Almost Back To Normal

There’s nothing quite as refreshing as having main power almost within reach after operating on auxiliary power for several days and to that end, I’m still occupied with getting everything shipshape so there’s only a quick pointer to an article in the 6/29/2014 edition of the Green Bay Press Gazette by Paul Srubas that reports the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra’s (GBSO) board and executive leadership have made it quite clear that they are resolved to shut the organization down after next season.

Adaptistration Guy 008Back in May, GBSO musicians and patrons began pushing back against the decision to close up shop but it appears that those efforts have failed to produce any fruit.

Nonetheless, there’s nothing stopping musicians and supporters from forming a new orchestra and if they are serious about believing in local potential, then the time to begin laying that groundwork is now.

The bit to keep your eye on is what will happen with the current organization’s assets; everything from stands and chairs through the music library and right down to the digital depths of the donor and ticket buyer database.

About Drew McManus

"I hear that every time you show up to work with an orchestra, people get fired." Those were the first words out of an executive's mouth after her board chair introduced us. That executive is now a dear colleague and friend but the day that consulting contract began with her orchestra, she was convinced I was a hatchet-man brought in by the board to clean house.

I understand where the trepidation comes from as a great deal of my consulting and technology provider work for arts organizations involves due diligence, separating fact from fiction, interpreting spin, as well as performance review and oversight. So yes, sometimes that work results in one or two individuals "aggressively embracing career change" but far more often than not, it reinforces and clarifies exactly what works and why.

In short, it doesn't matter if you know where all the bodies are buried if you can't keep your own clients out of the ground, and I'm fortunate enough to say that for more than 15 years, I've done exactly that for groups of all budget size from Qatar to Kathmandu.

For fun, I write a daily blog about the orchestra business, provide a platform for arts insiders to speak their mind, keep track of what people in this business get paid, help write a satirical cartoon about orchestra life, hack the arts, and love a good coffee drink.

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