The Nashville Symphony (with Teacher Notes and Instructions)

The Nashville Symphony has served the famous “Music City” since the mid 1940s, and Alan Valentine has been its President and CEO since 1998. This case study surveys the growth and promise of the symphony early in Valentine’s tenure, leading to a major moment when a new home for the symphony opened in 2006. A wage freeze for staff and musicians as a result of the Great Recession was only part of the dire financial straits the organization faced. A historic flood in 2010 compounded the financial troubles and would test management of the Nashville Symphony. Highlighting the positive relations between Valentine and the musicians, the case concludes with an impending negotiation based on an essential financial restructuring for the Nashville Symphony.