Conference Schedule
Click on the dates below for the complete conference schedule.
Sessions, presenters, and times are subject to change.
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP: Fuel Your Cash Flow with Fundraising Best Practices
Presenter: Catherine Heitz New, CEO, RSC Associates
Faced with depleted relief funds, rising expenses, and stagnant operating revenue, many orchestras are struggling to balance their budgets. Bold strategies like launching endowment campaigns or appealing to top philanthropists offer long-term hope, but they fall critically short of addressing the urgent financial challenges facing these organizations today.
What does winning look like? The organizations thriving in this environment share one key trait: a commitment to learning and applying fundraising fundamentals. They consistently invest in the daily work needed to build and sustain a strong philanthropic program that produces predictable and reliable Annual Fund growth.
RSC will provide an assessment of the cash crisis across the arts industry and the core fundraising fundamentals every organization can apply to achieve sustainable and reliable recurring revenue growth. The workshop will allow participants to apply these principles to their programs in real-time – hearing from their peers who’ve done so successfully, identifying the resources needed to take action, and overcoming the barriers that stand in the way.
There is an additional cost to attend this workshop. ($100/members; $150/nonmembers)
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
EXHIBITOR LOAD-IN & SETUP
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
ACSO BOARD MEETING
8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
REGISTRATION & EXHIBITOR MARKETPLACE OPEN
Make this your first stop at the conference! Get registered, grab a cup of coffee, and connect with businesses and individuals that support our field. Learn more about their services and what they can do for you.
9:00 AM - 9:45 AM
CONFERENCE ORIENTATION
This helpful overview will quickly orient you to the highlights of the conference agenda, help you get the lay of the land in Costa Mesa, and arm you with networking tips to amplify your time over the next three days when connecting with new colleagues and friends.
Presenters: TBA
9:45 AM - 10:30 AM
COFFEE BREAK, EXHIBITOR SHOWCASE & TECH DEMOS
Take a break, grab a cup of coffee and a snack, and head over to the Exhibitor Marketplace! With no other conference activities scheduled, this is the perfect time to visit exhibitors, catch a tech demo, and start a no-pressure conversation. The solutions that these businesses and individuals offer could make your job easier and your mission more impactful.
10:45 AM - 12:00 PM
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Breakout 1: Legacy Giving on 5% of Your Time: Maximizing Impact with Minimal Investment
Discover how dedicating just 5% of your time—approximately 2 hours per week or 1 day per month—can significantly advance your legacy giving program. This session will equip you with practical strategies to seamlessly integrate legacy giving conversations into your existing donor interactions. Key takeaways include:
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- Efficient Engagement: Learn how to incorporate brief legacy giving discussions into routine meetings with long-term supporters, making the most of every interaction.
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- Cost-Effective Promotion: Explore time- and budget-friendly methods to raise awareness and interest in your legacy giving program.
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- Essential Details: Gain insights into the critical administrative aspects of legacy giving, ensuring your program's foundation is solid without getting bogged down in complexities.
This session is ideal for orchestra development professionals and leaders seeking to enhance their legacy giving initiatives without overextending their resources.
Presenter: Greg Lassonde, Principal, Legacy Program Specialists
Breakout 2: Volunteers are the Heart of Pacific Symphony
Struggling to attract and retain dedicated volunteers and interns for your arts organization? Join Abby Edmunds, Senior Director of Volunteer Services, and Sean Sutton, Executive Vice-President & COO of Pacific Symphony, as they share how their volunteer program expanded to over 1,600 active participants in six years.
Discover practical strategies for recruiting, onboarding, and managing volunteers and interns effectively. Learn how to integrate volunteers into your organization's culture, provide meaningful roles, and recognize their contributions to foster long-term commitment. The session will also cover the importance of tracking volunteer time and its impact on your organization.
Conclude with a Q&A session to address your specific questions and challenges.
Presenters: Abby Edmunds, Senior Director of Volunteer Services, Pacific Symphony; Sean Sutton, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Pacific Symphony
Breakout 3: The Conservatory’s Role in Shaping the Canon
What role do music schools play in upholding—or transforming—the orchestral canon? This session explores how studio and ensemble repertoire decisions are often shaped by the programming demands of professional orchestras, creating a feedback loop that limits both what students study and what audiences hear. When standard repertoire dominates, are educators simply preparing students for the real world—or missing a chance to reimagine it?
