Five-Year Strategic Plan

Five-Year Strategic Plan 2012 2017 handelandhaydn.org

Table of Contents About the Handel and Haydn Society 2 Mission, Core Commitments, and Strategic Ambitions 3 Strategic Ambitions 5 11 Artistic Excellence and Reputation 5 Education 7 Community 9 Institutional Culture and Capacity 11 2012 2017 Strategic Initiatives Financial Forecast 12 Bicentennial Timeline 13 STRATEGIC PLANNING TASK FORCE Carl Kester, Chair Susan Stemper, Chair (August 2011 March 2012) David Elsbree Nick Gleysteen Laura Lucke George Sacerdote Christopher Yens William Achtmeyer, Advisory Rob Shapiro, Advisory Marie-Hélène Bernard, Executive Director/CEO Cliff Rust, Director of Finance and Administration Chris Drew, Consultant The Handel and Haydn Society is grateful to the many participants who contributed to these planning efforts, including the Boards of Governors and Overseers, Artistic Director Harry Christophers, Conductor Laureate Christopher Hogwood, Associate Conductor and Chorusmaster John Finney, former Music Director Grant Llewellyn, former Artistic Advisor Sir Roger Norrington, musicians and staff, guest conductors and artists, concert presenters, and patrons and donors of the Handel and Haydn Society. In addition, we would like to thank the teachers, parents, and children of our education and outreach programs; the representatives of charitable foundations; the Boston Mayor s Office for Arts, Tourism, and Special Events; and consultants Janet Bailey, Nikki Scandalios, and Joanne Scheuble. This process would not have been the same without their input and we appreciate their generous contributions. The Handel and Haydn Society would also like to thank The Boston Foundation for its generous support of the strategic planning process. Handel and Haydn Society Five-Year Strategic Plan 2012 2017 1

About the Handel and Haydn Society Handel and Haydn Society with Artistic Director Harry Christophers in a performance of Handel s Messiah, premiered in Boston by H&H in 1818. PHOTO: STU ROSNER Founded in Boston in 1815, the Handel and Haydn Society (H&H) is considered America s oldest continuously performing arts organization and will celebrate its Bicentennial in 2015. Its Period Instrument Orchestra and Chorus are internationally recognized in the field of historically informed performance, using the instruments and techniques of the composer s time. Under Artistic Director Harry Christophers leadership, H&H s mission is to enrich life and influence culture by performing Baroque and Classical music at the highest levels of artistic excellence, and by providing engaging, accessible, and broadly inclusive music education and training activities. H&H s Period Instrument Orchestra and Chorus present live and recorded historically informed performances of this repertoire in ways that stimulate the musical and cultural development of our Greater Boston community and contemporary audiences across the nation and beyond. H&H s esteemed tradition of innovation and excellence began in the 19th century with the US premieres of Handel s Messiah, Haydn s The Creation, Verdi s Requiem, and Bach s St. Matthew Passion. Today, H&H is widely known through its concert series, tours, local and national broadcasts, and recordings. Its nineprogram series is held at Symphony and Jordan Halls in Boston and Sanders Theatre in Cambridge. H&H s first recording with Harry Christophers, Mozart Mass in C Minor, was issued in September 2010 on the CORO label, followed by Mozart Requiem in September 2011 and Mozart Coronation Mass in September 2012. As a major performing organization, educator, resource center, and community partner, H&H strives to entertain and inspire audiences, provide unique educational experiences for students at all levels, and reach all citizens in the community through broad outreach efforts. Established in 1985, H&H s awardwinning Karen S. and George D. Levy Educational Outreach Program reaches 10,000 students each year throughout Greater Boston, many in underserved communities. H&H also maintains partnerships with area cultural and higher education institutions, including Boston Public Library; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; New England Conservatory; and Harvard University. 2 Handel and Haydn Society Five-Year Strategic Plan 2012 2017

