, at our root, there is this 400 years of music that we're not just stewards of. stewards sounds like we just have to make sure that we keep it in shape, but we are charged with reimagining it every single time that we play it. and we do that for audiences who might be experiencing it for the first time. or they might be experiencing it for the hundredth time, or for many of our players when they're playing, let's say again, beethoven seven, many of our players have played this 150 times over their careers. but each time they play it, and to a person they will say, i discovered something new this time, or i felt something new this time. and that's because we're humans and we exist within a world. and so, to hear beethoven seven in 2024 will necessarily trigger responses, internal responses, or allow for connections, that is different when we heard it in 1974. it's like reading a book over and over as you grow older. i love rereading the iliad, just over and over, and it is that moment where you land on a phrase, you land on the poetry, and you just go, how did i miss that? and then you begin to see the next part of the poetry differently. the same thing happens when we do this work. when we present new pieces, when we listen to what young composers or old composers doing new works are doing, it is referential. it is always referential. it is either a reinforcement, a rejection, a commentary of work that has come before it, or experiences that they have in their lives. and the more that we understand that, i think, the more deeply we can connect with that work. for example, carlos simon is our new and inaugural composer chair. and he has this work, four black american dances, that the bso commissioned, i think, back in 2021. and the orchestra has played it over and over. and each time it takes on a different quality. it's like seeing a painting in a different light, or it's about kind of seeing a vista in a changing sunset light. it's the same set of mountains, it's the same ocean that you're looking at, but the color is different. the personal resonance that you have with it is different. and that's what i love about our art form. i love paintings on the wall, trust me. but each time we play a piece of music, it exists for exactly that moment, and the players who are playing it will influence the sound. the audience that is experiencing it will influence how it's played and received. brian mccreath i'm glad you mentioned that piece, because this is one that you did in europe, that the orchestra played on tour in europe, and that must have been amazing to see it go from city to city and hear the responses from all these different places. chad smith and then carlos will come back and write new works for the orchestra. and i think he's writing five or six over the next couple of years, that will build upon the experience and the sound of the boston symphony playing that work. this summer he's going to be with us during the second weekend [of tanglewood], and we're doing his piece warmth of other suns, and i can't wait for that. that's one of the things this summer that i'm looking forward to. that's an amazing weekend, by the way. we have the boston ballet coming and doing the stravinsky [apollon musagète], which i love. yuja wang playing the beethoven fourth piano concerto, you have augustin hadelich playing. i mean, it's a pretty great weekend. brian mccreath that's right. we'll get to some specifics soon. but i also want to ask you, because you're speaking in wonderful terms about the role of an orchestra, the interplay between an orchestra, its music, its composers and its audience. you clearly see this holistic sort of system almost. it's a business, too. and the last few years, like a lot of industries, the pandemic really pulled the rug out from the orchestra business. where are we now with the orchestra business as a whole? and how do you feel like the bso should be responding to those challenges? chad smith an orchestra is a business, certainly, but we're also a nonprofit. our existence is not about generating returns for our shareholders. our existence is about inspiring audiences and being a benefit to our community. and our existence is about continuing to elevate the work of this orchestra in a way which people feel connected to it. the business model has changed, though. so, i'm not trying to under index on the side that we have to find ways to continue to expand our audiences and sell more tickets and invest in media and touring and all of these things. all of those things are real. that is the suite of activities that a great orchestra does. but the business was really impacted by the pandemic. but it's also important to remember that, pre pandemic, arts organizations were still struggling. and i think, in many ways, what happened in the pandemic is that it accelerated a lot of the challenges. it accelerated and deepened a lot of the challenges that arts organizations were struggling with: declining subscriptions. i don't think that that is the fault of arts organizations; it's that our audiences changed. the way that they think about engaging with arts organizations is, "i don't want you curating and telling me which eight shows you're going to come to. i want to choose that. i want to choose my own adventure in music." people's lives changed. there are more choices that we have. so, we have to be more intentional about elevating the experience that we have so that it becomes a stronger choice. and we have to be better about talking about what we do as deeply impactful and as having these opportunities for people to have a transformative experience in the hall. that sounds really elevated. but there is something remarkable about 2000 people coming together and quietly experiencing the work of remarkable artists on stage. and the response can be different, right? the response could be, "i hated it." you know, we get that. but the response is more likely, like, "how do they do that? why does it make me feel this way?" and that's the difference, i think, between nonprofit and commercial music. our goal is to elevate communities, and it is to inspire audiences. it is to support audiences when they need to be supported and comfort them when they need to be comforted, sometimes challenge our audiences with ideas or works that are provocative. but ultimately, every time that we perform, and this is something that the bso just does so inherently, we have to inspire people. that's our reason for being. brian mccreath i don't want to ask you to have to choose amongst your children, so to speak, but i'm just really curious, especially when you talk about those first composers that drew you in as you were beginning to find, literally, your voice as a singer. and so there must be some