Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston is a cooperative, so the players control the orchestra to an extent completely foreign to most orchestras. Trustees of Pro Arte are nominated by the board of trustees, but are elected by the whole membership of the orchestra, in which players outnumber trustees. In an extraordinary example of the power held by musician-members, in June of 2000 the players overwhelmingly voted to appoint Isaiah Jackson to be Pro Arte’s music director.
Executive Committee
- Barbara Englesberg, President
- John Barstow
- Dana Russian
- Mary Alyce Groman
- W. Easley Hamner
- Jane Manopoli
- Edward Wu
- Isaiah Jackson
The players and trustees delegate responsibility for general management of the orchestra to the Executive Committee, which in turn hires the general manager and any additional staff they deem appropriate.
Players' Committee
- Frederick Aldrich
- Anne Black
- Susan Gottschalk
- Joseph Holt
- Dana Russian
Serving as the central representative body of the player-members of the cooperative, the Pro Arte Players' Committee fulfills a distinctive role in the governance of the Orchestra. Elected annually by the musician-membership, Players' Committee members meet regularly during the season to, among other duties:
- propose artistic policy
- establish audition procedures
- serve as liaison between the Music Director and orchestra members
- enforce musician-membership rules
- coordinate personnel for Pro Arte performances
In its third year, the committee became an avid representative of the interests and concerns of the musician-membership through the negotiation of an annual union agreement, participation in internal governance issues, and as a participating member of Pro Arte's Executive Committee.
Facilitating efficient communication among the musician-members, Music Director, trustees, and staff, the members of the Pro Arte Players' Committee embody the principal of cooperation and play an invaluable role in the health and success of the cooperative.
Repertoire Committee
- Jeffrey Work, chair
- Ann Bobo
- Jeffrey Fischer
- Mary Alyce Groman
- Kristina Nilsson
Selecting a distinctive blend of traditional and contemporary works for presentation, the Pro Arte Repertoire Committee is charged with the principal responsibility of coordinating artistic programming for each concert season. Working cooperatively with Music Director, Isaiah Jackson, the Committee combines the talents of the area's finest solo artists and special guest with musical repertoire of the highest artistic standard. Among other responsibilities, the Committee:
- secures dates for all Pro Arte subscription concerts
- selects all repertoire and guest artists
- assists in the planning of benefit concerts and special events
- reviews and recommends original compositions of new works for chamber orchestra
Comprised of musician-members, staff and artistic advisors, the Repertoire Committee meets monthly to evaluate the overall effectiveness of its programming and to plan a steady course for future artistic growth. As participating members of Pro Arte's Executive Committee, Repertoire Committee personnel play an instrumental role in the long-term planning and policy-making for the organization.
Board Development Committee
- Judy Kaye, chair
- W. Easley Hamner, ex officio
- Steve Solomon
- Dana Russian
- Edward Wu
- Isaiah Jackson
Audience Development Committee
- John Porter, chair
- Ann Bobo
- John Barstow
- Nancy Hollomon
Finance Committee
- John Porter, treasurer
- Sylvia Han
- Hadley Reynolds
- Richard Sharp
Cooperative Governance Review Committee
- Alan Geismer, chair
- Barbara Englesberg
- W. Easley Hamner
- Joe Holt
Advancement Committee
- Alan Geismer, chair
- Ann Bobo
- Barbara Englesberg
- W. Easley Hamner
- Joe Holt
- Amy Hunter
- Judy Kaye
- Dana Russian
- Steve Solomon
- Edward Wu