A Change in Tempo: Nearing the End of a Good Run with the National Philharmonic

Linkedin Family,

Yesterday evening the news broke that yet another Maryland orchestra, The National Philharmonic—my orchestra and chorale—is planning on shutting its doors (Washington Post article). I am absolutely gutted by the news. Unless the Montgomery County Council allocates funding or a generous donor swoops in, I’ll have to come to terms that my musical home for the past 10 years will be no more.

I’m processing this news along with approximately 280 of my fellow singers and orchestra members. And strangely enough, I find myself processing it by wearing my communicator hat and writing my thoughts here in my first Linkedin article. 

I’ve read plenty of literature supporting the idea that having a fulfilling life outside of work makes for a better, happier, more productive professional. I couldn’t agree more. The National Philharmonic has been my passion and my creative outlet as I’ve navigated my career. It has been the one constant. Not only does singing take my mind off of work challenges or relieve stress, it also sparks lots of new ideas as I find myself constantly making notes in my phone app (during warm-ups, no less) to look at the next day at my desk.

I was introduced to the National Philharmonic in 2005 when my college choir from James Madison University was invited to sing the Brahms Requiem at the newly-opened Music Center at Strathmore with the group. I remember driving one of five big white JMU vans full of my fellow singers and navigating Rockville Pike as we looked for a place to eat before dress rehearsal—the same road I now drive each week to get to rehearsal. I remember walking into the building for the first time, ambling up the large staircase in a gaggle of college kids strapped down with tuxes, dress bags, and clunky music folders. I also remember the stage lights before the first downbeat of the baton. That 1,976 seat concert hall full of people vanished instantly with the intense heat and brightness of the large emanating orbs hovering above the stage. It’s the same view I have from the choir loft each season now: bright lights, dark hall. Little did I know that that choir, that concert hall would later become my home.

The National Philharmonic was one of two fun extracurricular commitments outside of work that shaped my 20s—the other, playing softball in DC for a JMU Alumni team. Both have been equally fulfilling in their essence (sports and music) and in the friendships I’ve made. With the National Phil, I dove right in as a 23 year old young professional, serving on multiple committees, being an assistant section leader, and helping to organize choir trips abroad.

One of my favorite choral nerd-meets-communications geek moments was selling out our Berlioz Requiem concert in 2012. Because the piece boasts a huge armory of brass and woodwinds, including four antiphonal brass ensembles, we had to make a profit to ensure we could pay all the musician fees in addition to the costs of renting out the hall and rehearsal space. Our volunteer publicity committee—formed by members of our Chorale with backgrounds in PR, visual media, and law to name a few—put together a robust communications plan and executed it flawlessly. We strategically identified target audiences and leveraged our professional/social networks, created compelling content and visuals, and used various touchpoints to get our message out. The work we were able to do as a cohesive choral unit both onstage and offstage was impressive. 

Since becoming a Chorale member in 2009, I’ve also been able to see the local community impact of the National Philharmonic first hand. The National Philharmonic is the only classical music organization in the Washington-Metro area to offer free tickets for kids aged 7-17. What an amazing investment and vision to enrich the next generation! 

The organization’s kid-friendly mission extends even further than that. With support from Montgomery County Public Schools, the National Philharmonic has programmed and performed concerts for all second graders in the county for the past 15 years. The concerts take place over one week, making it possible for over 12,000 children to experience the thrill of hearing a live orchestra each year. Teachers and students spend three to four weeks learning about the music and preparing for the overall concert hall experience. Our maestro always looked forward to setting off the cannon for Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture—a favorite among the students.

Funding for the arts is practically nonexistent these days and that is a shame. I think it’s quite telling that within a span of one month, we find ourselves in the same boat as our other founding resident partner at Strathmore, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Our situation was unfortunately exacerbated too by the government shutdown and ongoing construction projects at Strathmore and the Metro garage. We, and other performing arts groups across the United States, are facing a grim reality with which to grapple.

As the eternal optimist, I’m holding out hope that a funding resolution will be reached with the local county council for our group or that a large corporation headquartered in the area (I’m looking at you Lockheed Martin, Marriott, and Discovery) will step up to the plate in the same fashion as Budweiser came to recently sponsor the National Women's Soccer League. But for you, my Linkedin family, here’s how you can make a difference to support local arts organizations.

• Matching donations from your employer. Reach out to your HR rep for your company’s charitable giving policy. You can make your money go twice as far with twice the impact.
• Buy a season subscription. With a subscription, your money is committed upfront which makes it easier for artistic staff to plan and manage the upcoming season. 
• Purchase tickets for your clients. I have friends who treat their business clients to sporting events. Why not add the arts? The price of a box at Strathmore, for example, costs less than renting out a stadium suite. Or for smaller gifts, consider a subscription and send different clients to different concerts. Clients will appreciate the gesture and you’d be helping the arts organization build their audience. Win win.
• Sponsor a concert. By doing so, artistic staff are able to focus their efforts on more creative endeavors than being in the weeds worrying about cash flow. For example, last season we partnered with Lockheed Martin and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for a multimedia production set to Holst’s Planets using actual NASA footage. Not only did we perform to a sold out crowd, we inspired scores of kids in attendance to make creative connections between STEM and the arts.
• And lastly, become an engaged citizen and give voice in support of the arts. Support funding initiatives at the ballot and vote for local officials who also value the intrinsic, fulfilling power of music and the arts.

If you’d like to help out the National Philharmonic, please visit: https://www.nationalphilharmonic.org/support/donate-now/