When he became the Concerto Soloists' Board President in 1984,
Richard Doran described the President's function as that of "a
conductor in his own right. You have to take the diverse elements
that make up the organization and encourage them to run in harmony."
As the end of his fourth and last term in this position approaches,
the comments of Doran's fellow Board members warmly testify to
his success in achieving that goal.
Doran has served as the Orchestra's Board President over the
period of its greatest growth and development, as it became an
acknowledged world-class chamber orchestra and doubled its budget
to $1.5 million annually.
George W. Gephart, Jr., a fellow Board member, credited Doran's
high visibility in the city with much of the increased awareness
of the Orchestra in the community. His visiblity and knowledge
of 1ocal corporations and foundations have also been valuable
in raising the funds needed to expand the budget.
Jerome Apfel, Esq., another Board member who has served with Doran, describes him as a "positive leader who has undertaken what needs to be done" for the Orchestra's development. During his four-year term as President, Doran has encouraged expansion of the Board to include people with varied interests and backgrounds. An Artistic Advisory Committee developed during his administration has been very helpful in supporting thc Orchestra with suggestions for programming of conductors and artists. His initiatives have also led to the development of financial programs to expand the Orchestra's contacts with the business world.
Doran has been instrumental in making the Orchestra's gala annual
Unstrung Heroes concerts a unique fund-raiser. Gephart praised
his "energy and creativity" in working on the event.
As Apfel added, "he has involved a lot of people in the Orchestra
through Unstrung Heroes. It not only raises funds for the Orchestra,
it also gives the people involved an opportunity to perform."
Mrs. William R. Wister, Jr, Chairman of the Unstrung Heroes
gala, also paid tribute to Doran's leadership during the April
30 benefit. "Under Dick's leadership, Concerto Soloists has
almost doubled its budget and artistic programs, making them the
second largest employer of musicians in the Delaware Valley, with
the third largest music budget in the state of Pennsylvania. These
achievements and many others are a direct result of Dick and his
efforts."
Board member Dr. Donald Nathanson has been impressed with the
"tremendous energy he brought to the Board," and his
skillfulness in getting things done "better and faster"
than anyone would imagine possible.
In his fellow Board members'descriptions of Doran's leadership,
phrases like "a perfect president" and "positive
and able leader and spokesman" for the Orchestra came up
again and again.
According to Dr. Nathanson, Doran "leads in a good-humored
way so that everybody feels good" about the results. And
what he has accomplished for the Orchestra goes well beyond his
work on the Board. "He finds a way to inject the Concerto
Soloists into his conversations," Dr. Nathanson said, "no
matter who he is talking to."
The Orchestra and staff would like to join the Board in expressing
their gratitude to Dick Doran for his energy and devotion to the
Orchestra during his term as Board President.