Jude Vaclavik: Finding the Next Movement

By Lauren Taylor Carr & Kevin Murphy Wilson • Photos Provided

Few people arrive at the helm of a major orchestra with deep experience in both the creative and commercial worlds of music. Yet Jude Vaclavik has spent his career doing exactly that—writing music as a composer while helping shape the careers of artists and arts organizations through high-profile gigs spanning publishing, the recording industry, and nonprofit arts administration. Now, as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Louisville Orchestra, he assumes leadership of an institution enjoying remarkable artistic momentum and national recognition. We recently spoke with Vaclavik about the evolving role of the modern orchestra and music’s ability to connect a community.

Kevin Murphy Wilson: Was there a particular moment when you realized music would become your life’s work?

Jude Vaclavik: “There was a very clear moment. I grew up in Houston, and when I was in kindergarten an outreach program brought students to hear the symphony orchestra. I was usually the kid who was all over the place, but my teacher noticed that I became completely calm and focused. I still remember the concert and the program, even though I don’t remember much else from being five years old. From that moment, I was fascinated with music. And once I started composing, I never really looked back.” 

Lauren Taylor Carr: How does being a composer shape the way you lead?

JV: “I’m a creator first, and I think that gives me credibility with my artistic colleagues because I’m one of them. It also teaches you that everything can change on the fly. You have to be nimble with every decision. You have to be creative in life and excited about the chaos and the possibilities. I’ve learned ‘on the job’ from great people and tried not to approach leadership with a rigid mindset.”

KMW: What lessons from music publishing apply to running an orchestra?

JV: “I worked on the publishing side of the industry, representing composers and pitching their work to orchestras. I was literally on the other side of the table. That experience taught me how to advocate for artists and how to communicate why a piece of music matters. Now that I’m inside an orchestra, my responsibility is broader. I have to protect and steward the institution, not simply build the next exciting project.”

LTC: Why Louisville?

JV: “The Louisville Orchestra is a gem in the industry—an absolute diamond. There aren’t many organizations with its history and its commitment to living American composers. I already knew Teddy Abrams and was familiar with what was happening here. I was a fan first. I loved my job in publishing, so I would not have left it unless I believed something truly special was happening in Louisville. The orchestra has tremendous momentum, and I believe we can lead the industry creatively in ways that larger institutions sometimes cannot. We have the flexibility to move quickly, take risks, and bring great artists and ambitious projects to Louisville.”

KMW: What role should an orchestra play beyond the concert hall?

JV: “An orchestra should function as a cultural center for its city. Music is for everybody. There isn’t one correct way to hear or experience a piece of music, and you don’t need specialized knowledge for it to move you. Our job is to make sure people have access, whether that means inviting them into the concert hall or taking the orchestra into communities across Kentucky [as the LO is doing once again during the month of September]. I’m here to serve the community. We’re here to bring the best music and art to Louisville and the Commonwealth.”

LTC: At this point in your life what music still stops you in your tracks?

JV: “The opening of Bruckner’s Seventh Symphony always does. But what I love most is rediscovering music I haven’t heard in years. We can return to the same piece at different stages of life, and the experience changes because we have changed.”

KMW: Is there anything about you that might surprise people?

JV: “I’m actually fairly reserved and quiet. I enjoy being at home, thinking and puttering around. Someone once called me a ‘gregarious introvert,’ which is probably accurate.”

For more information visit LouisvilleOrchestra.org.