Media chief quits San Francisco Symphony
OrchestrasAfter a tough year fronting for a disaffected music director and an obdurate board, Robin Freeman has quit the San Francisco Symphony, where she was chief marketing and communications officer.The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco have created a new post for her as head of marketing.
Robin says: ‘While it will be hard to say goodbye to Grove Street after so many happy years at San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Opera, I’m extremely excited to be joining the Leadership team and the Marketing, Communications & Visitor Experience teams at FAMSF. I consider it a profound luxury that our city is home to both the de Young Museum and the Legion of Honor Museum, and I cannot wait to immerse myself in these iconic spaces.’
Maybe it’s just a better job?
Or it’s both a better job and a big relief not to be staring down another season of the SFS meltdown anymore?
Out in the nick of time! Won’t have to defend the indefensible any longer!
Congrats, Robin! Great pivot.
Pippa Cole, Rebecca Blum, Robin Freeman… looks like SFS admins are quitting in order of competence. Unfortunately at this rate Matt Spivey will be around forever!
Wow, losing Rebecca Blum-one of the best anywhere in her specialty.
When one has lost the confidence of the music director, orchestra, chorus, audience, press and three top staffers perhaps it is time to change course. Matt Spivey and Prisca Geeslin are increasingly isolated. The dignified thing would be to step down and let someone else try to rectify the situation.
All hands abandon ship! All hands abandon ship!
Run for the thicket, Bambi! And don’t look back!
Too bad the musicians don’t have the luxury of a pivot…
What is going on with San Francisco? Sounds like chaos rather than music.
When your marketing and nmouthpiece leaves, it is a slippery slope.
Robin lacked the skills and experience to serve as a CMO for a leading symphony — especially for crisis management. There was a lack of a strategic communications plan when the institution was aware of what was about to occur (re: Esa Pekka, musicians…). And her handling of (and communication with) the press was atrocious. On top of that, under her “leadership,” earned revenue decreased year over year (even pre-COVID). She is simply not qualified to serve in a senior marketing role — her background is in publicity. Her management of staff is another sad story — just review the high turnover. It appears that she landed at a museum as a CMO — that museum should revisit how they vet candidates.