Admin IN

Rhonda Y. Golden

Executive Assitant and Secretary to the Board
Fort Wayne Philharmonic
Fort Wayne, Indiana
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Years in current position: 2
Years in the field: 2

Majors:
Associate of Science, Business Management

Career Path:
Worked retail for ten years. Management status in past jobs.

What are the most surprising, interesting or challenging aspects of your day-to-day work?
Being a part of something that is so unique and beautiful. And of course meeting the people who both perform and attend the concerts.

What inspired you to work for an orchestra?
The love I have for all types of music.

What advice would you offer to someone considering the orchestra field?
The number one thing, probably, is if you don’t love music you will not understand what we do. And the second thing is to remember that there is no perfect job, but if you love what you do it will be your ideal. The last thing to remember is patience is a virtue and it takes a lot of virtue to make this job a successful one for you.

Any other advice?
If it is your passion, no one can discourage you. If someone can talk you out of doing it, it’s probably not for you.

Cassandra E Goldstein

Assistant to General Manager and Music Director
Indianapolis Symphony
Indianapolis Indiana
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Years in current position: 9
Years in the field: 9

Majors:
Music Education, minor in voice

What are the most surprising, interesting or challenging aspects of your day-to-day work?
The interesting part of my job is the coordination of communication and flow of information between artistic and administrative departments. Likewise, coordination of the artistic and administrative personalities/agendas so that there is an understanding of sometimes opposing viewpoints.

What inspired you to work for an orchestra?
Love of music.

Would you do anything differently?
I would have more actively pursued this career had I known it was available. This field was not available in music school when I was there. I did do secretarial/assitant work briefly for the conductor of the symphonic band and he told me I had a natural affinity for that kind of work; he was right.

Vikki Johnson

Executive Director
Richmond Symphony Orchestra
Richmond, Indiana
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Years in current position: 3
Years in the field: 3

Majors:
B.S. Management

Additional Training:
Various fund-raising, grant-writing, leadership workshops

Career Path:
Administrative Assistant,  Richmond Symphony Orchestra
Administrative Assistant, Hope House ARC (homeless/addiction shelter)
Administrative Assistant, Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County, Indiana
Manager of Business Retention & Expansion, Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County

What are the most surprising, interesting or challenging aspects of your day-to-day work?
How diverse each day is! One really does need to be good in so many areas: marketing, sales, special-event planning, concert production, bookkeeping, budget planning, customer service, board management. It is challenging to bring all these areas together and do them all well.

What inspired you to work for an orchestra?
My passion for music and the reality that excellence in artistry exists in my hometown. I had to be a part of making sure it contined.

What were your first steps in your professional career?
My first step was wanting to do everything correctly the first time; that is not a very good way to learn because there are often several paths to get the desired end. Allowing myself to find alternate ways to get the results I sought was enlightening and freeing.

What advice would you offer to someone considering the orchestra field?
Do your homework! Working for a small non-profit means a lot of long hours, doing what you hopefully love for a lot less money than you might be able to make elsewhere.  If you really have the passion for something, then you must follow that and create some beauty in the world around you. Also revel in the moments when it all comes together!

Any other advice?
Learn to work with others in your town/region to leverage your resources. There is seldom enough people/money/time to do all you want to do, so get help and give it, too!
 

J.L. Nave III

President and CEO
Fort Wayne Philharmonic
Fort Wayne, Indiana
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Years in current position: 2.5
Years in the field: 13

Majors:
B.A. Conducting
M.A. Arts Administration
M.B.A.

Additional Training:
Orchestra Management Fellowship Program, League of American Orchestras

Career Path:
Operations Assistant, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra
Orchestra Manager, Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic
President and CEO, Baton Rouge Symphony

What are the most surprising, interesting or challenging aspects of your day-to-day work?
Dealing with the needs and interests of the orchestra’s diverse constituencies, which can sometimes be in direct conflict with each other.

What inspired you to work for an orchestra?
I have been in music my entire life—performing on trumpet, voice, handbells, and eventually going into conducting. After pursuing graduate studies in conducting, I realized I did not want to be stuck in a practice room for hours a day, but I needed to stay closely connected to the music.

What were your first steps toward an orchestra career?
The first step I took was an honest conversation with my graduate conducting professor about the demands of the conducting career and other professions that speak to my passions and talents.

What advice would you offer to someone considering the orchestra field?
Network, network, network! Be open to all opportunities, because you never know what door leads to another.

Any other advice?
If you don’t have true passion for music, this will be a very frustrating (and likely short-lived) career. If you do have the passion, it will carry you through almost any professional trial.