Nearly 275 orchestra and performing arts professionals and supporters 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 (Coming soon!) (photos by Elise Aileen)
Collective Composition Sheet Music (Coming soon!)
Keynote, Session, and Musical Moment Videos
KEYNOTES
Emil Kang: How It Really Works: Truths About Leading in the Arts
Video coming soon!
Closing Keynote - August 8, 2026 (videography by Tritone Films)
Gabriela Lena Franck: Composing Connection: Identity, Community, and the Future of the Orchestra
Video coming soon!
Breakout Session Slide Decks and Handouts
SLIDES
Building a Fundraising Board: From Expectations to Action
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
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
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
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"
Presenter: Susan Howlett, Consultant, Speaker, Author
Inside the Season Build: A Live Artistic–Administrative Collaboration Lab
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
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
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
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
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