2022 League of American Orchestras National Conference to Take Place in June

After online convenings in 2020 and 2021, the League of American Orchestras National Conference will take place in person again, hosted this year by the Los Angeles Philharmonic in partnership with the Association of California Symphony Orchestras (ACSO). Nearly 1,000 orchestra administrators, musicians, board members, and volunteers will explore the theme "Forward Together" at Los Angeles' Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites, June 1-3, 2022.

"After three long years, the orchestra field is craving connection and fellowship," commented Simon Woods, the League's President and CEO. "The incredible response to this Conference is an indication of just how much people want to come back together for the critical conversations, learning, and mutual support that occur when we meet in person. I'm so grateful to the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Association of California Symphony Orchestras for their roles in making this Conference relevant, meaningful, and reflective of our members' priorities and needs."

"We are thrilled to welcome our colleagues from across the country back to Los Angeles, 16 years since the LA Phil last hosted the conference," said Chad Smith, Chief Executive Officer, David C. Bohnett Chief Executive Officer Chair Los Angeles Philharmonic Association. "Much has changed since then, and it will be quite special to connect with one another and share the ideas and themes most resonant in our world today. We can't wait to have you in our city and offer a chance to experience Gustavo Dudamel's vision, our orchestra's artistry and our staff's hospitality. By joining us for performances at Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl, and visiting the newly opened Beckmen YOLA Center, we hope you can enjoy the transformative power of music and the LA Phil community."

"Merging the ACSO conference with the League's event this year is a wonderful opportunity to combine our networks and unify our field, while also giving California orchestras a space to reconnect and share ideas with peers from across the country," said Sarah Weber, Executive Director of the Association of California Symphony Orchestras. "These interactions are vital to maintain the collaborative spirit that has been a guiding principle within the orchestra community over the past two years."

The Los Angeles Philharmonic last hosted the League's Conference in 2006.

The Conference Schedule:

Forward Together's line-up will feature inspiring speakers and live music, as well as a variety of events and content to help members of the field reacquaint themselves with each other while re-envisioning a sustainable future. See the full schedule on the League's website for plenary sessions, electives, social and networking opportunities, and more.

The Opening Session on Wednesday, June 1, 4:30pm-6:00pm, at Walt Disney Concert Hall, will include:

• A performance by YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) of works by living composers, including Giancarlo Castro's YOLA Fiesta Fanfare (a world premiere), conducted by Dudamel Fellow Camilo Tellez; Ivette Herryman Rodriguez's A Danzon Done My Way, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, and Mia Ruhaman's To Those Who Made Us, conducted by Alan Mautner.
• Welcome remarks by Los Angeles County Supervisor, First District, Hilda L. Solis, LA Phil CEO Chad Smith, and ACSO Executive Director Sarah Weber, and an address on the state of the field by League President and CEO Simon Woods.
• A conversation moderated by Chad Smith with Los Angeles Philharmonic Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel and composer and conductor John Williams on how the large-ensemble sound of an orchestra animates storytelling through film.

A highlight of Thursday's Annual Meeting and Luncheon, June 2, 12:45pm-2:15pm at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites, will be the presentation of the League's highest honor, the Gold Baton Award to former League President and CEO Jesse Rosen by Alex Laing, Principal Clarinet, The Phoenix Symphony, and a tribute to the late President and CEO of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Anne Parsons, who passed away this year, by orchestra consultant and former League President and CEO Henry Fogel.

• League Board President Douglas M. Hagerman and Simon Woods will give League updates, and the meeting will include the election of new board members.
• The session is sponsored by Kontrapunktus, and the LA-based Baroque chamber ensemble will perform.

The Closing Session, on Friday, June 3, 11:45am-1:00pm at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites, will feature:

• Presentation of the League's Gold Baton to Thomas Wilkins, Principal Conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra; Artistic Advisor, Education and Community Engagement, Boston Symphony Orchestra; and Music Director Laureate, Omaha Symphony by Gail Samuel, President and CEO of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. This will be followed by a keynote by Wilkins, who will share his perspectives on the importance of effectively communicating and connecting with audiences, bringing music to children, and committing to local communities.
• Simon Woods and Sarah Weber will also speak.
• The host orchestra of next year's National Conference will be unveiled.

