ANNOUNCER: ON THIS EPISODE OF SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR, WE WELCOME ROBERT MCGRATH, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.

ROBERT SHARES HIS VISION FOR THE CSO'S FUTURE, HIS PASSION FOR BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER THROUGH MUSIC, AND HOW HE HOPES TO BUILD ON THE ORCHESTRA'S EXTRAORDINARY LEGACY IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

STAY WITH US.

SHOWCASE STARTS RIGHT NOW.

[MUSIC] KELLAR: HI, I'M BARBARA KELLAR.

WELCOME TO SHOWCASE.

WE HAVE A REALLY GREAT, WONDERFUL, HANDSOME YOUNG GUEST TODAY, ROBERT MCGRATH FROM THE CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.

WHO WE ALL LOVE AND WE ALL SUPPORT.

AND WE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT ALL THE INSIDE GOSSIP AND INFORMATION AND PLANS AND HOPES AND DREAMS OF THE SYMPHONY.

SO WELCOME, ROBERT.

MCGRATH: THANK YOU, BARBARA, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY.

KELLAR: GOOD.

WE'RE SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU.

AND WE WANT TO FIRST FIND OUT HOW DID WE GET YOU?

WHERE, WHAT'S YOUR BACKGROUND?

HOW DID YOU END UP HERE?

MCGRATH: SURE.

WELL, YEAH.

THANKS AGAIN FOR HAVING ME.

SO I'VE BEEN THE PRESIDENT AND THE CEO FOR THE CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA NOW FOR 8 MONTHS.

BUT I CAME HERE IN 2011.

SO I'VE HAD A LONG HISTORY WORKING IN A SENIOR MANAGEMENT CAPACITY FOR 14 YEARS TOTAL.

BUT MY BACKGROUND GOES ALL THE WAY BACK.

I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN A SUBURB OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

I WOULD SAY THAT MUSIC HAS BEEN A FORMATIVE PART OF MY LIFE FROM FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER.

I MEAN, LITERALLY, ONE OF MY EARLIEST CHILDHOOD MEMORIES IS ON RAINY DAYS HAVING A PORTABLE RECORD PLAYER IN MY ROOM AND MY PARENTS HAD A LARGE RECORD COLLECTION, AND I WAS ALWAYS DRAWN TO THE CLASSICAL RECORDINGS.

KELLAR: SO EVEN AS A CHILD, THAT'S AMAZING.

MCGRATH: IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHY, BUT BUT YEAH.

I MEAN, MY JOURNEY REALLY BEGAN TO PROPEL AND MOVE FORWARD IN EARNEST WHEN I JOINED A MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND PROGRAM AS A BASSOON PLAYER IN MY LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT.

BUT YEAH, IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S SPOKEN TO ME EVER SINCE I WAS A YOUNG CHILD.

KELLAR: HAS YOUR CAREER ALWAYS BEEN IN MUSIC?

MCGRATH: YES.

SO, BY THE TIME I FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL, I WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT -- THE ONLY THING I WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT WAS MUSIC.

I'D HAD A LOT OF REALLY JUST INCREDIBLE FORMATIVE EXPERIENCES.

THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT I WENT TO HAPPENED TO BE ONE OF THE BEST PUBLIC SCHOOL MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS.

SO I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE ACCESS TO JUST AN INCREDIBLE QUALITY MUSIC EDUCATION.

I ALSO HAD ACCESS THROUGH MY LOCAL HOMETOWN HOUSTON SYMPHONY.

THEY WOULD HAVE $5 STUDENT RUSH TICKETS.

KELLAR: WOW.

MCGRATH: I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, I'D START OUT ALWAYS, LIKE MY FRESHMAN YEAR I THINK I WENT ONCE OR TWICE JUST TO SAMPLE SOMETHING.

AND BY MY SENIOR YEAR I WAS EVERY WEEK DRAGGING, TRYING TO DRAG A FRIEND OR A FAMILY MEMBER TO GO WITH ME.

SO YEAH, WHEN THE DECISION WAS MADE TO WHAT I WAS GOING TO PURSUE FOR A CAREER, IT WAS THE ONLY PATHWAY THAT I COULD THINK OF.

BUT IT WAS ALSO, I WOULD SAY PERFORMANCE WAS THE ONLY PATHWAY THAT I KNEW AS AN OUTLET FOR THAT PASSION.

KELLAR: YEAH.

MCGRATH: SO WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL, I WENT TO THE NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC IN BOSTON.

