Matías Tarnopolsky - Philadelphia Orchestra & Kimmel Cultural Campus

In December 2021, Matías Tarnopolsky was appointed president and CEO of The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Kimmel Center, Inc., a visionary partnership that brings the greatest performances and most impactful education and community programs to audiences in Philadelphia and beyond. The groundbreaking new organization reimagines the power of the arts to bring joy, create community, and effect change—to uplift all Philadelphians.

Tarnopolsky served as president and CEO of The Philadelphia Orchestra Association, beginning in August 2018. Described in the Philadelphia Inquirer as a “quiet revolutionary,” he has—in partnership with Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the musicians of The Philadelphia Orchestra—accelerated change toward a more equitable, inclusive, and engaged organization. By enriching programming with works of BIPOC musicians, composers, and artists; launching the Digital Stage; offering free virtual content; and encouraging a change to the formal dress code for Orchestra musicians, Tarnopolsky dismantles barriers to access to reach broader and more diverse audiences.

He is a passionate believer in the arts as a unifying force, helping to form connections, spark conversations, and offer strength and solace. During Tarnopolsky’s tenure, The Philadelphia Orchestra received the largest gift in its history, launched an innovative free ticket program for the School District of Philadelphia, strengthened history-making partnerships with international collaborators, and in 2019 negotiated an early contract with the musicians of the Orchestra designed to provide a stable and secure financial future. Tarnopolsky has brought a fresh approach to programming, working with Nézet-Séguin to create unique concert experiences and further The Philadelphia Orchestra’s place in the communities it serves locally, nationally, and internationally. In April 2022, The Philadelphia Orchestra and Nézet-Séguin won their first GRAMMY Award for Best Orchestra Performance for their Deutsche Grammophon recording of Florence Price’s First and Third symphonies.

The Philadelphia Business Journal recognized Tarnopolsky and the Orchestra with the 2021 Faces
of Philanthropy award. It also named Tarnopolsky to its list of 2021 Most Admired CEOs. He was
selected as one of the 100 most powerful people in Philadelphia for City & State Pennsylvania’s
Philadelphia Power 100 list in December 2021. Under his leadership, The Philadelphia Orchestra
was named Gramophone magazine’s 2020 Orchestra of the Year.

Driven by a lifelong passion for and innate knowledge of the arts, Tarnopolsky has deep
experience molding the artistic profiles of orchestras and cultural centers, including key leadership
roles at the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the BBC Symphony
Orchestra. He previously served as executive and artistic director of Cal Performances at the
University of California, Berkeley, the largest multi-disciplinary university-based arts presenter and
producer in the United States.

Tarnopolsky received degrees in music and musicology from the University of London’s King’s
College. In 2013, he was named one of Musical America’s international “Movers & Shakers: 30
Key Influencers in the Performing Arts” and was selected as Classical Music “MVP” by the San
Francisco Chronicle. In 2015 he was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by
the French Ministry of Culture. He serves on the boards of New Music USA, the Executive
Committee of the Avery Fisher Artist Program, the Advisory Council of the Tianjin Juilliard School,
the Pacific Harmony Foundation, and the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia.
September 2022

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
I'm the rain Ballad Moral with CEOsyou should know, brought to you by
Comcast Business. My name is MattiasTanopolski. I'm President and CEO of the
Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center. Describeyour company and its mission. The mission
of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the KimmelCenter is to share the transformative power of
the performing arts and arts education withthe widest possible audience. We are the

(00:23):
home of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Weown and operate three magnificent venues on Broad
Street, the Academy of Music,the Miller Theater, and the Kimmel Center.
We are all about connecting audiences andcommunities in Philadelphia with the greatest of
all kinds of the performing arts.How do the arts contribute to the economy

(00:45):
and the life of Philadelphia. Thearts are essential to a healthy, vibrant,
thriving society. The arts are ahuman right even That's what we're about.
We're about making those connections, makingthose moments of transformation that can only
happen through the experience of phenomenal performances. Philadelphia is an extraordinary hub of artistic

(01:11):
creativity, in fact, a globalhub of artistic creativity. We have,
of course, the Philadelphia Orchestra,the Great Philadelphia Orchestra here and many world
class other world class companies such asOpera Philadelphia, Philadelphia Ballet, and many
many more. Our impact on theeconomy of Philadelphia is absolutely vital. We

(01:34):
have an economic impact of over eighthundred million dollars annually, supporting over five
thousand jobs. We also ensure thatPhiladelphia remains a global city. Our arts
organizations are world class. The PhiladelphiaOrchestra especially, not only of course performs
here, but performs around the worldand has a global following in person and

(01:55):
online. What would you say areyou most excited about in terms the future
of the Kimmel Cultural Campus. I'mexcited about the potential. I'm excited about
the possibilities. Our organization was formedin December of twenty twenty one with the
combination of the Philadelphia Orchestra and theKimmel Center. This pathbreaking partnership was designed

(02:17):
to create a brighter, more inclusive, more innovative cultural future for Philadelphia,
and that's what we're doing. Ouraim here is to uplift all Philadelphians,
to connect ever more people to thegreat arts organizations that are in our city
to connect them ever more powerfully tothese beautiful venues, the Miller Thea to

(02:39):
the Academy of Music and the KimmelCenter. So we're just beginning this journey
and we're incredibly excited about it.The Orchestra was formed in nineteen hundred,
we're well into our second century.The Academy of Music opened in eighteen fifty
seven, the Kimmel Center in twothousand and one. We've created with this

(03:00):
merger, an organization that has thepower to transform Philadelphians and Philadelphia through the
power of the performing arts. Andfinally, what makes Philadelphia a special place
to work and play. It's abeautiful city that is a joy to behold.
Every where you look, there islife, there is activity, and

(03:23):
there is beauty and I treasure that. And if people want more information about
all the activities and resources offered bythe Kimmel Cultural Campus, how do they
find out more? You can goto philorc dot og or Kimmelculturalcampus dotg CEOs
you should know brought to you byComcast Business offering the complete connectivity solution,

(03:46):
cybersecurity, internet and mobile all fromone provider. Comcast Business powering possibilities