Panelists will also examine how entrenched hierarchies within conservatory training reflect those found in professional orchestras, particularly through the emphasis on top-down leadership and deference to a single artistic authority. This model, introduced early in a musician’s education, can limit collaboration, suppress diverse perspectives, and make innovation more difficult. By rethinking these structures, can conservatories lead the way toward a more inclusive, dynamic, and forward-thinking musical future?
Moderator: Kedrick Armstrong, Music Director, Oakland Symphony
Panelists: Michelle Cann, pianist and faculty at Curtis Institute of Music; Danko Druško, assistant professor of orchestral studies, Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music; other panelists TBA
12:00 PM - 1:15 PM
EMERGING PROFESSIONALS BROWN BAG LUNCH
Create bonds of friendship that can last for the rest of your career! If you have been in the orchestra/performing arts field for less than five years, sign up for this informal lunch provided by ACSO where you can enjoy networking, stimulating conversation, and peer learning. Anyone who identifies as an emerging professional (5 years or less in the field) when they register will receive information in early July about securing a spot. Space will be limited.
1:15 PM - 2:45 PM
PEER FORUMS
In these facilitated give-and-take sessions, join your counterparts at other orchestras and music organizations to share ideas, ask questions, and collaborate on common challenges and opportunities.
- CEOs with Budgets Over $1 Million
- Paul Meecham, CEO, Tucson Symphony Orchestra
- Executive Directors with Budgets Under $1 Million
- Kevin Eberle-Noel, Executive Director, Redlands Symphony
- Board Members
- Anne-Marie Spataru, Board Member & Board Chair Emerita, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
- Community Orchestras
- Chelsea Chambers, Executive Director, Peninsula Symphony of Northern California
- Conductors, Musicians, and Artistic Leaders
- Facilitator TBA
- Development
- Emily Rankin, Vice President for Development, Pacific Symphony
- Education and Community Engagement
- Issy Farris, Vice President of Operations & Education, Long Beach Symphony
- Human Resources
- Alicia Gonzalez, Interim Director of Human Resources, San Francisco Symphony
- Marketing & Patron Services
- Ellen Armour, Development & Marketing Director, Fresno Philharmonic
- Operations
- Sunshine Deffner, General Manager & Acting Executive Director, California Symphony
- Youth Orchestras
- Alex Chu, Director of Education & Community Engagement, Pasadena Symphony & POPS; Nadia Liu, Executive Director, Young People's Symphony Orchestra
2:45 PM - 3:30 PM
Board Buses to Segerstrom Center for the Arts
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
OPENING PLENARY
Why Representation in Programming Matters
Keynote Speaker: Michelle Cann, GRAMMY award-winning pianist inaugural Eleanor Sokoloff Chair in Piano Studies at the Curtis Institute of Music
The ethnocultural diversity of our nation is among our greatest strengths, but representation among performers, composers, and audience members of classical music has not reflected that diversity. The programming of works by underrepresented composers can educate all of us and empower our next generation. Trailblazing pianist Michelle Cann facilitates an exploration of repertoire by composers whose extraordinary music was either neglected in their lifetimes or abandoned after their deaths.
Michelle’s remarks will be interspersed with her performance of excerpts by underrepresented composers who have written orchestral repertoire.
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
OVERTURE PARTY
Location: Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA)
Following the opening plenary, walk across the plaza to the beautiful Orange County Museum of Art for drinks and appetizers while catching up with colleagues. You'll enjoy modern art, dramatic architecture, and spectacular views. ACSO will provide round-trip transportation from the Hilton. Just bring your badge and enjoy the evening!
Hosted and sponsored by the Pacific Symphony
6:30 PM
Buses return to Hilton
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
REGISTRATION & EXHIBITOR MARKETPLACE OPEN
Grab a cup of coffee and connect with businesses and individuals that support our field. Learn more about their services and what they can do for you.
