Perspectivesfrom the Executive Director February 2013 Many of you will have seen recent press coverage of this season’s record-breaking sales revenues and the growing presence of young audience members here at Severance Hall. The news is encouraging for the Orchestra and all of Northeast Ohio. The Plain Dealer’s front-page coverage noted that The Cleveland Orchestra “is seeing attendance and ticket revenue skyrocket, mostly as a result of new programs aimed at children and students.” In an editorial, Crain’s Cleveland Business wrote that the Orchestra “deserves bravos for the hard work it and its supporters have done to secure the future of this ensemble of skilled musicians, who together remain the city’s most visible global ambassadors.” These are important steps toward a bright future, and much of the credit belongs to the staff who work tirelessly in the service of our patrons and artists. This team of dedicated professionals works behind the scenes every day to ensure that what happens offstage matches the unsurpassed excellence of the music-making onstage. Staff members (listed on pages 60- 61 of this book) focus their energies to plan and produce, manage and market hundreds of performances, educational programs, and patron events annually. The planning begins years in advance. Every event — at home in Northeast Ohio and on the road — involves scores of decisions and details that begin to take shape at least three years in advance. This month, the final details are being set for the 2013 Blossom Music Festival and 2013-14 season at Severance Hall in preparation for next month’s season announcements. At the same time, the programming for 2014-15 is being discussed and decided, while conductors and soloists are being booked for 2015-16. For every rehearsal, performance, program, and event, Severance Hall and Blossom must be prepared to ensure an efficient and comfortable experience for the artists onstage and for you in the audience. From cleaning and climate control to program books and box office, from finance and food service to payroll and parking, every detail is important. And these days, as we diversify our activities in Northeast Ohio, staff members throughout the institution are coordinating an increasingly complex puzzle of programming, people, and partnerships. Fundraising is an essential part of the equation, requiring not only that we ask for your support, but that we earn your support, and that genuine and grateful thanks are extended to each and every donor. Simultaneously, the infrastructure of the institution must be attended to, including the maintenance and management of Severance Hall’s physical plant, of the organization’s computer systems, and the Orchestra’s array of equipment, instruments, and music library. The success of this season — and of future seasons in the months and years to come — is the result of hard work by many hands. I hope you will join me in expressing gratitude to all the dedicated staff members for everything they do, for helping to make The Cleveland Orchestra the very best right here in Northeast Ohio.
Severance Hall 2012-13
Gary Hanson
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