ROCHESTER PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA ANNOUNCES PLANNED LEADERSHIP TRANSITION AND LAUNCH OF NATIONAL SEARCH

For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Herb Griffith, RPO VP Marketing & Communications, hgriffith@rpo.org, 607.341.6036
ROCHESTER PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA ANNOUNCES PLANNED LEADERSHIP TRANSITION AND LAUNCH OF NATIONAL SEARCH

The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) has announced President & CEO Curt Long will conclude his tenure in August 2026, marking nine years of dedicated and impactful leadership. The Board of Directors will formally launch a national search for the orchestra’s next President & CEO this week.

Long’s tenure has been defined by artistic achievement, organizational resilience, and strategic growth. He guided the RPO through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring the orchestra remained active, financially stable, and deeply connected to its community during a period of extraordinary uncertainty. Under his leadership, the RPO celebrated a 2020 Grammy Award, welcomed Andreas Delfs as its 13th Music Director in 2021, and marked its blockbuster 2023–24 Centennial Season. He also spearheaded the development of a strategic framework that has shaped the orchestra’s work, priorities, and culture over the past seven seasons, including an increased focus on equity and inclusion.

Long championed initiatives that will shape the orchestra’s future including the launch of Voices of Today, the RPO’s commissioning, recording, and storytelling platform that highlights emerging composers and illuminates the creative process behind new works. Additional milestones include the creation of the Orchestral Program for Urban Students (OPUS), the Care & Wellness Initiative (CWI), the 2024 Eclipse Spectacular, and the advancement of the RPO& Capital Campaign, now approaching its $50 million-plus goal to strengthen endowment, artistic innovation, and community impact.

“Curt’s leadership has positioned the RPO for long-term success,” said Board Chair Diana Clarkson. “He has helped build a strong foundation—artistically, financially, and organizationally —that allows us to look to the future with confidence and ambition. We are deeply grateful for his service and the lasting impact he has made on this orchestra and our community.”

As the RPO continues into its second century, the Board views this transition as a powerful opportunity to build on the orchestra’s momentum and welcome a new leader who will guide the organization into its next era of artistic excellence, community engagement, and institutional strength. The national search, launching tomorrow, will focus on identifying a visionary and collaborative executive who can advance the RPO’s mission, complete its transformative capital campaign, deepen audience engagement, and strengthen its role as a cultural cornerstone of Rochester and Western New York.

To lead the search, the RPO has engaged Aspen Leadership Group/ZRG Partners, a global talent advisory firm known for its executive-level searches in the performing arts. Through its digital platform combining talent intelligence, candidate insights, and process improvement, ALG/ZRG delivers executive searches with efficiency and measurable results.

Founded in 1922 by George Eastman as “the community’s orchestra,” the RPO is the resident orchestra of Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre and maintains a longstanding partnership with the Eastman School of Music. Through its Philharmonics and Pops series, family and holiday concerts, educational initiatives, and innovative community programs, the RPO remains committed to enriching lives through the power of live symphonic music.

ABOUT THE RPO:
The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) has been committed to enriching and inspiring our community through the art of music since its origins in 1922. The RPO presents approximately 150 concerts and broadcasts a year, serving up to 170,000 through ticketed events, education and community engagement activities, and concerts in schools and community centers throughout the region. Andreas Delfs was named music director in 2021, following notable RPO music directors Erich Leinsdorf, David Zinman, Mark Elder, and Conductor Laureate Christopher Seaman. Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik, now in his 32nd season, has earned a national reputation for excellence in Pops programming during his tenure with the RPO.