Bradner named interim symphony president
Will replace outgoing CEO Ronald Valliere
The Memphis Symphony Orchestra announced Oct. 13 that Jennifer Bradner has been named to the position of interim president and CEO.
Bradner will take over the post when current president/CEO Roland Valliere steps down Nov. 9. She has served since June 2014 as MSO chief operating officer.
Bradner served as executive director of Opera Memphis from 2008 to 2014 and has held positions at the Blue Grace Music agency and with Folk Alliance International. She also has taught at Memphis College of Art and Southwest Tennessee Community College.
“Jennifer is experienced in arts leadership and management, she knows the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and she knows our Memphis community,” Memphis Symphony Board chairwoman Gayle Rose said in a press release. “There is no one else who has the inside experience and the outside perspective that Jennifer brings to the MSO. Her leadership and experience are ideal for the opportunities we have before us at this time at the Memphis Symphony.”
Bradner will take over as the symphony continues to emerge from financial difficulties and as music director Mei-Ann Chen winds down her tenure, which began in 2010.
The MSO announced last week that Robert Moody will succeed Chen under the title of “principal conductor” after the 2016-17 season.
Hired to save the organization from closure, Valliere trimmed the annual budget from $4.9 million to $3.2 million after the symphony musicians accepted a one-year contract calling for an abbreviated performance schedule and a 38 percent pay cut.
Under Valliere, the symphony board was also able to raise $2.2 million to make ends meet.