9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Breakout 1: CEO Roundtable: Resilience & Adaptation
Leading an orchestra has never been more complex—or more critical. From shifting audience expectations and philanthropic uncertainty to rising costs, evolving artistic relevance, and urgent conversations about workplace culture, orchestra CEOs are navigating a landscape of unprecedented challenge and change.
In this candid conversation, a panel of visionary orchestra leaders that helm different sized orchestras in different communities will share how they approach the daunting demands of their roles, the values that guide them, and why they remain deeply committed to this work. Join us to explore the resilience and adaptability required to lead orchestras today—and why their impact is more vital than ever.
Moderator: Sarah Weber, Executive Director, Association of California Symphony Orchestras
Panelists: John Forsyte, President & CEO, Pacific Symphony; Emma Moon, Executive Director & CEO, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale; Kim Noltemy, President & CEO, Los Angeles Philharmonic; Natalia Staneva, CEO, New West Symphony; Other panelists TBA
Breakout 2: Best Practices in Board Governance for Symphony Orchestras
A well-governed and smoothly functioning board is critical to supporting your symphony orchestra and maintaining the health of your organization. As we have seen in recent years, orchestras, like all nonprofits, must be adaptable institutions equipped to respond to urgent matters and emergency situations.
This session will focus on essential strategies to promote effective governance by boards, including a comprehensive overview of fiduciary duties such as the duties of care, loyalty, and obedience. We will discuss recommended policies and governing documents that provide the roadmap for boards to function efficiently and effectively on a day-to-day basis, such as conflict of interest, whistleblower, document destruction, and confidentiality policies, as well as bylaws. We will also explore best practices, including onboarding and training strategies for board members, and provide guidance for handling unexpected events and turbulent times.
Attendees will leave this session equipped with actionable strategies to strengthen board governance, ensuring their orchestras are well-positioned to navigate challenges and continue serving their communities with resilience and excellence.
Presenter: Casey Williams, Partner, Liebert Cassidy Whitmore
Breakout 3: 10 Tools to Optimize Your Website for Better Marketing and Fundraising Results
No matter your budget or technical expertise, you can elevate your orchestra’s online presence with the right tools. In this practical session, discover ten free or low-cost digital tools that can streamline your website’s performance and boost your marketing and fundraising efforts. You'll see real-world examples of how these tools enhance analytics, content management, optimization, accessibility, and graphic design. The session will conclude with a look at how AI is being used to support marketing and development success.
Presenters: Nami Ataee, CTO, Dream Warrior Group; LaMae Weber, CEO, Dream Warrior Group; Other speakers TBA
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
IDEA EXCHANGES
Join lively, fast-paced conversations on timely and intriguing topics from the orchestra world today. Facilitated by innovative leaders, these sessions kick off with personal insights and expertise, then open up for dynamic group discussion. Pose questions, share information, and spark creativity with fellow professionals in a relaxed, collaborative setting.
Each Idea Exchange round will last 45 minutes for a total of two rounds throughout the 90 minutes.
Topics and facilitators to be announced.
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Breakout 1: Spreading the Word: Public Relations in a Post-Newspaper World
The past two decades have seen print media shrink at an accelerated pace, with diminishing staffing, coverage of "non-essentials" like the arts, readership, and overall relevance in the digital age. Traditional public relations strategies are facing new challenges, particularly for performing arts organizations. This session will explore how classical music organizations of all sizes are adapting their PR approaches in a landscape where print is fading, and digital platforms dominate. We’ll look at creative strategies for earning media coverage, generating buzz, and building word-of-mouth momentum—especially among younger, digitally-savvy, and socially connected audiences.
Moderator: Don Roth, Board Member & Past President, San Francisco Classical Voice
Panelists: John Kieser, Co-Founder, JDJK Consulting; Hanneke van Proosdij, Co-Director, Voices of Music; Other Panelists TBA.
Breakout 2: Dealing With Difficult Donors: Strategies and Solutions
Donors are the lifeblood of orchestras, fueling artistic innovation and community engagement. Yet, navigating donor relationships can sometimes present challenges. Hear from seasoned orchestra leaders about how to deal with challenging donors and development situations. Panelists will share personal, candid testimonials and offer strategies to manage high maintenance donors, inappropriate or unethical donors, and donors whose missions don’t align with your orchestra. Leave this session with practical tools and renewed confidence to handle complex donor dynamics while upholding your own boundaries and your orchestra's values.
