BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
For Kane Moroney, a career in the music industry goes far beyond the scope of a performance. He has built his professional life around people — collaborating with different organisations, engaging audiences, and building meaningful relationships wherever he goes.
Having started out with a passion for classical performance — learning the flute during his childhood in rural Victoria — Kane decided to explore broader career options in his field. So he took part in the Australian Youth Orchestra’s Orchestral Management program.
That was in 2015, and he’s come a long way in the years since. In this interview, Kane tells us how furthering his education also ended up furthering his career.
Kane, you took part in the 2015 Orchestral Management course. Why did you feel a career on this side of the arts would be for you?
For me, it was about supporting the art — helping it come to life in new ways and reach more diverse audiences.
I come from a classical performance background and had explored other avenues. I was drawn to the Orchestral Management course because it had a great reputation for helping young administrators get their start.
So you enrolled yourself in the program. What were you hoping to learn about this discipline?
I was hoping to learn the ins and outs of what it takes to make an orchestra tick.
As an audience member, you always see that finished product when in fact there’s so much more that happens in the lead-up to a performance. Understanding how it all fits together, and the processes that have to happen to produce the final concert, I considered fundamental to my learning journey as a young orchestral administrator.
Was what you wanted to learn influenced by your limited access to the industry, having grown up in rural Victoria?
Yes — I think I certainly felt like there was some ‘catching up’ to do because of my background and where I grew up.
By the time I entered the AYO Orchestral Management program, though, I had been through university studying classical performance, and wanted to diversify my experience to help me transition into a role behind the scenes.
Now these years on, what do you remember from the program — messages or skills that you picked up, and that continue to resonate with you?
The importance of teamwork and collaboration. You do everything as a team, and you each rely on one another to make things work.
Communication is vital, and I think that is perhaps what still resonates most with me.
Let’s talk about your work. What was your next step towards your career goals, once you left the program with the knowledge you’d obtained?
I was fortunate to be going directly from the program into a role with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. I was incredibly lucky in that sense, as I was kicking that first career goal — to get a job in the industry!
I wanted to be able to have that solid foundation to take into the job, even though I wasn’t going to be in an orchestral management or production role. I got my start in a new role titled Audience Development.
I think it’s incredibly important to have an understanding of how all departments in an orchestra work together, and the Orchestral Management program really solidified my foundations in that respect.
You’ve achieved so much in your wonderful arts career so far. What did the AYO teach you that helped fuel your work with the ASO?
My AYO experience helped me relate across the organisation, and helped me frame things in an empathetic way. When you know what it takes to make a concert happen, you’ve got a unique perspective on how you approach your work and your colleagues — even if it isn’t in orchestral management.
I think that the AYO program gave me a leg up in terms of understanding how I could be most useful to my colleagues so we could work really well together.
Now, you’re a freelance consultant. What do you do, and who for?
I started the year doing some freelance consulting with a few clients in the arts, but for the majority of the year, I have been working with the Adelaide Film Festival. I took on a role in development to help them launch a philanthropy program and build their corporate partnership portfolio.
Throughout the year, I’ve done other bits and pieces where I’ve had the capacity to. I’m currently doing some exciting work outside the arts with Community Centres SA, designing a program to support people to get their drivers license.
My eyes have been opened to just how broadly I can apply my skills.
How do you continue to use and think about the skills or concepts you learnt through AYO’s Orchestral Management course? And how do you implement them in your daily work?
I continue to think about and apply the leadership skills I learnt through AYO’s Orchestral Management course. The importance of being a cohesive team, and having clear and open communication, is what I try to implement in my daily work — whether that’s with a client or colleagues.
I also continue to lean into tasks with curiosity and a learner’s mindset, which is essential when you’re doing the AYO course.
What would you recommend to those considering developing their education in the area of orchestral management?
Be curious and be proactive. Reach out and connect with other professionals in the field, and chat with them about their experience and their careers. Do some digging and look at what other orchestras are doing, and what resources are out there for you to explore.
If you’re inspired by the work you see happening at another orchestra or organisations — it doesn’t have to be an orchestra! — give them a call, or drop an email to find out more. In 2019, I reached out and managed to work alongside both the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Sinfonietta.
I’ve adopted a learning mindset to all that I do — I know that I’ll never know it all, and will constantly be learning. I think it’s important to approach your work in this way, given how fast the landscape is shifting: 2020 has really highlighted that for us all, hasn’t it!
The Australian Youth Orchestra’s arts administration and composition programs are now open for application.
Learn more in our stories with talented past participants such as Mila Snyman (Sound Production) and Thomas Misson (Composition).
Images supplied. Kane by Sam Dickinson.