KELLAR: I WAS GOING TO ASK WHERE YOU WENT TO SCHOOL?

MCGRATH: YEAH, I WENT TO SCHOOL IN BOSTON, WHICH IS FRANKLY, THE CITY ITSELF IS IN EDUCATION IN AND OF ITSELF, JUST GIVEN THE WIDE RANGE OF OF OTHER STUDENT BODIES AND EXPERIENCES THAT YOU HAVE ACCESS TO.

AND IT'S PARTLY BECAUSE OF THAT THAT I LEARNED THAT THIS FIELD OF ORCHESTRA MANAGEMENT EVEN EXISTED.

I HAD SOME WORK STUDY JOBS.

I HAD ACCESS TO SPEAKERS, FOR INSTANCE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ONCE CAME AND SPOKE AS A COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER.

AND I REMEMBER HEARING ABOUT HIS LIFE JOURNEY AND THINKING, "WOW, THAT SOUNDS VERY INTERESTING TO BE ABLE TO STILL HAVE A LIFE SERVING MUSIC, SURROUNDED BY ARTISTS, BUT STILL BE ABLE TO EXERCISE ALL THESE OTHER CAPACITIES AND THINGS THAT I WAS INTERESTED IN."

SO I MADE A VERY CONSCIOUS DECISION RIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE TO RETIRE THE BASSOON AND TRY TO PURSUE, GET MY FOOT IN THE DOOR FROM DAY ONE.

KELLAR: YEAH.

AND WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?

MCGRATH: SO I STARTED, IT TOOK ME A COUPLE OF MONTHS, BUT SHORTLY AFTER GRADUATION, MY FIRST REAL JOB WAS WORKING AT THE BOSTON SYMPHONY, ACTUALLY, IN A SUPPORT ROLE IN THEIR PHILANTHROPY DEPARTMENT.

AND I WAS SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS PURSUIT OF THIS PATHWAY THAT IN MY SPARE TIME, ON THE EVENINGS AND ON THE WEEKENDS, I ALSO SERVED AS THE, BASICALLY, THE GENERAL MANAGER FOR ONE OF THE SUBURBAN ORCHESTRAS IN THAT COMMUNITY CALLED THE BROCKTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.

SO I WAS LIVING AND BREATHING IT.

KELLAR: GREAT TRAINING.

MCGRATH: YEAH, IT WAS INCREDIBLE TRAINING.

WHAT REALLY ACCELERATED THE START OF MY CAREER WAS AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS, I PARTICIPATED IN A PROGRAM THAT WAS RUN BY THE LEAGUE OF AMERICAN ORCHESTRAS CALLED THE ORCHESTRA MANAGEMENT FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.

AND THAT WAS A PROGRAM WHERE THEY WOULD SELECT 5 OR 6 PEOPLE A YEAR.

AND IF YOU WERE SELECTED, YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH FOUR DIFFERENT ORCHESTRAS AROUND THE COUNTRY OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR.

YOU WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE REALLY HIGH LEVEL WORK EXPERIENCE AT EACH OF THOSE PLACEMENTS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, ALSO GIVEN JUST INCREDIBLE BEHIND THE SCENES ACCESS AND MENTORSHIP WITH THE EXECUTIVES OF EACH OF THOSE ORCHESTRAS.

SO THAT REALLY IS WHAT SORT OF JUMPSTARTED AND ACCELERATED MY CAREER AND ULTIMATELY LED TO THE PATHWAY THROUGH A FEW CITIES THAT ULTIMATELY LED ME HERE TO CINCINNATI.

KELLAR: YEAH.

SO WHAT WAS YOUR POSITION BEFORE PRESIDENT AND CEO?

MCGRATH: SO I CAME HERE IN 2011 AS THE VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER OF THE ORCHESTRA, WHICH WAS ESSENTIALLY EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED ON THE STAGE I HAD SOME SORT OF RESPONSIBILITY, ARTISTIC PLANNING, PERSONNEL, OPERATIONS.

BY THE TIME I BECAME PRESIDENT AND CEO, MY ROLE HAD SHIFTED IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES OVER THE YEARS.

I WAS MOST IMMEDIATELY THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER FOR THE ORCHESTRA, WHICH ALSO INCLUDED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS.

IT HAD BECOME REALLY SORT OF THE DAILY OVERSIGHT OF ALL THE DAY TO DAY BUSINESS OPERATIONS OF THE ORGANIZATION.

