Accelerating Change

ACCE LE R ATI N G

Change

125th Anniversary Photo, Jan. 2020 Credit: Roger Mastroianni

ACCELERATING CHANGE

by CSO Staff

adapted from a story by Anne Arenstein

Catalyzed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra prioritized and accelerated diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and digital innovation efforts in its aim to become the most relevant orchestra in America.

The orchestra industry is notorious for its glacial pace of change. If you look at a picture of an orchestra from the 1800s and compare it to one from today, there are striking similarities between the two ensembles separated by nearly 200 years.

It’s easy to speculate why this is the case. Perhaps the upholding of Western classical music traditions contributed to the slow pace of change. Perhaps the lack of diversity and people’s inability to conceptualize “Orchestra 2.0” allowed the industry to perpetuate more of the same. Or, maybe, attempts at innovation faced resistance too insurmountable to overcome.

The truth undoubtedly lives in varying levels of “all of the above.” But regardless of the exact diagnosis for the current state of the industry, the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 proved to be a clarifying moment in time and an undisputed accelerant for

change. This was especially true at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

On March 13, 2020, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra halted operations when the state of Ohio banned mass gatherings of people.

“There was a cloud that came over us,” recalled President & CEO Jonathan Martin. “We were in shock, and it was a dark moment for our institution as stability was ripped from beneath us.”

“Looking back, the light in the darkness came from within our people,” continued Martin. “We took care of one another in our ‘people first’ approach, and we relied on each other to be thought leaders.

All voices were critical. All ideas were on the table.”

Step by step, the people of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra put one foot ahead of the other and lifted themselves up from the ground.

“At our core, we are a community service orgaACCELERATING CHANGE | 3

nization,” Martin explained. “It was clear what we needed to do in order to further our mission, to seek and share inspiration.”

Music Director Louis Langrée, then-Board Chair Rob McDonald, President & CEO Jonathan Martin, and Chief Operating Officer Robert McGrath formed the first of many teams of people who contributed Jonathan Martin to the plan to “pivCredit: Roger Mastroianni ot to digital.”

“It was like steering the Titanic. We were trying to make a sharp turn while going 70 miles per hour.

And, we did it,” remarked McGrath with a smile.

Six weeks into the shutdown, on April 30, 2020, the CSO hosted a livestreamed conversation with Langrée and Martin in their respective homes, backed by a support team of production personnel “Zoom-ing” in from their homes.

“To be able to see and speak to one another was an emotional experience,” reminisced Langrée. “We answered questions from our audience, listened to recorded excerpts, and shared personal insights.

We were together again.”

“We didn’t realize at the time how this live­ streamed conversation gave hope to so many

people on our team,” said Martin. “It proved to us that we could do this. Digital innovation was not only necessary, it was within reach. It provided the fuel we needed to keep going.”

And keep going they did. Only three weeks later, on May 16, 2020, the CSO streamed a performance of Mahler’s Piano Quartet and the world premiere of a fanfare for oboe by Matthias Pintscher, performed

by CSO Principal Oboe Dwight Parry. Two months after that, on July 27, 2020, the CSO and Pops announced plans to livestream seven free Live From Music Hall concerts in the upcoming season.

Momentum was building. Every step forward provided more solid footing. The CSO gained traction, and ideas that were once considered pipe dreams became reality.

“Every win was a big win,” said Martin. “We needed each win for the Orchestra, but we also needed each win for ourselves to build confidence that there would be ‘another side’ of the pandemic to reach.

In the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges, our team rallied together to ensure the preservation of our Orchestra. And, it was inspirational.”

Like most orchestras across the globe, the CSO faced sudden and extreme budget shortfalls stemming from pandemic-related concert cancellations.

Principal Oboe Dwight Parry performs in May 16, 2020’s livestream.

Concertmaster Stefani Matsuo, Principal Viola Christian Colberg, Principal Cello Ilya Finkelshteyn and pianist Michael Chertock perform Mahler’s Piano Quartet on May 16, 2020.

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Ticket sales dried up and refunds were issued. With the future of inperson concerts an uncertainty, the leaders of the CSO needed a plan to address the budget shortfalls and stabilize the organization.