Mission Strategic Ambitions The mission of the Handel and Haydn Society is to enrich life and influence culture by performing Baroque and Classical music at the highest levels of artistic excellence, and by providing engaging, accessible, and broadly inclusive music education and training activities. H&H s Period Instrument Orchestra and Chorus present live and recorded historically informed performances of this repertoire in ways that stimulate the musical and cultural development of our Greater Boston community and contemporary audiences across the nation and beyond. For the Handel and Haydn Society to realize its growing potential over the next five years (2012 2017), a set of strategic ambitions supported by goals, actions, outcomes, and success measures has been formulated by the Strategic Planning Task Force. The four strategic ambitions are: Artistic Excellence and Reputation Achieve a global reputation as America s most innovative historically informed performance ensemble with the finest Period Instrument Orchestra and Chorus, known for vibrant and compelling programming and for excellent and engaging live and recorded performances of Baroque and Classical music. Education Core Commitments As a performing arts organization of the 21st century, H&H s primary roles are to perform and educate while serving as a resource center and community partner. Excellent historically informed interpretations transform how audiences experience Baroque and Classical music. Learning opportunities throughout all of H&H s activities enrich audience experiences; help bridge the gulf between performers and audience; and foster a healthy, vibrant local environment for the performance of historically informed music. Creativity, inclusiveness, and accessibility are vital to sustaining H&H as a thriving nonprofit a Boston-based performing arts organization that attracts a broad, global audience. Educate people of all ages in order to strengthen the cultural community and develop current and future generations of Baroque and Classical music audiences and performers. Provide engaging music training programs and stimulating educational activities for children and adults. Promote inclusiveness and accessibility, regardless of participants knowledge of or background in music. Community Establish H&H as an indispensable element of Boston s cultural landscape with a broad, dynamic, and engaged audience that reflects the diversity of the community. Institutional Culture and Capacity Promote a Society culture of inclusiveness, cohesion, and excellence, making H&H among the most desirable nonprofit organizations to work for and support. Have one of the most active and committed boards. Be a model of best practice and sustainability in the nonprofit sector and a respected leader in the Boston arts community. Handel and Haydn Society Five-Year Strategic Plan 2012 2017 3

H&H at Symphony Hall, its home since 1900. PHOTO: KYLE T. HEMINGWAY 4 Handel and Haydn Society Five-Year Strategic Plan 2012 2017

Strategic Ambitions Artistic Excellence and Reputation Achieve a global reputation as America s most innovative historically informed performance ensemble with the finest Period Instrument Orchestra and Chorus, known for vibrant and compelling programming and for excellent and engaging live and recorded performances of Baroque and Classical music. Goals 1. Significantly advance H&H s unique position as America s only combined Period Instrument Orchestra and Chorus by performing and contributing to the continuing development and appreciation of Baroque and Classical music. 2. Build upon H&H s preeminent reputation and sustain its commitment to the highest standards of performance integrity and interpretation, using the techniques of the composers times. 3. Provide a compelling, unforgettable concert experience in which audience members and musicians develop an intimate bond through the music. Actions 1. Attract the finest established and emerging soloists, period instrument players, and singers. 2. Offer programming that showcases the ensemble s strengths under Harry Christophers, with an emphasis on works premiered by H&H throughout its history and featuring choral music as integral to its brand. 3. Develop H&H s virtuosity and versatility by featuring both small and larger ensembles in programming that combines well- and lesser-known works for period instruments and voice. 4. Strengthen branding, marketing, and public relations efforts to increase awareness of H&H s name among larger regional, national, and global audiences. 5. Broaden and improve H&H s means of global music distribution. Outcomes 1. More concerts sell out. H&H s live performances in Boston are a must-attend for local audiences and visitors, regardless of programming or soloists. 2. National and international demand for H&H programs increases, leading to periodic financially viable tours and concerts that are broadcast around the globe. 3. Growing reputation and brand recognition lead to measurably improved audience development and retention rates, which, in turn, contribute to H&H s operational sustainability. Handel and Haydn Society Five-Year Strategic Plan 2012 2017 5

Students from Collaborative Youth Concerts performing with H&H s professional musicians on stage at Symphony Hall, February 2012. PHOTO: JULIAN BULLITT 6 Handel and Haydn Society Five-Year Strategic Plan 2012 2017

