Boulder Pops Orchestra and the Art of Negotiation (with Teacher Notes and Instructions)

Greg Harrington was a young conductor finishing his undergraduate degree at Pinecliffe University in northern Colorado. His love of orchestral pops repertoire and his growing list of musician contacts led to the launch of the Boulder Pops Orchestra. This case study surveys the early years of the Boulder Pops Orchestra, including its partnerships with Pinecliffe University and another local school. Dissatisfied with some of the strictures of the agreement with Pinecliffe University in particular, Greg and his musicians sought an improved arrangement with another institution, the Boulder Community Music School. A negotiation between Greg and the dean of the community music school is at the center of the case.  Note: Boulder Pops Orchestra is a fictional organization. The story and concluding scenario are loosely based on the experience of a real pops orchestra.