KELLAR: BUT YOUR POSITION, UM, YOU'RE IN CHARGE OF EVERYTHING, EXCEPT WHAT THE MUSIC SOUNDS LIKE, RIGHT?

MCGRATH: YEAH.

WELL, TO BE CLEAR, WE CERTAINLY HAVE AN AMAZING TEAM ON THE STAFF.

KELLAR: A TEAM, BUT THE BUCK STOPS.

YEAH, YOU'RE THE GUY.

YEAH, YOU'RE THE ULTIMATE GUY.

SO THE JOB THAT YOU DID BEFORE THE ONE YOU HAVE NOW, IS THAT STILL A POSITION?

MCGRATH: IT DOESN'T -- IT DOESN'T EXIST IN THE EXACT SAME ITERATION.

BUT THE CORE FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THAT ARE OWNED BY AT LEAST 1 OR 2 DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM CURRENTLY.

KELLAR: SO TELL US, BRING US UP TO DATE.

HOW'S THE SYMPHONY DOING?

MCGRATH: WONDERFUL.

SO I THINK, AS YOUR VIEWERS MAY KNOW, YOU'VE HAD LAST SEASON, I BELIEVE, YOU HAD AS A GUEST ON YOUR PROGRAM OUR NEW MUSIC DIRECTOR, CHRISTY MACELARU.

WE JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, AS OF THE TIME OF THIS TAPING, HAD AN INCREDIBLE OPENING WEEKEND, WITH HIM LAUNCHING THE OFFICIAL START OF HIS TENURE AS THE 14TH MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE ORCHESTRA.

YES, 130 YEARS AND ONLY THE 14TH MUSIC DIRECTOR IN ALL OF THAT TIME.

SO THE CSO REALLY HAS A TRACK RECORD OF CHOOSING INCREDIBLE ARTISTIC LEADERS WHO EACH OF THEM HAVE SUCCESSIVELY BUILT UPON THE LEGACY OF THEIR PREDECESSORS.

THIS IS AN ORCHESTRA THAT CONTINUES TO GROW IN QUALITY, REALLY RECOGNIZED.

I MEAN, I KNEW OF THE CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER THROUGH CD RECORDINGS.

SO THIS IS AN ORCHESTRA THAT HAS REALLY A GLOBAL REPUTATION THAT'S BEEN BRANDISHED THROUGH RECORDING, THROUGH TOURING ACTIVITIES, AND WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO WHERE WE'RE GOING.

KELLAR: YEAH.

HOW MANY MEMBERS ARE THERE IN THE ORCHESTRA?

MCGRATH: WE CURRENTLY HAVE 90 FULL TIME MEMBERS OF ORCHESTRA.

KELLAR: THAT'S GROWN OVER THE YEARS, HASN'T IT?

MCGRATH: IT'S A NUMBER THAT, IT'S FLUCTUATED OVER TIME.

KELLAR: YEAH, BECAUSE EVERY MEMBER IS A SALARY AND YOU HAVE TO OVERSEE THAT.

YOU'RE THE GUY.

MCGRATH: I'VE HAD, YEAH, ONE OF THE, THE PRIVILEGES I THINK, AND ALSO ONE OF THE ASSETS THAT I BRING INTO THIS ROLE AS PRESIDENT AND CEO IS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WITH THE ORCHESTRA FOR 14 YEARS.

IN MY PREVIOUS CAPACITY, I WAS DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE ORCHESTRA, WITH OUR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

AND SO I HAVE A VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH MANY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE ORCHESTRA AND A REAL APPRECIATION FOR THE RELATIONSHIP THAT EXISTS BETWEEN THIS COMMUNITY AND THE MUSICIANS OF THE ORCHESTRA, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE REALLY SPECIAL CULTURE THAT EXISTS HERE IN CINCINNATI.

KELLAR: YEAH, I THINK THE SYMPHONY, CINCINNATI SYMPHONY IS IN MUCH BETTER SHAPE THAN EQUAL SYMPHONIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, LARGELY DUE TO THE NIPPERTS.

AND WE HAVE SUCH GENEROUS DONORS.

WE'RE A MUSIC CITY.

MCGRATH: THAT'S RIGHT.

KELLAR: AND MR.

SPRINGER STARTED IT ALL, AND WE HAVE THE MOST GLORIOUS MUSIC HALL.

I WATCHED THE VIDEO THAT WE -- THE DOCUMENTARY THAT WE DID ABOUT THE REMODELING OF MUSIC HALL.