Strategic Ambitions Education Educate people of all ages in order to strengthen the cultural community and develop current and future generations of Baroque and Classical music audiences and performers. Provide engaging music training programs and stimulating educational activities for children and adults. Promote inclusiveness and accessibility, regardless of participants knowledge of or background in music. Goals 1. Be the leader among regional performing arts organizations in the education of students from elementary school through college, including aspiring young performers. 2. Offer diverse adult audiences engaging education programs that deepen their appreciation for historically informed Baroque and Classical music and enrich their listening experience. 3. Incorporate accessibility, audience learning, and participation as essential elements of H&H s identity, artistic programming, and other activities. Actions 1. Expand and strengthen all components of H&H s participatory vocal training programs for youth from Greater Boston s underserved communities. 2. Use the latest media technologies to increase program enrollment and participation. 3. Provide students from grade school through college with opportunities to learn, develop skills, and actively participate in the performance of Baroque and Classical music. 4. Develop programs for young music professionals to further their scholarship and mastery of historically informed performance. 5. Give opportunities to education program participants to attend and perform at H&H concerts so that live concert performances become a natural and compelling activity for young people. 6. Promote and expand Heartstrings, H&H s free ticket program for underserved populations and education program participants. 7. Introduce creative and accessible enrichment opportunities to H&H audiences through a variety of means and media before, during, and after concerts. Outcomes 1. Education programs effectively reach underserved communities and provide highly engaging, transformative experiences that make students life-long music lovers and H&H concertgoers. 2. Education programs for large and diverse populations enhance cultural life in and beyond Boston and develop audiences for Baroque and Classical music. 3. More opportunities to attend concerts at little or no cost exist for participants in H&H s education programs and for members of underserved communities. Handel and Haydn Society Five-Year Strategic Plan 2012 2017 7

Sold out H&H performance at Symphony Hall. In 2012, 31% of H&H audiences were ages 18 44. PHOTO: KYLE T. HEMINGWAY 8 Handel and Haydn Society Five-Year Strategic Plan 2012 2017

Strategic Ambitions Community Establish H&H as an indispensable element of Boston s cultural landscape with a broad, dynamic, and engaged audience that reflects the diversity of the community. Goals 1. Serve as a model of innovation for 21st-century arts organizations as a performer, educator, and community partner. 2. Grow and cultivate a diverse audience that is increasingly loyal and reflective of the Boston community. 3. Be a resource for artists, students, educators, and patrons to learn about, contribute to, and connect through Baroque and Classical music. Actions 1. Engage new, younger, and more diverse audiences and increase patron retention. 2. Create an H&H Society for the 21st century by expanding H&H s social media presence and the Ambassador and H2 Young Professionals programs. 3. Complement H&H s subscription series with performances in other settings, in and beyond Greater Boston, at various times of day and season. 4. Collaborate with fellow Boston arts organizations music, opera, dance, jazz, etc. while maintaining H&H s musical identity, reputation for excellence, and subscription series. Outcomes 1. H&H is a highly recognized name in Boston. 2. Mutually beneficial partnerships develop with local arts and education organizations and media outlets. H&H is sought after by potential partners within and beyond the Greater Boston market. 3. Important Boston institutions hire H&H s professional Period Instrument Orchestra and Chorus, and its youth choruses, for presentations, ceremonies, and other civic events. 4. H&H is a familiar and expected presence at holiday celebrations and important civic events on the local and national levels. Handel and Haydn Society Five-Year Strategic Plan 2012 2017 9

H&H s educational programs include four youth choruses, featured here in Bach s St. Matthew Passion, a work H&H premiered in 1879. PHOTO: KYLE T. HEMINGWAY 10 Handel and Haydn Society Five-Year Strategic Plan 2012 2017

