April 7, 2016

Your Network, Voice and Forum for Classical Music in the West

Summer Music Festivals Abound in California

Ojai Music Festival; Festival Mozaic; Music in the Vineyards

California is home to some of the most fabulous Music Festivals in the world. To find a festival near you click here.

Join the "Ask an Expert" Webinar

The deadline to register for ACSO's latest webinar is approaching! Don't miss out!

"Employers: Be Careful With Exempt and Non-Exempt Designations"

Presenter: Deborah Weiser, of counsel, Paul Hastings, LLP

Wednesday, April 13, 2016 | 11 AM - 12 PM PDT

ACSO Members: Free | Non-Members: $35

Good to Know

This Bill Could Harm Non-Profits

Introduced by Assemblymember Jim Frazier, AB 2855 would require disclosure of administrative and overhead expenses and a copy of the most recent Internal Revenue Service Form 990 filing on a nonprofit's webpage. Violating any of these requirements would be a crime subject to suspension or revocation of the nonprofit's tax-exempt status. It would authorize the Attorney General to take any other enforcement action within its existing powers and duties.

It's Easy to Give to the Arts on Your CA Tax Return

If you haven't yet filed your California state tax return and wish to support arts education programs, consider making a tax deductible contribution to the Keep Arts in Schools Fund. Read more.

Professional Development & Consulting Grant Opportunity

The Professional Development and Consulting grant program (PDC) is back for a second year. The program assists arts organizations in building their capacity for success through professional development or consulting services. The California Arts Council has increased its allocated investment in the program in response to high demand from the field, offering up to triple the number of grants this year. The application deadline is April 21, 2016.

Guidelines and application are available now.

Up And Down The Scale

Juan Devis has been appointed to the California Arts Council effective May 1. He is currently the senior vice president of Content Development and Production for the largest independent television network in the United States, KCETLink. Devis, a founding member and current board member of the LF Charter School for the Arts, has worked with a number of non-profit organizations and media arts institutions in Los Angeles. Devis will replace Susan Steinhauser, who has served the Council since 2008.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic has appointed Susanna M�lkki as principal guest conductor. M�lkki will assume the new role beginning in the 2017/18 season for a three-year term. M�lkki has had a successful career as a cellist, and was one of the principals of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in Finland. She is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music, was awarded the Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland in 2011, and, in 2016, was inducted as chevalier into the L�gion d'honneur.

Former ACSO Board member Rachelle Roe is the new director of public relations for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' classical-music affiliates, including the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington National Opera, and Fortas Chamber Music Concerts. Since 2009 Roe has been director of public relations at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Previous posts include director of public affairs, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; associate director of public relations, Los Angeles Philharmonic and Hollywood Bowl; senior publicist, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts; publicist, Shuman Associates; and marketing/public relations associate, Celebrity Series of Boston.

Welcome to these new Board members at the Santa Barbara Symphony: Don Gilman, George Konstantinow, Michelle Richardson and Robert Weinman.

Marc Taddei is the new music director of the Vallejo Symphony beginning in the 2016/17 season. Taddei is the music director of Orchestra Wellington in New Zealand. Taddei frequently conducts every professional orchestra in New Zealand, and regularly works with the national ballet and opera companies and the International Festival of the Arts. He also conducts in the U.S., including for Hollywood and international movie productions. Taddei is a graduate of the Julliard School in Manhattan where he received both bachelors and masters degrees.

The Santa Cruz Symphony has chosen Dorothy Wise as its new executive director. Wise served as the Symphony's most recent Board president and succeeds Jan Derecho, who retired on December 31, 2015. Wise grew up supporting her father's stewardship as conductor for different youth orchestras in the Los Angeles area (Her father, Tom Osborn, served on the ACSO Board of Directors for many years, and was responsible for ACSO's music lending library of scores). Wise has performed in recitals and orchestras on violin, viola and piano, as well as winning a concerto competition where she performed the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21 with orchestra. After graduating from Princeton with a degree in Computer Science, Wise auditioned for and was accepted by the Boulder Philharmonic as a violist. During her technology career working at NBI, Borland, Novell and Agile Software, Wise became active in the Santa Cruz Symphony, joining the Board of Directors in 1991, later serving as president of the Board from 1995/1996 and 2014/2015. Wise's career in high tech culminated in her role as executive vice president of development running a multi-million dollar organization. In 2000 she retired from the tech industry and purchased Glenwood Equestrian Center in Scotts Valley, becoming a Season Sponsor of the Symphony.

New Releases From Our Members

The Santa Barbara Symphony has just released Ginastera - The Vocal Album with the Santa Barbara Symphony. The album marks the centenary of Argentinian composer Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983). World-renown tenor Pl�cido Domingo performs excerpts from Don Rodrigo, while two sopranos - Ana-Maria Mart�nez and Virginia Tola - sing Ginastera's Cinco canciones populares argentinas and cantata Milena respectively. The album was recorded in 2002 with the Santa Barbara Symphony and conducted by Gis�le Ben-Dor, a notable champion of Latin American music.

Download on iTunes and Amazon.

Our Featured Orchestra This Month

The Vallejo Symphony, the seventh oldest symphony in California, traces its roots to the early days of the Great Depression, when a small group of community leaders determined that local musicians needed a showcase for their talents and that other members the community would be enriched by attending live performances of timeless music. The 85-year-old organization enriches the City of Vallejo's performing arts community with beautiful music throughout the year. Find out more here.

Links at Your Fingertips

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