things coming up at tanglewood that you have a special eye on, that personally you feel like, oh, i saw that coming up and i can't wait to be there for it. is there anything like that? chad smith there are lots. there are pieces. there are artists. there are also things that are a little bit more personal. as a young student, there was a singer i idolized, dawn upshaw. and i remember being a student, i was probably in my second year at tufts/nec, and i got my first cd player. so, this is what, 1990? and two of the first recordings i bought were dawn upshaw. one was a recording where she sang [the character of] anne trulove [from stravinsky's the rake's progress] and then some of [john harbison's] mirabai songs. and then there was a recording that she did called, the girl with orange lips. these are both nonesuch recordings, and i played those recordings over and over. and she's on faculty at nec, and she is a part of the history of tanglewood. and so there are recitals, like the vocal recitals. i can't wait to go to the vocal recitals of the students, because i remember that moment of walking on stage and singing benjamin britten's on this island on ozawa hall stage and what it meant to me. so, i'm looking forward to that. anytime yo yo ma performs is special at tanglewood and this is home in many ways. jon batiste and brandi carlile are doing concerts on the popular artist series at the beginning. i love brandi carlile. i remember when i was in l.a., i went to hear her perform the joni mitchell album blue, which she sang start to finish. brian mccreath oh my goodness. chad smith and it was honestly one of the greatest performances i've ever heard. it was brandi carlile singing the complete album, and then joni mitchell was in the hall. so, i'm super excited to hear her. and then, some artists that i truly love, like yuja [wang]. yuja playing beethoven['s] four[th piano concerto]. yuja playing anything, frankly. she's doing a recital. there's a koussevitzky weekend where the repertoire is all repertoire that relates back to the bso. and that history, for me, is so special. koussevitzky was music director from 1924 to 1949. so, it is the 100th anniversary of his music directorship, it's the 150th anniversary of his birth. it's the 75th anniversary of his last season. i mean, it's all of these things. and he was foundational to this institution. so, we're celebrating koussevitzky and his commissions. the commissions of the boston symphony are singular, whether it's [stravinksy's] symphony of psalms or whether it's prokofiev, these are staples of the repertoire that we're going to be playing over the course of the summer. so that's pretty great. and then, of course, anything andris does. a lot of the things that i did talk about are with andris. but, you know, we're going to have wagner, and andris is a remarkable opera conductor, and he particularly loves doing opera in concert. and to hear this orchestra and the great singers that have been assembled with andris is going to be a super, super highlight. brian mccreath did you know andris before you came to boston? chad smith you know, he came to l.a. once. and so, we obviously knew each other, but not really. and so that was something that when i was interviewing for the job, we spent time together and i was really compelled by how quickly we moved to music. within, i don't know, five minutes of meeting each other, it was like, "hi, i'm chad smith. i grew up in gettysburg." and then we started talking about music, and that's what we talked about for a couple of hours. and then we had a meal later, and i just thought, this is something i can do. this is a person for whom music is so essential, and there's a humility in the way that he approaches music making that is really generous. brian mccreath we've gotten to know andris so well. we're so fortunate to now be a decade into his work here in boston, and i've talked to so many of the players about working with andris and a lot of the guest soloists. you have this perspective that you might offer at this moment that i can't resist asking you about, because you've perceived him from afar and within the landscape of orchestras across the country and across the world. what does the rest of the world see going on in boston from your perspective? chad smith it's funny, i was just in vienna last week, and i was lucky enough to   not lucky enough; that's the reason i went is to be there   and he was conducting the vienna philharmonic. he was conducting sibelius['s] second [symphony] on the second half. he conducted shostakovich's cello concerto [no. 1] with gautier [capuçon] on the first off, which was amazing. it's awesome, it's gautier, right? but he was conducting sibelius second, and it was blisteringly good. and the audience wouldn't let him leave. i was backstage with some of the players from the vienna philharmonic, and they said, you know, you've got quite a chief conductor. and i was like, yes, we do. you know, he's a quiet guy. in many ways our audiences don't often have that opportunity to know him, but the music making is innate. brian mccreath and he has this relationship with almost any ensemble that he conducts. i mean, i remember when he came here, we heard from musicians at the city of birmingham symphony who are so sad to lose him. (they're doing fine.) but they were so sad to lose him. and we hear from the players in the [leipzig] gewandhaus orchestra when they're on the exchange program that goes on. we hear from them about his work there. and there is some kind of relationship that he has with musicians that, i don't know, it seems to allow the musicians to be their best selves when he's conducting them. chad smith it's a generosity. it's a generosity in music making. so, i will say, it's always a privilege to hear your music director outside of your orchestra. and to recognize it's the same thing with an orchestra, right? i love hearing the boston symphony in symphony hall. there's also something remarkable about hearing an orchestra outside of the hall, and whether that's carnegie hall or whether that's the [berlin] philharmonie or whether that is the musikverein [in vienna] or whether that is teatro colón [in buenos aires], there is something very special about the glow and the way that an orchestra, as i've said earlier in this conversation, doesn't just represent the city from which it comes, but it's in the dna. and to hear boston in another city, the boston symphony, it's a reminder of how special and unique the music making is and essential. brian mccreath chad, it's so good to talk with you. i so appreciate all your time today and your thoughts, your comments. it's really great to talk with you. thank you. chad smith well thank you. thank you for having me. anytime.

