Simply stated, The Music Paradigm uses a symphony orchestra as a metaphor for any dynamic organization, particularly during a time of challenge or change. The concept was created and developed by Roger Nierenberg, Music Director of the Stamford Symphony Orchestra, in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

How it works:
The executives are seated among musicians of a professional symphony orchestra. The musicians, however, are asked to do more than simply perform. The conductor leads them through a series of exercises that powerfully demonstrate critical truths about the functioning of organizations. These exercises are designed specifically for the sponsoring group. Executives discover themselves in the middle of a business simulation that invites breakthrough insights about themselves and their working relationships with colleagues.

The interface of the musicians and the conductor is similar in many ways to that of an organization and its leaders. The conductor may be viewed, for example, in the context of the company CEO or a team leader, and the instrumental families (strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion) may be seen as business units or teams. The orchestra's response to the conducting is almost instantaneous and their interactions are strikingly direct. This mirrors the leadership, teamwork and communication that must take place in any organization.

The original interactive program with a live professional orchestra integrated among your people
• A keynote speech utilizing carefully selected video examples from The Music Paradigm library
• "Tuning In: Understanding the mindsets & behaviors of high performing teams" - A program using a chamber music ensemble of 4-6 musicians, focusing on collaboration
• Virtual platform option

With each option, your event is designed to address your organization's specific challenges and support your aspirations. By examining these professional musicians in an orchestral or chamber music setting, you see your own organization and your behaviors more clearly than if you had focused on them directly. Nierenberg skillfully draws out observations from the participants, leading to lessons and insights that can be applied to help develop and strengthen any organization.

Additional, customized offerings can supplement and extend the learning from The Music Paradigm in a variety of ways. Some examples of work done with past partners include:
• "Behind the Baton" where your group is invited to observe the orchestra's rehearsal and receive a separate briefing/debriefing from the conductor, prior to the primary program
• Video lessons, designed specifically for your organization
• Extended breakouts/consulting

Roger Nierenberg, creator and conductor of The Music Paradigm, has led hundreds of interactive learning experiences for clients across the globe.

Maestro Nierenberg's stellar career, transforming both musical and business entities, has reflected a sustained belief that profound adversity can lead to unexpected creativity.

The COVID-19 pandemic has temporarily eliminated the possibility of delivering live public events. Rising to these challenging circumstances, Maestro Nierenberg and his team have evolved and expanded The Music Paradigm's offerings to support continued learning, while protecting the safety of audiences.

Through a fully virtual platform, The Music Paradigm now offers interactive learning sessions. Each session, conducted by Maestro Nierenberg, features a live presentation with videos of pivotal exchanges with professional orchestras, and includes open, two-way engagement with your online attendees.

Through this hybrid approach, merging live engagement and recorded supporting vignettes, The Music Paradigm delivers transformational leadership lessons aimed at instilling higher aspirations and improved engagement across audiences. Each session incorporates self-learning tools to help convert the concepts raised into action.

Every Music Paradigm session is designed around each client's key business and cultural drivers. As a result, no two sessions are ever the same.

Some of the more frequent focus areas are:
• The Surprising Power of Listening
• Mastering the Rhythm of Team Engagement
• Driving Impact through Releasing Control
• Balancing Direction and Discovery
• Instilling a Vision to Reach a Destination