Strategic Ambitions Institutional Culture and Capacity Promote a Society culture of inclusiveness, cohesion, and excellence, making H&H among the most desirable nonprofit organizations to work for and support. Have one of the most active and committed boards. Be a model of best practice and sustainability in the nonprofit sector and a respected leader in the Boston arts community. Goals 1. Provide the finest concert environment and customer service experience for patrons. 2. Be committed to offering competitive salaries and excellent work conditions for staff and musicians, balanced with operational excellence and sustainability. 3. Recruit and retain a Board that is engaged and committed to H&H s mission and legacy, and supports its growth and ambitions. 4. Foster and embrace institutional ambition, creativity, strategic awareness, and flexibility to adapt to new situations and challenges. 5. Increase earned and contributed revenue and the endowment to provide for the sustainability of H&H and support the achievement of its mission and goals. Actions 1. Launch a capital campaign to increase H&H s endowment, fund strategic initiatives, and support Bicentennial celebrations. 2. Deliver excellent service based on efficiency and personal attention. 3. Retain and recruit skilled, motivated, and committed administrative and artistic staff and provide suitable working space and resources. 4. Actively engage and cultivate dynamic and passionate Boards of Governors and Overseers to support H&H s mission, goals, and long-term financial and artistic health. 5. Develop an open and creative team ethic among staff, Board, musicians, and partners that embraces new ideas while respecting the organization s history and traditions. 6. Secure and retain a growing number of major donors to build a more solid foundation for the organization. 7. Increase the subscriber base by improving patron retention and acquisition. Generate a larger pool of regular, loyal single ticket buyers. 8. Deploy the best technology available to support music and education programs, customer service, and revenue development. Outcomes 1. H&H s customer service is a model among arts organizations in Boston. 2. H&H is recognized for its nonprofit management capability, effectiveness, and cohesion among Board members, staff, and musicians. 3. H&H s Board is recognized for its diverse membership and strong support of the organization, and for its connections to major sources of philanthropy, civic contribution, and influence in Boston and beyond. 4. A growing endowment, added to increased earned and contributed revenue, provide for the sustainability of H&H and support innovative programming, broader education and community programs, and adequate human and technological resources. 5. H&H secures acoustically appropriate and permanent rehearsal space and adequate facilities for Board and staff meetings, lectures, and education classes. Handel and Haydn Society Five-Year Strategic Plan 2012 2017 11

2012 2017 Strategic Initiatives Financial Forecast BICENTENNIAL 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014 2015 2015 2016 2016 2017 TOTALS FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY13 FY17 Incremental Revenue Generated from Strategic Initiatives Earned Revenue 170,000 186,763 448,988 527,518 265,405 1,598,674 Contributed Revenue Operations 82,000 17,000 47,000 75,000 75,000 296,000 Strategic Initiatives Funding 100,000 337,500 410,000 538,000 175,000 1,560,500 Total incremental revenue generated from initiatives 352,000 541,263 905,988 1,140,518 515,405 3,455,174 Cost of Strategic Initiatives ARTISTIC INITIATIVES 332,000 232,220 648,821 895,699 275,600 2,384,340 Artistic improvements Partnerships and special artistic productions New England runouts Broadcasts and recordings National and international tours Concert streaming/pbs video EXPANSION OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS 105,000 107,500 110,500 110,500 433,500 Marketing and public relations School residency progam (Vocal Quartet) High school choruses onstage experiences with H&H at Symphony Hall Investment in quality of VAP instruction Establish and cultivate VAP alumni group College education programs Education outreach position Programs for adults (videos, lectures) AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY 12,000 79,500 42,500 32,500 32,500 199,000 Subscriber retention and acquisition Single ticket buyer loyalty program H2 Young Professionals Diversity and inclusion Rebranding Public relations Boston non-subscription and community concerts CULTURE AND CAPACITY 8,000 98,750 76,250 71,250 71,250 325,500 Staff recruitment and retention IT improvements Total strategic initiatives 352,000 515,470 875,071 1,109,949 489,850 3,342,340 12 Handel and Haydn Society Five-Year Strategic Plan 2012 2017

