an analysis of the grand rapids symphony

Running head: AN ANALYSIS OF THE GRAND RAPIDS SYMPHONY 1

An Analysis of the Grand Rapids Symphony

AN ANALYSIS OF THE GRAND RAPIDS SYMPHONY 2

An Analysis of the Grand Rapids Symphony

The Grand Rapids Symphony was officially organized in 1930 and is recognized as one

of America’s leading regional orchestras. The Grand Rapids Symphony performs over 400

concerts per year reaching approximately 170,000 audience members annually. With a budget of

nearly $8.5 million, this premier arts organization is able to sustain an 80 member fully

professional ensemble. Musician members of the orchestra originate from all over the continental

United States as well as from Asia and Europe. Under the artistic leadership of Music Director

David Lockington and Associate Conductor John Varineau, the orchestra provides high quality

music, educational programs, and community cultural experiences to the residents of Kent

County as well as throughout West Michigan.

“Organizational health is a function of understanding and managing an intricate and

entwined set of variables” (Brache, 2002, p. 3). This document serves to examine the Grand

Rapids Symphony and explore areas for performance improvement. The analysis will utilize the

Enterprise Model (see appendix) developed by Alan P. Brache to present a holistic view of the

organization which demonstrates the interconnectedness of external, structural, and human

variables. This analysis will in turn generate performance solutions that will be offered at the

conclusion of the paper.

External Performance Variables

As both and entertainment and educational non-profit, the Grand Rapids Symphony is

affected by several variables that fall outside the organization. The marketing department is

concerned with customers and competitors. The development department is focused on securing

funding through resource providers and is always monitoring the economy. The production

department who manages the talent is only as good as its suppliers. The education department


deals with city and state government in order to secure funding and implement programs. The

executive office is tasked with understanding the symphony’s place in the community, who in the

end are the shareholders.

Markets and Customers

As with any symphony, the two greatest marketing challenges the Grand Rapids

Symphony (GRS) faces lie in identifying target audiences and determining a range of customer

needs. The potential concert-going market consists of a mix of the great, silent, X, Y, Boom, and

Millennial generations. The primary task is to create a variety of concert offerings to fit the needs

of this wide demographic. A great deal of the work needed in this area deals with educating the

consumer. Many residents do not realize the quality of their symphony, let alone the genres of

musical entertainment that are offered. Each of the above mentioned generations has differing

interests and tastes which need to be researched in order to create an intriguing concert season

each year.

In terms of the local arts scene, the GRS must be conscious of the entertainment offerings

of major venues such as DeVos Performance Hall and Van Andel Arena. The GRS can utilize

attendance data from these venues when gauging the consumer climate. The GRS also performs

outside of Grand Rapids. In these cases, an outside organization hires the symphony to perform

in their community. For this to be successful, the GRS needs to understand the customers of the

hiring organization in order to present a program that will attract a substantial audience. In

Greenville Michigan, the GRS presents a highly popular holiday concert each season. The

continued success hinges on creating a tradition that the residents of Greenville appreciate and

take ownership of as well.


Suppliers

As an artistic entity, the GRS is comprised of talented individuals who perform public

concerts. These musicians form the artistic core of the GRS product and are drawn from top

conservatories and schools of music from around the United States. Every musician is a member

of the American Federation of Musicians and as such, is protected by the terms of a collective

bargaining agreement (CBA). A positive and collegial relationship between the GRS

management and the musician’s union is critical in order to maintain labor peace. This

relationship should also extend to the local stage hand’s union IATSE, as they provide the

physical on-site labor at performance venues. A final supplier would be the myriad of classical

music artist managers. These agents provide the guest artists such as soloists and conductors who

will headline programs. It is paramount to foster close relationships with artist managers who

will respect the artistic and financial needs of the GRS.

Resource Providers

As a non-profit organization, the GRS draws upon staff, board, and donor resources in

order to maintain fiscal health. The GRS administrative staff functions in three departments:

marketing, development, and production. The human resource staff is unique in a symphony

environment and requires personnel that understand the challenges of providing support for

artists. Information technology is an area that is often seriously underdeveloped in orchestras.