YOU WERE PROBABLY RIGHT INTO THE THICK OF ALL.

I KEPT WATCHING TO SEE IF YOU WERE GOING TO BE ON IT.

MCGRATH: I THINK I SHOW UP ONCE FOR A FEW SECONDS IN A NON-SPEAKING ROLE, YES.

KELLAR: YES, THAT'S RIGHT, I WAS -- I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WERE GOING TO BE TALKING OR ANYTHING.

BUT GETTING THROUGH THAT WAS A HORRENDOUS THING AND OBVIOUSLY VERY, VERY WELL ORGANIZED AND ACCOMPLISHED.

MCGRATH: YEAH.

KELLAR: BUT WE'RE -- I SAY WE BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE OWNERSHIP.

MCGRATH: YES, ABSOLUTELY.

KELLAR: AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL THAT WAY.

WE WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING WE ALL, IT BELONGS TO THE CITY.

AND IF YOU WANTED IT TO SURVIVE AND BECOME GREATER, YOU HAVE TO BE A PARTICIPANT.

AND THINGS, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT THINGS HAVE CHANGED.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE-- DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING IN THE FUTURE THAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT?

MCGRATH: YEAH.

WELL, SO THE ORCHESTRA'S VISION IS TO BE THE MOST RELEVANT ORCHESTRA IN AMERICA.

KELLAR: AND IS THAT WHAT CRISTIAN SAYS?

MCGRATH: THAT IS WHAT WE ALL SAY.

I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT, CRISTIAN, IN SELECTING HIM AS THE MUSIC DIRECTOR IS NOT ONLY DID HE MEET ALL OF THE INCREDIBLE QUALIFICATIONS THAT WE ESTABLISHED, THAT WE DECIDED WE WERE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO WAS GOING TO INSPIRE AND ENGAGE AND PROPEL THE MUSICIANS OF THE ORCHESTRA TO NEW ARTISTIC HEIGHTS.

BUT HE IS COMPLETELY IN ALIGNMENT WITH THIS VISION FOR RELEVANCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND WHAT DO I MEAN BY THAT?

WHAT DOES RELEVANCE MEAN?

KELLAR: OKAY, WELL, YEAH.

MCGRATH: YEAH, WE ARE, FOR US, RELEVANCE IS INFORMED BY A CORE BELIEF THAT ALL PEOPLE SEEK INSPIRATION.

AND MUSIC IS ONE OF THE MOST BASIC AND FUNDAMENTAL FORMS OF HUMAN EXPRESSION THAT INSPIRE PEOPLE.

IT DEEPLY AFFECTS OUR EMOTIONS.

IT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER.

CRISTIAN LIKES TO SAY, WE'VE GOT THIS QUOTE ON ALL KINDS OF MUGS AND NEW MERCHANDISE TO HELP CELEBRATE HIS INAUGURAL SEASON.

HE LIKES TO SAY THAT THAT LIFE IS GOOD WHEN YOU'RE SURROUNDED BY MUSIC.

AND WE THINK THAT'S -- I KNOW THAT TO BE TRUE.

THAT'S BEEN A FORMATIVE PART OF, SUCH A CRITICAL PART OF MY LIFE.

AND SO WE IN THE YEARS AHEAD, WE ARE LOOKING TO OPEN OUR ARMS EVER WIDER AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TRULY REACHING EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS COMMUNITY THROUGH THE POWER OF MUSIC AND ENRICHING THEIR DAILY LIVES.

KELLAR: WELL, THAT'S QUITE A GOAL.

MCGRATH: IT IS A VERY, VERY AMBITIOUS GOAL.

BUT I THINK, LIKE YOU SAID, I AM CONFIDENT IN OUR ABILITY TO MAKE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS IN THIS REGARD BECAUSE OF HOW SPECIAL THIS COMMUNITY IS.

CINCINNATI SHOWS UP FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS.

CINCINNATI SUPPORTS THE ARTS, AS YOU SAY, DISPROPORTIONATELY RELATIVE.

I MEAN, THE QUALITY OF THE PERFORMING ARTS HERE MAKES THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN CINCINNATI SECOND TO NONE.

AND THE CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA IS FOUNDATIONAL TO NOT ONLY DO WE PERFORM AS THE CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND THE CINCINNATI POPS ALL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BUT WE ALSO SERVE AS A FOUNDATION FOR MUCH OF THE PERFORMING ARTS ECOSYSTEM.

