Keitaro Harada's vision Dayton Performing Arts Alliance

Business Journals

27-04-2025

Keitaro Harada, the incoming music director of Dayton Performing Arts Alliance, shares his bold vision for bringing the arts to every corner of the city, including areas some might consider "rough".
After a grand slam introduction in Dayton as conductor of the opera "Aida," Keitaro Harada has set the stage to take over as the next music and artistic director of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, which is part of the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance (DPAA).
In July, Maestro Harada takes his place as the fifth music director in the orchestra's 92-year history. With a five-year commitment to DPAA, Harada delved into what made him set his sights on Dayton and where he hopes to take the organization during his time.
Harada, a Japanese native, was drawn to Dayton because of DPAA's unique placement as the only organization in the country that has opera, ballet and philharmonic working under one name.
'Over the course of my career, I've done all [three] forms,' Harada said. 'With conductors, you're lucky to do two, especially in this country.'
Rather than conducting a symphony of about 60 people, Harada's performances can translate to controlling hundreds of people from the actors on stage to the musicians in the pit.
'The adrenaline of that, for me, is what is exciting,' Harada said.
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A look at Keitaro Harada in his element, conducting.
Dayton Performing Arts Alliance
Before the age of internet and streaming, Harada said the arts were a source of weekend activity that people desired to go to. But the convenience of engaging arts online has pushed live performance viewing to the backburner for many.
'People don't think about these things that we watch on Tiktok or Instagram is actually done by human beings, and you can experience it live, in person,' Harada said. 'My goal is to not wait for people to come to the DPAA performances at the Schuster Center, but for us to break that mold and go into the community, to all different parts of Dayton.'
With over one million people in the radius, Harada said DPAA has to be 'really loud' about what they do – making DPAA and its art forms widespread as a hometown arts organization.
'I keep hearing, 'don't go to this part of Dayton because it's a little bit rough.' I don't care,' Harada said. 'Art is a universal language that people can understand. I want to be more out in the community. And then, if they want to come to the concert in downtown, great. If they don't want to, at least we made an effort to bring art to them.'
In the 2025-2026 season and in the many years beyond, Harada's goal is placing a 'Dayton flair' on performances, to create something that 'wouldn't work anywhere else.' For example, performances that bring together multiple local organizations.
Harada also is taking consideration of the businesses and restaurants in the area. By understanding the dates and times considered most opportune for theatergoers to engage downtown, DPAA looks to become a kind of benefactor for businesses and entities downtown.
'Partnerships are really the key,' Harada said. 'It helps the city too, because you engage more people to come out – and downtown certainly needs help with that. People aren't coming out. It's not like they're afraid of coming to downtown, we just have to make it attractive.'
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Keitaro Harada has already made his Dayton introduction and he said there's "so much more" to be done.
Dayton Performing Arts Alliance
Harada succeeds Neil Gittleman who was dedicated to Dayton and DPAA's Philharmonic for the last 30 years. Harada said his goal is not to replace to erase the work of his predecessor but build on the excitement and success.
'If it wasn't for Neil, this organization and orchestra wouldn't be where it is. I'm in a good place where I get to take on what he has built and then take it to a different chapter,' he said.
Alongside his duties in Dayton, Harada will continue to perform for other arts organizations and venues across the world. He also acts as permanent conductor of the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra.
'I'm representing Dayton whenever I go conduct any other orchestras,' Harada said. 'I think it's a win-win for everyone.'
DPAA's financial shift and where Harada comes into play
Patrick Nugent, DPAA president and CEO, said while Covid was hard on the organization, it also enabled financial and programmatic restructuring.
'Our audiences have been growing very steadily since Covid,' Nugent said. 'They are younger than ever. They are more diverse than ever.'
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Patrick Nugent, DPAA president and CEO
DPAA
Nugent said their $5 ticket program and library check out a ticket program have 'led the way' in bringing younger and more diverse audiences to the concert and performance hall. Growth is expected to continue surrounding interest in the new generation of artistic directors, all of whom started after Covid.
'It really is a new era artistically, and the audiences are already responding to that,' Nugent said. 'When Kei arrives, he brings a special magic that we think is going to be reflected in audiences growing even more.'
Half ticket buyers are new each season, which Nugent said is a major indicator of future strength. A third of them, he said, will buy another ticket in the same season, compared to 10% of less as a national average in the classical performing arts.
'Younger audiences are getting engaged. The millennials are running the show now artistically, more or less, and I think that will also attract attention and attract new ticket buyers.'
His other American Orchestra, the Savannah Philharmonic, acts as an example of what Harada brings to the table for DPAA's future growth in Dayton. At the start, the philharmonic wasn't known to the community and an audience not full. As of 2025, the Savannah Philharmonic is 80% subscription rate and every concert sold out.
'That kind of effect happens here and that comes from really being part of the community. I couldn't have achieved that if I wasn't fully invested in the community. They hate me for leaving, but you have to leave when they love you.'
The 'reality' Kei said DPAA is faced with is making the organization known – a household name. When people purchase a ticket, he said the goal is for them to understand they are buying into a 'family of experiences'.
For every dollar earned in ticket revenue, DPAA said it must raise nearly $3 from members to meet the expenses of keeping the performing arts alive. That translates to $6 million per year that DPAA members provide.
'You don't just do the music,' Harada said. 'You have to manage. You have to see beyond the artistic scope of what you doand understand finance. You have to keep the organization alive… It's business and presence. It encompasses everything.'
Missed it? Dive into the DPAA's 2025-2026 season, set to run from September 2025 to June 2026.
'Kei is a fresh voice with immense international perspective and intense local interest,' Nugent said. 'That's a magical combination. Kei has said again and again that he wants us to work on performances that can only be done in Dayton, that only Dayton can do, that lift up Dayton's identity and its strengths, so that I think the community is eager and excited for that fresh voice.'
Dayton Performing Arts Alliance (DPAA) represents a merger between Dayton Ballet, Dayton Opera and Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. DPAA performances reach an audience of more than 90,000 people annually, and their arts education programming serves over 50,000 schoolchildren in 150 schools in southwest Ohio.