Due to allocation of resources in other areas, information technology is often the last

consideration. The development department is crucial in securing donated income and cultivating

long-term relationships with key philanthropic members of the Grand Rapids community. This

department is also responsible for seeking out corporate support and governing the board of

directors. A symphony cannot survive without a strong development team.


Competitors

Human beings desire to be entertained and take advantage of the many choices available

in their community. For the GRS, competition is manifested in three ways as described by

Brache (2002): direct, indirect, and root need. While there is no fully professional orchestra

within a 50 mile radius, direct competition still exists in Grand Rapids in the form of amateur

and student ensembles. If older patrons who become income fixed are priced out of the GRS

market, they may have no choice but to seek out free concerts at places such as St. Cecilia Music

Society or Grand Valley State University. Indirect competition exists from organizations such as

Broadway Grand Rapids and Van Andel Arena who bring in touring shows. This type of

entertainment can have a serious impact on GRS Pops and Symphonic Boom concert series. In

the grand scheme of things, every source of live music is threatened by the advancement of

digital technology. The root need for music consumption can be filled by online providers. It is

the responsibility of the GRS to promote the value of the live music experience.

Community Shareholders

The shareholders of the Grand Rapids Symphony are the members of its community. The

organization exists to serve the public and provide great musical and educational experiences to

residents of West Michigan. The citizens of Grand Rapids have shown great support and take

great pride in having a quality ensemble in their city. As long as the members of this community

value the arts, then the GRS will remain a viable cultural institution for years to come.

Government

While the GRS is not regulated by government, there are aspects which can have

influence. Local government affects the GRS in terms of city planning. Plans for a future concert

hall will go through the city planning commission. The current home of the GRS, DeVos


Performance Hall, is under the regulation of the Convention Arena Authority. Maintaining a

productive relationship with this governing body is important in terms of scheduling the hall for

performances. In terms of state government, limited arts funding is available, particularly in the

area of educational programming.

Economy

The health of the local economy has a direct impact on the viability of the GRS. A

significant amount of operational income is generated by the GRS endowment. Economic

conditions need to be strong enough for the principal to produce investment income. In addition,

both individual and corporate attitudes toward giving are affected by the economy. In terms of

the audience, the economy can affect the range of ticket prices that patrons can afford. It also

affects consumer confidence in purchasing season subscriptions. Finally, if the economy

fluctuates during the term of a collective bargaining agreement, the management may not be able

to fulfill the financial commitment previously made to the musicians. This can lead to labor strife

and a loss of quality musicians who will seek work elsewhere.

Leadership

“Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to

achieve a common goal” (Northouse, 2013, p. 5). Four major components of leadership are

authority, communication, passion, and vision. These traits in the symphony organization are

split between the dichotomy of the artistic and administrative leaders of the organization. These

two areas are governed by two very different leaders. The artistic side is led by the Music

Director, who is the conductor and chief programming decision maker. The Music Director

oversees the quality of the musicians and has the final say on all artistic hiring. Needless to say,

this position comes with a great deal of authority and is often referred to as the face of the


organization. On the executive side, the Executive Director is a business-oriented person who

has an arts background. He or she is responsible for communicating the vision of the

organization, managing the administrative staff, and governing the board of directors. While this

position has assigned leadership, this can often be undermined by board members who extend

beyond advisory roles. Since the board has to approve any budgetary maneuvers, the Executive

Director’s ability to act creatively can be stymied.

The GRS Executive Director and Music Director are supported by six senior staff

members representing development, finance, marketing, ticketing, production, and education.

These managers each oversee employees who help run the day-to-day operations of the

symphony. While each of these staff members is a highly experienced manager, they do not

necessarily exhibit leadership qualities. It is often lower staff members who turn out to be

performance leaders by setting high standards of achievement. In the area of marketing, a

great resource of thought leadership can be found in the ranks of the musicians (Brache, 2002).

In either case, emerging leaders hiding among the rank and file might be able to help the

assigned leaders find performance solutions if senior staff is willing to listen to their ideas.