Live performance is a much-anticipated highlight of the Conference. In addition to the YOLA and Kontrapunktus performances referenced above:

• On Thursday, June 2 at 8pm, the LA Phil, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, will perform a program of two 20th century works - Peter Lieberson's Neruda Songs, sung by mezzo-soprano J'Nai Bridges, and William Grant Still's Symphony No 1, "Afro-American"-and the world premiere of Morivivi, a new work by composer Angélica Negrón, commissioned by the LA Phil.
• Earlier that day, at 9am at the Colburn School's Zipper Hall, the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (ICYOLA) will perform a celebration of music by Black composers led by its Founder, Executive Director, and Conductor Charles Dickerson III. Curated by The African Diaspora Music Project, the Conference Elective Session program, includes works by Margaret Bonds, Kathryn Bostic, Kris Bowers, Courtney Bryan, Kenechi Fortune and Kevon Fortune, Jonathan Bailey Holland, John Rosamond Johnson (arranged for orchestra by Charles Dickerson), Ulysses Kay, Quinn Mason, Coleridge Taylor Perkinson, Julia Perry, and Daniel Bernard Roumain.

Two optional performances will also be available for attendees before and after the Conference:

• An Evening at the Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen YOLA Center on Tuesday, May 31, from 5-7:30pm, featuring a YOLA Rehearsal Concert as well as a Q&A with celebrated architect Frank Gehry.
• Opening Night at the Hollywood Bowl on Friday, June 3 at 8pm, featuring three-time Grammy Award winner Gwen Stefani; the LA Phil; Gustavo Dudamel; YOLA; ballet stars Roberto Bolle and Tiler Peck; three-time Grammy Award winner Branford Marsalis, saxophone; Eric Revis, double bass; Matthew Howard, vibraphone; Maria Dueñas, violin; Novena Carmel with the dance trio Let It Happen; the first-ever joint performance by members of the UCLA Bruin and USC Trojan marching bands, and fireworks.

Conference Elective Sessions will delve into critical topics such as artistic planning; revenue generation; audience development; environmental sustainability; equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI); workforce development and retention; and more.

Key Elective Sessions include:

• Tracking audience return, diversifying audiences, and examining new technologies to attract new audiences
• Presenting full length films with orchestral scores performed live
• The future of audio music distribution
• Top digital and technological trends
• Climate change and reducing the field's carbon footprint
• Creating more equitable organizations through the lens of the corporate sector
• An examination of successful composer residencies and commissions for women composers
• Workforce retention strategies
• Adapting to a shifting philanthropic landscape
• Understanding dynamic pricing
• Post-pandemic financial planning; and achieving financial sustainability

City of Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts, Jr; LA County CEO Fesia Davenport, and Thomas L. Beckmen, Chair of the LA Phil Board of Directors will participate in an Elective Session panel on June 2 from 9-10:15am, moderated by Chad Smith, on the convergence of personal conviction, philanthropy, leadership, and the public good, and how the new Beckmen YOLA Center came to fruition.

Also on June 2, from 11:15am-12:30pm, Sarah Weber and several leaders from ACSO member orchestras Berkeley Symphony, Oakland Symphony, Pacific Symphony, Pasadena Symphony and POPs, and San Luis Obispo Symphony will present an Elective Session on collaboration within California's orchestra community, highlighting inspiring stories of collaborating with other orchestras, other arts disciplines, and community partners.

Several networking, social, and constituency events will be worked into the schedule on all three days, including, among others:

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• An all-delegate reception, coffee/networking breaks, and Exhibit Hall Breakfast
• Individual receptions for administrators who self-Identify as people of African, Latinx, Asian, Arab/Middle Eastern, or Native American descent (ALAANA); the League's recently-formed Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual (LGBTQIA+) affinity group; alumni of League orchestra management leadership programs; orchestra volunteers, and ACSO members
• An all-delegate Tune-Up Party at Walt Disney Concert Hall directly following the LA Phil's performance on June 2
• Expanded time for constituency meetings, including, among others, a Pre-Conference tour of SoFi Stadium and presentation by the venue's marketing, communications, and programming team, and a Pre-Conference meeting at Beckmen YOLA Center for Education and Community Engagement managers and the League's Youth Orchestra Division

The full Conference schedule and schedule overview can be found on the League's website.

Orchestra stakeholders can register via the League of American Orchestras' website: leagueconference.org

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