WE'RE THE OFFICIAL ORCHESTRA FOR THE TWO WEEK MAY FESTIVAL, FOR THE CINCINNATI OPERA SEASON, FOR FIVE WEEKS OF THE CINCINNATI BALLET.

SO I THINK THAT WITH THE CURRENT CONDITIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY, WITH THE LEADERSHIP THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, BOTH BEHIND THE SCENES, ON THE STAGE, AT THE BOARD LEVEL, WE ARE DEFINITELY POISED TO BUILD UPON THE SUCCESS OF THE PAST AND AND TRULY LIVE UP TO THE MONIKER OF CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.

KELLAR: YEAH.

ONE OF THE THINGS THE PUBLIC MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW IS THAT THE NIPPERTS LEFT AN ENDOWMENT TO THE SYMPHONY.

BUT THEY LEFT IT ALSO TO THE OPERA AND MAY FESTIVAL AND THE BALLET, AND THEY HAD TO USE THAT MONEY TO HIRE THE SYMPHONY, WHICH MADE, AND I'M WELL FAMILIAR WITH THE BALLET, NOT THE OPERA OR THE MAY FESTIVAL, BUT THAT SO WE ALL OF A SUDDEN HAD THE CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PLAYING FOR THE BALLET AND MY HUSBAND ALWAYS SAID, "OUR BALLET HAS THE GREATEST PIT ORCHESTRA IMAGINABLE."

MOST BALLET COMPANIES DON'T EVEN HAVE LIVE MUSIC OF ANY KIND.

AND WE HAD LIVE MUSIC.

WE HAD A GREAT ORCHESTRA WITH CARMEN DE LEON, BUT WE NOW HAVE THE SENSE.

AND THEN NUTCRACKER, WHEN THAT ORCHESTRA TUNES UP FOR IT, IT IS, JUST YOU GO INTO A DIFFERENT WORLD.

IT'S SO FANTASTIC.

AND YOU TALK ABOUT MAKING SURE YOU REACH EVERYBODY.

I'M SURE YOU START WITH KIDS, BECAUSE LITTLE CHILDREN LOTS OF PLACES HAVE NEVER HEARD CLASSICAL MUSIC.

MCGRATH: THAT'S RIGHT.

KELLAR: THEY'VE ONLY HAD THE HARD ROCK OR WHATEVER WE WANT TO CALL IT.

AND SO I'M SURE YOU HAVE LOTS OF OUTREACH PROGRAMS AND SCHOOLS AND BRINGING THEM DOWN.

MCGRATH: YEAH.

THAT'S RIGHT.

I MEAN, SO ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE WILL SEEK TO ACHIEVE THAT RELEVANCE IS THROUGH THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND SPECIFICALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DOING OUR PART TO REMOVE BARRIERS FOR STUDENTS FROM EVERY CORNER OF THIS COMMUNITY TO HEAR ORCHESTRAL MUSIC OR TO PERFORM AN INSTRUMENT.

SO THE LONGEST RUNNING THING THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN THIS REGARD IS FOR OVER 100 YEARS NOW, WE HAVE A SERIES OF YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONCERTS THAT INVITE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS FROM THROUGHOUT THE METROPOLITAN AREA TO EXPERIENCE FULL PERFORMANCES OF THE CSO DURING THE SCHOOL DAY AT MUSIC HALL.

JUST THIS LAST YEAR, AS AN EXAMPLE, THOUGH, OF OUR INTENTIONALITY TO EXPAND THAT IMPACT THROUGH A DEEPENED PARTNERSHIP WITH CINCINNATI PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

AND THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF A LOT OF OUR PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE NOT ONLY CONNECTIONS, BUT ALSO TO REMOVE ALL THE FINANCIAL BARRIERS FOR THINGS LIKE SCHOOL BUSSES AND SUBSIDIZING ANY OF THE DIRECT TICKET EXPENSES SUCH THAT JUST THIS LAST YEAR ALONE, WE HAD 13 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS FROM THE CINCINNATI AREA THAT WERE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THEIR FIRST PERFORMANCE AT MUSIC HALL EVER IN OUR 130 YEAR HISTORY.

SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE TO ME OF WHERE, FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK AND IMPACT THAT THE CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA HAS HAD, THE REALITY IS THERE ARE STILL HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY OF 2.3 MILLION PEOPLE THAT WE CALL HOME, THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REACH AND WE TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY VERY SERIOUSLY.

