leadership SEARCHES

“I have had the privilege of working on five comprehensive search processes to identify and hire leadership for four different professional orchestras. It’s such a critical time in an organization’s life cycle,” says Freck.

Each search had its own characteristics and needs, and each of the three that were completed brought wildly successful results. Eugene Symphony’s current Music Director search is still underway, for which Freck served as a consultant from June to October 2023, and Newport Symphony Orchestra’s Executive Director search process was launched in February 2024, for which Freck & Co. Arts Consulting is providing all search services.

From the vital behind-the-scenes planning and preparation work to the thrill of meeting candidates and presenting them to orchestra musicians, board leaders, and audience members to ascertain whether there is a mutual affinity, there is no more exciting time in the life cycle of an orchestra than a Music Director or Executive Director search.

Freck also had the opportunity to work closely with Roger Saydack, a renowned industry expert in this work whose Handbook is the most-downloaded document offered by the League of American Orchestras in their online resources.

Freck’s services in this area could be as simple as helping to create a strategy and detailed timeline for board and administrative leadership to deploy, or as comprehensive as working with you every step of the way – from first concept to recruiting, on through to the ultimate decision on whom to hire as your next leader.