New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Announces Departure of President & CEO James Roe

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Board of Trustees today announced the departure of NJSO President & CEO James Roe. Roe has been appointed President & Executive Director of Orchestra of St. Luke's (OSL) in New York City, assuming his new post effective December 1. He has been President & CEO of the NJSO since July 1, 2013. Prior to that, he was acting principal oboe of the NJSO for two years.

During Roe's tenure, the NJSO inaugurated multiple initiatives that focused on audience engagement, stressing participation, interaction and relevance to both individuals and communities. The Orchestra's signature series of audience engagement programs, NJSO Accents, is the cornerstone of those efforts. In July 2014, the NJSO established the Edward T. Cone Composition Institute for young and emerging composers, an immersive educational opportunity for exciting young talents presented in partnership with Princeton University. The NJSO was a key leader in the formation of the El Sistema New Jersey Alliance-the partnership between NJSO CHAMPS (Character, Achievement and Music Project) and five sister El Sistema programs across the state is the first of its kind in the United States. In Roe's tenure, the NJSO made continued progress toward achieving a balanced operating budget through key fundraising initiatives including a burgeoning major gifts program.

NJSO Board of Trustees Co-Chairs Ruth C. Lipper and Steve Sichak say: "Through his dedication to building audiences and achieving financial stability, Jim led the NJSO to an even higher level of strategic focus in delivering our mission. He was tireless in his drive to bring the work of the NJSO to more people in the Garden State, while being a responsible steward of the financial trust placed in us. We accomplished great things together in the time we had, and we wish him well in his work with Orchestra of St. Luke's."

Roe says: "My time with the NJSO as a leader both on stage and off has been an incredibly important and rewarding time in my life. I deeply respect the NJSO's mission, the people who day in and day out live to deliver that mission and the many people around the state who are open to the mission. It is not easy to leave: when leaders of OSL approached me to take the helm, it presented an opportunity to return to an organization with which I had a deep 20-year relationship, and such opportunities are rare in life. I am profoundly grateful for my time with the NJSO and, with a full heart, acknowledge its leadership, musicians and staff."

NJSO Chief Operating Officer Susan Stucker will serve as Interim President & CEO from the time of Roe's departure until his successor is in place. Stucker has been with the NJSO for 26 years, having served as COO since July 2013.

THE NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Named "a vital, artistically significant musical organization" by The Wall Street Journal, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra embodies that vitality through its statewide presence and critically acclaimed performances, education partnerships and unparalleled access to music and the Orchestra's superb musicians.

Under the bold leadership of Music Director Jacques Lacombe, the NJSO presents classical, pops and family programs, as well as outdoor summer concerts and special events. Embracing its legacy as a statewide orchestra, the NJSO is the resident orchestra of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark and regularly performs at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, Richardson Auditorium in Princeton, Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown and bergenPAC in Englewood. Partnerships with New Jersey arts organizations, universities and civic organizations remain a key element of the Orchestra's statewide identity.

In addition to its lauded artistic programming, the NJSO presents a suite of education and community engagement programs that promote meaningful, lifelong engagement with live music. Programs include school-time Concerts for Young People performances and multiple offerings-including the El Sistema-inspired NJSO CHAMPS (Character, Achievement and Music Project) and NJSO Youth Orchestras family of student ensembles-that provide and promote in-school instrumental instruction as part of the NJSO Academy. The NJSO's REACH (Resources for Education and Community Harmony) chamber music program annually brings original programs-designed and performed by NJSO musicians-to a variety of settings, reaching as many as 17,000 people in nearly all of New Jersey's 21 counties.

For more information about the NJSO, visit www.njsymphony.org or email information@njsymphony.org.