KELLAR: I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT TOURING BECAUSE I HEARD MAYBE YOU'RE GOING TO BE TOURING AGAIN, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING.

MCGRATH: YEAH, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

THE ANSWER IS YES.

WE DO ASPIRE TO RESUME TOURING IN THE NEAR TERM FUTURE.

THIS HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE ORCHESTRA'S LEGACY.

IT'S ONE OF THE KEY THINGS, ALONG WITH THE COMMERCIAL RECORDINGS AND THE PRESENT DAY, ALSO ARE THE DIGITAL PERFORMANCES THAT WE PRODUCE FOR FREE FOR THE WORLD.

BUT THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S HELPED PUT CINCINNATI ON THE MAP.

IN MY TRAVELS, IF YOU GO TO EUROPE OR YOU GO TO ASIA, YOU WILL FIND THAT THERE ARE FANS OF CINCINNATI AND THEY KNOW OF CINCINNATI BECAUSE OUR ORCHESTRA HAS PERFORMED IN THEIR COMMUNITY, OR THEY HAVE ONE OF OUR RECORDINGS OF THE CSO OR THE POPS ON THEIR RECORD SHELF.

SO, AND ONE OF THE UNIQUE THINGS ABOUT ABOUT CRISTIAN, AS IN OUR NEW MUSIC DIRECTOR, IS THAT HE COMES TO THIS ROLE ALREADY HAVING A BODY OF EXPERIENCE LEADING TWO MAJOR EUROPEAN ORCHESTRAS IN COLOGNE AND IN PARIS.

AND SO HE ALREADY HAS A LOT OF, BOTH OF THOSE ORCHESTRAS DO A LOT OF TOURING WITHIN THE CONTINENT.

SO HE BRINGS A LOT OF EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PRESENTERS AND COMMUNITIES IN EUROPE.

SO WE'RE -- THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO TO MAKE THIS A REALITY.

BUT THERE'S ALREADY A LOT OF BUBBLING CONCRETE INTEREST IN HAVING THE CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA RESUME THAT ACTIVITY.

KELLAR: HOW DOES THE FUNDING WORK?

I KNOW THE PLACES YOU GO PAY YOU A FEE, BUT THAT DOESN'T COVER IT, DOES IT?

MCGRATH: NO.

THE REALITY IS FOR ANY, ALMOST ANY ORCHESTRA ON THE PLANET, THE THE COST OF TOURING HAS TO BE SUBSIDIZED BY PHILANTHROPIC CONTRIBUTIONS.

KELLAR: YOU HAVE TO GET PEOPLE WHO ARE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT IT, AND THEN THEY WANT TO GO ALONG.

RIGHT?

THEY WANT TO GO ALONG WITH YOU.

MCGRATH: WELL, WE LOVE THAT.

WE WOULD LOVE IT IF WE COULD BRING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF CINCINNATI WITH US.

UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S -- KELLAR: RIGHT.

BUT OVER THE YEARS WE HAVE TOURED A LOT.

MCGRATH: THAT'S RIGHT.

KELLAR: A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE GONE ALONG AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE.

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT PLACES YOU MIGHT?

I MEAN, I KNOW THEY TOURED JAPAN AND THEN THEY WERE IN CHINA.

MCGRATH: THAT'S RIGHT.

YEAH, WE'VE BEEN IN ALL THESE PLACES, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT PRESENCE BOTH IN ASIA AND ALSO IN EUROPE OVER THE SEASONS.

OUR LAST TOUR WAS TO EUROPE IN 2017.

WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE -- WE HAD AN INCREDIBLE TOUR COMPLETELY PLANNED AND FUNDED FOR THE FALL OF 2020 IN EUROPE.

AND A CERTAIN THING CALLED COVID-19 HAPPENED IN MARCH, WHICH MEANT THAT WE HAD TO CANCEL THAT.

SO BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT'S BEEN TEN YEARS SINCE THE ORCHESTRA WILL LIKELY HAVE BEEN AT LEAST TEN YEARS BY THE TIME THAT WE RESUME THAT ACTIVITY.

KELLAR: WHERE WERE YOU GOING TO GO ON THAT ONE?

MCGRATH: SO WE WERE SCHEDULED IN THAT FALL OF 2020 TO BE IN EUROPE, PRIMARILY IN GERMANY AND AUSTRIA.

