BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA APPOINTS TRACY TAJBL NEW SENIOR DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS FOR ORCHESTRA’S SECOND HOME AT STRATHMORE

Baltimore, Md. (May 2, 2008)—The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) announced today that Tracy Tajbl has been appointed the Orchestra’s Senior Director of External Affairs, a newly created fundraising position at the Orchestra’s second home, The Music Center at Strathmore in Bethesda, effective May 5, 2008. Ms. Tajbl brings to the BSO a national fundraising profile which includes more than 14 years of leadership experience in fundraising, institutional advancement and non-profit management. In recent years, Ms. Tajbl has served as a senior management consultant with the firms of Graham-Pelton Consulting and Campbell & Company, working on behalf of prestigious non-profit clients such as The Nature Conservancy Worldwide Office, Arena Stage (Washington, D.C.) and the CEC/Seabee Historical Foundation. Previously, Ms. Tajbl directed the Nashville Symphony’s highly successful capital and endowment campaigns to fund the construction and operation of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, exceeding the campaign’s $120 million goal six months ahead of schedule.

“I am thrilled to welcome Tracy to the BSO team as the leader of the BSO’s fundraising efforts/campaign at the Music Center at Strathmore,” said Paul Meecham, the Orchestra’s President and CEO. “Tracy’s proven experience in developing, launching and directing highly successful capital campaigns and major gifts initiatives will help advance the Orchestra’s successful venture at the Music Center at Strathmore. With the inaugural season of Music Director Marin Alsop underway and our position as the only major U.S. orchestra with two year-round performance venues, we are at a unique juncture in BSO history. We welcome Tracy’s leadership in expanding our fundraising capacity at this exciting time.”

As the Senior Director of External Affairs, Ms. Tajbl will work closely with the BSO’s senior leadership team and Board of Directors to develop and execute a strategic plan to meet the immediate and long-term financial needs for the BSO’s operations at its year-round second home, the Music Center at Strathmore in Montgomery County, Md.  As the senior BSO representative in the Montgomery County and Washington, D.C. markets, Ms. Tajbl will serve in a highly visible role, with responsibility for comprehensive oversight and success of the development program at the BSO at Strathmore.

Commenting on her appointment, Ms. Tajbl stated, “It is such a privilege to join the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at this exciting time in its history. Building on its rich tradition of musical excellence and community involvement, the BSO has become widely recognized as an innovator among American orchestras under the visionary leadership of Marin Alsop. I look forward to working with Marin, Paul Meecham and the entire BSO team to enhance the organization's presence and build financial support for the orchestra throughout the greater Washington area.”

About Tracy Tajbl
With 14 years of experience in non-profit fundraising, Tracy Tabjl has held leadership positions with three of the country’s leading non-profit consulting firms. Most recently, she has worked for Graham-Pelton Consulting, where she developed strategic fundraising campaigns for the CEC/Seabee Historical Foundation and Mount Saint Dominic Academy in Caldwell, New Jersey. She previously worked as a senior consultant with Campbell & Company where she served The Nature Conservancy Worldwide Office, Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., and Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia.

Most notably, Tracy directed the capital and endowment campaigns to fund the construction and operation of the Nashville Symphony’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center.  Exceeding the fundraising goal of $120 million six months ahead of schedule, Tracy’s work enabled the leadership to generate three gifts of $10 million or more, 30 gifts at the $1 million level, and 76 six-figure gifts, a number of these gifts from donors with no previous giving history. The Nashville campaign recently received the highest award for excellence from The Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Tracy has consulted with a variety of cultural, higher education, civic and social service organizations. She has also created and delivered training for development professionals on a variety of topics ranging from gift solicitation techniques and prospect research to preparation of foundation grant proposals. She has presented as a guest speaker at conferences of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and OPERA America. Ms. Tajbl began her career with the American Cancer Society in Washington, D.C. where she was responsible for all aspects of the organization’s local fundraising program, and subsequently as associate director of alumni relations at The Catholic University of America.

Tracy holds a bachelor’s degree in art history from Syracuse University and completed coursework in the fundraising specialist program at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She is also an active member of the Junior League of Washington. She and her husband live in the Washington, D.C. area.

About the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

Under the artistic leadership of Music Director Marin Alsop, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is internationally recognized as having achieved a preeminent place among the world’s most important orchestras. Acclaimed for its uncompromising pursuit of artistic excellence, the BSO has attracted a devoted national and international following while maintaining deep bonds throughout the Maryland community through innovative education and community outreach initiatives.

With the opening of the Music Center at Strathmore in February 2005, the BSO became the nation’s first major orchestra with year-round venues in two metropolitan areas. As the founding partner and resident orchestra of the Music Center, the BSO presents 35 performances at the venue annually.

At Strathmore, the BSO is actively involved in giving back to Montgomery County and the Greater Washington, D.C. area, continuing the Orchestra’s 82-year history of high-quality education programs for music-lovers of all ages. In addition to mid-week education concerts, the BSO collaborates with the Levine School of Music and MCYO to present lectures series and master classes for area youth. Last season, the BSO launched its newest education initiative, BSO on the Go, which brings small groups of BSO musicians into local schools for free interactive music education workshops.

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