Nearly 300 orchestra and performing arts leaders gathered in Santa Rosa from August 6-8 for the 2026 ACSO Annual Conference. By connecting with each other, learning from speakers and experts, and uplifting a wide array of voices and perspectives, attendees focused on forging a path to a future where orchestras thrive, communities flourish, and the enduring impact of music enriches the lives of all.
Revisit the conference resources below, including keynote and session recordings, photos, and speaker slides and handouts. If you are looking for notes from your peer forum, contact conference@acso.org.
If you attended the conference and haven’t yet done so, please take a few minutes share your thoughts on the sessions you attended and the overall event, along with any suggestions for future conferences.
Photos & Media
Conference Digital Photo Album (Photo Gallery) (photos by Elise Aileen)
Conference Agenda (PDF)
Collective Composition (Video)
"The First Work You Would Play for Someone New to Classical Music" (Playlist)
Keynote & Plenary Videos
KEYNOTES
Emil Kang: How It Really Works: Truths About Leading in the Arts
Watch
Closing Keynote - August 8, 2026 (videography by Tritone Films)
Gabriela Lena Frank: Composing Connection: Identity, Community, and the Future of the Orchestra
Watch
VIDEO PLAYLIST
Watch a collection of video highlights from the opening and closing plenaries, including:
- Musical Moment by Santa Rosa Symphony violin duo (11:08)
- Welcome Remarks by ACSO Board President (7:59)
- Welcome to Santa Rosa by Santa Rosa Symphony leadership and Mayor Mark Stapp (9:51)
- Conference Dedication to Michael Tilson Thomas and Corrick Brown (5:35)
- Special Recognition Award to Tim Beswick (9:53)
- Musical Moment by SRSYE String Sextet (13:07)
- 2027 Conference Location Announcement by San Diego Symphony (4:49)
Breakout Session Slide Decks & Handouts
SLIDES & HANDOUTS
Building a Fundraising Board: From Expectations to Action (PDF)
Moderator: Catherine Heitz New, CEO, RSC Associates
Presenters: Kathryn R. Martin, President & CEO, Santa Barbara Symphony & Next Chapter Coach; Renee Rymer, Board Member, Marin Symphony; Corinne Byrd, Board Member, Santa Rosa Symphony
Building a Major Gifts Program That Performs (PDF)
Presenters: Christina Campbell, Senior Director at CCS Fundraising; Ruyi Lu, Senior Vice President at CCS Fundraising
Building Relevance, Connection, and Community through Early Childhood & Youth Programming for Orchestras (PDF)
Presenters: Kate Battenfeld, Executive Director, San Diego Youth Symphony; Stephen Salts, Director of Impact & Innovation, San Diego Symphony
Digital Media Across the Concert Experience: Before, During, and After (PDF)
Presenters: Evelyn Klatt, Chief Development & Marketing Officer, Reno Philharmonic; Annelies Zijderveld, Social Media Manager, SF Classical Voice
Ensuring Your Artistic Legacy: Navigating ”Administrative Disasters” in the Arts Sector (PDF)
Moderator: Tom Clareson, Senior Consultant/BAARN Project Director, Lyrasis/Bay Area Arts Readiness Network
Panelists: Caroline Bamforth, President-Elect & Treasurer, Sacramento Master Singers; Anne Huang, CEO, World Arts West; Velma Lim, Board President, Stockton Symphony; Peter Jaffe, Music Director & Conductor, Stockton Symphony
Flash Talks: Insights from Across the Field (PDF)
Moderator: Tara Aesquivel, Founder & Principal, Tara Aesquivel Consulting
Presenters: Liz Butler, Marketing Assistant, Pacific Symphony; Liane Curtis, President, Women's Philharmonic Advocacy; Santiago Valenzuela, Education Programs Manager, San Francisco Symphony; Jessie Keller, Vice-President; VP Artistic & Educational Programming; Orchestra Librarian, Southern California Philharmonic; Laura Goodall, Assistant Director of Development, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
Fundraise and Friendraise through "Story-Listening" (PDF)
Presenter: Susan Howlett, Consultant, Speaker, Author
Inside the Season Build: A Live Artistic–Administrative Collaboration Lab (PDF, Handout)
Presenters: Donato Cabrera, Artistic Director & Conductor, California Symphony; Sunshine Deffner, General Manager, California Symphony; Lisa Dell, Executive Director, California Symphony
Musician Injuries & How to Avoid Them (PDF)
Presenters: Sean Krissman, Former Principal Clarinet, San Francisco Ballet Orchestra; Jeremy Stanek, Clinical Professor, Stanford University; Andrew Tremblay, Director of Orchestra Personnel, San Francisco Symphony
Relationships Matter: Case Studies in Building Community (PDF)
Presenters: Tod Brody, Executive Director, Marin Symphony; Anne Brown, Former Executive Director (ret), Auburn Symphony; Laura Ritchie, Executive Director, Auburn Symphony; Dean McVay, Board Member Emeritus, San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra; Dr. Diana Z. Rodriguez, Board Treasurer, San Bernardino Symphony Orchestras & Chancellor, San Bernardino Community College District; Dr. Anne L. Viricel, Executive Director, San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra
State of Play: Policy Briefing and Advocacy Strategy Session (PDF)
Presenter: Tracy Hudak, Director of Policy & Advocacy, CA for the Arts
Tools for Challenging Conversations (PDF)
Presenter: Jessica Schmidt, Principal Consultant, Orchestrate Inclusion
Why Program Notes? Writing to Engage Listening (Watch Recording)
Presenters: Lev Mamuya, Publicist, LA Phil and Contributing Writer, San Francisco Symphony; Alicia Mastromonaco, Contributing Writer, Program Notes, San Francisco Symphony; Benjamin Pesetsky, Associate Director of Editorial & Inside Music Talks, San Francisco Symphony