A day in the life: the Memphis chapter

For those of your curious to know what I actually do as an orchestra management Fellow, here is the condensed micro version of a day in the life of Jeff Tsai:

• 6:00am: Wake up, a little bedside reading, get ready for the day
• 7:03am: Drive into the office, answer personal emails, catch up with friends and loved ones, read up on industry news, blog
• 8:30am: Prioritize day, plan meetings, continue work on Memphis Symphony strategic planning, NEA grant, and various other projects
• Morning: Meet with groups related to specific projects or general orchestra governance
• 12:00pm: Ask Marti (associate director of development) where she’s picking up lunch today, place an order, back to work
• 12:30pm: Eat, chat with co-workers, watch Alex (one of two office babies, cute kid!)
• 1:00pm: Back to work on projects and/or head out of the office with Ryan (executive director) and/or Alberto (general manager) for meetings with community leaders, board members, orchestra committee, you name it
• 4:30pm: Weekly meeting with Ryan: we talk about the orchestra, organizational vision and change, my projects, leadership and management practices, the field in general, etc.
• 6:00pm: Wrap up MSO specific work, check with Pat (executive assistant) and see how Ryan’s schedule looks for the rest of the week
• 6:30pm: Plan independent meetings with musicians, board members, and community leaders to get an accurate snapshot of the orchestra, its position in the community, and what hopes lie in its future; catch up on personal business; and start worrying about finding a job in June!
• 7:30pm: Depending on the night, either head over to orchestra rehearsal with Alberto or go for a workout at the local YMCA
• 9:00pm – Grab a bite to eat
• 10:00pm: Unwind, a little bedside reading, and sleep

Lather, rinse, and repeat with variations for seven weeks. That’s the extremely generalized "day in a nutshell" of Jeff Tsai at the Memphis Symphony.