Competitive Eight-Month Program Develops Participants’ Leadership Capacities while Identifying the Orchestra Field’s Future Leaders

HAMPTON ROADS, VA [November 1, 2019] – Monica Meyer, the VSO’s Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Public Relations, is one of only twelve orchestra professionals participating in the League of American Orchestras’ Emerging Leaders Program, the field’s prime source for identifying and cultivating the leadership potential of talented orchestra professionals.

The competitive eight-month program begins this week with a three-day meeting in New York City and also includes one-to-one coaching, in-depth seminars led by leadership experts, visits with leaders in cultural and performing arts institutions, virtual convenings, and a capstone project culminating at the League’s 2020 National Conference in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN (June 10-12, 2020). The curriculum develops participants’ individual leadership capabilities and advances strategic thinking, resiliency, and innovation throughout the orchestra field.

According to Karen M. Philion, President and CEO of the Virginia Symphony, “I’m thrilled that this high-level professional development opportunity is being offered to one of our outstanding team members.  Monica is a star performer who will continue to contribute and lead in our organization and in our field.” 

“These twelve professionals are stewards of our field’s future,” said President and CEO Jesse Rosen. “They will hone their leadership skills and strategic vision through this flagship League of American Orchestras’ leadership development program, while building a cohort of colleagues they can learn from in years to come.”

Meyer joined the Virginia Symphony Orchestra team in 2014. As a lifelong student and enthusiast of the arts, she earned a full scholarship for Music Performance with a concentration in Oboe and English Horn from West Virginia University. Her academic path included minor degrees in Business Administration and Arts Administration. As the first graduate of the West Virginia University school of music to combine music performance with dual administrative studies, she worked alongside faculty to develop curriculum, pioneering a course of study for future music students with an interest in a career in the arts.  Monica went on to earn a Master’s in Business Administration from Waynesburg University. 

Monica began her career at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and held increasingly responsible positions over eight seasons. As the Assistant Director of Marketing, she was responsible for exponential growth in subscription and ticket sales.  In her current role, she oversees all the VSO’s marketing, sales and public relations activities as the organization enjoys a period of unparalleled growth and innovation, looking forward to its 100th anniversary in 2020/21 under new artistic leadership and a major renovation of one of its three main venues.

Named as a 2019 Millennial on the Move in Coastal Virginia Magazine, Monica holds several board leadership roles serving the broader Hampton Roads community. She is the former Leadership Development Chair of the Downtown Norfolk Council’s Downtown 100, where she serves as Member at Large. She also is an active member of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Group and serves on the Emerging Leaders Board of local public television station, WHRO. She is a strong advocate for lifelong learning and professional development and is an Adjunct Professor of Marketing for the University of Phoenix.

About the 2019-20 Emerging Leaders Program:
Launched in 2014, the Emerging Leaders Program is the newest chapter in the League’s history of developing orchestral leaders. Along with its previous iteration, the Orchestra Management Fellowship Program, the Emerging Leaders Program has advanced the development of more than 200 alumni—now executive directors and senior executives of orchestras.

The current cohort is comprised of orchestra executive directors, a professional orchestral musician, and managers in a cross-section of orchestra departments, including education and community engagement, development, marketing, personnel, public relations, operations, and programming.

The participants were selected through a competitive application process; the League sought individuals who bring the imagination, drive, and commitment to grow as leaders in their own orchestras and serve as champions for the field.

Cohort bios and photos be found at: https://americanorchestras.org/emergingleaders

The Emerging Leaders Program is made possible by generous grants from American Express, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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As the region’s most celebrated musical, educational and entrepreneurial arts organization, the Virginia Symphony Orchestra continues to challenge expectations and push the boundaries of what an American orchestra can be – even as it approaches its 100th anniversary in 2020.

At the heart of the VSO’s narrative is innovation.  In 1991 the VSO made a very bold move in appointing the gifted young American conductor JoAnn Falletta as its music director. Since then, the orchestra has received national attention for its unique mission serving a home area of 1.7 million across the diverse communities of southeastern Virginia.  Through appearances at the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall and commitment to adventurous programming, the VSO and its musicians have been highlighted in the media including The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Public Radio and BBC Worldwide News.

As the largest arts performing organization in southeastern Virginia, the VSO and VSO Chorus present more than 150 concerts and events to educate, enlighten and entertain more than 100,000 residents and visitors each year. Recent innovations include health and wellness programs, including interactive therapeutic experiences for people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia.  As it approaches its Centennial year, the Orchestra and its legions of fans look forward with anticipation as the VSO conducts a worldwide search for its next music director.

The League of American Orchestras leads, supports, and champions America’s orchestras and the vitality of the music they perform. Its diverse membership of more than 2,000 organizations and individuals across North America runs the gamut from world-renowned orchestras to community groups, from summer festivals to student and youth ensembles, from conservatories to libraries, from businesses serving orchestras to individuals who love symphonic music. The only national organization dedicated solely to the orchestral experience, the League is a nexus of knowledge and innovation, advocacy, and leadership advancement. Its conferences and events, award-winning Symphony magazine, website, and other publications inform people around the world about orchestral activity and developments. Founded in 1942 and chartered by Congress in 1962, the League links a national network of thousands of instrumentalists, conductors, managers and administrators, board members, volunteers, and business partners. Visit americanorchestras.org.