I arrived at my new job on June 1, 2008, ready to delve into the standard industry-wide issues plaguing Orchestra Iowa: plummeting ticket sales, strained relations with the musicians, immense debt, and no cash to pay bills. Although I had spent several months before my arrival creating a first year outline, that plan literally got washed down the river when two weeks into my tenure, downtown Cedar Rapids, including the Symphony’s office and performance home, was destroyed by massive floods.
Robert Massey
Robert Massey is Executive Director of Orchestra Iowa, a post he has held since June 2008. He began his professional career in the arts as a trumpeter with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra while still a teenager. Upon graduating from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, he joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra as both a Production Assistant and a regular substitute musician. He has held positions with the Washington National Opera, “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band, and the Washington Bach Consort.