chad smith, boston symphony orchestra's newest ceo, is pictured. tufts and new england conservatory dual degree alum chad smith was appointed by the boston symphony orchestra as their newest ceo in may 2023. smith is one of the country’s leading orchestral music executives and previously served a four year period as chief executive at the los angeles philharmonic where he worked closely with famed maestro gustavo dudamel to establish some of the most impactful orchestral programs of the 21st century. key to smith’s future plans to make the boston symphony orchestra innovative again is a humanities centric approach connecting the organization to the boston community based on values smith learned while a student at both tufts and the new england conservatory. smith was an undergraduate from 1990 to 1995 where he pursued a dual degree in european history and vocal performance at tufts and the new england conservatory, respectively. “the joint program between nec and tufts was the most perfect combination.” smith said. “the program was really hard, but for me, it was absolutely what i wanted.” the dual degree education continues to influence how smith leads orchestras. it was through the new england conservatory that he first became involved in arts administration. an invitation from his close friend and fellow new england conservatory student performing at a dinner party introduced smith to administrators of the boston symphony, who would go on to teach him the inner workings of arts institutions. meanwhile, back on the hill, a foundation in the humanities molded his outlook on how to run symphonies. “i fundamentally believe that through the study of the humanities … we understand ourselves, our community and our world better. that, for me, has always been the reason that arts and culture have been the defining markers of eras. they tell the story of an era, not from an intellectual standpoint, but from what people are feeling,” smith said. “what i’ve carried through with me over the last 25 years is this fundamental belief that a broader and a deeper understanding of the humanities is critical to our artform’s expansion. it is not enough to have a passive experience as an audience member. … i think deeper understanding is incumbent upon arts institutions to contextualize what we’re hearing on our stage and make it relevant for today.” one practical way smith will achieve this is through creating the boston symphony orchestra humanities institute. using the assets that the boston symphony orchestra already owns   including one of the best concert halls in the world and a campus dedicated to music and learning in tanglewood   smith aims to bring back aspects of its remarkable history. at tanglewood, he plans on restoring two storied buildings that have fallen into disrepair: the theater where britten’s “peter grimes” had its american premiere in 1946 and seranak, the home of former boston symphony orchestra music director serge koussevitzky. “it’s not about restoring a building. it’s about restoring our ability to deliver on our mission to present the widest possible works. we’re not able to do staged opera at tanglewood because that facility isn’t there,” smith commented, on restoring the peter grimes theater. “the same thing is going to be true here in symphony hall. we know that we have one of the great halls, and we’re going to have to continue to invest in this space to reflect the needs of modern audiences.” competing for the attention of modern audiences in 2024, however, is challenging for a symphony or any fine arts institution. instead of compromising to match the attractions of modern competitors to prospective audiences, core to smith’s ideology is emphasizing the uniqueness of the symphonic experience. “as i will say over and over, the headwinds against classical music and performing arts generally, are significant,” smith conceded. “however, classical music offers a counterpoint to so many of the modern experiences that people invest their limited time and dollars in, which is that it is a space for reflection. … it is two hours of being with yourself and a cohort of two thousand people who are sharing that moment together and very often in silence. that is very different than going to a celtics game.” smith believes the messaging of classical music institutions has to change to emphasize that unique experience, rather than trying to market classical music as competing with other popular experiences, such as a celtics game. “our artform is incredibly fleeting. you can’t hold it, you can’t buy it. for us, it is telling the story of how our works of art are a counterpoint to other popular experiences,” smith said. while a perception of elitism among new audience members has long plagued classical music, far from the exorbitantly priced tickets of pop concerts and sporting events, college students can purchase boston symphony orchestra season tickets for only $30 through the college card program. in addition to financial considerations, smith hopes to attract younger audiences. “i remember being a young person coming to concerts. it always felt weird that there weren’t many young people there like me. so, how do we create cohorts? i think that’s through targeted student programs so that there are college nights where there is a cohort of young people,” smith said. “there are certain things we can program that will target younger audiences while still absolutely being serious repertoire. … [however,] as interested as i am in growing our audiences for young people, … we also have a responsibility to continue to welcome people at all ages of their life.” fundamentally, smith views the future of the boston symphony orchestra as an all encompassing museum. “we have to be both the museum of modern art and the gardener and the mfa,” smith said. “we have to be, in many ways, a humanities program at a university, and an educational institution that is thinking about introducing our music and our art form to kids early in their academic life. so we have to wear so many different hats, artistic, curatorial, academic, community engagement, all of them, and they’re all a part of our future success.”

