While catching up on the Fractured Atlas blog, I caught this link to WNYC’s Soundcheck Smackdown about the need for arts organizations to cultivate younger leaders. One of the first phrases tossed around was about being on the “wrong side of 60” meaning that the leaders of some of the most prestigious/large organizations need someone with the gravitas of experience leading things.
One interesting comment that was made was that the appointment of 27 year old Gustavo Dudamel as conductor of the L.A. Philharmonic might alienate the audience who would be concerned by his apparent lack of experience. It was immediately noted that given there is such a concern about the graying of orchestra audiences, you may not want to continue to cater to their perceptions. (Though they do fund the organization in the short term and that can’t be ignored.) Later in the program a caller noted that Zubin Mehta was only 26 when he became music director of the L.A. Philharmonic and host John Schaefer opined that perhaps LA has a talent for identifying promising leaders.
Some of the issues that come up in the discussion between Schaefer and guests Lee Rosenbaum and Barry Hessenius had to do with pay, both that younger people have an expectation of making more but will accept less than A – list leaders. Given the finite resources of the 90% of organizations that don’t operate at the level of the elites, it can be difficult to attract and retain talent. But this much we knew already, eh? Hessenius notes what I have discussed in earlier entries. The organizations with the most youth involvement are those who allow young people a greater role in decision making — something the arts haven’t done as a whole.