KELLAR: WELL, OF COURSE, THEY'RE ALREADY GREAT MUSIC LOVERS.

MCGRATH: YES, EXACTLY.

KELLAR: SO YOU'RE PREACHING TO THE CHOIR THERE.

YOU'RE PLAYING TO THE CHOIR.

YEAH.

BUT IT'S SUCH AN EXCITING THOUGHT AND IT DOES BRING PRESTIGE TO THE ORCHESTRA WORLDWIDE.

DO YOU HAVE LOTS OF INTERACTION WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE YOUR POSITION AROUND THE WORLD?

MCGRATH: YEAH, THE ORCHESTRA WORLD IS REALLY A SMALL INDUSTRY, AND IT'S A SUPPORTIVE ONE.

THERE'S REALLY, I MEAN, ON SOME LEVEL, WE OSTENSIBLY COMPETE FOR THE SAME TALENT, I SUPPOSE, IN TERMS OF MUSIC DIRECTORS OR MUSICIANS WHO MOVE TO CINCINNATI AND MAKE THIS COMMUNITY THEIR HOME.

BUT WE'RE ALL FACING, WE'RE NOT COMPETING FOR AUDIENCES.

AND SO WE ALL ARE FACING THE SAME CHALLENGES THAT NOT ONLY ORCHESTRAS BUT THE PERFORMING ARTS WORLD FACES IN THE 21ST CENTURY.

SO IT'S A VERY SUPPORTIVE NETWORK OF INDIVIDUALS THAT TEND TO LEAN ON EACH OTHER.

WE CONVENE AT CONFERENCES AND VARIOUS GATHERINGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND TEND TO FOCUS ON NOT ONLY SHARING THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING, BUT SHARING THE SOLUTIONS THAT ARE WORKING FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY.

KELLAR: YEAH.

IS THERE ANY -- A WISH LIST THAT YOU HAVE?

MCGRATH: WELL, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE -- THAT I'M MOST PROUD OF, FRANKLY, IS THAT ALL ORCHESTRAS ARE FACING THE CHALLENGES OF ENSURING THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING FUTURE AUDIENCES, YOUNGER, MORE DIVERSE AUDIENCES.

CINCINNATI HAS A VERY STRONG TRACK RECORD OF INNOVATION IN THIS REGARD, OF EVOLVING THE CONCERT EXPERIENCE, BOTH ON THE STAGE AND OFF THE STAGE.

ONE OF THE MOST RECENT INITIATIVES THAT I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT, WHICH I THINK PAINTS A VISION OF HOW WE MIGHT CONTINUE TO NOT JUST EVOLVE THE CONCERT EXPERIENCE, BUT ALSO JUST TO EVOLVE HOW PEOPLE INTERACT WITH THE ORCHESTRA.

WE ARE NOW IN THE SECOND SEASON OF THE LAUNCH OF A MEMBERSHIP MODEL CALLED HARMONY PASS.

SO THIS IS MODELED MUCH LIKE THE NETFLIX ACTIVITY FOR CONSUMING ENTERTAINMENT.

TWO PEOPLE FOR $17.99 A MONTH, IF THEY SIGN UP TO BE PART OF THIS MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM AT THE BEGINNING OF ANY GIVEN WEEK, THEY CAN GAIN ACCESS TO THE REMAINING TICKET INVENTORY FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF PERFORMANCES THAT WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.

AND IN YEAR TWO ALONE, WE'VE HAD NEARLY 500 PEOPLE SIGN UP FOR THIS PROGRAM.

AND THE THING THAT'S MOST ENCOURAGING TO ME ABOUT THE FUTURE IS THAT ON ANY GIVEN WEEK, APPROXIMATELY 200 PEOPLE ARE UTILIZING THAT HARMONY PASS.

SO NOT ONLY IS IT SUCCESSFUL IN ATTRACTING NEW PEOPLE TO THE ORCHESTRA, BUT IT IS ENCOURAGING THEM TO SAMPLE AND TO TRY THINGS THAT THEY OTHERWISE WOULDN'T AND ENCOURAGE FREQUENCY OF ATTENDANCE.

KELLAR: HOW WOULD PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THAT IF THEY'RE NOT ALREADY INVOLVED?

MCGRATH: WELL, I WOULD LOVE FOR EVERYBODY WHO'S WATCHING THIS TELEVISION PROGRAM IF THEY HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THE ORCHESTRA, IT'S A WONDERFUL, YOU KNOW, LOW KEY, LOW, LOW BARRIER, LOW COMMITMENT WAY TO IN FACT SAMPLE AND EXPERIENCE THE CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, CINCINNATI POPS CONCERT.

