9:30am – 5:00pm

Making Outstanding Education Concerts: What You Play and What You Say*

Deepen knowledge and experience, and create effective partnerships in designing concerts with artistic and educational focuses that are in alignment with contemporary audiences. (Continued Wednesday 8:00 am - 1:00 pm.)

9:30am – 4:30pm

Musically Speaking*

Articulate your passion for music with confidence and clarity, and gain support of those around you including the audience, musicians, donors, the press, and key community members. You may register for Musically Speaking AND any Wednesday seminar below.

8:00am – 1:00pm

Making Outstanding Education Concerts: What You Play and What You Say*

Continued from Tuesday.

1:00pm – 6:30pm

Orchestras on the Hill (Capacity is limited! Register now to participate!)

The policy decisions made in Washington, D.C. impact orchestras back home.  Make the case to your Senator(s) or Representatives at Orchestras on the Hill. No matter your role or affiliation, this day is for everyone. Prepare for your meetings at a briefing, meet with members of Congress, and attend a Hill reception.

1:00pm - 2:15pm
Legislative Briefing (Hilton Washington)

Never met with a policymaker? Worried about what to say? Don’t worry! We’ll tell you all you need to know to meet with your representatives in Congress including what to bring to your meeting, how to conduct your meeting, and talking points. You’ll also meet with other Conference attendees from your state, including your State Captain. Meetings with your Senators will be scheduled for you in advance. We’ll be sitting at tables so feel free to buy your lunch beforehand and bring it with you. Speakers

2:15pm - 3:15pm
Buses to the Hill

Buses will leave from the T Street entrance on the Terrace Level (one floor below the lobby) of the Hilton Washington.

3:30pm - 5:30pm
Hill Meetings(Capitol Hill)

You’ve been briefed – you’re now ready to meet with your members of Congress!

5:00 - 6:30pm
Hill Reception, (Cannon Caucus Room, Capitol Hill)

7:15pm

We’re inviting you and your members of Congress to join us in the beautiful Cannon Caucus Room after your Hill meetings. Hear Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and Mark O’Connor perform. We'll also present the Gold Baton Award for distinguished service to music and the arts to National Symphony Orchestra Music Director Leonard Slatkin and to the Congressional Arts Caucus. Representative Slaughter (D-NY) and Representative Shays (R-CT) will accept on behalf of the Congressional Arts Caucus.


National Friends of the League Donor Appreciation Dinner
Sponsored by Steinway & Sons
(by invitation)

7:00am – 8:15am

Conference/League Orientation

For first-time Conference attendees and for those new to the League.

8:15am – 9:30am

Opening Session/Keynote Address

Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee delivers this year’s Opening Session Keynote Address on why he chose to focus on the arts during his chairmanship of the Education Commission of the States.

Youth Orchestra Performance
Members of six Washington D.C. area youth orchestras perform under the direction of Emil de Cou, Associate Conductor, National Symphony Orchestra: American Youth Philharmonic, D.C. Youth Orchestra, Maryland Classic Youth Orchestra, Washington Metropolitan Youth Philharmonic, Potomac Valley Youth Orchestra, The Youth Orchestras of Prince William.

Opening Session sponsored by Classical Movements Inc.

9:45am – 11:00am

Opening Forums

Choose from one of the following sessions available to all Conference delegates:

Making the Case
Question: What will persuade a prospective donor, convince a key policymaker, earn the community’s trust, and win the hearts of your audience? Answer: Knowing your facts, and communicating them in a compelling way. Learn why four leading public figures are advocates for music, and how each make the case from a different perspective: economic, education, artistry, and community impact. Receive a new collection of our best statistics, arguments, and quotes about American orchestras, and take home effective strategies to make the case for your orchestra at home. Speakers

Don’t Mess with My Concerts
We know that each audience member attends concerts with different expectations and degrees of sophistication. But what do we know about our audience, really? And how do we apply what we do know about them to the concert experience? We’ll explain – and challenge – some assumptions that have, until now, influenced orchestras’ approaches to concerts, and examine some new approaches as well. Speakers

11:15am – 12:30pm

Programming for Adult Audiences

In the '70's, '80's, and '90's, orchestras grew their education programs exponentially in response to the erosion of music education in schools. Today, the newest area of challenge and opportunity appears to be continuing education for seniors. A compelling argument can be made for programs that will benefit our society's largest growing demographic, especially as we work to find our place as cultural citizens, to contribute to our large society, and to make the case for community relevance. Hear about programs that are breaking new ground in this area, and discuss how to take advantage of this burgeoning opportunity.

Moderator:
Polly Kahn, American Symphony Orchestra League

Panelists:
Adrienne Valencia, director of education and outreach, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
Carol Lidard, Elderhostel and Peabody Inn Manager
Beth Perdue Outland, vice president of education, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra

12:45pm – 2:00pm

Roundtable Discussions

The best ideas to bring home from meetings often come from sharing experiences and strategies with colleagues. We invite you to suggest your most pressing topics for small-group discussion. Feel free to purchase your lunch at the hotel deli and bring it with you.

2:15pm – 3:30pm

Networking

Gather with colleagues and business partners in the Delegate Lounge/Exhibit area for informal discussions, networking, and an opportunity to meet with artist managers who represent educational programming and artists.

