Life as a Donor Relations Intern with the Oregon Bach Festival

The first time I ever heard of the Oregon Bach Festival was when I first drove by the billboard on Franklin Boulevard, on my way to audition for a spot at the UO School of Music. Little did I know that a few short years later, I would not only be interning for the organization, but also learning an incredible amount while having the time of my life.

The 2013 OBF Interns

Spanning from May through July, I served as one of the donor relations interns, alongside Carrie Garrison, a sophomore violinist from Salem. We assisted the development staff with a variety of tasks that ranged from the mundane to the exciting and high-pressure responsibilities that one would expect at such a busy festival. No matter how small or large the task was, however, it was always a vital part of one of the many development events that took place throughout the festival.

Carrie and I at the Helmuth Rilling: Danke schon 2013 Gala

One such event that will always stand out to me was one called Meet the Musicians that took place after the concert on July 2, A Night at the Opera. Before the festival began, Carrie and I began tracking RSVP’s from donors and musicians who planned to attend the event. We then were given the job of figuring out a way to encourage donors and musicians to interact with one another. In the end, we created table centerpieces that were trivia questions drawn from both the program notes and opera history, with envelopes on the back containing the answer. It was a rewarding experience to see a project all the way through and then to see guests at the event actually discussing the trivia questions.

Waiting to check people in at Meet the Musicians

In that one night at Meet the Musicians, I had met major donors, talked with guest artists and felt closer to the rest of the OBF staff. Those experiences only increased in number throughout the festival and I began to realize how much I loved interacting with the array of people you meet and work with in that kind of environment. OBF opened my eyes to the world of arts organizations and I’m already itching for more. It’s safe to say that I will be a faithful audience member next season and while this is in part due to the fact that it will be Matthew Halls’ first official season as Artistic Director (!!), it is ultimately because OBF now has a special place in my heart. I can’t imagine not coming back.

Interns (and Cassie) with Matthew Halls!

Special thanks to Cassie, Patti, Lauren, Carrie and everyone else at OBF for the unforgettable experience!

Informational Interview

Donor Relations at a Classical Music Festival: Three Essentials About the Ever-Changing Field

More often than not, if you live in the Eugene area and have the slightest appreciation for classical music you have heard of the Oregon Bach Festival. Taking place in Eugene each summer, the world-renowned festival celebrates the works of J.S. Bach and others. It has featured some of the most celebrated musicians of our time, including cellist Yo-Yo Ma and violinist Joshua Bell.

On Friday, Oct. 5, I had the pleasure of speaking with Patrick Hosfield, director of corporate and donor relations at the Oregon Bach Festival. The conversation not only opened my eyes to the intricacies of donor relations but also got me excited to see where this field goes in the course of my career.

Here are three essential tips I learned about success in the donor relations field:

1. A cyclic season means an ever-changing work year.

The actual Oregon Bach Festival only takes place for a couple weeks during the summer; this year the dates are June 28-July 14. But having a music festival during the summer does not mean a director of donor relations is off the hook during the fall and winter months.

Patrick Hosfield explained to me that writing grants is basically a yearlong task when working in donor relations; his undergraduate degree in English has obviously helped quite a lot in this department. As the festival grows closer, tasks begin to change.

The donor relations department keeps tabs on every donor, whether the donation was $100 or $100,000. A lot of effort is put into making sure donors are taken care of (e.g., Did they get the correct tickets? Have they responded to their invitations?). This kind of work continues during the festival.

2. Being detail-oriented is key.

A director of donor relations is in charge of keeping track of many people and a lot of numbers. A database is used to track and document the donors, including their donation amounts, tickets they will receive, and events they will attend.

This kind of attention to detail is also used when dealing with sponsors. In the above picture you can see the Oregon Bach Festival booklet that contains everything you could possibly need to know about the festival; from concerts to guest artists and advertisements to lists of donors, it’s all presented in this single document.

As a donor relations professional in this field, it’s important to be detail-oriented so that if a sponsor asks you specific dates and places you ran their advertisement, you have accurate and easily accessed information for them.

3. Be aware of the growing effects of the Internet.

When I asked Mr. Hosfield about changes in the industry in the next 5-10 years, it started a conversation about social media and the Internet. Of course, the ways of the Internet are changing every industry these days, but as far as the Oregon Bach Festival is concerned, it brought up some interesting questions.

Our society has quickly shifted to an “everything online” mentality, which works well for many industries. However, these kinds of music festivals cater to an older crowd who are part of a generation that missed learning about the Internet. Therefore, a lot of things are still done the traditional way, such as sending printed newsletters and receiving donations made on actual checks.

As the next generation who is comfortable with the Internet moves into this older category, industries like the Oregon Bach Festival will be able to move more things online. But then there are questions about the younger generations.

With increasing cuts in the music education world, it’s hard to say if enough members of these younger generations will even have an interest in classical music as they get older. And because they will have been raised on social media and can access everything online, what will motivate them to come out for a classical music concert?

Hopefully that generation will still appreciate the virtues of attending a live performance. No matter how good the sound can be on recordings these days, nothing can beat sitting in a performance hall and having live music fill your ears.