the boston symphony made the surprise announcement monday that this fall its next president and chief executive will be current los angeles philharmonic ceo chad smith. in his two decades at the l.a. phil, of which he became ceo in october 2019, smith has played an outsize role in the progressive ambition of the orchestra, which now has the largest budget, the broadest range of musical and educational activities and the most extensive community engagement of any orchestra in the world. “he opened my eyes to new music,” gustavo dudamel said in a phone call from berlin, as he was about to go onstage and conduct the berlin philharmonic in “téenek   invenciones de territorio,” a work by mexican composer gabriela ortiz that was commissioned by the l.a. phil and premiered by dudamel in 2017. “i was not a teenager when i began at the l.a. phil,” dudamel said of becoming the orchestra’s music director in 2009 at age 27, “but musically i was a teenager, very young. chad gave me the possibility to grow up inventively.” smith leaves at the height of his career and when the l.a. phil is in the best shape of its 104 year history. while many other american orchestras are struggling to come fully back from pandemic shutdowns, the l.a. phil, which lost more than $100 million in projected income, has brought audiences back to walt disney concert hall and the hollywood bowl. thomas beckmen, the orchestra’s board chairman, said the l.a. phil will be ending the year with record sales and income of $160 million. artistically as well, the l.a. phil is an international leader; no orchestra is more influential. smith, whose relatively short time as ceo was dominated by pandemic crisis management, said he was full of mixed emotions. “i love the music we make in every way,” he said, “in how we are advancing the art form and how we get to more appreciate it. my favorite days are those sitting down and talking with gustavo and with composers.” but smith also noted that the orchestra is “super healthy, in amazing shape, and thrives in times of change while always retaining that thing that is the l.a. phil.” meanwhile, at 51, smith said he was ready for a new challenge. boston is where his musical roots are, having graduated from new england conservatory of music and spent many fridays attending boston symphony concerts at nearby symphony hall, arguably the best concert hall in america until disney hall opened in 2003. entertainment & arts gustavo dudamel is set to leave the l.a. phil at the end of his contract in 2026, when he will then take top post at the new york philharmonic. like the l.a. phil, the bso has a broad range of activities and a legendary summer home, tanglewood, in the berkshires. the orchestra has a full concert season there as well as a prestigious teaching program, where leonard bernstein famously got his professional start   and so did smith, who was a vocalist. there he met michael tilson thomas, who brought him to the new world symphony in miami and then the san francisco symphony. shortly after deborah borda became head of the l.a. phil in 2000, she hired smith to run the orchestra’s new music green umbrella series. he worked with her for most of her 17 years at the l.a. phil (with a brief break smith calls a hiccup at the new york philharmonic). he helped to open disney hall and worked closely with music director esa pekka salonen to expand the orchestra’s musical profile and then with dudamel in a multifaceted directorship that has included an enormous commitment to education through dudamel’s yola program, the frank gehry designed beckmen yola center in inglewood and the ford amphiheater, which serves as yet another venue. “i’m sure it makes l.a. uncomfortable,” borda said of smith’s departure. “he’s a great manager. he guided the l.a. phil through the pandemic, diversified the board, kept its creative spirit alive. but there comes a time when you feel a need of a challenge. “after 17 years in l.a., as much as i loved it, i felt that need,” she said of leaving her job as the orchestra’s president and ceo to move to the new york philharmonic, where she has given new life to a then struggling orchestra. entertainment & arts what it means for los angeles and new york for gustavo dudamel to become head of the new york philharmonic in 2026. the bso, a storied american orchestra, has a popular music director in andris nelsons, but the orchestra has struggled for a long time to maintain a strong artistic profile and to regain its former vibrancy as a cultural institution in a city that is culturally conservative but also youth oriented and full of digital startups. the bso, which also includes the fabled boston pops, hired another former l.a. phil executive, gail samuel, in june 2021. but the dynamic didn’t work, and she resigned at the end of last year. in smith the bso is getting the top orchestral manager of his generation. stravinsky once said that 50 is the age for a new career. salonen left the l.a. phil around 50. borda left the new york philharmonic to come to l.a. around 50. “it’s an age where you feel like you have accrued technique and knowledge,” she said. “you are filled with energy. and if you’ve had success, you begin to think, ‘what can i do to make a difference?’ it seems for chad like a natural and organic change.” tom morris, former head of the ojai music festival and the cleveland orchestra, led the boston symphony between 1969 and 1985, when seiji ozawa was music director and during one of the orchestra’s periods of creative vibrancy. he’s not surprised by smith’s hiring. “the orchestra needs someone with artistic chops, and that is what he brings to the table,” morris said. “he is the way of the future. “it is good for boston. it is good for l.a. and it makes me very happy.” entertainment & arts keith haring’s first ever l.a. museum survey, sondheim celebrations, a groundbreaking chicanx art show, intriguing ojai music festival offerings and plenty more to check out this summer. the biggest entertainment stories get our big stories about hollywood, film, television, music, arts, culture and more right in your inbox as soon as they publish. you may occasionally receive promotional content from the los angeles times. follow us mark swed has been the classical music critic of the los angeles times since 1996. entertainment & arts entertainment & arts entertainment & arts travel & experiences hollywood inc. movies music music follow us more from the l.a. times

