Longest serving orchestra managers
OrchestrasWhen Stephen Maddock steps down next April, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra will have got through only three Chief Executives in 61 years. He was preceded by Arthur Baker 1962-1978 and Ed Smith, 1978-1999.
Is this a longevity record?
At the other extreme, the Philharmonia Orchestra in London has gone through three CEOs in less than two years.
Is that another record?
Interesting to ask the question about total staff turnover too. I think quite a lot of the Philharmonia staff have been there less than a year, the turnover is huge there.
If you include the interims, the Philharmonia has managed to have seven different people in the CEO chair in six years…
The need for the interims speaks to the disorderly nature of transition; something which in better performing organisations is often largely avoided.
And you are right that the general staff turnover is very high.
Ulster Orchestras had five CEOs in the space of five years. But Richard Wigley did a fantastic job steadying the ship.
‘Deed he did.
Yes and it’s a shame he left but he’s heading back to his homeland.
The CBSO having had three CEOs over 60 years is a great record. Arthur Baker did, unfortunately, leave under difficult circumstances (and the recently-deceased Beresford King-Smith had to hold the fort on his arrival) but each oversaw ongoing progression for the orchestra. Let’s hope that the next CEO can keep that same sense of progression going, moving forward.
They will have a big job to build back the audience. A lot of empty seats to fill if you check the CBSO website and follow the links.
I see your stock Symphony Hall Birmingham (external) photograph features it looking like (and being) a building site when it was receiving a shiny new frontage a couple of years ago. It looks a lot nicer now.
I’d be very curious to know about musician turnover.