“The Board guided our development of a threepronged plan of Robert McGrath expense cuts and Credit: JP Leong salary reductions for musicians, staff, executive and artistic leadership, special fundraising, and a draw from our cash reserves,” explained McGrath. “We realigned around digital innovation and negotiated a one-year agreement with our musicians to allow for greater scheduling and work rules flexibility. We were in this together. We were devoted to making this work.”

“We are profoundly grateful to our musicians for understanding the need to incorporate increased flexibility into the new one-year contract,” said Martin.

“For decades, we have worked to create a truly collaborative arrangement and relationship between the administration and players,” said Paul Frankenfeld, President of the Cincinnati Musicians’ Association, Local 1 AFM and then-CSO Associate Principal Viola. “Without a doubt, it was the foundation for our successful contract negotiation.”

With the strategy in place, the CSO team worked swiftly to put the plan into action. Back at the office, a four-member digital production department was established to oversee livestreams and digital innovation.

“An organization is the embodiment of strategy,” stated Martin. “When we realigned around digital innovation, we took a serious look at our team to make sure that we were structured in a way that kept our goals in focus. It was clear. Our revised strategy required a new Digital Content and Innovation department.”

“We’re an orchestra, not a TV station or a TV production company,” explained McGrath. “We had to build a digital delivery infrastructure from the ground up to allow us to produce digital content more easily, more efficiently from a cost standpoint, and with a higher quality. We had to invest in a significant number of assets, from cameras to upgraded lighting systems and all the technical expertise

that requires. That meant a significant investment in equipment and personnel.”

As quickly as the CSO Board, administration and musicians pivoted, a quiet and highly successful fundraising effort was underway to offset the costs of new digital production initiatives. The initiative, dubbed the “Preservation and Innovation Fund,” involved Board members, individuals, corporations and foundations who stepped up from across the community to support the Orchestra, stabilizing the budget in the short-term while ensuring that calculated risks could be taken to extend the longevity of the Orchestra.

“The CSO met the additional expenses of producing these digital livestreams and did it very strategically to fulfill its goal of becoming the most relevant Top to bottom: Paul Frankenfeld, orchestra in AmerDianne Rosenberg and Mary McFadden Lawson (credit: ica,” said current Mark Lyons) CSO Board Chair Dianne Rosenberg. “The Orchestra’s commitment to remaining a vibrant presence during the pandemic and doing it in a way that was accessible to all was truly inspiring.”

“Accessibility was and continues to be a priority for us,” said Chief Philanthropy Officer Mary McFadden Lawson. “We viewed our new digital livestreams ACCELERATING CHANGE | 5

Louis Langrée conducts the CSO with soprano Angel Blue for the first digital concert of the 2020-21 season.

as ‘value-adds’ to complement in-person concert experiences, not as replacements, and we did not want to limit our audiences by putting up paywalls.

During the pandemic, livestreams allowed us to stay connected with our audiences. Now, they are an essential part of our audience engagement strategy.”

“We were lucky,” reflected Martin. “We navigated the onset of the pandemic with the right people in the right places at the right time. Collectively, we were able to come to the right decisions for us. Looking back, it’s truly remarkable what we were able to pull off in a compressed period of time—projects that would have undoubtedly taken years to realize pre-pandemic. That shared experience has made us stronger, and I am immensely proud of our Board, our musicians and our team.”

For many, the pandemic was a Matrix-like moment that simultaneously paused and accelerated time.

While certain aspects of life were at a standstill due to early pandemic restrictions, such as social distancing and masking, other long overdue conversations catapulted to the forefront.

George Floyd’s murder on May 27, 2020 made international headlines and provoked what many considered a reckoning with racism embedded throughout American society, with particular attention on cultural institutions.

“The Covid pandemic and the tearing back of the scab of social injustice in this country were intertwined,” acknowledged Martin. “The pandemic inadvertently created the right conditions for this necessary conversation to rise to the top. The headlines and social media responses to the news online ignited a wildfire. We were all forced to pay attention, and it was about time.”

