“We are all very excited to welcome such a talent to The Cleveland Orchestra family as we embark on a Second Century of artistic excellence, increased community engagement, and dynamic education programs that make Northeast Ohio a better place each and every day,” said André Gremillet, Cleveland Orchestra President & CEO. “Jane has over two decades of fundraising experience in leading performing arts organizations across The United States and Canada. The fundraising and managerial skills she brings to our institution, her business acumen, and her dedication to the arts will undoubtedly help grow The Cleveland Orchestra’s fundraising efforts.

Jane Hargraft, Photo Credit Bruce Zinger

“I am a passionate advocate of the arts, and I care deeply about the continuing relevance of performing organizations,” said Jane Hargraft. “For more than 20 years, I have dedicated myself to the support of musicians, singers, actors, and artists. I am confident that the breadth and depth of my experience, skills and passion will make a positive impact at The Cleveland Orchestra.  I am also excited to play a role in supporting one of the finest orchestras in the world today.”

As Chief Development Officer, Ms. Hargraft will be a member of The Cleveland Orchestra’s senior staff and the top development professional devoted to maximizing contributed revenue at the Orchestra. She will manage the Orchestra’s Philanthropy & Advancement team and, in partnership with the President & CEO, help guide Board leadership in developing and executing overall fundraising strategy, including donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, and government.  Her fundraising leadership will also extend to philanthropic giving nationally and internationally.

About Jane Hargraft
Originally from Toronto, Canada, Jane Hargraft has been the Vice President of Development at the Seattle Symphony since 2011 where she was responsible for the planning and implementation of annual, capital, endowment, and planned giving fund raising campaigns and worked collaboratively with colleagues and board members to achieve collective goals. During her tenure at the Seattle Symphony contributed revenue increased an average of 11% each year over the last seven and the company has raised a collective $150M in current and future gifts. Ms. Hargraft began her career in communications with positions in the Ontario government, before going on to work as a Development Officer at York University in Toronto. She then went on to be a Development Manager at Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall, and worked as the Director of Development of the Canadian Opera Company.  In addition, she was the General Manager of Opera Atelier, a period opera company that annually produces two fully staged operas/ballets in Toronto as well as toured and co-produced internationally in the United States and Europe. Ms. Hargraft graduated with honors from Queen’s University in Ontario with a concentration in Political Studies (Theory). She is an accomplished amateur athlete and has run over 25 marathons (including the Cleveland, Columbus, and Boston marathons) and is now an Ironman distance triathlete. Ms. Hargraft is married to baroque violist and wine expert Elly Winer. They have two daughters, Rachel 26 and Eleanor 16.

About The Cleveland Orchestra
Founded by Adella Prentiss Hughes, The Cleveland Orchestra’s inaugural concert took place on December 11, 1918, with the 2017-18 Centennial season marking the Orchestra’s 100th year of concerts. Under the leadership of Music Director Franz Welser-Möst, The Cleveland Orchestra has become one of the most sought-after performing ensembles in the world, setting standards of extraordinary artistic excellence, creative programming, and community engagement. The New York Times has declared it “… the best in America” for its virtuosity, elegance of sound, variety of color and chamber-like musical cohesion. The 2018-19 season marks the Orchestra’s 101st year of concerts, and the beginning of a Second Century of extraordinary music making, dedicated service to its hometown and worldwide acclaim.

Strong community support from across the ensemble’s home region is driving the Orchestra forward with renewed energy and focus, increasing the number of young people attending concerts and bringing fresh attention to the Orchestra’s legendary sound and committed programming — including annual opera presentations with innovative staging and pairings. Recent acclaimed productions have included Debussy’s Pelléas and Mélisande (May 2017), a double bill of Bartók’s Miraculous Mandarin and Bluebeard’s Castle (April 2016) presented in collaboration with Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet and an innovative presentation of Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen (May 2014, with encore performances in Cleveland and Europe during the autumn of 2017). The 2017-18 season also featured in-concert performances of Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde (April 2018).

The partnership with Franz Welser-Möst, begun in 2002 and entering its 17th year with the 2018-19 season, has earned The Cleveland Orchestra unprecedented residencies in the U.S. and around the world, including one at the Musikverein in Vienna, the first of its kind by an American orchestra. It also performs regularly at the Salzburg and Lucerne Festivals. The Orchestra’s 100th season in 2017-18 featured two international tours, concluding with the presentation on three continents of Welser-Möst’s “Prometheus Project” featuring Beethoven Symphonies and overtures; these Beethoven concerts were presented in May and June 2018, at home in Cleveland, in Vienna’s Musikverein, and in Tokyo’s Suntory Hall.

The Cleveland Orchestra has a long and distinguished recording and broadcast history. A series of DVD (available through Clasart Classics) and CD recordings under the direction of Mr. Welser-Möst continues to add to an extensive and widely praised catalog of audio recordings made during the tenures of the ensemble’s earlier music directors. In addition, Cleveland Orchestra concerts are heard in syndication each season on radio stations throughout North America and Europe.

Seven music directors — Nikolai Sokoloff, Artur Rodziński, Erich Leinsdorf, George Szell, Lorin Maazel, Christoph von Dohnányi and Franz Welser-Möst — have guided and shaped the ensemble’s growth and sound since its founding in 1918. Through concerts at home and on tour, via radio broadcasts and a catalog of acclaimed recordings, The Cleveland Orchestra is heard today by a broad and growing group of fans around the world. For more information, visit clevelandorchestra.com and https://www.clevelandorchestra.com/about/mission-and-history/.