Strategy

The strategy of the GRS is outlined in its current strategic plan document, which spans

the years 2012 through 2017. The plan has been revised from its original issue in 2009 to reflect

progress on key initiatives and its content has been informed by consumer insights and industry

research. The strategic planning committee charged with the creation of the document consisted

of representatives from the board, senior staff, community leaders, and musicians, as well as the

Music Director and Executive Director. The first part of the plan establishes the identity of the

organization by identifying the purpose and vision of the GRS. The purpose of the GRS is to


excel at providing distinctive musical experiences, with an emphasis on live orchestral music, for

diverse audiences throughout West Michigan. The core values identified in this section include

creativity, excellence, integrity, and community engagement. The vision for the GRS is to

become an integral and indispensable part of the West Michigan community.

In order to support the vision and purpose of the GRS, several key initiatives have been

identified. These goals fall into the following categories which form the core body of the plan:

artistic profile, community engagement, audience development, and education. Each of these

categories is analyzed separately in this section of the plan. Current efforts are listed and then

broken down to identify performance gaps. At the end of each category, opportunities for

improvement or expansion are offered. One major approach that affects all four of the initiatives

is designing an electronic media presence. The following major projects which are directed by

the strategy of the GRS are outlined in the plan: A major endowment campaign titled “Legacy of

Excellence” is nearly 75% completed. Plans to return to Carnegie Hall are being considered to

promote the artistic excellence of the GRS on the national stage. Lastly, but possibly the most

important influential initiative is to establish a School of the Arts in Grand Rapids. This

collaborative project is being explored as a partnership between the arts community, the post-

secondary education community, and the Grand Rapids Public Schools. The intent is to

significantly improve student achievement and graduation rates through the implementation of

an International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme in combination with an intensive arts

curriculum.

Business Processes

Business processes are how work gets done and are located at the epicenter of the

Enterprise Model. They encompass the steps which convert inputs to outputs (Brache, 2002). In

the symphonic world, the output is the concert experience. Inputs from all three departments of


the GRS (development, marketing, and production) have to be organized and coordinated to

ensure a successful concert. In development, event sponsors need to engaged months in advance

for each concert. Processes for securing corporate sponsorship include meeting with reps,

creating a contract, providing benefits, and scheduling receptions. All of these components must

transition seamlessly in order to achieve the desired result. Once funding is secured, the

marketing department can begin pricing the season and individual tickets for each event. The

timing in this process is crucial in order to successfully promote concerts and attract customers.

The process also needs to be very efficient to ensure quality customer service. If a patron feels

the buying experience is difficult or tiresome, they will most likely not return.

With funding and marketing efforts in place, the production department can begin doing

its work. Processes here range from highly complex personnel systems for managing the

symphony musicians to fairly simple but important processes for booking travel and

accommodations for guest artists. This department also ultimately controls the schedule of the

symphony and must be vigilant in providing accurate and up to date information for rehearsals

and concerts. The GRS has many moving parts and is a great example of an open system. Each

of the processes in one department affects a different department and its ability to operate. A

major challenge is to document processes to provide better institutional memory. Many

orchestras suffer from not having a central organizing system that brings all the elements of

production, marketing, and development into focus.

Goals and Measurement

Using the categories of goals described by Brache (2002), one can get a sense of the

larger picture of the GRS. The strategic goals are outlined in the strategic plan mentioned earlier

in this document. These drive the operational goals that are part of the implementation plan for


the strategic plan. These goals include financial benchmarks, employee retention and

recruitment, increasing community partnerships, and expanding educational opportunities for

youth and adults. Seeing these operational goals come to fruition points toward a healthy

representation of the organization and contributes to its excellent reputation.

When peeling back the outer layer of goals, things are not as clear in every department.

The development department sets clear fundraising goals for their campaigns, but the execution

of the process goals for donor events is not always high quality. The marketing department

excels in tracking metrics for season and single ticket sales. The data is well organized, but does

not necessarily seem to be used well in predicting future concert success. Both departments are

aware of external conditions such as the economy and adapt goals accordingly. It is in the

production department that the most noticeable lack of goal clarity is present. Each production

does not have its own set of quality expectations. Thus, each event receives differing levels of

attention. This lack of benchmarking can negatively affect the product and result in an

unprofessional outcome. Concerts are all about appearance, presentation, and execution. This

department suffers from a lack of a quality measurement system which leads to questions of

accountability.