The CSO issued the following statement:

We see you. We hear you. We realize we must do better, and today we reaffirm our commitment to push for justice and equality, elevate and broaden our role as a voice of positive change, and amplify the voices of those who can help us realize that change.

But behind-the-scenes they still grappled with the news and what it meant personally and for the organization.

“We had made a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as part of our 2019 strategic plan, but after George Floyd’s death, DE&I took on greater urgency,” explained Martin. “There was no turning back.”

The artistic and administrative leaders of the CSO elevated DE&I and quickly developed a 10-point action plan that set the organization on an accelerated path to address DE&I. Points included convening a standing Community Advisory Council to help the CSO amplify and support important community initiatives; building a staff structure that better supported and amplified DE&I goals; implementing cultural competency and implicit bias training for staff, Board and musicians; and evolving existing operations to make important DE&I considerations.

“The goal of the ten-point plan was to quickly establish infrastructure to accelerate the absorption of best DE&I practices into all facets of the organi-

6 | ACCELERATING CHANGE

zation,” explained Martin. “It was a logical extension

Nominating Committee audited the diversity and

of our 2019 strategic plan.”

expertise of its Board members and created a plan

In fall of 2020, a new DE&I department came to fruition at the insistence of Martin and the Board,

to bring in people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences.

and a national search for a Chief Diversity & Inclusion

“In the context of how orchestras everywhere are

Officer — one of the first such positions created in a

evolving, we are at the forefront,” explained Rosen-

major American orchestra — commenced. By March

berg. “Our challenges now are really growing pains.”

2021, Harold Brown, a Cincinnatian with extensive

“We made some substantial progress at the CSO,

nonprofit leadership experience, was named the

but we still have a lot of work to do to reach our

CSO’s first-ever Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer.

DE&I goals,” agreed Rob McDonald, who served as

“It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” said Brown.

CSO Board Chair for the last three years during the

“Any journey toward an equitable and in-

height of the pandemic.

clusive organization needs to be carefully

Among other diversity goals, the CSO sought

thought out and intentionally incorporat-

to reach a Board diversity of 20% Black/Latine

ed into all parts of the organization. It is

members by 2025, a goal already exceeded

difficult and full of learning opportunities,

thanks to Chavez’s leadership. Black/Latine

but it is worth it to hold ourselves

membership is currently at 33%,

accountable for the work that

more than double what it was in

we need to do in order to make

2015, and membership of those

progress. I continue to be im-

under the age of 40 is at 28%

pressed with Jonathan Martin,

versus none in 2015.

the Board, staff, and others

“The numbers are im­

who are totally committed

portant, but DE&I is not

to this work.”

just about the numbers,”

The importance of

explained Rosenberg.

the Chief Diversity &

“It is not just looking at

Inclusion Officer position

our Board and saying we

was underscored when it became the first endowed administrative staff position

Harold Brown, The Honorable Nathaniel R. Jones Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Credit: Roger Mastroianni

have the right mix. It goes much deeper than that, and it is essential that we

at the CSO in January 2022. It was renamed The

make DE&I a part of everything we do, so that our

Honorable Nathaniel R. Jones Chief Diversity and

organization can best serve our community.”

Inclusion Officer, after the pioneering civil rights

Like most orchestras, the CSO has served a demo-

leader, lawyer, and federal judge Nathaniel R. Jones,

graphic that vastly differs from the demographics of

whose efforts to abolish racial discrimination included

the community where its concert venue, Cincinnati

challenging school segregation, ending racial bias in

Music Hall, resides. This has also been true of audi-

the military, and combating injustice everywhere.

ences for Cincinnati Pops concerts.

“This is a position that is now

“It’s a disgrace that systemic

endowed in perpetuity, thanks to

barriers have discouraged people

the generosity of Michael Cioffi and

from belonging to our orchestral

Rachael Rowe,” said Lawson. “It re-

family for so long,” expressed

inforces how integral this function is

Cincinnati Pops Conductor John

to the longevity of our organization

Morris Russell. “The ‘Pops’ gets its

and artform.”

name from the Latin word populus—

The CSO also made impressive

meaning people—our music is meant

gains in diversifying its Board and

for all, and we’re dedicated to making

administrative staff. Led by Board

that a reality.”

member Melanie Chavez, the Board’s

Rob McDonald

The Orchestra has a history of

ACCELERATING CHANGE | 7

community engagement, most notably through its

expand our community engagement?’ We found

annual Classical Roots concert, which debuted on

shared solutions that work in our rapidly changing

July 11, 2001 at Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist

environment,” said Martin.