for premium support please call: for premium support please call: the boston symphony made the surprise announcement monday that this fall its next president and chief executive will be current los angeles philharmonic ceo chad smith. in his two decades at the l.a. phil, of which he became ceo in october 2019, smith has played an outsize role in the progressive ambition of the orchestra, which now has the largest budget, the broadest range of musical and educational activities and the most extensive community engagement of any orchestra in the world. “he opened my eyes to new music,” gustavo dudamel said in a phone call from berlin, as he was about to go onstage and conduct the berlin philharmonic in “téenek   invenciones de territorio,” a work by mexican composer gabriela ortiz that was commissioned by the l.a. phil and premiered by dudamel in 2017. “i was not a teenager when i began at the l.a. phil,” dudamel said of becoming the orchestra’s music director in 2009 at age 27, “but musically i was a teenager, very young. chad gave me the possibility to grow up inventively.” smith leaves at the height of his career and when the l.a. phil is in the best shape of its 104 year history. while many other american orchestras are struggling to come fully back from pandemic shutdowns, the l.a. phil, which lost more than $100 million in projected income, has brought audiences back to walt disney concert hall and the hollywood bowl. thomas beckmen, the orchestra’s board chairman, said the l.a. phil will be ending the year with record sales and income of $160 million. artistically as well, the l.a. phil is an international leader; no orchestra is more influential. smith, whose relatively short time as ceo was dominated by pandemic crisis management, said he was full of mixed emotions. “i love the music we make in every way,” he said, “in how we are advancing the art form and how we get to more appreciate it. my favorite days are those sitting down and talking with gustavo and with composers.” but smith also noted that the orchestra is “super healthy, in amazing shape, and thrives in times of change while always retaining that thing that is the l.a. phil.” meanwhile, at 51, smith said he was ready for a new challenge. boston is where his musical roots are, having graduated from new england conservatory of music and spent many fridays attending boston symphony concerts at nearby symphony hall, arguably the best concert hall in america until disney hall opened in 2003. like the l.a. phil, the bso has a broad range of activities and a legendary summer home, tanglewood, in the berkshires. the orchestra has a full concert season there as well as a prestigious teaching program, where leonard bernstein famously got his professional start   and so did smith, who was a vocalist. there he met michael tilson thomas, who brought him to the new world symphony in miami and then the san francisco symphony. shortly after deborah borda became head of the l.a. phil in 2000, she hired smith to run the orchestra’s new music green umbrella series. he worked with her for most of her 17 years at the l.a. (with a brief break smith calls a hiccup at the new york philharmonic). he helped to open disney hall and worked closely with music director esa pekka salonen to expand the orchestra’s musical profile and then with dudamel in a multifaceted directorship that has included an enormous commitment to education through dudamel’s yola program, the frank gehry designed beckmen yola center in inglewood and the ford amphiheater, which serves as yet another venue. “i’m sure it makes l.a. uncomfortable,” borda said of smith's departure. “he’s a great manager. he guided the l.a. phil through the pandemic, diversified the board, kept its creative spirit alive. but there comes a time when you feel a need of a challenge. “after 17 years in l.a., as much as i loved it, i felt that need,” she said of leaving her job as the orchestra’s president and ceo to move to the new york philharmonic, where she has given new life to a then struggling orchestra. the bso, a storied american orchestra, has a popular music director in andris nelsons, but the orchestra has struggled for a long time to maintain a strong artistic profile and to regain its former vibrancy as a cultural institution in a city that is culturally conservative but also youth oriented and full of digital startups. the bso, which also includes the fabled boston pops, hired another former l.a. phil executive, gail samuel, in june 2021. but the dynamic didn’t work, and she resigned at the end of last year. in smith the bso is getting the top orchestral manager of his generation. stravinsky once said that 50 is the age for a new career. salonen left the l.a. phil around 50. borda left the new york philharmonic to come to l.a. around 50. “it’s an age where you feel like you have accrued technique and knowledge,” she said. “you are filled with energy. and if you’ve had success, you begin to think, 'what can i do to make a difference?' it seems for chad like a natural and organic change.” tom morris, former head of the ojai music festival and the cleveland orchestra, led the boston symphony between 1969 and 1985, when seiji ozawa was music director and during one of the orchestra’s periods of creative vibrancy. he’s not surprised by smith’s hiring. “the orchestra needs someone with artistic chops, and that is what he brings to the table,” morris said. “he is the way of the future. "it is good for boston. it is good for l.a. and it makes me very happy.” this story originally appeared in los angeles times.

agree & join linkedin by clicking continue to join or sign in, you agree to linkedin’s user agreement, privacy policy, and cookie policy. advocating for equity & opportunity in arts, culture and commercial real estate | committed to closing the wealth gap & empowering leaders of color | strategic advisor to values aligned organizations i welcomed the opportunity to share my thoughts with the boston globe's malcolm gay about chad smith, the inspiring new president and ceo of the boston symphony orchestra. chad's visionary leadership, deeply rooted in equity and inclusion, sets a formidable example for orchestras nationwide. as the ceo of the greater roxbury arts & cultural center (gracc), i see immense value in how chad's approach will transform this historic orchestra and the broader arts community. his commitment to broadening the repertoire and embracing diverse audiences resonates strongly with our mission at gracc, where we celebrate and promote african descended arts and culture. one concrete example of how chad is moving quickly: when i first met him as a fellow panelist at an arts emerson event, i sang the praises of the project step program which happens in donated space at symphony hall. i noted how alumna njioma grevious had recently won the sphinx organization competition. just six months later, chad has tapped njioma to perform at the bso's gala and is even producing a video about project step to be featured at that same event. project step executive