Overall, the senior staff of each department needs to encourage the development of their

subordinate staff’s individual goals. There needs to be some inspiration and motivation toward

excellence generated by the senior staff. Combining this approach with a measurement system

that tracks individual performance as well as departmental performance would help raise the bar

and increase employee morale.


Culture

Culture represents values, rules, practices, and behavioral norms that occur in the

business environment. Culture influences strategy as well as employee satisfaction (Brache,

2002). The overall culture exemplified in the GRS is one of dedication. Administrative

employees work a combination of office and concert duty hours which extend well beyond a

normal work schedule. There is a feeling among both staff and musicians that working for the

GRS is for the benefit of the citizens of Grand Rapids.

On the business side, the office culture is affected by the demeanor of the CEO. The CEO

commands a very business-like personality and is overly concerned with fiscal discipline. This

attitude limits budgetary decisions, slows organizational change, and stifles any sense of fun in

the office environment. The board culture is one which is also concerned with fiscal

responsibility and has lost some of the vision provided by the founding members. While the

overall direction of the GRS is positive and moving toward success, the culture within suffers

from communication problems, lack of trust among staff and musicians, and few collaborative

efforts between departments.

Musically speaking, the musicians of the GRS are very blue collar. They work hard and

care deeply about making music. There is often a significant lack of trust exemplified between

the management and the musicians. This can be interpreted as a lack of respect in the workplace

and often leads to on-site conflict. Since a musician’s performance is ultimately controlled by the

Music Director, this position is critical to employee satisfaction. The current Music Director has

outlived his tenure and the organization is in the process of searching for a vibrant successor who

can energize the artistry of the GRS.


Human Capabilities

“Human capabilities are the skills, knowledge, and personal values/beliefs of the people

who perform tasks in the work environment” (Brache, 2002). When hiring a musician, all three

of these components come into play during the audition process. In terms of skills, the musician

must demonstrate a high level of technique on their instrument. This should be coupled with

sensitive musicianship and a display of virtuosic talent. In terms of knowledge, the candidate

should display understanding of style in the orchestral repertoire spanning almost 400 years’

worth of classical music. They should also exhibit knowledge of music theory and orchestral

tuning practices. In terms of values/beliefs, the GRS is looking for a musician who is confident

in their abilities, creative in their interpretation, and exemplifies a collaborative and collegial

spirit.

Once musicians join the orchestra and are tenured members, artistic and administrative

managers need to understand barriers that may arise during their term of employment. As the

musician ages, physical limitations may appear. Understanding these new limits and

programming to accommodate the strain of prolonged playing can lead to extended performing

life. There may also be some intellectual challenges as musicians encounter contemporary music

that includes unfamiliar techniques. Adequate preparation time and rehearsal needs to be

supported as well as patience from the conductor as new territory is broached. Finally, the mental

stress of performing live can take its toll over a career. Thousands of notes per piece of music

must be learned and perfected each week. Solos can feel uncomfortable and mental health must

be monitored over time. Musicians are often asked to perform with machine-like precision,

however, they are not machines, they are human and their capabilities only extend so far.


Information and Knowledge Management

Knowledge is power, and the use of an information system to collect, store, and correlate

external environment data is a necessary means to securing the competitive advantage in a

market (Brache, 2002). The GRS marketing department has recently begun conducting consumer

preference surveys. This data can be compared to best industry practices provided by the League

of American Orchestras (LAO). The LAO has conducted several longitudinal surveys of the

classical music buying audience as well as mapped the future demographic of ticket buyers. The

GRS has adapted and used these tools to better target the Grand Rapids potential sales market.

