Education profiles IN

Carol U. Baker

Director of Education
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
Indianapolis, Indiana
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Years in current position: 8
Years in the field: 8

Majors:
Bachelor’s of Music Education, French minor
Pursuing Master’s in Non-Profit Management through Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis School of Public and Environmental Affairs

Additional Training:
Essentials of Orchestra Management, League of American Orchestras
American Orff Schulwerk Association workshops
Various leadership development seminars

Career Path:
Music Teacher (K-8, parochial school)
Director of Volunteer and Audience Relations (regional theatre company)  Church/Temple Musician (various religious settings)
Opera Chorus (various opera companies)

What are the most surprising, interesting or challenging aspects of your day-to-day work?
Working with so many different constituents through the promotion of symphonic music. I really enjoy building bridges between the orchestra and the communities we serve.

What inspired you to work for an orchestra?
This was the perfect marriage of two passions: music education and arts administration.  In my job I’m able to build bridges through appreciation and understanding from both the orchestra’s perspective and the audience’s perspective.

What was your first step when beginning your working career?
The first step to finding my career path was to be open to new experiences and not be afraid of putting myself out there. 

What advice would you offer to someone considering the orchestra field?
Do this because you love it.  It’s not like regular jobs—you must be willing to put your heart and soul into the work. But you also have to know when to step aside and refresh your spirit so you don’t get burned out.

Any other advice?
I would ask someone who is interested in entering the orchestra management field, “What are you willing to do to ensure that live great symphonic music is thriving in your community?” Whether a piece was written today or two centuries ago, the music is relevant to the “everyman” experience. Love, regret, passion, devotion, nationalism, pride, anger, etc. are all expressed through symphonic music. It’s real and it’s alive. Our job is to translate our “product” to the “everyman” and ensure that our art form thrives in this volatile economy.

Jill Case

Community Partnership Coordinator
Fort Wayne Philharmonic
Fort Wayne, Indiana
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Years in current position: Less than 1
Years in the field: Less than 1

Majors:
English

Additional Training:
Qualified Administrator of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

Career Path:
Editor, Insurance Company 
Copywriter: Sears; Gerbig, Snell/Weisheimer; Fekete and Co.
Freelance Copywriting/PR: Spiegal, National Safety Council, Encyclopedia Britannica, Enesco Corp., Baxter Healthcare, other ad agencies

What are the most surprising, interesting or challenging aspects of your day-to-day work?
The most interesting part, surprisingly enough (because I’m not a small-town person) has been how much I’ve enjoyed going into these small towns and meeting all the people who help us with the concerts we do outside of Fort Wayne.

What inspired you to work for an orchestra?
I love music! Although I only play the piano myself, I enjoy music and appreciate the benefits that it brings to communities.

Would you do anything differently?
I fell into advertising, and I loved it. I don’t know if I would have done anything differently because it all worked out pretty well.

Linda Noble

Associate Director of Education
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
Indianapolis, Indiana
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Years in current position: 1
Years in the field: 12

Majors:
Music Education

Additional Training:
Orff-Schulwerk and Kodaly Workshop and Levels, Lincoln Center Institute
Kennedy Center Giving Clues Workshop

Career Path:
Education Assistant, Indianapolis Symphony
Education Program Manager, Indianapolis Symphony

What are the most surprising, interesting or challenging aspects of your day-to-day work?
I love working with really dedicated, intelligent colleagues.

What inspired you to work for an orchestra?
Passion to encourage children to develop an interest in classical music.

What was your first step toward an orchestra career?
It was quite by chance. I volunteered to do a specific task and offered to do more. This led to a job offer! Initially it paid really poorly, but it grew into something lucrative.

What advice would you offer to someone considering the orchestra field?
I think we need people with more depth of experience in their jobs, whether it be marketing, education, development, PR, etc. These jobs require much more than the ability to do administrative tasks.

Any other advice?
Put your ego aside. It can be difficult to have people constantly ask you what instrument you play in the orchestra. You must have the confidence to feel accomplished in your role as a staff member.