Church with the CSO led by Russell.

The CSO made a commitment to expanding en-

“We wanted the organization to get out of its

gagement with the community outside the walls of

comfort zone,” recalled Russell. “We collaborated

Music Hall. During the pandemic, musicians agreed

with CSO staff members Anne Cushing-Reid and

to a contract extension that provided some of the

Kathy Jorgensen-Finley, as well as music leaders in

flexibility required for “pop-up” concerts at recre-

predominately Black congregations and members of

ational centers, parks and hospitals, and musicians

MAC to create Classical Roots. We were ecstatically

even performed on Zoom for children’s hospital

embraced by packed houses in every neighborhood

patients. It ultimately led to the ratification of a

church we performed in. Everyone wanted us to

new three-year contract in November 2021, which

come back. And we did for the next decade.”

restored musician salaries to pre-pandemic levels,

Later, Classical Roots moved to Music Hall with

provided salary increases over the life of the con-

sold-out audiences in tow. And, in August 2021,

tract, and set groundbreaking work rule changes to

the Orchestra celebrated the 20th anniversary of

maximize scheduling efficiency.

Classical Roots in a special performance to a socially distanced audience.

“We saw first-hand how valuable this type of interaction with the community was for all involved.

“During the pandemic, it became imperative to

It inspired a different paradigm for our labor agree-

keep the music going and the musicians playing,”

ment with our musicians so we could schedule

said Tiffany Cooper, the Orchestra’s Director of

the Orchestra in more ways that allowed us to be

Community Engagement and Diversity. “After

more adaptive and innovative in the coming years.

George Floyd, everyone suddenly realized the

It allows us to deliver what our audiences and

importance of what goes on outside of Music Hall.

community expect and need,” explained McGrath.

There was a deep desire from the Board, artistic

In December 2021, the Orchestra received a major

leadership, musicians and staff to shift our focus to

gift from an anonymous donor to support two large-

how we were showing up in our community.”

scale initiatives: the Andrew J. Brady Neighborhood

“We asked: ‘How can we tailor ourselves to be

Concert Series, a free summer concert series located

even more responsive to the needs of the com-

at various community hubs across the region, and

munity? How do we deploy our musicians and

the Andrew J. Brady Internship Program, a program

Led by John Morris Russell, members of the Nouveau Program and the CSO/CCM Diversity Fellowship perform with the CSO for 2022 Classical Roots. Credit: JP Leong

8 | ACCELERATING CHANGE

Audience members at the Price Hill Brady Neighborhood Concert in June 2022.

Credit: Mark Lyons

aimed at creating pathways for emerging talent in

J. Brady Neighborhood Concert Series is about

orchestral administration. Both were named after

highlighting the assets within our own back yard and

the longtime Cincinnati music teacher and band

providing an opportunity to use music to connect

director at Western Hills High School, who also led

with our neighbors.”

popular band concerts at parks across Cincinnati and Hamilton County.

“This is just the beginning of the journey,” continued Cooper. “And there will be lots of starts and

“Through the free neighborhood concert series

stops along the way. It takes a lot of assessing and

and paid internship program, we are making strides

reassessing to put us in alignment, to include all

at removing barriers to access, especially for pop-

voices at the decision-making table. The journey is

ulations historically excluded by our Orchestra,”

not always linear, but we are committed to building

said Martin.

and rebuilding relationships with our community to

“The Andrew J. Brady Internship Program and

get it right.”

