Go figure: Chicago hires Baltimore’s fundraiser
mainThe Chicago Symphony Orchestra has announced a new Vice President for Development.
He’s Dale Hedding, arriving from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Before that, from 2007 to 2014, Hedding was Vice President of Development for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, where (we read) he led a $15 million annual fund and $65 million endowment campaign.
And Baltimore still ran out of money.
They are so lucky to have you, Dale! Congratulations!
Right when you thought PR couldn’t get any worse
Have we not been saying this? Baltimore Symphony fundraising has been successful. The problem is how things are managed.
did they actually raise that $65 million dollars for the endowment and $15 million from annual fund? impressive if so! especially since there are hardly any major corporations to drawl from in that town.
If he could raise $65 million in Baltimore, imagine how much he can raise in Chicago.
The Pritzker family has been dropping $100M a pop putting their names on schools all over town (Law at Northwestern, Engineering at the University of Chicago where they already have a Medical school, not to mention the Pavillion right outside CSO’s home).
If Muti wants to leave a lasting legacy in Chicago, he should be courting the Pritzker family, rebuild that hall from scratch to be called the Pritzker Hall, and have the auditoriam named the Muti Auditorium, à la Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall.
The Grant Park Orchestra plays in Pritzker Pavilion.
“And Baltimore still ran out of money.”
…after he left. Whose fault is that?
The top executive in this orchestra makes north of $600k. In a not-for-profit organization. $600K plus bonuses and benefits. That, is ridiculous.