Gene Dobbs

In February 1999, Gene Dobbs Bradford became the Executive Director of Jazz St. Louis, a Saint Louis-based not-for-profit jazz program. During that time he is credited with building the organization's contributed and earned income from $375,000 to $820,000 today. He has vigorously begun new and exciting initiatives in education and community outreach. In 2003 selected as one of the St. Louis Business Journals “40 Under 40”, top young business leaders in the St. Louis community. Under his leadership, Jazz St. Louis received the 2006 “Excellence in the Arts” award from the Arts and Education Council of Saint Louis and its flagship program “Jazz at the Bistro” was recently named as one the “Top 10 Jazz Clubs” in the country in USA Today. In February 2007, Gene Dobbs Bradford was named as one of St. Louis’ “Most Influential People” by the St. Louis Business Journal.An accomplished musician himself, Mr. Bradford holds a degree in Double Bass performance for the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY where he was accepted after only 9 months of private study. While studying double bass with renowned Double Bass virtuoso, James Vandemark, Mr. Bradford served as principal double bass for the Eastman Philharmonia and the Round Top Festival Chamber Orchestra as well as playing bass with the Eastman Jazz Lab Ensemble. It was during his time Eastman that Mr. Bradford developed a passion for playing blues harmonica. From 1989-1990 Mr. Bradford was a Fellow in the American Symphony Orchestra League’s Orchestral Management Fellowship Program, where he had the distinction of being one of the youngest fellows to ever be accepted to that prestigious program. During his fellowship, Mr. Bradford worked with the Cleveland Orchestra, the New Mexico Symphony and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. After completing his fellowship, Mr. Bradford accepted the position of Production Manager for the Honolulu Symphony, a position he held until 1993. During this time, he produced many concerts at various locations around the islands including a special benefit concert on the hurricane-ravaged island of Kauai for the victims of hurricane Iniki. In 1994, Mr. Bradford was chosen as Operations Manager of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, in 1995 he was promoted to Director of Operations and undertook responsible for facility management for the orchestra’s 2 main facilities, Powell Symphony Hall and the Saint Louis Symphony Community Music School. Among his accomplishments during his time with the Saint Louis Symphony were the successful completion of six domestic and two international tours and increasing earned revenue from concession by 250%.