Peek Behind The Curtain At Orlando’s Art Scene: Karina Bharne
Executive Director, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra
Karina Bharne, Executive Director, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra
HOW LONG WITH ORLANDO PHILHARMONIC ORCHERTRA:
Since January 2024.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF HIS ROLE:
Getting patrons in seats, managing the money and adhering to the collective bargaining agreement with the musicians.
HOW HE GOT INVOLVED IN HIS FIELD:
Bharne started playing the trombone in 5th grade and has a bachelor’s degree in trombone performance. She also has a master’s in arts management from Carnegie Mellon and an MBA from Eastern Washington University.
As executive director of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, Karina Bharne oversees many things. But even, as she says, (as) one of those main tasks is to “keep the lights on,” it’s also about making the musicians happy.
“We want to make sure that our working conditions are the best, so our musicians are performing at their best,” she says.
Bharne, who was executive director of Symphony Tacoma since 2018, was looking for a role with an orchestra where there would be plentiful opportunities for collaboration.
“I took a look at the season and saw they (Orlando Phil) were doing a lot of movie performances, new concerts and video game music that was in partnership with the venue, so that was important to me.”
Bharne was also impressed with the number of performances the Orlando Phil did during the pandemic.
“There was a lot of vibrancy, and I knew it was a music scene I wanted to be part of,” says Bharne.
Bharne is happy with the positive relationships the Orlando Phil has established in the community and hopes to expand those relationships.
“We’ve been really successful in being an orchestra for everyone,” she says, pointing to movie series such as “Lord of the Rings” and a performance of “Giselle” by the Orlando Ballet. “We’re reaching a whole different group of people in these performances.”
Outreach is important to keep people coming through the orchestra’s doors.
“1,000 people are moving here every week,” says Bharne. “We want them to know there’s an orchestra here. We’re trying out different movies, so we’re going to be doing ‘Hocus Pocus’ in November. We’ll also be doing ‘E.T.’”
“There’s a lot of opportunity,” she adds. “When I look out into the concert hall here in Orlando, I don’t see the same thing I would in other cities. Young people are coming to concerts. People in their 50s are coming to concerts. Older people are coming to concerts. There’s a real variety to how this town looks. I’m thrilled to be part of it.”