director josué gonzález and i agree that it is a huge statement   as was the bso’s appointment of black contemporary composer carlos simon as the bso’s first composer chair. at gracc, we also eagerly anticipate the collaborative opportunities that the bso's newly established humanities institute will bring. we look forward to exploring partnerships with the bso through this initiative, working together to serve our shared mission of promoting inclusive arts and culture. chad's early work at the bso is a testament to his leadership and a beacon of hope for what can be achieved when arts organizations commit to inclusivity and excellence. colleagues, what chad seeks to do is challenging work; let's all support him as he guides the bso into a new era of relevance and impact. read more about chad's plans and his journey here: story strategy for leaders who “don’t love pr” but know they're missing opportunities for growth and reach ✨ accidentally technical 🧬 children's trust ma board chair 💕 cheering you on, always 🎉 grateful to chad and grateful to exceptional leaders like you with the insight, wisdom and generosity to build a more thriving and inclusive ecosystem for the arts here. ❤️ marketing strategy professional. university marketing faculty, board member and senior advisor terrific collaboration and endorsement! 👏🏽👏🏽 to view or add a comment, sign in dynamic speaker, author, dei educator, organizer day 28: the origins of jazz: a celebration of black culture jazz is a uniquely american art form with roots deeply embedded in black culture and history. emerging in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it is a testament to resilience, creativity, and cultural expression in the face of systemic oppression.     🌍 where it began jazz was born in new orleans, a city known for its rich cultural diversity. it drew from african rhythms, spirituals, blues, ragtime, and european musical traditions, creating a vibrant, improvisational sound. key features of jazz, like syncopation, call and response, and swing rhythms, have african origins, reflecting the cultural heritage of enslaved africans in the u.s.     🎺 jazz and black culture   a voice of freedom: jazz became a way for black musicians to express their identity, struggles, and hopes during the jim crow era. it symbolized resistance and empowerment.   community and connection: from church gatherings to nightclubs, jazz brought people together and became a cornerstone of black social life.   innovative icons: legendary black musicians like louis armstrong, duke ellington, bessie smith, and later miles davis and john coltrane revolutionized the genre, showcasing its boundless creativity.     ✨ a lasting legacy jazz influenced countless music styles, from rock to hip hop, and remains a global symbol of innovation and improvisation. its roots in black culture are a reminder of how african american communities shaped american music and culture as a whole.     💡 why it matters understanding jazz's origins helps us honor the contributions of black artists and recognize the power of music as a tool for cultural preservation and social change. #jazzhistory #blackculture #americanmusic #blackexcellence #neworleansjazz #musicheritage to view or add a comment, sign in 3,920 followers the colorado symphony and the bayerische philharmonie have signed a memorandum of understanding (mou) as part of the city2city munich denver economic partnership, which was announced at the opening ceremony of this year's denver christkindlmarket. the joint purpose of the mou is to promote cutting edge international musical exchange aimed at promoting and demonstrating the relevance of classical music on both sides of the atlantic. the collaboration will begin on january 1, 2025. special thanks to the german american cultural foundation, denver economic development & opportunity, chadwick v.r. williams, daniel wachter, german american chamber of commerce   colorado chapter, and export club bayern e.v. for their pivotal roles in establishing this mou. read the full press release at http://bit.ly/3ckicd9 pictured (left to right): thomas mayr | member of the board of directors at german american chamber of commerce, inc. chadwick v.r. williams | german honorary consul for colorado and wyoming mark cantrell | president & ceo, colorado symphony mark mast | ceo and chief conductor, bayerische philharmonie anthony pierce | chief artistic officer, colorado symphony daniel wachter | board vice chair, colorado symphony john street | board chair, colorado symphony city and county of denver | german american cultural foundation #bringingmittelstandtodenver #bringinginvestmenttomunich #transatlanticpartnershipdenvermunich #bayerischephilharmonie #bayphil #transatlanticpartnership #markmastmusik to view or add a comment, sign in dynamic speaker, author, dei educator, organizer day 28: the origins of jazz: a celebration of black culture jazz is a uniquely american art form with roots deeply embedded in black culture and history. emerging in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it is a testament to resilience, creativity, and cultural expression in the face of systemic oppression.     🌍 where it began jazz was born in new orleans, a city known for its rich cultural diversity. it drew from african rhythms, spirituals, blues, ragtime, and european musical traditions, creating a vibrant, improvisational sound. key features of jazz, like syncopation, call and response, and swing rhythms, have african origins, reflecting the cultural heritage of enslaved africans in the u.s.     🎺 jazz and black culture   a voice of freedom: jazz became a way for black musicians to express their identity, struggles, and hopes during the jim crow era. it symbolized resistance and empowerment.   community and connection: from church gatherings to nightclubs, jazz brought people together and became a cornerstone of black social life.   innovative icons: legendary black musicians like louis armstrong, duke ellington, bessie smith, and later miles davis and john coltrane revolutionized the genre, showcasing its boundless creativity.     ✨ a lasting legacy jazz influenced countless music styles, from rock to hip hop, and remains a global symbol of innovation and improvisation. its roots in black culture are a reminder of how african american communities shaped american music and culture as a whole.     