3:45pm – 5:00pm

Orchestra Toolbox Sessions

Choose from six compelling sessions, including:

Strengthening Roots, Branching Out: Orchestra Residencies Across America
What makes a successful orchestra residency? Why might you implement one as a form of community engagement? Take a look at the National Symphony Orchestra’s American Residencies, the Oregon Symphony’s Community Music Partnerships, and the quartet residency of the Western Piedmont Symphony, and take home strategies to make your orchestra’s residency possible, powerful, and sustainable. Speakers

The Best Defense: A Guide for Orchestra Advocates
You have the power to create meaningful relationships with policymakers – at all levels. Want that state arts agency budget and those tax-exempt benefits kept intact? Work in coalitions and form personal connections. Build a foundation of local, state, and federal government support now, so when it’s time for those critical votes, your policymakers know what to do.  Speakers

5:00pm – 6:15pm

Buses to the Kennedy Center

Buses to the Kennedy Center will leave from the T Street entrance on the Terrace Level (one floor below the lobby) of the Hilton Washington.

7:00pm

National Symphony Orchestra Concert* and Tune-Up Party

The National Symphony Orchestra performs under Leonard Slatkin at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Concert Hall. Guest artists include Mark O'Connor and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, violin.
Tune-Up Party hosted by the National Symphony Orchestra

9:00pm - 9:30pm

Tour of the John F. Kennedy Center Concert Hall

Take a Jaffe Holden Acoustics Tour featuring the acoustical design of the John F. Kennedy Center Concert Hall immediately following the concert.

11:00pm

Gone, But Not Forgotten

Enjoy a chat with orchestra veterans – those risqué, devil-may-care, caution-to-the-wind, impresarios – as they reveal all they couldn’t say…on the job.

9:00am - 10:15am

Music Education Advocacy

This is a cross-constituency meeting for Education/Community Relations; YOD; and Managers, Groups 5-8. Orchestras have the expertise and clout to be powerful advocates in support of music education in their local schools. What can your orchestra do to lead local policymakers to step up their support? Learn how best to align with community partners in support of music education in the schools, and use compelling arguments from an orchestra perspective.

Moderator:
Leni Boorstin, director of community affairs, Los Angeles Philharmonic

Panelists:
Mike Blakeslee, deputy executive director, MENC; board member, American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras
Mary L. Luehrsen, director of public affairs and government relations, NAMM-International Music Products Association
Richard L. Early, president & executive director, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra
Susan Miville, director of education, outreach & community partnership, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra

10:30am - 11:45pm

Arts Education: Research and Resources

What does the latest research tell us about the efficacy of our education programs? What conditions must be in place in our communities and schools in order for music education to thrive? A panel of experts describes the research, context, and best practices that can support orchestra education programs.

Moderator:
Suzanne Perrino, vice president of education and community engagement, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

Panelists:
Richard J. Deasy, director, Arts Education Partnership
Doug Herbert, special assistant on teacher quality and arts education, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education
Barbara Shepherd, director of national partnerships – education, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
David Steiner, director, Arts Education, National Endowment for the Arts

12:00pm – 1:30pm

Conference Luncheon*

Drawing from his recent book, The Four Pillars of High Performance, Paul Light will explore strategies for attaining maximum effectiveness in a future of unprecedented change and uncertainty. Light is the Paulette Goddard Professor of Public Service, Robert Wagner School of Public Service, New York University.

Sponsored by: Clarion Associates, Inc., IMG Artists, Artsmarketing Services Inc.

1:45pm – 3:00pm

Strategic Planning/Business Meeting

Members of the League’s Strategic planning committee will facilitate a conversation. Also, during a business meeting, come up-to-speed on plans for future Education and Community Relations meetings, seminars, awards, and more.

3:15pm – 4:15pm

No Child Left Behind:  The Impact on Evaluation and Assessment

New accountability requirements for schools (in reading, math, and now science) have upped the ante for orchestras, impacting the delivery, evaluation, and assessment of education programs. The U.S. Department of Education has funded over 50 model arts education projects, all required to include rigorous evaluation and assessment in their original design. We’ll explore lessons learned.

Moderator:
Theodore Wiprud, director of education, New York Philharmonic

Panelists:
Diane Austin, program manager, Arts Education Model Development and Dissemination Program, U.S. Department of Education
Shawn A. Campbell, director of education & community partnerships, Tucson Symphony Orchestra
Robert Southworth, president, The SchoolWorks Lab, Inc.

4:30pm – 6:00pm

Awards Celebration and Reception

Celebrate the field's achievements at the Awards Celebration and Reception. We'll award the MetLife Awards for Excellence in Community Engagement, the Bank of America Awards for Excellence in Orchestra Education, the League/ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming, The Volunteer Council Gold Ribbon Awards, and the Helen M. Thompson Award.  Emcee Marvin Hamlisch.

Reception sponsored by ASCAP.

8:00pm

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Concert*

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performs under Yuri Temirkanov at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore with guest artist Vadim Repin, violin.

Buses will leave promptly at 6:00 pm from the T Street entrance on the Terrace Level (one floor below the lobby) of the Hilton Washington.

8:00pm

National Philharmonic Performance-Demonstration*

Experience a concert hall as you never have before at a demonstration of the visible and invisible features of the design responsible for making the new Music Center at Strathmore a concert hall for the 21st century.

To get to the Music Center at Strathmore, take the Metro from the Dupont Circle Station to the Strathmore/Grosvenor station, (8 stops on the Red Line towards Shady Grove) and walk to the Music Center through a covered skyway. This trip will take approximately 45 minutes from door to door including a ten minute walk down Connecticut Ave. to the Dupont Circle Station. Round trip tickets may be purchased at the Metro station for $4.50.

8:00pm

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Concert*

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performs under Yuri Temirkanov at the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda with guest artist Vadim Repin, violin.

To get to the Music Center at Strathmore, take the Metro from the Dupont Circle Station to the Strathmore/Grosvenor station, (8 stops on the Red Line towards Shady Grove) and walk to the Music Center through a covered skyway. This trip will take approximately 45 minutes from door to door including a ten minute walk down Connecticut Ave. to the Dupont Circle Station. Round trip tickets may be purchased at the Metro station for $4.50.