Andrew J. Brady Neighborhood Concert Series will

“At the end of the day, it is all about people,” said

help us to become more reflective of our community

Martin. “And, I am humbled by our team of people

and world,” remarked Brown.

who are committed to driving this change. It takes

An evolution of the collaborative work with

everyone behind-the-scenes, on stage, and in the

community partners, the Orchestra presented four

community pulling together in the same direction

public full-orchestra concerts in summer 2022 in

at the same time to create this movement. The

neighborhoods across Cincinnati. The fifth concert

pandemic certainly accelerated our efforts, but it

was cancelled due to inclement weather.

has also created a more solid foundation from which

“Community engagement is about meeting

we can build.”

people where they are,” said Cooper. “The Andrew

ACCELERATING CHANGE | 9

ACCELERATING CHANGE PRESERVATION & INNOVATION FUND Anonymous Mr. Michael Bergan Mr. and Ms. Peter Brown Dr. Ralph P. Brown Mr. and Mrs. Frederick E. Bryan III Ms. Deborah J. Campbell Carl Jacobs Foundation Ms. Melanie M. Chavez Mr. and Mrs. Christopher C. Cole Mrs. Dianne Dunkelman & Peter Schwartz The Thomas J. Emery Memorial Mr. and Mrs. Shaun Ethier Mrs. Susan S. Friedlander Mrs. Philip O. Geier, Jr. Ms. Rebecca Gibbs and Ms. Anne Mulder Mr. L. Timothy Giglio Mr. and Mrs. Larry Hamby Hamilton County – American Relief Fund Ms. Delores Hargrove-Young Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Healey Patti and Fred Heldman Mrs. Karlee L. Hilliard Mr. and Mrs. Joseph W. Hirschhorn Mr. and Mrs. Bradley Hunkler Dr. William Hurford and Dr. Lesley Gilbertson Mr. and Mrs. Lorrence T. Kellar Mrs. Florence Koetters Mr. Peter E. Landgren & Mrs. Judith Schonbach Landgren Mr. John Lanni Mr. Will Lindner and Ms. Lee Strasser Mr. and Mrs. Mark S. Luegering Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Maloney Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. McDonald

Mr. Bernard McKay and Mr. Zack Weber Mr. Gerron McKnight Ms. Susan M. McPartlin and Mr. Michael Galbraith Messer Construction Company Mr. and Mrs. James Minutolo Mr. and Mrs. Cliff Mitchell Mr. Ben Glassman and Ms. Jennifer Morales Mr. and Mrs. Robert Mullenix Ohio Valley Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Joe Orndorff Mr. and Mrs. Jack D. Osborn Mr. Aftab Pureval and Dr. Whitney Whitis Mr. and Mrs. James B. Reynolds Mr. and Mrs. J. David Rosenberg Mr. Jens G Rosenkrantz Mr. and Mrs. Jack Rouse Mr. and Mrs. Bill Sampson Mr. and Mrs. Harry Santen Mr. Dennis Schoff and Ms. Nina Sorensen Harold C. Schott Foundation, Francie and Tom Hiltz, Trustees Mr. and Mrs. Michael T. Schueler Mr. and Mrs. Irwin B. Simon State of Ohio – American Relief Fund Mr. Rick J. Staudigel and Ms. Kelly M. Dehan Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Stegman Mr. and Mrs. Paul Thompson Mr. and Mrs. David Valz Mr. and Mrs. JD Vance Mr. Randolph L. Wadsworth Jr. Mr. Scott and Dr. Charla Weiss Ms. Sheila J. Williams

ON THE COVER: Top to Bottom: The CSO at the opening concert of the 2022-23 season.

Credit: Roger Mastroianni. Audience members at a Brady Neighborhood Concert. Credit: Charlie Balcom

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FANFARE MAGAZINE STAFF: Managing Editor Tyler Secor Senior Editor/Layout Teri McKibben Graphic Design Stephanie Lazorchak

All contents © 2022–23. Contents cannot be reproduced in any manner, whole or in part, without written permission from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops.

Louis Langrée leads Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony to open the CSO’s 2022-23 season.

Credit: Mark Lyons

Cincinnati Music Hall lit for the opening of the CSO’s 2022-23 season.

ACCELERATING CHANGE | 11 Credit: Eric Johnson

The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, April 2022 Credit: JP Leong

Cincinnati Pops Conductor John Morris Russell Credit: JP Leong

JMR leads Hear Me Roar to open the Pops’ 2022-23 season.

Credit: JP Leong