💡 why it matters understanding jazz's origins helps us honor the contributions of black artists and recognize the power of music as a tool for cultural preservation and social change. #jazzhistory #blackculture #americanmusic #blackexcellence #neworleansjazz #musicheritage to view or add a comment, sign in founder, lyi agency | host, the gauds show | the culture referee living at the intersection of music & culture. i had a chance last week to join cara kneer and her incredible team at atlanta & co. to talk about black music month and atlanta's musical contributions. the conversation around equity has to continue beyond june. here are my big takeaways on the issues in the industry as it stands for black artists and professionals and my proposed solutions to help make the music industry a more successful industry for all. the issues: we have little to no control of how the music comes out and is shared/framed with the public, the labels and system do. this prevents us from moving culture in a positive way. we have little to no control over finances. this creates opportunities where young people and young leaders can be taken advantage and "pimped out" for short term corporate profits. we have little to no control of the people. sure, we are seeing more black executives than in the past, but in the system they are reinforcing the institution. when i was in this system i gave up my freedom to be able to create systemic change and i knew that. that change has to be done by means of getting the full trust that other groups have over their music (latins running latin music, nashville people running country music) i know all of this is because i was in this and lived this and when i tried to change things i got the boot. the solutions: grassroots community building   we as a black community need to start investing in each other and passing our knowledge on in an impactful way to the generation behind us. we need to bring awareness to our non black friends to understand what we are up against and how this is actually preventing moving culture forward for all of us. real actual inclusivity, not empty titles/positions where black leaders can't actually lead https://lnkd.in/er kd3js #blackmusicmonth #dei #diversity #equity #blackprofessionals #blackbusiness #musicindustry #music #entertainment #entrepreneurship #raydaniels to view or add a comment, sign in founder @ baggi | brand strategy & identity #baggibites stage 22: identity crisis yesterday my phone was alive with debate about this year’s glastonbury line up   especially the headline acts. i found myself a little relieved i missed out on a ticket after all! it seems every year, its ethos and identity is questioned. this year, respected music critic neil mccormick argued “glastonbury has given up on rock   and turned into a children’s birthday party”. 🎸🧒 🎉 it's easy to think glastonbury is all about the headline acts. its difference: staying true to its original purpose and beliefs. there is something for everyone: https://lnkd.in/emwbwts3 arguably the lack of rock on its stages is a betrayal of the festival’s roots. and the origins of its existence: https://lnkd.in/emzhc7k2 the identity of britain 🇬🇧 itself has been brought into question this week, particularly in attracting the best global talent to the creative sector. i find this alarming. the government takes great pride in promoting the creative industry abroad as a key sector to invest in but post brexit, this is yet another example of it shooting itself in the foot: https://lnkd.in/ewwbvntb this fantastic campaign during black history month used spotify to relay speeches by black leaders   powerful, engaging, and a very strong sense of identity: https://lnkd.in/ea7a23jy on a different note, i love the new identity created for go.compare. am i alone in thinking that on tv, its masot, gio compario 🇮🇹 is intensely annoying (but i guess that’s the point in this sector). however in digital, animated form, in combination with the new identity, it’s quite charming. maybe time to replace the real gio altogether?! (remember halifax’s howard?) https://lnkd.in/epekhhap event: if you’d like to see evidence of a founder and company utterly confident in it’s vision, identity and talent, then i’d recommend you see 100 years of disney 🐭 at the excel: https://lnkd.in/ekecq8vx this week’s 'legend slot': after hmv picking up ‘specialist retailer of the year’ at last week’s retail week awards, i was thrilled to see vinyl records included in the office for national statistics inflation index for the first time in 32 years. quite a turnaround 🎶 https://lnkd.in/euuvmmfw quote of the week: walt disney telling the story of mickey’s creation: “he popped into my mind onto a drawing pad…on a train ride from manhattan to hollywood at a time when business fortunes were at lowest ebb and disaster seemed right around the corner.” #identity #branding #storytelling to view or add a comment, sign in arts administrator | musician | activist on this episode of arts engines, aaron dworkin speaks with josé luis gomez, music director of the tucson symphony orchestra, about community engagement strategies and how heritage shapes artistic ethos. great leadership requires a balance between individual accountability and collective vision. josé recognizes that "our successes are our successes, and our challenges are our challenges." his approach at the tucson symphony orchestra demonstrates how leaders and followers co create initiatives, shaping the organization’s words, actions, and aspirations. the pandemics of 2020 catalyzed a shift toward civics, reminding cultural institutions that culture comes from the people, therefore, operating for the people with a willingness to change status quo. for orchestras, this means advancing the american sound: one that honors the past, centers the present, and envisions a future inclusive of various backgrounds, moving beyond eurocentric traditions. josé and his team envision an orchestra that feels, looks, and sounds like tucson, a vibrant city rich in flavor, situated just two hours from the mexican border, with a 45% latine population. by integrating local programming, collaborators, audiences, and stakeholders, they challenge outdated canons with histories in segregation, and create space for a more representative artform. through partnerships like the american composers orchestra’s earshot readings, an organization knowledgeable on contemporary and representative repertoire and creators, the tucson symphony is finding their identity through amplifying the voices of emerging and indigenous composers. these initiatives bridge gaps, offering composers who have been strategically undervalued the opportunity to shape the future of classical music. for josé, music is more than an art it’s a way of life. it reflects family, roots, history, and traditions. his leadership draws from his upbringing in venezuela, his experiences in spain, and his career in the u.s., embracing authenticity and connection with himself and the communities he serves alongside. as he puts it: “why avoid who you are?” #arts #culture #communityengagement #heritage #music #leadership #collectivism #tucson #pandemics #civics #representation #latine #dei #humanity to view or add a comment, sign in 128 followers we could not let this month pass without wishing the incredible vaughnette bigford a happy black music month!!! in case you didn't know, june is the month to celebrate black musicians' enduring impact and legacy and their creativity on music, culture, and history. we love you vaughette!! thank you so much for all your support and for gracing the world with your talent!! __________________________________________________________________________________ want a way to keep up with all these special dates and occasions, dm and ask about getting your very own copy of the 2024 caribbean ceo publicity calendar to view or add a comment, sign in multimedia artist   singer | author | speaker | communications & marketing consultancy | presentation skills training recommended free arts management training   they never taught you that: a free 3 part live virtual training: 7 research backed strategies to grow your career in the arts with aubrey bergauer (the steve jobs of classical music marketing). learn and apply the proven framework that will accelerate your growth, unlock the potential you know you have, and empower you to take control of your arts career. https://lnkd.in/d26w2ntn? third session is tomorrow   and you get to hear the other ones. to view or add a comment, sign in president/ wjzp fm community / culture/:music /public radio maine why it matters pbs, npr, and maine public geek. committed to helping you get noticed for the good things you are doing for our world. this wednesday, june 19, juneteenth, join maine public classical for a full day of black artistry, from the 18th century to today. from 7am to 6pm for selections from 40+ living and historical composers. special programming like this is only possible because of your support. local hosts, passionate about maine and classical music. carefully curated by your maine public classical team, we'll hear from a variety of artists around different themes and time periods. listen over air or stream, details on where/how to listen can be found here, https://lnkd.in/e_g6nq6u if you value this service and maine public's other offerings, lets talk about partnership opportunities with your business or organization. wfessenden@mainepublic.org of 207 553 7053. and...thank you. #npr #classical #communityradio to view or add a comment, sign in educator & creative facilitator working in new technologies. ux / ui designer   with a fine art approach value infographic here ⬇️ creativity = prosperity creativity = change makers creativity = cultural currency read the report   support creativity   employ a design student 🙏 #saveoursubjects #nsead #highereducation #humancentereddesign 2,657 followers when we talk about the value of creative graduates, this is what we mean ⬇ groundbreaking and highly informative, this essential report by guildhe and ukadia evidences the significant contribution specialist creative institutions make to their regions economically and culturally, investigates and addresses the challenges of defining creative graduates’ value and sets out the unique impact of creative degrees and creative pedagogy, fully supported by data and case studies. read the report: https://bit.ly/3y4tlyh case studies: university of the arts london, falmouth university, the royal central school of speech and drama, icmp   the institute of contemporary music performance, arts university plymouth, arts university bournemouth, the british academy, leeds conservatoire, createbritain creative uk / dr kate wicklow, frsa / dana gamble / dr brooke storer church to view or add a comment, sign in 7,240 followers linkedin never miss a beat on the app don’t have the app? 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supported by chad smith, the orchestra’s new chief executive, hopes to return the storied ensemble to its groundbreaking roots while moving it forward. by joshua barone reporting from lenox, mass., boston and the massachusetts turnpike. “i’m going to sound like such a dork,” chad smith said as he drove a golf cart around the grounds of tanglewood, the boston symphony orchestra’s pastoral summer home in the berkshires. “i love tanglewood so much.” he stopped the cart, and looked out beyond the manicured campus to rolling, tree covered hills and the still waters of stockbridge bowl. it reminded him, he said, of the environment at the prestigious salzburg festival in austria. but salzburg isn’t attached to an orchestra and a music institute like tanglewood has been since its founding in 1940. “this is the sense of innovation that is at the core of the b.s.o,” said smith, who became the boston symphony’s president and chief executive in the fall. “the orchestra was not yet 60 years old, and it changed its identity again by becoming a symphony orchestra, a pops orchestra and an educational institution.” gesturing to stockbridge bowl, he added: “and it has a beach. what other orchestra has a beach?” smith has big plans for tanglewood, whose boston symphony season begins on july 5, just as he has a long to do list for the ensemble at home. history would suggest that he isn’t just dreaming: he came to boston from the los angeles philharmonic, where for two decades he played a crucial role in building the orchestra’s reputation as one of the most innovative, important ensembles in the country. when he announced that he was leaving for boston last year, smith, 52, had risen through the ranks of the philharmonic to became its chief executive in 2019. his departure was a shock to angelenos, and to some signaled a crisis for the philharmonic, which shortly before had found out that it was losing its starry maestro, gustavo dudamel, to the new york philharmonic.

supported by rarities that deserve their place in opera returned to stages last week: “die tote stadt,” in boston, and “l’amant anonyme,” in philadelphia. by david allen and joshua barone as thomas turns 80, new collections of his recordings reveal the legacy of a maestro who has exuberantly refused to conform to expectations. by david allen serge koussevitzky, a prolific commissioner born 150 years ago, made his mark not only on the boston symphony orchestra, but also on american music. by david allen the boston symphony orchestra gave its first concerts of the tanglewood season, which is already showing signs of its new leader’s ambitions. by david allen chad smith, the orchestra’s new chief executive, hopes to return the storied ensemble to its groundbreaking roots while moving it forward. by joshua barone ozawa, who died this week at 88 years old, left behind a catalog made with orchestras in boston, chicago and elsewhere. listen to highlights.