Back in the 1990s when she was a clarinet-playing teenager at San Antonio’s Clark High School, Ann McNair (née Permann) couldn’t have anticipated that her passion for music would land her a senior level administrative gig at Conspirare (pronounced Con-spi-rahr-ay), the globe-trotting, Grammy Award-winning choral company based in Austin.
Yet that’s what happened when McNair became Conspirare’s new managing director earlier this year.
McNair’s major professional stepping stones in the years since leaving the Alamo City—an undergraduate degree in music at The University of Texas at Austin, a summer internship with a summer stock program, a graduate degree in college administration, and a few years working as a university administrator in the College of Fine Arts—were all pointing in one direction: arts administration. [Disclosure: McNair and I worked together briefly at UT near the turn of the century.]
That McNair managed to find her dream gig so close to home is lagniappe, a “little something extra” as they say over in Louisiana. It was also a move welcomed by one colleague in particular.
“I have worked closely with Ann for six years and have had the privilege of observing her many layers of talents and skills and her extraordinary capacity for multi-dimensional, visionary leadership,” said Craig Hella Johnson, Conspirare’s founding artistic director. “She cares deeply about the music and its potential for transformation in our world . . . [and she] has the passion and dedication to fulfill the vision of Conspirare in the years ahead.”
Yet what exactly does a managing director for a non-profit performing arts organization do all day?
“The truth is this job is a little bit of everything,” McNair said with a chuckle. “But the main thing is that I oversee the administrative functions of the organization and work to make sure it functions correctly. I also make sure that the administrative side of things are in alignment with the artistic director and the artistic vision.”
Conspirare derives its name from the merging of two Latin roots (“con” + “spirare”) and means “to breathe together.” McNair acknowledged that while the name is perfect for a choral company it’s also a mouthful for many. “As long as you say it with confidence, it’s all good,” she said. “We’re just happy to have people talk about us.”
As one soon gleans from a conversation with McNair about her work, there’s plenty to talk about. Founded in 1991 and originally named the New Texas Music Festival, today Conspirare has six full-time employees as well as a slate of part-time staffers brought on seasonally for added support. “My driving question as managing director is this: ‘How we shape our organization so that our music can truly make the world a better place?’” said McNair. “That’s why I do this job. Because I believe that the work we do is life-changing.”
Earlier this month that commitment took McNair to Baton Rouge where she saw Louisiana State University’s A Cappella Choir perform Johnson’s new work. Considering Matthew Shepard examines the infamous 1998 hate crime that resulted in the murder of a University of Wyoming student.
“For this new show, Craig wrote the music and we brought in a stage director to help with the visuals,” said McNair. “We’ve also worked with KLRU to record the show, which will be shared nationwide via PBS affiliates in 2018.”
While Conspirare gears up for trips to Dallas, Nebraska and Mississippi for the new work, the company will continue a longstanding holiday tradition: taking their annual Christmas show on the road to San Antonio, Houston, and Victoria. This year’s performance features acclaimed Austin singer-songwriter Carrie Rodriguez.
“Conspirare Christmas together with our Hidden Music annual fundraiser are the two pillars of our season,” said McNair. “The nature of individual seasons vary by whether we are touring heavily or at-home in Austin. The rest of the year, when we’re not performing, we’re knee-deep in planning or producing CDs. Those things take up a good deal of time, too. We stay busy, basically.”
Even with the hectic, demanding schedule, McNair said she still finds time to be amazed by the company’s artistic work. “It’s inspiring to see singers of the highest talent with solo careers of their own who still want to come together to sing. It is a metaphor for life, the individual and the group. Concertgoers tell us all the time that our concerts are restorative, and I think it’s because of that sense of connection onstage and with the audience. There’s real beauty there, in the shared experience of music.”
Story by Pamela Price
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A comprehensive list of upcoming Conspirare concert dates can be found here. Tickets for the San Antonio performance of Conspirare Christmas on Sunday, December 10 can be purchased online through the Tobin Center..
Because Conspirare is a non-profit arts organization, donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law. To learn more about making a contribution, visit their website.