In order to better utilize technology, the GRS has invested in more advanced ticket

processing software. This improves the customer experience and creates a traceable data stream

that can be used to reconnect after the concert experience. It also provides the GRS the

opportunity for digital attendance monitoring at DeVos Performance Hall events. The GRS has

recently also made strides into social media in order to promote events and garner interest in the

organization overall. The GRS website still needs attention, as it is not the most user-friendly site

and the design is not eye-catching. With all of this technology starting to work for the

organization, there also needs to be the creation of a system for capturing lessons-learned

information. The data needs to be accessible to all three areas of the organization: marketing,

development, and production. If the GRS wants to truly become a learning organization, it must

share information across the structure and learn from its successes and failures.

Organization Structure and Roles

The GRS exhibits a typical LAO structure that is used in most orchestras in the United

States. The extent to which each area is staffed depends largely on the budget of the orchestra. In

general, all orchestras are led by an executive director who handles fiscal decisions and a music


director who handles artistic decisions. These positions are hired and overseen by the board of

directors.

The remaining staff is divided into six departments: development, marketing, ticketing,

production, finance, and education. Each department is headed by a senior staff member whose

title is that of director. The development director is the most important person in the revenue

equation, as they are responsible for major fundraising activities. In terms of planning, the

production director, also known as the general manager, is responsible for organizing the concert

season with guidance from the music director. The finance director oversees the organization

budget and monitors forecasting as well as human resources functions. The marketing director

oversees promotion, public relations, and sales planning for the GRS. The education director is

responsible for designing orchestral education activities, programs, and concerts.

The development, marketing, and production departments also have managers who

control specific aspects of each department. All departments include assistants who perform the

day-to-day office work as assigned. Occasionally interns will be recruited during the season in

different departments. When a particular department has encountered serious challenges,

consultants have been hired to address the situation or advise for next steps in large projects.

Issue Resolution

Issue resolution is a support system which concerns an organization’s ability to respond

to external and internal stimuli. A track record of efficient issue resolution can often be viewed

as a very powerful competitive advantage (Brache, 2002). The two most notable categories of

issues for the GRS involve customers and musicians. Customer service concerns may arise at the

ticket office or on-site at a performance venue. These issues can be related to seating, venue

accessibility, ticket exchanges or refunds, and other types of patron satisfaction problems. The


ticket and patron services staff of the GRS is very personable and experienced in handling

conflict. They are very customer-oriented and have clear protocols for dealing with complaints

and ensuring a successful outcome.

Musician issues are most often on-site concerns about CBA violations or workplace

safety. These situations require problem analysis (Brache, 2002) at the venue in order to achieve

a swift and satisfactory resolution so that the work may continue. This is handled by production

staff that has a working knowledge of the CBA and is the liaison with sound, lighting, and

building maintenance technicians. If systemic problems exist, then the general manager will

need to address issues in meetings with local musicians’ union representatives. The desired

outcome of these meetings would be to engage in potential problem analysis in order to be

proactive in avoiding future occurrences of workplace issues (Brache, 2002).

Organizational Improvement Recommendations

After analyzing the Grand Rapids Symphony (GRS) through the lens of the Enterprise

Model, the organization could benefit from performance improvement in the areas of business

processes, leadership development, and community needs assessment. The following

recommendations are offered as performance improvement solutions.

Design a System for Managing Concert Information

Several business processes from three distinct departments of the GRS are involved in

producing a concert. Critical information from development, marketing, and production needs to

be organized and tied together in order to create a flow to the production process. Currently, each

department communicates within its own domain and often shares information too late in the

planning process. A comprehensive software program is needed to integrate the artistic,

scheduling, personnel, finance, marketing, and sponsor operations of each event. Implementation


of the system will improve communication and provide organization-wide access to vital concert

information.

While a few specific software options are available for purchase, the initial cost is quite

high for an organization the size of the GRS. These programs also carry subscription and

maintenance fees that are often unmanageable. In light of this issue, some orchestras are taking

advantage of collaboration software such as Microsoft SharePoint. There are several local

designers in Grand Rapids that could assist with the design of a lower cost solution that would

have the benefit of custom design. This also offers the benefit of designing the system over time,

so cost can be spread out as content is added. The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra is beginning

this process, and it might be worth it for the GRS to investigate options. In the long run, having a

system in place will help to promote a culture of information sharing within the GRS.