BUT ALSO THERE'S INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE CINCINNATISYMPHONY.ORG THAT HAS DIRECT LINKS FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SIGN UP AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT PROGRAM.

KELLAR: YEAH, I KNOW SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOUNG PEOPLE, THERE'S A GROUP THAT VOLUNTEERS AND THEY DON'T TELL THEIR PEOPLE UNTIL LIKE A WEEK AHEAD.

AND THEN 1500 PEOPLE WILL SHOW UP TO HELP IN WHATEVER THE ACTIVITY IS, SO THEY DON'T WANT TO PLAN AHEAD.

THEY WANT TO DO THINGS SORT OF ON THE -- THE OLD PEOPLE, WE HAVE TO PLAN AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO WEAR AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

YEAH.

BUT THE YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SNAG THEM WITH SOCIAL MEDIA.

AND SO DO YOU HAVE A STRONG EFFORT TO GET PEOPLE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA?

MCGRATH: YEAH, FOR SURE.

WE HAVE A VERY STRONG DIGITAL CONTENT TEAM THAT PRODUCES ALL KINDS OF ORIGINAL CONTENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT HELPS TO PRODUCE THE LIVE FROM MUSIC HALL PERFORMANCES THAT WE MAKE AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE AT LEAST 6 OR 7 TIMES A YEAR.

AND LIKE YOU SAY, THIS DIGITAL ACCESS, I THINK THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHY THE HARMONY PASS IS SUCCESSFUL, BECAUSE IT'S AN ENTIRELY DIGITAL PATHWAY AND FLEXIBILITY IS THE KEY THERE.

IT'S WE'RE ALL LEADING INCREDIBLY, INCREASINGLY BUSY FULL LIVES, PARTICULARLY AT CERTAIN STAGES IN ONE'S LIFE.

IT'S DIFFICULT TO BE ABLE TO COMMIT.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S A KEY CONTRIBUTOR ABOUT WHY THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND ALSO WHY, YOU KNOW, AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE, I THINK THAT INCREASINGLY WE ALREADY DO THIS.

I MEAN, ON ANY GIVEN WEEK, WE'RE PERFORMING ALL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, EVERYTHING FROM VIDEO GAME MUSIC FOR FINAL FANTASY A FEW WEEKS AGO TO TRADITIONAL CLASSICAL MUSIC BY BEETHOVEN, TCHAIKOVSKY TO INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCES BY THE CINCINNATI POPS WITH ARTISTS FROM ALL DIFFERENT GENRES AND COLLABORATIONS.

SOME OF OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS THAT WE DO NOW IN TERMS OF INTRODUCING PEOPLE TO NEW AUDIENCES TO THE ORCHESTRA, OUR FILM PROGRAMS.

YOU KNOW, JOHN WILLIAMS MOVIES LIVE WITH ORCHESTRA.

BUT THE FUTURE IS, I THINK, GOING TO BE BUILT UPON NOT CHANGING NECESSARILY THE PROFILE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, BUT EXPANDING AND PROVIDING MANY MORE AVENUES AND PATHWAYS FOR PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE THE ORCHESTRA.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WELL, IT'S ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS ABOUT OUR CITY AND ALL THE OTHER ARTS SORT OF ARE MOVING AROUND THE ORCHESTRA.

BUT THE ORCHESTRA IS THE THING THAT KEEPS US ALL TOGETHER AND MAKES AN INCREDIBLE PART OF OUR CITY AND REASONS PEOPLE COME HERE.

AND YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY DOING A GREAT JOB OF MOVING FORWARD, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE TOURING INFORMATION AND JUST INVITE EVERYBODY TO ENJOY WHAT IS A SUPERB THING, A JEWEL IN OUR CROWN IS THE CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.

MCGRATH: THANK YOU.

KELLAR: AND YOU'RE A GREAT SPOKESPERSON FOR THEM, AND I'M SURE.

YEAH.

WELL, WE WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.

THIS HAS BEEN VERY EXCITING AND INFORMATIVE, AND WE'LL HOPEFULLY SEE YOU AT THE SYMPHONY.

MCGRATH: THANK YOU, BARBARA.

PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU.

ANNOUNCER: JOIN US NEXT WEEK FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR RIGHT HERE ON CET.