Ryan Fleur has been elevated to the role of president and CEO of the Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts. This marks a significant milestone in his career, having been with the organization since 2012. Since January, Fleur had been fulfilling the responsibilities of an interim president, following Matias Tarnopolsky’s departure to lead the New York Philharmonic. In his new capacity, Fleur intends to address the challenge of unsold seats, which account for approximately 20% of the venue’s capacity.
Fleur emphasizes the importance of utilizing the orchestra’s spaces for community and educational purposes. “I am eager to make our venues more accessible to community and educational groups who may not realize these facilities are available to them,” he stated. “I aspire for every Philadelphia student, from kindergarten to 12th grade, to experience our offerings at least three times during their educational journey. This includes attending open rehearsals, school concerts, or participating in our ‘jazz for freedom’ program, connecting the heritage of jazz to the civil rights movement.”
At 53, Fleur brings a wealth of experience, having previously served as president and CEO of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra from 2003 to 2012. He transitioned to Philadelphia as the executive director of orchestra advancement. Fleur also stepped up as interim president in 2018 after Allison Vulgamore departed to manage the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and before Tarnopolsky’s tenure commenced. Since 2021, Fleur has been at the executive director post in Philadelphia, coinciding with the orchestra’s merger with the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, its residence. This alliance led to the rebranding of the institution as Ensemble Arts Philly last year.
For the forthcoming 2023-24 season, the organization projects revenue of $132.6 million. This is broken down into 38% from ticket sales, 24% stemming from auxiliary sources like parking and rentals, and the remaining 38% from contributions and endowment. In terms of capacity, presentations achieved 76% in 2023-24, an increase from 69% in the previous season. The current season is anticipated to reach 77%.
Fleur notes a noteworthy shift in audience patterns post-pandemic, with numbers slightly surpassing pre-pandemic levels. “Audiences now comprise more single-ticket buyers rather than primarily subscribers. One advantage of the merger is we possess an extensive database across various genres for cross-marketing. We’re witnessing audiences not only attending Broadway productions but also orchestra classical events and jazz performances.”
Looking ahead, the orchestra faces upcoming negotiations as its contract with Local 77 of the American Federation of Musicians is set to expire in September 2026.