Marketing profiles TX

Carolyn L. Bacon

Vice President, Marketing
San Antonio Symphony
San Antonio, Texas
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Years in current position: 3
Years in the field: 3 with orchestra, 25 in marketing

Majors:
Philosophy

Additional Training:
Certified Nonprofit Manager
Database Management
Lots of seminars, professional development, marketing, public relations, PR on the net, etc.

Career Path:
Marketing Director, ad agencies
Public Relations/Promotions/Public Affairs Director, radio
Marketing Director, YMCAs
Development Director, Animal Defense League

What are the most surprising, interesting or challenging aspects of your day-to-day work?
The most interesting aspects are the composers, conductors, artists and musicians who make the music happen. The most challenging components are the business environment, symphony marketing/sales budgets, and market reaction and inaction.

What advice would you offer to someone considering the orchestra field?
Be flexible, responsive, and listen well.

Any other advice?
It’s management. The more prepared you can be in human relations, business and management, the better you will do.

Bruce Robinson

Senior Director of Marketing
Houston Symphony
Houston, Texas
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Years in current position: 5
Years in the field: 5 years with orchestras, 20 years in marketing

Majors:
Bachelor’s and Master of Music in Piano, Indiana University
Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano, University of Arizona
M.B.A., Kellogg/Northwestern

Additional Training:
Certified Management Accountant

Career Path:
Brach Candy: Senior Financial Analyst, Business Unit Controller, Associate Marketing Manager, Bureaucracy Buster, Director of Market Research, Marketing Manager
Azar Nut Company: Vice President, Marketing
Shell Oil: Manager Strategy Planning

What are the most surprising, interesting or challenging aspects of your day-to-day work?
The pace and the complexity of orchestra marketing far outweigh anything I saw in the private sector. Orchestra marketers are the best marketers I know.

What inspired you to work for an orchestra?
This was an opportunity to combine two loves, music and marketing.

Would you have done anything differently?
I’ve enjoyed every position I’ve held. I needed all the experience I had to have succeeded in my present position.

What advice would you offer to someone considering a marketing position in the orchestra field?
Get a first-class marketing education at a premier business school and work with a first-class marketer at a premier orchestra.

Any other advice?
Be sure that performing arts marketing is the right field for you. It would be difficult to move to other industries—that speaks to their limited understanding of what we do.