Professional orchestras tend to structure their seasons to run from September through June, similar to a school year. Full-time orchestras schedule concerts almost every week during the season with subscription series (Classical and Pops), special programs, education and community concerts.
Below are some example schedules of how weeks might be divided up:
- Classical subscription: five rehearsals, three concerts
- Pops subscription: two rehearsals, three concerts
- Education: one rehearsal, three mornings of back to back concerts
- Special program: one rehearsal, one concert (often added to a Pops or Education week)
Often in the Collective Bargaining Agreement or CBA there will be restrictions on how many different programs can be rehearsed and performed each week. There will also be restrictions on how many services (rehearsal or concert is a service) can be scheduled each week. These restrictions are meant to help management staff maximize the number of concerts while still supporting the musicians ability to perform at their best.
Operations Managers have regular office hours (Monday-Friday) and usually work some of the concerts each week (evenings and weekends). When working a concert, the Operations Manager is often designated “Manager on Duty”. This position serves as general support for backstage staff and musicians, in addition to communicating with Front of House about any issues with patrons which might result in delaying or stopping the concert. “Manager on Duty” is often someone from the Operations or Artistic department and a concert duty schedule can be created so that there is a system of rotation for staff working concerts. A personnel manager must be present at every rehearsal and concert, so often there will be a Personnel Manager and Assistant Personnel Manager in a full-time orchestra to help cover all the services each week.
The pace can be overwhelming when producing multiple programs in a week. Therefore, as an Operations Manager, it is of the utmost importance that you find systems of keeping all the program details organized and set deadlines or timelines for each program. Find out who needs to know what in order for the rehearsals and concerts to run smoothly. Set up weekly production meetings to discuss the most urgent items with Operations, Artistic, Education and Production staff. Spend time asking lots of questions until you understand fully the needs of each program, and be responsive to the needs and questions of others. Once the rehearsal(s) start for a program, be present at rehearsals and ready to jump in to address any needs.
When in doubt, take three deep breaths and make one decision at a time. Always remember to make time to listen to the music!
A Career in Orchestra Operations 