The California Symphony Announces New Executive Director and Launches a Matching Challenge

On the heels of its packed September 21 opening night concert that began the orchestra's 28th season, the California Symphony isn't finished making a statement. On October 1, Aubrey Bergauer took the helm of the organization as its fifth executive director in company history.

Bergauer comes to the California Symphony from Seattle, where she most recently served as Senior Director of Community Engagement at One Reel, the organization that produces the Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival and draws 120,000+ people to Seattle Center every Labor Day weekend. At One Reel Aubrey oversaw revenue streams from all interdependent creative departments: marketing, PR, development and sponsorship, customer service, ticketing, vendors, and concessions to maximize brand identity and revenue growth. Most notably, she led the organization to achieve a 44% increase in revenue during her tenure via data-driven and forward-thinking marketing tactics. With a background in classical music, Aubrey joined One Reel after nearly six seasons at Seattle Opera where she developed website metrics leading to increased sales conversions, launched the organization's social media platforms, executed new ticket initiatives for target audience segments, and grew the BRAVO! Club (young patrons group for audience members in their 20's and 30's) to the largest group of its kind nationwide. Bergauer has also held positions at Seattle Symphony and the American Festival for the Arts (AFA) in Houston, Texas. A graduate of Rice University, Bergauer holds degrees in Music Performance and Managerial Studies. Additionally, she has participated in many professional development programs with the League of American Orchestras, including the League's Essentials of Orchestra Management course.

"Aubrey Bergauer illustrates the breadth and reach of the California Symphony's programs. In Houston, one of our Young American Composers Chris Theofanidis taught her when she was in 8th grade, and in college another of our composers, Pierre Jalbert, was one of her teachers. Now she's helping us continue our efforts," says Bill Armstrong, President of the Board of Directors. He continues, "We educate hundreds of students here in the Bay Area each year, and we still sponsor a Young American Composer. With Aubrey and our fantastic Music Director Donato Cabrera, I think we can do even better. We have a vision and desire to grow audiences and expand our music education efforts. With this leadership team, we're on our way."

In conjunction with this new appointment and the new season - ­the second under Maestro Cabrera - the orchestra is launching a one month $200,000 matching challenge led by one of the Symphony's major donors. All contributions made to the California Symphony now through November 10 will be matched dollar-for-dollar, thus doubling the power of the gift. Other major donors have already stepped forward, and the organization is currently 25% towards the $200,000 goal on the first day of the campaign. From its acclaimed Young American Composer In Residence program (four of the seven YACR alums went on to win the Rome Prize) to its El Sistema-inspired Sound Minds educational effort, to its annual free, outdoor summer "Pops in the Plaza" concert, the California Symphony serves thousands of people in the East Bay area every season.

"This is not your typical regional orchestra," states Bergauer, "The caliber of the musicians is incredibly high, the education programs are outstanding, and the roster of Composer In Residence graduates is far beyond what most organizations of this size can achieve. And with a name like the 'California Symphony,' there is no reason why we can't grow this orchestra and its programs substantially."

TO DONATE

Contributions to the matching challenge can be made online at californiasymphony.org/support or by calling the California Symphony office at 925-280-2490.

TICKETS FOR THE 2014/15 SEASON

Single tickets, special event Musical Interlude tickets, and discounted subscription packages for the remainder of the season are on sale online at californiasymphony.org or by calling the Lesher Center Box Office at 925-943-7469.

ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA SYMPHONY

The California Symphony has been the only all-professional symphony orchestra in Contra Costa County since its inception in 1986 under founding Music Director Barry Jekowsky. With the opening of the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek in 1990, the Symphony acquired a home venue for its performances in the 785-seat Hofmann Theatre, often to capacity audiences. The orchestra is passionately committed to youth music education through its Sound Minds and Music in the Schools programs, and to cultivating the next generation of professional composers through its renowned Young American Composer In Residence program. Each summer since 2000, the Symphony has also performed a free, family-friendly outdoor concert, currently at Todos Santos Plaza in Concord. The mission of the California Symphony, led by Music Director Donato Cabrera, is to perform the full range of music from the orchestral repertoire at the highest artistic standard.

ABOUT MAESTRO DONATO CABRERA

Donato Cabrera has been the Resident Conductor of the San Francisco Symphony (SFS) and the Wattis Foundation Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra (SFSYO) since 2009. In 2014, Cabrera was appointed Music Director of the Las Vegas Philharmonic Orchestra and has been Music Director of the California Symphony and the New Hampshire Music Festival since 2013. A champion of new music, Donato Cabrera was a co-founder of the New York based American Contemporary Music Ensemble (ACME). He holds degrees from the University of Nevada and the University of Illinois and has also pursued graduate studies in conducting at Indiana University and the Manhattan School of Music.