The Conductor of Collaboration
“Having worked at Jazz at Lincoln Center and now working for the Philadelphia Orchestra,
it’s nice working in these nonprofit areas because there is a deep level of concern
for what I do.”
Michael Albaugh would be the first to tell you that he loves what he does for a
living, and what’s not to love? As the Director of Collaborative Learning for the
Philadelphia Orchestra, it’s Michael’s duty to ensure that the Orchestra reaches
out to the community and plays music for all to hear in the City of Brotherly Love.
From visiting young students in places like Overbrook School for the Blind, to
providing free concerts all over the city, the Philadelphia Orchestra realizes
the importance of getting young people interested in the arts and excited about
the promise of music.
“We want to be more than just an orchestra; we want to be more than just being
somebody in a hall. We want to break down those barriers and try to transform a
different cultural understanding. Knowing that I get to be a part of that and help
to drive that initiative forward...that’s the best part of this job.”
The WVU Alumni Association team joined Michael for a free concert at The Philadelphia
Eagles NovaCare Complex, which was presented as part of a partnership between the
Philadelphia Orchestra’s HEAR (Health,Education, Access, and Research) Initiative
and the Philadelphia Eagles Autism Challenge. The sensory-friendly concert provided
a safe and casual space for all to enjoy music while children were encouraged to
dance and express themselves freely as the Orchestra played well-known pieces.
“We want inclusion to be a part of everything we do, so with that in mind we felt
it would be great to establish a partnership where we could bring the Orchestra
down here (to the NovaCare Complex) and open the facility to the community… a great
way to celebrate South Philly.”
Having grown up in West Virginia, Albaugh became a Doctor of Musical Arts at West
Virginia University in 2004 and says there couldn’t have been a better place to
have finished his education.
“I wear the Gold and Blue with pride. There are so many alumni in Philadelphia
and New Jersey and I love when I see someone else with the(flying) wv,” said Albaugh,
“I was born and raised in West Virginia and I still have Mountaineer pride in my
blood.”
To learn more about the Philadelphia Orchestra and the HEAR initiative visit: https://www.philorch.org/education