#HASHTAG: JEFFREY P. HAYDON

Ravinia Festival President and CEO JEFFREY P. HAYDON has been sharing his lifelong passion for music with communities nationwide for more than 25 years. Haydon has settled on the North Shore with his family, joining Ravinia in September 2020. Prior to taking his talents to the North Shore, Haydon began his career in music holding positions with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, and Aspen Music Festival. He was also the CEO of Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts for eight years, leading a renaissance at the center by raising more than $40 million. Furthermore, Haydon served as Executive Director of the Ojai Music Festival, where he led the festival through a number of major transformations to further position it as one of the preeminent musical destinations for artists and audiences alike. Haydon’s list of accomplishments is endless as he has brought music to audiences across the country. Here is how this musical expert stays current between concerts. For more information about Ravinia and its upcoming concerts, visit ravinia.org.

#ON MY NIGHTSTAND

The Art of the Gathering by Priya Parker. Now more than ever, we value the too few in-person moments we share with family, friends, colleagues, and even those in our communities. Being thoughtful in our planning and purpose about how we spend these precious moments is the key to ensuring these become meaningful times. Ravinia is one of the magical places where Chicagoland loves to gather, and we want to be even more thoughtful about making these music-inspired moments special every night.

#ON MY MOBILE

I listen to a wide range of music every day! It is a mix of my favorites, following my curiosity and what others forward to me. With the entire music catalog in our pockets, recorded music is now available for everyone at any time. Music is one of the few experiences that can change our mood and perspective almost instantly. Like The Art of the Gathering, where and how you listen to music also makes a difference. You will have a different experience listening to the same album driving in a car, in a dark room, as background music, with or without headphones, walking, etc. Try a creative challenge of listening to a familiar album in different situations and then dare to listen to something totally unfamiliar in these same settings. Most importantly, try listening to music in a completely quiet space in the dark. If you are looking for a recommendation, try listening to some of these artists (who happen to be coming to Ravinia this summer!): Mahler 5 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Keb Mo, Natalia Lafourcade, Brandi Carlile, and Kurt Elling. Listen for the words, the tamber, the mood, and what makes their sound engaging.

#IN MY EARBUDS

A favorite outlet of mine is artsjournal.com. And, since Chicago is an increasingly competitive music market, I am following the continued news about Live Nation, as it has become such a dominant force in the music industry.