Bicentennial Timeline H&H s 2015 Bicentennial will celebrate the people of Boston, reflecting upon 200 years of musical innovation and education central to the city s cultural heritage. March 24, 1815: The Handel and Haydn Society is founded to promote the love of good music and a better performance of it. December 25, 1815: First public performance at King s Chapel in Boston. February 9, 1816: Incorporated by a Special Act of the General Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. July 15, 1817: Performance for President James Monroe. President Monroe s March is commissioned for the occasion. December 25, 1818: First complete performance of Handel s Messiah in America. February 16, 1819: First complete performance of Haydn s The Creation in America. 1821: Publication of the first Handel and Haydn Society music collection. 1823: H&H requests a new work from Ludwig van Beethoven. He dies before fulfilling the commission. August 2, 1826: Performance at the memorial service for Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson at Faneuil Hall (Daniel Webster, orator). February 5, 1853: First performance of Beethoven s Ninth Symphony in Boston. January 18, 1857: First performance of Mozart s Requiem in Boston. February 13, 1859: First US performance of Handel s Israel in Egypt in Boston. January 1, 1863: Performance at the Emancipation Proclamation celebration (Ralph Waldo Emerson, orator). 1865: Julia Ward Howe, composer of Battle Hymn of the Republic, begins her decade-long tenure as a member of the H&H Chorus. June 1, 1865: Performance at the memorial service for President Abraham Lincoln. February 17, 1867: First performance of Handel s Jephtha in America. May 17, 1877: First performance of J.S. Bach s St. Matthew Passion Parts I and II in America. May 5, 1878: First performance of Verdi s Requiem in America. April 11, 1879: First complete performance of J.S. Bach s St. Matthew Passion in America. December 1963: First complete televised performance of Handel s Messiah in the world, aired on National Educational Television. January 1964: Jacqueline Kennedy presented with a commemorative edition of H&H s recording of Brahms Requiem, dedicated to the late President John F. Kennedy. 1967: Newly appointed Music Director Thomas Dunn shifts H&H s focus from exclusively choral music to early and contemporary choral and instrumental music. In 1972, Dunn integrates Historically Informed Performance by reducing the chorus size for Messiah to 30 singers. April 1981: The Chorus is permanently reduced to chamber size (approximately 32 members). 1985: Karen S. and George D. Levy Educational Outreach Program established to serve young people with limited access to music education and performance. June 30, 1986: Christopher Hogwood appointed Artistic Director. This marks the beginning of the Orchestra s transition to period instruments. October 2009: Harry Christophers begins his tenure as Artistic Director. September 2010: First commercial recording with Harry Christophers, Mozart Mass in C Minor, recorded live at Symphony Hall in January 2010. The recording is the first in a Mozart trilogy and the start of a series of live commercial recordings leading to H&H s Bicentennial. 2010 2011 Season: 25th anniversary of H&H s Karen S. and George D. Levy Educational Outreach Program. The program now serves thousands of children throughout eastern New England. February 18 & 20, 2011: H&H launches a Bicentennial series of masterworks it premiered in America in the 19th century with performances of Handel s Israel in Egypt, led by Harry Christophers. September 2011: Commercial recording of Mozart s Requiem, recorded live at Symphony Hall in May 2011. The CD includes the first ever period instrument recording of Mozart s concert aria Per questa bella mano, featuring bass-baritone Eric Owens. September 3, 1827: Lowell Mason, noted music educator and editor, elected President of H&H. 1830: Performance at the 200th anniversary celebration of the settling of Boston. January 26, 1845: First performance of Handel s Samson in America. April 15, 1848: Performance at the memorial service for President John Quincy Adams at Faneuil Hall (Edward Everett, eulogist). November 20, 1852: Performance at the dedication of Boston Music Hall, then the finest concert hall in America. 1881: H&H member and trustee Henry Lee Higginson founds the Boston Symphony Orchestra. January 1, 1900: Performance at services ushering in the new century at the State House, Boston. October 21, 1900: First H&H concert in Boston s new Symphony Hall. April 29, 1945: Performance at the memorial service for President Franklin D. Roosevelt at Symphony Hall. October 29, 1955: First commercial recording, Handel s Messiah. 1961: First television appearance on the award-winning series, Accent on Music. 1990: H&H celebrates its 175th Jubilee Season with an exhibit at the Boston Public Library, a feature in Symphony Magazine, and a week of free performances, concluding with an outdoor performance of Vivaldi s The Four Seasons at the Hatch Shell. July 1, 2001: Grant Llewellyn appointed Music Director. Christopher Hogwood named Conductor Laureate. 2002: H&H inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame. July 2006: Sir Roger Norrington appointed Artistic Advisor. September 25, 2008: Harry Christophers appointed Artistic Director. September 19, 2011: Harry Christophers contract extended for an additional four years, through 2016. March 30 & April 1, 2012: H&H continues its Bicentennial series with performances of Bach s St. Matthew Passion, led by Harry Christophers. During the performance, the Young Women s and Young Men s Choruses are featured onstage alongside H&H musicians. September 2012: Recording of Mozart s Coronation Mass, recorded live at Symphony Hall in April 2012. The CD includes Mozart s Exsultate, jubilate and Haydn s Symphony No. 85. Handel and Haydn Society Five-Year Strategic Plan 2012 2017 13