Hartford Reporter

Connecticut River Valley Chamber Of Commerce issued the following announcement on March 25.

The Hartford Symphony Orchestra is proud to announce organizational  changes that will directly impact the HSO as well as its commitment to  diversity equity and inclusion.  Steve Collins, formerly the HSO’s  Executive Director, was named the President & Chief Executive Officer. In this role, he will continue to lead the organization in its  mission to enrich lives and community through great music.  

During Steve’s tenure as Executive Director, he has overseen the  execution of the 2015 Strategic Plan and a successful capital campaign, and he continues to successfully guide the HSO through the myriad of  challenges presented by the ongoing COVID pandemic. He has collaborated  closely with Music Director Carolyn Kuan, artistic and community  partners to present seven seasons of world-class orchestral performances  at the Bushnell, Talcott Mountain Music Festival, and in many other  venues in the greater Hartford area.  

“Steve has provided leadership to his accomplished administrative  staff to develop and execute important work ranging from a revitalized focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion within the HSO to educational  programs in the community to phenomenal Annual Fund support by the HSO’s  generous donors,” said HSO Board Chair, Jeff Verney.  “He has worked  closely with the HSO’s Board of Directors on a variety of strategic  issues to ensure that the HSO continues to achieve our mission,”  continued Verney.   

In addition, the HSO announces the newly formed Learning and Social  Impact Department. Formerly known as DEI, Education and Community  Engagement, Learning and Social Impact will be led by director, Timothy  Brown and assistant manager Jennifer Phipps. Learning and Social Impact  will encompass all aspects of education, DEI, and community engagement  more broadly and in a more inclusive manner, opening doors to a more  diverse range of community partners.  

“Moving forward, this structure will help provide the support and  resources to grow programming in this area- something the HSO is deeply  committed to,” said Verney.  

  

About Steve Collins  

Steve Collins is driven by a deep belief in the transformative power  of great music and the symphony orchestra’s ability to positively impact community development. He began his tenure with the Hartford Symphony  Orchestra in 2014, first as the orchestra’s Director of Artistic Operations and Administration, then Executive Director, and currently as  President and CEO. During his tenure Collins has successfully guided  the HSO through the pandemic crisis, navigated a radically changing  cultural environment and financial landscape, and enhanced the HSO’s  role as a leading regional arts organization. Collins has served as a  champion of artistic development, working with HSO Music Director  Carolyn Kuan to infuse performances with digital media content, engage  audiences in imaginative ways in-person and online, redesign and  contemporize concert series, establish the position of Assistant  Conductor, and create opportunities for community collaboration. 

Collins spearheaded an organization-wide realignment with community  resources including the negotiation of critical agreements, the development of closer cooperation between the Board of Directors, staff,  musicians, and community partners, and created the organization’s first  diversity, equity and inclusion committee, including critical staffing  and programming commitments. He has moved the organization toward  financial vitality, including the successful completion of a $10M  capital campaign and increasing endowed funds by more than 140%. Most  recently, Collins was named the 2018 Non-profit Executive of the Year by  the Hartford Business Journal and in 2021 received the University of  Hartford’s Anchor Award for Impact on Social Responsibility and Civic  Engagement. 

Formerly Executive Director of the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra and  Education Director of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, Collins has  successfully raised over $4 million in endowment support and project  funding, revitalized orchestra operations, and created education programming serving more than 40,000 children and families annually  throughout Connecticut. Collins also served as Librarian and Educational Consultant for the Greater Bridgeport Symphony, where he  implemented the first fully integrated educational program in the organization’s history.  

Additionally, Collins was Project Manager for Collins Construction  Company, where he managed commercial renovation and new construction  projects up to 100,000 square feet. Collins is the 2014 Elizabeth L.  Mahaffey Arts Administration Fellow, a distinction of the Connecticut  Department of Economic and Community Development. He also enjoyed  performing as a percussionist with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra,  Greater Bridgeport Symphony Orchestras, Goodspeed Musicals, and varied  chamber ensembles across the tristate area. Collins holds a bachelor’s  degree in Music with a major in percussion performance from the Hartt  School of Music, University of Hartford. 

  

About Timothy Brown 

Timothy Brown is an innovative educator, storyteller, and producer  with a passion for social and environmental justice and the arts. An orchestral conductor and ecologist by training, he believes in the power  of interdisciplinary collaborations and has a strong record of creating  authentic public programs that inspire and empower diverse audiences of  all ages. Prior to joining the Hartford Symphony Orchestra in November  2019, he was the founding program manager of National Geographic On  Campus, the Society’s university outreach initiative. Previously he  taught environmental science and music for eight years at the Pioneer  Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School in South Hadley, Mass.  Timothy holds a master’s degree in social ecology from the Yale School  of Forestry & Environmental Studies where he received the  prestigious Strachan Donnelley Award, and bachelor’s degrees in music  and conservation biology from The Evergreen State College. In addition  to his work with the HSO, he is the editor of Connecticut Woodlands, a quarterly magazine of the Connecticut Forest & Park Association. He lives in New Haven with his family.  

  

About Jennifer Phipps  

Jennifer Phipps is a humanitarian who has always had a passion for  people and great love for the arts. She graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University with a B.A in Theatre, specializing in  Acting, Directing, and Scenic Design. She has an extensive background as  a vocalist and performer and enjoys participating in shows with various  community theaters across the state. 

Jennifer also has numerous years of experience in Early Education and  Child Development, most recently having spent four years as a Lead  Teacher for the Wallingford Family YMCA. Due to the pandemic, Jennifer  has played an influential role as a Technical Support Administrator with  the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church connection (Local and  District), utilizing her skills and experience in video production,  including transferring her church’s annual Christmas Cantata to a  successful virtual event. 

In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys cooking, painting, and performing.  Because she believes that music should be accessible to everyone, Jennifer is eager to continue her journey with the Hartford Symphony  Orchestra, a place where she feels she can merge her personal aspirations with her devotion to the arts. 

About the Hartford Symphony Orchestra         

The mission of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra is to enrich lives and community through great music. Now in its 78th season,  the HSO is Connecticut’s premier musical organization, the second  largest orchestra in New England, and widely recognized as one of  America’s leading regional orchestras. The Hartford Symphony Orchestra  named Carolyn Kuan as its tenth music director in January 2011; she is  the first woman and youngest person to hold this title. The HSO  captivates and inspires audiences of all ages by presenting more than  100 concerts annually, including the Masterworks Series, POPS! concerts,  Sunday Serenades, HSO: Intermix Series, Discovery Concerts, Symphony in  Schools, the Talcott Mountain Music Festival, and more.  The HSO aims  to deliver uniquely powerful and emotional experiences that lift and  transform the spirit, and to give back and help create vibrant  communities in the Greater Hartford area.       

Rachmaninoff & Tchaikovsky (Rachmaninoff & Tchaikovsky | Hartford Symphony Orchestra)

Masterworks Series

April 8-10

Scheherazade & Shankar (Scheherazade & Shankar | Hartford Symphony Orchestra)

Masterworks Series

May 6-8

Aretha: A Tribute (Aretha: A Tribute | Hartford Symphony Orchestra)

Pops Series

Original source can be found here.