Thanks to the recent controversies surrounding Adelaide Writers’ Week and Creative Australia’s Venice Biennale backflip, the relationships between our cultural institutions, their Boards and the public are being scrutinised more than ever before.

Writer, arts management professional and pianist Samuel Cairnduff has unpacked many of the issues for Limelight readers over the last year. In his new book, Harmonising Cultural Leadership in Professional Orchestras, he examines cultural leadership in the Australian orchestral scene and what needs to change to ensure it thrives in years to come.

Here, Cairnduff speaks to Limelight about the unique issues facing our orchestras and his hopes for their future.

What interests you about orchestral leadership, or arts leadership in general?

Orchestras are fascinating because they sit at this compelling intersection of tradition and transformation. They are custodians of centuries of repertoire, yet they are also expected to be innovative, relevant, and responsive to contemporary social expectations.

Australian orchestras occupy a particularly unique position. They navigate not only the Western classical tradition but also the opportunity to reflect the richness and deep continuity of First Nations culture, where music holds such profound significance. They also have the capacity to reflect the...