Episode 9. League of American Orchestra's Simon Woods: Cultural Leadership and the Contemporary American Orchestra

Decoding Cultural Leadership

This week Sam spoke to Simon Woods, President and CEO of the League of American Orchestras. Simon has led an ambitious change agenda for American orchestras, particularly in the areas of diversity and inclusion - an area which he is personally very passionate about.

Simon talks about the League’s work with its (over) 650 member orchestras and some of the incredible programs and initiatives currently happening in orchestras.

He discusses the changing face of leadership and governance and how orchestras contributed to and participated in the debate about some of the burning social issues of recent years: Black Lives Matter, the Me Too movement, and the current geopolitical conflicts in the world.

Links:

League of American Orchestras

https://americanorchestras.org/

Symphony

https://symphony.org/about-symphony/

Simon’s Medium page

https://simonwds.medium.com/

Seattle Symphony connects with city’s homeless population

https://symphony.org/seattle-symphony-connects-with-citys-homeless-population/

Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Notes for Peace program

https://cso.org/performances/22-23/civic-orchestra/notes-for-peace/#:~:text=Notes%20for%20Peace%20is%20an,create%20original%20songs%20of%20tribute.

The Art of Relevance, Nina Simon

https://artofrelevance.org/

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Presenter and research: Sam Cairnduff

Creative Director: Niloofar Pashmforoosh

Presented in association with Limelight

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