RPO ANNOUNCES NEW VP OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
For Immediate Release: February 20, 2018
Media Contact: Sally Cohen, 585-749-1795, sally@sallycohenpr.com
RPO Info: rpo.org, facebook.com/RochesterPhilharmonic, twitter.com/RochesterPhil, rochesterphilharmonic.blogspot.com
RPO ANNOUNCES NEW VP OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Rochester’s Nicole Morelle brings orchestra experience + much more
Rochester, NY – The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) announces the appointment of Nicole Morelle as its Vice President of Marketing & Communications, effective February 5, 2018.
Most recently employed at Rochester’s Tipping Point Communications, the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native began her career with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO). During her five years with the PSO, Morelle handled public relations as well as internal and external communications for the orchestra, both at home and during their domestic and international tours. She was responsible for two of the largest announcements in the PSO’s history: the transformational $29.5 million gift from the R.P. Simmons Family, and the appointment of Manfred Honeck as music director. Morelle moved from Pittsburgh to Rochester in 2010 for a position with the RPO, where she managed marketing and communications.
Following her posts with the two orchestras, Morelle moved on to become the Marketing Director for two of Wilmorite Management Groups’ properties: Park Point at RIT and The Marketplace Mall. After four years of retail marketing, she took her experience in branding, marketing, communications, and fundraising to Tipping Point Communications in 2016. Morelle’s portfolio featured a diverse range of clients including Connors & Ferris, Messner Flooring, Bishop Kearney High School, and Watkins Glen International.
In her free time, Morelle has volunteered to serve on committees for ABVI/Goodwill, Young Women’s College Prep, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The latter awarded her with the honor of Rochester’s Finest in 2016. Morelle, her husband Joseph, and their daughter Harper reside in Irondequoit.
“After six years in the for-profit world, it was time to come home to the RPO,” says Morelle. “This orchestra brings so much to our community, and I wanted to again be part of a cultural institution that inspires, entertains, educates, and is engrained in Rochester.”
The RPO had been without a full-time VP of Marketing & Communications since the departure of Katie Sejba in October of 2016. Consultant Robert Sweibel filled in as Interim VP from January of 2017 to January of 2018, during which time the RPO conducted a national search.
“My sincere thanks go to our Marketing & Communications staff, who have worked doubly hard during this time of transition,” adds RPO President & CEO Curt Long. “We couldn’t be happier to welcome Nicole to our administrative team and know that she will contribute immensely to the Orchestra’s advancement.”
The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) has been committed to enriching and inspiring our community through the art of music since its founding in 1922. The RPO presents approximately 150 concerts and broadcasts a year, serving up to 170,000 people – more than 34,000 of them youngsters – through ticketed events, education and community engagement activities, and concerts in schools and community centers throughout the region. 12th Music Director Ward Stare joins the ranks of former notable RPO music directors, including Eugene Goossens, José Iturbi, Erich Leinsdorf, David Zinman and Conductor Laureate Christopher Seaman. Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik has earned a national reputation for excellence in pops programming during his 24-year tenure with the RPO. With Michael Butterman as Principal Conductor for Education and Community Engagement (The Louise and Henry Epstein Family Chair) – the first endowed position of its kind in the country – the RPO reaches more than 15,000 children through its specific programs for school-aged children.
Media please note: A photo of Nicole Morelle is available, and images from the current 2017/18 season can be found here. Interviews, as well as photo and footage opportunities, can also be arranged.
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