Annapolis Symphony Orchestra
Executive Director
Organization
The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra (ASO) is the largest performing arts organization in the city of Annapolis, Maryland. Founded in 1962, the ASO has grown to become a central pillar of the region’s cultural landscape, providing high-quality orchestral performances and offering extensive community engagement and educational programs.
The ASO’s mission is to inspire, educate, and enrich lives near and far by creating extraordinary musical experiences with uncompromising artistic excellence. Spanish conductor José-Luis Novo was appointed Artistic Director in 2005 and is the ASO’s longest-serving Music Director. Maestro Novo has elevated the ASO’s artistic profile, earning praise for his innovative programming and collaboration with some of the world’s highest-caliber guest artists, including Midori, James Ehnes, Anne Akiko Meyers, Vadim Repin, Vadim Gluzman, Noah Bendix-Balgley, Olga Kern, Jon Nakamatsu, Denyce Graves, Steven Isserlis and others.
The ASO is a professional, part-time, union orchestra, which operates under a collective bargaining agreement with the American Federation of Musicians, Baltimore Local 40-543. A 3-year agreement was ratified in June 2022 and went into effect on July 1, 2022. The ASO regularly collaborates with other major organizations throughout the region, including the U.S. Naval Academy Men’s and Women’s Glee Clubs and the Annapolis Opera.
Each season, the ASO offers a variety of concerts, including its series of Masterworks concerts which showcases major symphonic pieces, as well as Pops concerts that appeal to a broader audience. Upcoming Masterworks include a variety of classical and contemporary works, including Tania León’s “Pasajes”, Óscar Navarro’s “Connection”, Saint-Saëns’ “Violin Concerto No. 3”, and Leonard Bernstein’s “Serenade”. The Pops concerts feature a diverse and exciting range of music, including works by Shostakovich, Duke Ellington, and Hans Zimmer. Other offerings include family and school concerts, and a wide variety of educational outreach activities, residencies, and special events.
The ASO performs at two venues: the Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, and the Music Center at Strathmore. Maryland Hall is one of Anne Arundel County’s premier comprehensive arts centers, featuring a 750-seat performance auditorium where the ASO has been a resident company for decades. Known for its pitch-perfect acoustics, the Music Center at Strathmore is a 1,976-seat concert hall located in North Bethesda, just north of Washington, D.C. At Strathmore, the ASO has presented up to three Masterworks performances each year. In 2019, the ASO was named an affiliate organization at the Music Center.
In 2018, the Symphony launched the Annapolis Symphony Academy (the Academy), a series of educational programs that include private lessons, ensemble opportunities, youth orchestra, and music theory instruction. Founded by ASO concertmaster and Academy Director Netanel Draiblate, with a mission to bridge cultural and economic gaps in music education, the Academy is dedicated to providing musical training to students of all backgrounds. Half of the student body is comprised of under-represented musicians and the Academy awards up to fifty percent of its annual tuition revenue in need-based scholarships. By partnering with professional musicians from the ASO, the Academy ensures that students receive high-quality mentorship and are prepared for advanced musical studies. Maestro Novo conducts the Orion Youth Orchestra, the Academy’s premier ensemble, which offers two performances a year.
ASO is governed by a 21-member board of trustees led by Board Chair Shelley Row. The staff includes seven full-time and three part-time employees, as well as 67 contracted professional musicians. For the fiscal year ending June 2024, unaudited annual revenues were $3.6 million, with approximately $2.9 million from contributions and grants. For the fiscal year ending June 2025, annual revenues are projected to be approximately $2.9 million, with $1.7 million from contributions and grants, and the remainder from ticket sales, investments, and other earned revenue.
Community
Founded in 1649, and fondly referred to as the “Sailing Capital of the United States”, Annapolis is a charming and historic city known for its vibrant maritime culture, rich colonial heritage, and lively arts scene. As the capital city of Maryland, Annapolis offers a high quality of life with excellent schools, diverse dining options, and a variety of recreational activities.
Annapolis is home to St. John's College, one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the United States, as well as a strong public and private school system, and the prestigious United States Naval Academy. As a hub for arts and culture, the city hosts a variety of festivals, performances, and exhibitions throughout the year. The Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts is a cultural center with four resident companies representing symphonic, choral, opera, and ballet performances, in addition to offering classes and gallery exhibitions. This vibrant arts scene is complemented by the city's culinary offerings, ranging from fresh seafood to international cuisine.
Recreational opportunities abound in Annapolis, with its numerous parks, trails, and waterfront activities. The city is a gateway to the Chesapeake Bay, offering boating, fishing, kayaking, and paddleboarding opportunities. Quiet Waters Park, with its scenic trails, picnic areas, and dog park, is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts. The B&A Trail, a converted rail trail, provides a scenic route for biking, walking, and jogging. With a population of approximately 40,000 people, 53% are white, 23% are Black, 17% are Hispanic, 3% are Asian, and the remainder are a mixture of other races and ethnicities.
Sources: annapolis.gov; visitannapolis.org; censusreporter.org.