Presenters: Ellen Armour, Development & Marketing Director; Fresno Philharmonic; Nicola Reilly, President & CEO, Monterey Symphony; Kelly Ruggirello, President, Long Beach Symphony
Breakout 3: Beyond the Stage: Strengthening Orchestras Through Collaborative Partnerships
This session will explore how orchestras are building deeper and more sustainable community partnerships to expand their impact beyond the concert hall. Through real-world case studies, panelists will discuss strategies for engaging youth and families, collaborating across cultures, and partnering with educational and community organizations. The conversation will highlight lessons learned, practical challenges, and creative approaches to building authentic, long-term relationships.
Presenters: Nagham Wehbe, Vice President, Arts Consulting Group; Barry Silverman, Founder & Music Director, South Coast Symphony; Other Panelists TBA
2:30 PM - 3:45 PM
PEER FORUMS
Start a conversation, offer ideas, ask questions, solve problems, and offer resources. In these facilitated give-and-take sessions, join your peers at other orchestras and music organizations to listen, learn, share, and collaborate.
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- CEOs with Budgets Over $1 Million
- Paul Meecham, CEO, Tucson Symphony Orchestra
- Executive Directors with Budgets Under $1 Million
- Kevin Eberle-Noel, Executive Director, Redlands Symphony
- Board Members
- Anne-Marie Spataru, Board Member & Board Chair Emerita, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
- Community Orchestras
- Chelsea Chambers, Executive Director, Peninsula Symphony of Northern California
- Development
- Emily Rankin, Vice President for Development, Pacific Symphony
- Education and Community Engagement
- Issy Farris, Vice President of Operations & Education, Long Beach Symphony
- Finance
- Jessie Hiser, Director of Finance, Pacific Symphony
- Marketing & Patron Services
- Ellen Armour, Development & Marketing Director, Fresno Philharmonic
- Operations
- Megan Twain, Associate Manager of Operations and Production, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale
- Youth Orchestras
- Alex Chu, Director of Education & Community Engagement, Pasadena Symphony & POPS; Nadia Liu, Executive Director, Young People's Symphony Orchestra
- CEOs with Budgets Over $1 Million
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
PRESIDENT'S RECEPTION
(Invitation only)
The President’s Reception is an opportunity for ACSO to thank our Individual Donors and Conference Sponsors at a gathering that includes drinks and light appetizers. Have a drink on us, network with one another, and know how much ACSO appreciates your support! This reception is open by invitation to our Conference Sponsors and our Donors who have given $150 or more to ACSO in the past year. Donate when you register or onsite at conference to secure your invitation!
5:45 PM
Board Buses for Great Park, Irvine
6:00 PM
Depart for Pacific Symphony Concert
8:00 PM
PACIFIC SYMPHONY SUMMERFEST CONCERT: BEETHOVEN'S EMPEROR & PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION
Great Park Live, Irvine
Experience an evening of musical brilliance!
Enjoy Oscar Navarro’s vibrant A Downey Overture, Beethoven’s majestic Piano Concerto No. 5 with pianist Michelle Cann, and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition in Ravel’s stunning orchestration. Under the direction of Carl St.Clair, this concert promises to be a truly unforgettable celebration of great music.
Artists
Carl St.Clair, conductor
Michelle Cann, piano
OSCAR NAVARRO: A Downey Overture
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor”
~ Intermission ~
MUSSORGSKY/RAVEL: Pictures at an Exhibition
Cost:
- $62/general seating
- $99/table seats (table seats seat groups of 4. We recommend that one person purchase all four tickets if you would like to sit together).
(Bus transportation included with both options)
10:00 PM
Buses return to Hilton
8:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Registration & Exhibitor Marketplace Open
Grab a cup of coffee and connect with businesses and individuals that support our field. Learn more about their services and what they can do for you.
