BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
Have you ever wondered what life is really like in the orchestra? Welcome to EXPOSED!
In 2018, we continue to team up with musicians, managers, and arts administrators from the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra to take you behind the scenes, and show you what it means to pursue a career in a challenging and fulfilling industry.
This week, we chat with Jenny Compton, the TSO’s Outreach and Education Executive.
Jenny first embarked on her arts administration and management career in 2008 when she joined the Memphis Symphony Orchestra staff as librarian. She’d come from a performance background, which included performing in flute and piccolo positions with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and freelancing in Sydney and Melbourne.
In ’99 she moved to the United States. There, she was a freelance performer, flute teacher, and she voluntarily ran a Cultural Arts program at her sons’ elementary school, involving collaborative project planning, scheduling and coordinating, and creating presentations. Jenny says “the skills I developed during this time proved invaluable to my new career in arts administration!”.
Jenny also ran the Memphis Symphony’s education program for almost two years and was involved in outreach initiated by musicians and staff alike. In 2013, she took on the executive role of Director of Artistic Administration, and in 2014 also headed the Operations area for six months.
“The combination of skills I acquired performing all these roles, combined with my orchestral career, seemed a great fit for the new position of Outreach and Education Executive with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra,” Jenny says.
“I’m Australian, and it seemed a good time to make the move with my American family to Australia.”
What are the main duties or activities in your role, and how do they contribute to the orchestra as a whole?
I oversee four areas at the TSO: Education, Outreach, Training and Family Programs. Every one of these areas contributes to the sustainability of orchestral music as an artform, so that future generations can continue to experience the exhilaration, beauty and emotional connection that an orchestral experience offers. This experience may be a live concert, listening to a recording, or it may be participating in a musical activity such as a community ensemble or chorus.
So, you rock up to work – what’s a typical day look like for you?
I don’t have a typical day, as my job is extreme multi-tasking! There is one constant, though; many, many emails. My job requires a lot of attention to detail and it requires keeping information moving.
I like to make connections between the areas I oversee, as the more my areas are connected, the stronger they will be and the deeper impact they will make.
What are some of the biggest challenges placed on you in your role?
The line “everyone is an expert” applies here. I work with so many different organisations and individuals and the biggest challenge I have is managing everyone’s expectations of the TSO.
Which personal qualities have you developed, and found most useful, in your role?
I treat all people the same. This is probably a quality that is most helpful for my outreach role. My respect for someone is earned. I work with many outstanding people, including school students, retired professionals, and inmates at Risdon Prison.
I love collaborating with other organisations. The amount of work required to see a collaborative project through to completion is huge, so I definitely need to love doing this!
As a musician with solid orchestral experience, I am well aware of how the players feel and always ask myself if I would take part in something as a performer myself before proceeding with a project.
How do you feel concertgoers, or even other musicians, perceive life in arts administration?
Everyone working at the TSO has a unique role to perform. Some staff members have orchestral experience as a performer, but most do not. Some musicians have administrative experience, but most do not. We respect each other’s roles and get along fine.
Concertgoers come from all walks of life, so I imagine there are different perceptions of what the TSO staff members do all day!
When I go to a concert, I am fascinated by the stage managing and seamless change over between works. I’m sure lots of people love watching this and appreciate how great our operations team is. TSO has an office full of great staff members working behind the scenes!
What key lessons have you learnt through your work behind the scenes, which you feel could help those pursuing instrumental careers for a life on the stage?
There is no such thing as perfection and this is not what a musician should strive for. The most helpful piece of advice is to continue to forge an identity as a person, not an instrument!
What is the thing you love most about helping to run the orchestra?
I love orchestral music, and I want everyone to be able to hear this and I love creating opportunities for developing composers, conductors and performers.
What is one piece of advice you can offer emerging arts administrators or managers?
Be tenacious. Pay attention to detail and don’t cut corners. No amount of education can prepare you for the real thing. Most skills are learned through sheer hard work. Be a passionate advocate for what you believe in.
Working in the arts can be tiring and draining. Always remember why you wanted to work in the arts. Keep your eye on the big picture!
Jenny Compton’s work is not always visible. Behind the scenes, she coordinates and oversees high-level training for composers, conductors, and future orchestral performers. TSO Training program alumni take part in TSO Education and Outreach programs; commissioned music is performed in Education settings and recorded for online resources; Mini TSO and Family Classics concerts introduce children to the orchestra.
See the musicians of the TSO perform in Eskimo Joe + the TSO on 11 and 12 May. Keep up to date with future concerts on the website.