Position Summary
The Executive Director will manage all business operations of the ASO, with a primary focus on leading community engagement, donor cultivation, and strategic planning processes. Reporting to the board of trustees in partnership with the Artistic Director, this role will oversee all aspects of the ASO’s administrative operations, including financial management, fundraising, marketing, community engagement, union negotiations, and human resources. The Executive Director will foster equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility throughout the organization and will develop close relationships with internal and external stakeholders to create a safe and welcoming environment for all.
Role and Responsibilities
Strategic Vision and Financial Oversight
- Guide the strategic vision and planning of the ASO’s activities by providing leadership and bringing confidence and stability to the organization.
- Partner with the Artistic Director, advancing the orchestra’s long-term strategic and artistic direction.
- Develop, update, implement, and evaluate ASO’s Strategic Plan as a framework demonstrating the Symphony’s artistic and educational priorities.
- Monitor financial performance by developing and managing budgets, maximizing revenues, controlling expenses, and overseeing financial processes to support decision-making and ensure long-term fiscal health.
- Supervise the preparation and presentation of detailed financial reports to the Board of Directors, while conducting forecasting and analysis with the senior leadership team to enhance revenue generation.
- Embrace other Community Strategic Vision and Financial Oversight responsibilities, as needed.
Organizational Effectiveness and Revenue Enhancement
- Recruit, supervise, and evaluate all staff, fostering a culture of accountability, empowerment, and continuous professional growth within the organization.
- Cultivate a supportive organizational culture where staff members feel a strong sense of belonging, trust, and shared purpose, encouraging collaboration and innovation.
- Enhance fundraising efforts through cultivating and maintaining relationships with individual donors, foundations, corporate sponsors, and government agencies.
- Lead strategies to identify, cultivate, and secure major gifts in collaboration with the Director of Development, Artistic Director, and Board of Directors.
- Develop and implement a creative and effective marketing strategy, in collaboration with the Marketing Director, in order to attract a more diverse and broader audience, expand its impact, and grow visibility.
- Lead contract negotiations with musicians to renew the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
- Embrace organizational diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives across all administrative and artistic decisions.
- Embrace other Organizational Effectiveness and Revenue Enhancement responsibilities, as needed.
Community Leadership and Educational Engagement
- Serve as a public spokesperson and ambassador, raising awareness and support for the organization’s activities, and promoting the ASO and its mission with elected officials, state and local government agencies, and other community leaders.
- Create opportunities for collaboration with community partners, including the Visitor Annapolis and other arts organizations, raising the visibility and presence of the ASO.
- Guide and promote the educational priorities of the ASO and the Academy, in partnership with the Anne Arundel County Public Schools and other organizations.
- Direct and expand ASO’s opportunities to engage with more diverse audiences.
- Engage and participate in conferences to stay abreast of trends and practices in the sector.
- Embrace other Community Leadership and Educational Engagement responsibilities, as needed.
Traits and Characteristics
The Executive Director will be a charismatic and strategic visionary, who leads with a collaborative and inclusive approach to problem solving. With solid financial acumen, they will embrace growth opportunities by establishing organizational goals and objectives that are in alignment with the mission of the organization. A clear and transparent communicator with a people-centered approach, they will foster close working relationships with staff, artists, and board members, and naturally cultivate partnerships with external partners.
Other key competencies include:
- Leadership and Personal Accountability – The ability to organize and influence people to believe in a vision, create a sense of purpose and direction, and be answerable for personal actions.
- Time and Priority Management – The capacity to prioritize and complete tasks, in order to deliver desired outcomes within allotted time frames.
- Customer Focus and Decision Making – The dexterity to anticipate, meet, and/or exceed constituent needs, wants, and expectations.
- Interpersonal Skills and Self Starting – The acumen to effectively communicate, build rapport, and relate well to all kinds of people while demonstrating initiative and willingness to begin working.
Qualifications
Senior management experience, ideally in an orchestra, is required. This includes developing and implementing successful strategies for organizational growth as well as providing financial management and budgetary oversight. A history of leading successful fundraising strategies and fostering relationships with community partners is expected. Other desirable professional experiences include: managing a productive staff capable of exceeding operational goals, designing and implementing strategic plans, fostering community relationships, leading successful fundraising campaigns, engaging in contract negotiations, and managing a comprehensive, capital, or endowment campaign.
Compensation and Benefits
ASO offers a competitive and equitable compensation and benefits package including an annual salary range of $135,000 to $150,000. Benefits include paid PTO (Personal Time Off) and holiday pay, health insurance that includes vision and dental, and a voluntary 401K retirement plan.
Applications and Inquiries
To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred), please click here or visit artsconsulting.com/opensearches. For questions or general inquiries about this job opportunity, please contact:
Geoff Chang, Vice President
925B Peachtree Street NE, Suite 2192
Atlanta, GA 30309
Tel (888) 234.4236 Ext. 218
Email ASO@ArtsConsulting.com
At the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, we are committed to transforming the orchestral landscape by fostering an environment where every voice and background enhances our artistic expression. Through our dedication to equity and inclusive education, we strive to empower and inspire the next generation of musicians, ensuring that our symphonic legacy is as diverse and dynamic as the communities we serve.
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