Provide Professional Development for Emerging Leaders

Leadership is present in organizations at all levels. In order for the GRS to achieve its

vision, there needs to be effective leadership in all departments. The League of American

Orchestras (LAO) provides training options that can help cultivate emerging leaders in an

organization. One such program is the Emerging Leaders Program which provides curriculum

based training with networking and seminar sessions. Other such opportunities as the Essentials

of Orchestra Management program can help fill in the gap of necessary skills that are not

inherent in many orchestral administrative positions. These can cover areas of finance,

production, marketing, or development and focus on creating vision as well as gaining literacy

across disciplines.

The barriers encountered in providing training are financial and time-oriented. There are

costs involved with taking advantage of LAO programs. However, financial aid is offered form


LAO. In addition, professional development grants may be available from local or state sources.

In some cases, an influential board member who believes in professional development will cover

the fee as a donation to the organization. In terms of time, the administration has to allow staff to

be away from the workplace to attend seminars in different regions of the country. If planned out

in advance, most staff members have colleagues in their department who can cover on-site

duties. Day to day tasks that involve email and phone communication are easily transportable in

this age of technology.

Create a Product for Young Professionals

The Grand Rapids Symphony presents nine unique concert series each season. It would

seem that the great variety of entertainment provided by these series would be adequate;

however, the traditional concert going experience is not necessarily available to everyone.

Demographics of age, income, and household make-up point toward a segment of the population

that needs an alternative concert experience. In looking at figure 1, the American Community

Survey (ACS) data shows that 27 percent of the population was between 25 and 44 years of age.

Figure 1

The front end of this age demographic represents a potential market of customers that

may be unaware of GRS offerings. Many young professionals are just starting out after their


college training in entry level positions and may be riddled with student loan debt. Even if

interest in the GRS is already present, this population may be priced-out of attending the

symphony at this point in their lives. The GRS needs to create a ticket pricing strategy that is

attractive to this demographic. However, this strategy is not enough. An effort to connect with

this group and promote networking through symphony events is crucial to create a comfort zone

for this relatively new symphony audience. Eventually these patrons will become highly

successful members of the business community, and getting them involved early will pay

dividends as they move to the back end of the target demographic later in life.

Conclusion

In this volatile economy, many symphony orchestras are suffering major setbacks and

labor disputes. Upon analyzing the Grand Rapids Symphony, one sees an altogether different

picture of the industry. The GRS has put measures in place to secure the future of the orchestra.

The Legacy of Excellence endowment campaign is in full swing and there is significant buzz

around the search for a successor to current Music Director David Lockington. The orchestra

musicians are of high quality and the concert offerings provide a variety of entertainment to the

Grand Rapids community. Beyond providing quality musical events, the GRS has established

excellent educational programs and is exploring the possibility of creating a School of the Arts.

The reputation of the organization is solid and the GRS is situated in a community that cares

about the arts.

The major external concerns for the organization center on a competitive entertainment

market and accumulating annual operating resources through revenue and donations. These

factors are driven in large part by the economy. However, the marketing and development

departments must maintain an ever vigilant and creative approach even when times are tough.


Internally, the organization needs to expand its leadership capabilities as well improve its use of

technology. Significant professional development could help as well as finding resources to

implement effective collaborative software and evaluation systems. Overall, the GRS is a strong

organization poised to continue its excellence well into the future. This will only happen if the

culture of the GRS reflects its mission to share great music that moves the human soul.


Appendix

Enterprise Model

Source: How Organizations Work: Taking a Holistic Approach to Enterprise Health by Alan Brache (New York:

John Wiley & Sons, 2002)


References

Brache, A. P. (2002). How organizations work: Taking a holistic approach to enterprise health.

New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.

Emerging Leaders Program. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.americanorchestras.org/learning- leadership-development/professional-

development-and-grants/emerging-leaders- program.html

Grand Rapids Symphony. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.grsymphony.org

Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and practice (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks: SAGE.

Population and Housing Narrative Profile: 2008-2010 American Community Survey 3-Year

Estimates. (n.d.) Retrieved from

http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pi

d=ACS_10_3YR_NP01&prodType=narrative_profile

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