Some of the most stable music organisations
OrchestrasFolks have lately pointed out the merits of Peoples’ Symphony Concerts, which ‘presents world-class music for people of modest incomes in New York City’ (or so it says on the wrapper).
The series, founded in 1900, has been run since 1941 by just two 2 managers – Joseph Mann, for 32 years until his death in 1972 and Frank Salomon for the last 52 years. Is this a record?
Here’s another. The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, presently undergoing a spell of turbulence, has got by for 63 years with just three managers:
Arthur Baker, 18 years
Ed Smith, 22 years
Stephen Maddock, 24 years
Any other comparable paragons of stability?
Musica Viva australia
Difficult to call the CBSO stable under new CEO Emma Stenning. Is the anti-semite Mukhtar Dar she appointed still on the board?
Did Arthur Baker, Ed Smith or Stephen Maddock need a drink in their hand to be able to enjoy a concert? Of course not.
Very sad that the current CEO isn’t serious about true music.
You’re wrong, Brummie. She is very serious about music and the survival of the CBSO.
The Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal has a very long-standing director’s team. Lucien Bouchard, former Premier of Québec, has been chairman of the board since 2004. Madeleine Careau was CEO for 24 years, just retired, replaced with a former OSM senior administrator (who had left for a time and came back). Musically, Charles Dutoit (1977-2002), Kent Nagano (2006-2020), and now Rafael Payare who appears set to stay for a while. Richard Roberts just retired as concertmaster after 40 years; Andrew Wan is entering his 17th season, if I count right.
How about the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra 183 years old, the oldest orchestra in Britain, Max Bruch was conductor there and we have a fine new conductor Domingo Hindoyan.
You completely miss the point of this article. It’s not about the ‘oldest’.
Victor DeRenzi has been the artistic director and principal conductor at Sarasota Opera for 43 years.
Steve Monder was CEO of the Cincinnati Symphony for 30+ years.
Handel and Haydn Society, founded in Boston in 1815 and still going strong.
Schubertiade Hohenems (Austria): Gerd Nachbauer 50 years
Schubertiada Vilabertran (Spain): Jordi Roch (32 years)
Filarmónica de Bilbao: Asís Aznar (over 30 years)
Sociedad de conciertos Alicante: Rafael Beltran (over 50 years)
All legends.
I’m not sure the longevity of the admin manager is the right measure of stability. I would think the conductor/music director is a more accurate indicator of stability.
In which case — in any case — one might think of Franz Welzer-Most, who has been with Cleveland since 2003 and is currently signed until 2026-7.