9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
ACSO Annual Meeting & Awards Breakfast
Over a continental breakfast, members will vote on the slate of new and renewing ACSO board members, meet new board officers, thank outgoing board members, and learn about the association’s financial health, mission-driven work, and future initiatives. ACSO will also present awards to remarkable individuals and organizations for their meaningful contributions to the orchestra field.
10:30 AM - 11:45 AM
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Breakout 1: Leveling Up: Orchestras and the Rise of Video Game Music
Video game music has evolved far beyond the simple electronic melodies of the 1980s. Now part of a $187-billion global industry, today’s game scores are sweeping, cinematic, and often rival the scale and recognition of many TV and film scores. For orchestras, this genre offers growing opportunities for innovative programming, audience development, and artistic exploration as well as immersive and memorable community experiences.
This session begins with a look at the origin and evolution of video game music, tracing its transformation into a respected art form that offers rich creative possibilities for composers and musicians alike. We'll learn from industry leaders, producers and composers who have brought this repertoire to the stage. They'll share challenges encountered, lessons learned, programming strategies, and how video game concerts can connect with younger and more diverse audiences while introducing traditional concertgoers to exciting new musical frontiers.
Moderator: Noah Gladstone, Music Producer & Owner, Hollywood Scoring
Panelists: Bill Hemstapat, Sr Interactive Music Designer, Riot Games; Jennifer Miller Hammel, Host/Producer, Classical California's Arcade, Classical California; Other Panelists TBA
Breakout 2: Listening to Learn: How Audience Feedback Drives Change at California Symphony
How can orchestras better understand their audiences and use feedback to drive meaningful change? Learn how to implement a no-cost, low-lift, robust post-concert survey program that complements traditional metrics like ticket sales. From crafting the right questions to analyzing results, this session will take you behind the scenes to show how audience input shapes decision-making, complements marketing, influences programming, and creates a new measure of success.
Whether you're new to audience surveys or looking to improve your current approach, you’ll leave with tangible takeaways and practical tools to implement at your organization. Join us for a deep dive into how orchestras can foster stronger connections with their audiences by listening, learning, and adapting.
Presenters: Theresa Madeira, Director of Marketing and Communications, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra; Cory Schuman, Senior Coordinator, Patron Loyalty, California Symphony
Breakout 3: If You Don't Know Where You're Going, Any Road Will Take You There: When is it Time for a Strategic Plan?
Do you know what the next step is for your orchestra? Are you thinking about what you want your organization to achieve, beyond completing your next season? This interactive session will de-mystify the strategic planning process, using hands-on exercises and small group discussions to explore the steps of developing a strategic plan. We’ll cover how to clarify your purpose, set goals and determine tactics, define and measure success, and ensure that your whole organization feels ownership over the plan. You’ll learn how strategic planning can help your orchestra move past sustainability to vitality and create more lasting public value.
Presenters: Bill Blake, West Coast Director, AMS Planning & Research; Lauren Frankel, Research Lead and Special Projects Manager, AMS Planning & Research
11:45 AM - 1:30 PM
CLOSING PLENARY & LUNCHEON
Orchestrating Wellbeing: Music's Role in Health, Connection, and Community Impact
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Tasha Golden, PhD, singer/songwriter turned behavioral scientist, and a leading expert in creativity’s role in wellbeing and innovation
The science is clear: music doesn't just move us emotionally—it measurably impacts our mental health, social connections, and overall wellbeing. In this inspiring keynote, Dr. Tasha Golden—touring musician turned public health scientist—reveals how orchestras can become vital partners in community health while expanding their audience and relevance.
Drawing on both scientific evidence and her unique career journey, Dr. Golden presents a clear and compelling framework for understanding orchestras' impacts on wellbeing at multiple levels—from individual experiences to broader social change. She shares insights from her research on how music influences mental health and social connection, offering orchestras a powerful lens through which to view their current and future work.
Dr. Golden challenges orchestras to question assumptions about what they do, where their work "belongs," and how it matters. Attendees will leave with a transformative vision of how their organizations can refuse to accept limiting narratives, reimagine their role in creating thriving communities, and develop partnerships that reveal and expand their value—all while fulfilling their artistic mission.
Click here to learn how Dr. Golden can help your orchestra become an even more essential resource in your community and build new audience connections.