Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s James Barry among Musical America’s Top 30 Professionals of the Year

Classical-music trade publication honors RPO Vice President of Artistic Planning and Operations for 2024 successes, including his roles in the record-breaking Eclipse concert and the forward-looking Voices of Today initiative 

 

Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) Vice President of Artistic Planning and Operations James Barry has been selected as one of the Top 30 Professionals of 2024 by the classical-music trade publication Musical America, which compiles the list annually. Its latest group of Top Pros was announced last week. 

“It’s great to see James’ work receive this national recognition,” said RPO President and CEO Curt Long. “We’ve especially benefited from his knowledge of composers and organizations doing interesting and innovative things in the orchestra world.”  

Before the RPO, Barry came to national prominence during his 13 years in New York at the League of American Orchestras, where he built a reputation for out-of-the-box thinking and ability to pivot. Barry joined the RPO in 2021.  

“James is the best artistic administrator I have ever worked with in my career,” said Jeff Tyzik, whose half-century as a professional musician includes 31 years as the RPO’s principal pops conductor. “I really enjoy engaging with James to create exciting and meaningful programs for the orchestra. We are very fortunate to have him as part of our RPO family,” Tyzik continued. 

The 30 finalists for 2024 were selected by Musical America’s editors from dozens of applications sent by nominees’ colleagues. RPO Vice President of Education Barbara Brown called Barry “a true visionary, whose creativity knows no bounds. One of his most remarkable achievements was conceiving and producing the RPO’s Eclipse Spectacular concert, held in an arena to an audience of 7,500— the largest in the orchestra’s history.” 

Musical America writer Wynne Delacoma also heralded Barry’s work on the RPO’s Voices of Today project, a five-year initiative that starts with commissioning new music, but takes the process well beyond the premiere performance, where virtually all orchestras stop. Instead, Voices of Today turns the focus to the creative process by capturing and telling the stories of composers and their works, adding recording and disseminating to the lifeline of their compositions. Voices of Today is funded by a $2 million donation, the largest in the orchestra’s history. 

Link to Musical America article here.