Orchestra Spotlight

Ann Drinan, Senior Editor, has been a member of the Hartford Symphony viola section for over 30 years. She is a former Chair of the Orchestra Committee, former member of the HSO Board, and has served on many HSO committees. She is also the Executive Director of CONCORA (CT Choral Artists), a professional chorus based in Hartford and New Britain, founded by Artistic Director Richard Coffey. Ann was a member of the Advisory Board of the Symphony Orchestra Institute (SOI), and was the HSO ROPA delegate for 14 years, serving as both Vice President and President of ROPA. In addition to playing the viola and running CONCORA, Ann is a professional writer and editor, and has worked as a consultant and technical writer for software companies in a wide variety of industries for over 3 decades. (She worked for the Yale Computer Science Department in the late 70s, and thus has been on the Internet, then called the DARPAnet, since 1977!) She is married to Algis Kaupas, a sound recordist, and lives a block from Long Island Sound in Branford CT. Together they create websites for musicians: shortbeachwebdesign.com.

Ann holds a BA in Music from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and an MA in International Relations from Yale University.

Read Ann Drinan's blog here. web.esm.rochester.edu/poly/author/ann-drinan

Musician, administrator, and cultural entrepreneur Drew McManus has been involved with every aspect of the nonprofit performing arts world. He has become one of the most unique individuals in this business who is equally respected by administrators, academics, board members, music directors, musicians, and union officials.

Mr. McManus is the author of the highly successful daily column Adaptistration ; the first and only weblog dedicated to issues impacting the business of orchestras. His articles have been quietly addressing taboo issues which have been slowly strangling the business while simultaneously providing answers that are moving the industry toward positive change. Mr. McManus is a conservatory trained musician from the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, MD. He holds degrees in tuba performance as well as performing on piano and conducting; in addition to a regular performance schedule, Mr. McManus is an avid arranger.

Mr. McManus is regularly quoted as an industry expert in international publications such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, La Scena Musicale, and the Melbourne Age. Mr. McManus has also been a featured guest on national radio programs such as NPR’s All Things Consideredand WNYC’s Soundcheck.

As the founder and president of the Gynecologic Cancer Fund, he has a singular understanding of nonprofit governance and retains six-figure development experience as an executive board officer. During its tenure, his charity returned over 85% of gross proceeds to its beneficiaries; the highest return of any 501(c) in the state of Maryland.

Currently, Mr. McManus works as a private consultant with a wide range of clients throughout the orchestra business. Recent appearances include being a featured presenter at the 2005 International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM) conference in San Diego, California and as a featured panelist at the 2006 Chamber Music America conference in New York, NY.

When he isn’t working 14 hour days, Mr. McManus spends time with his wife, avoids cutting off his fingers while pursing his love for woodworking, drinking way too much Starbucks coffee, and playing with his three cats; Carmen, Tosca, and Cody.

Musician, administrator, and cultural entrepreneur Drew McManus has been involved with every aspect of the nonprofit performing arts world. He has become one of the most unique individuals in this business who is equally respected by administrators, academics, board members, music directors, musicians, and union officials.

Mr. McManus is the author of the highly successful daily column Adaptistration ; the first and only weblog dedicated to issues impacting the business of orchestras. His articles have been quietly addressing taboo issues which have been slowly strangling the business while simultaneously providing answers that are moving the industry toward positive change. Mr. McManus is a conservatory trained musician from the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, MD. He holds degrees in tuba performance as well as performing on piano and conducting; in addition to a regular performance schedule, Mr. McManus is an avid arranger.

Mr. McManus is regularly quoted as an industry expert in international publications such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, La Scena Musicale, and the Melbourne Age. Mr. McManus has also been a featured guest on national radio programs such as NPR’s All Things Consideredand WNYC’s Soundcheck.

As the founder and president of the Gynecologic Cancer Fund, he has a singular understanding of nonprofit governance and retains six-figure development experience as an executive board officer. During its tenure, his charity returned over 85% of gross proceeds to its beneficiaries; the highest return of any 501(c) in the state of Maryland.

Currently, Mr. McManus works as a private consultant with a wide range of clients throughout the orchestra business. Recent appearances include being a featured presenter at the 2005 International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM) conference in San Diego, California and as a featured panelist at the 2006 Chamber Music America conference in New York, NY.

When he isn’t working 14 hour days, Mr. McManus spends time with his wife, avoids cutting off his fingers while pursing his love for woodworking, drinking way too much Starbucks coffee, and playing with his three cats; Carmen, Tosca, and Cody.

Ann Drinan, Senior Editor, has been a member of the Hartford Symphony viola section for over 30 years. She is a former Chair of the Orchestra Committee, former member of the HSO Board, and has served on many HSO committees. She is also the Executive Director of CONCORA (CT Choral Artists), a professional chorus based in Hartford and New Britain, founded by Artistic Director Richard Coffey. Ann was a member of the Advisory Board of the Symphony Orchestra Institute (SOI), and was the HSO ROPA delegate for 14 years, serving as both Vice President and President of ROPA. In addition to playing the viola and running CONCORA, Ann is a professional writer and editor, and has worked as a consultant and technical writer for software companies in a wide variety of industries for over 3 decades. (She worked for the Yale Computer Science Department in the late 70s, and thus has been on the Internet, then called the DARPAnet, since 1977!) She is married to Algis Kaupas, a sound recordist, and lives a block from Long Island Sound in Branford CT. Together they create websites for musicians: shortbeachwebdesign.com.

Ann holds a BA in Music from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and an MA in International Relations from Yale University.

Read Ann Drinan's blog here. web.esm.rochester.edu/poly/author/ann-drinan

Musician, administrator, and cultural entrepreneur Drew McManus has been involved with every aspect of the nonprofit performing arts world. He has become one of the most unique individuals in this business who is equally respected by administrators, academics, board members, music directors, musicians, and union officials.

Mr. McManus is the author of the highly successful daily column Adaptistration ; the first and only weblog dedicated to issues impacting the business of orchestras. His articles have been quietly addressing taboo issues which have been slowly strangling the business while simultaneously providing answers that are moving the industry toward positive change. Mr. McManus is a conservatory trained musician from the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, MD. He holds degrees in tuba performance as well as performing on piano and conducting; in addition to a regular performance schedule, Mr. McManus is an avid arranger.

Mr. McManus is regularly quoted as an industry expert in international publications such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, La Scena Musicale, and the Melbourne Age. Mr. McManus has also been a featured guest on national radio programs such as NPR’s All Things Consideredand WNYC’s Soundcheck.

As the founder and president of the Gynecologic Cancer Fund, he has a singular understanding of nonprofit governance and retains six-figure development experience as an executive board officer. During its tenure, his charity returned over 85% of gross proceeds to its beneficiaries; the highest return of any 501(c) in the state of Maryland.

Currently, Mr. McManus works as a private consultant with a wide range of clients throughout the orchestra business. Recent appearances include being a featured presenter at the 2005 International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM) conference in San Diego, California and as a featured panelist at the 2006 Chamber Music America conference in New York, NY.

When he isn’t working 14 hour days, Mr. McManus spends time with his wife, avoids cutting off his fingers while pursing his love for woodworking, drinking way too much Starbucks coffee, and playing with his three cats; Carmen, Tosca, and Cody.