“Every time the Alabama Symphony Orchestra takes the stage,
audiences experience the culmination of countless behind-the-scenes decisions.”
An interview with Clay A. McCollum, Director of Artistic Administration, and Nick Ciulla, Personnel Manager and Acting Principal Trumpet
Every time the Alabama Symphony Orchestra takes the stage, audiences experience the culmination of countless behind-the-scenes decisions. Who plays which instrument? How do we find musicians when our full-time players are unavailable? What happens when a soloist cancels at the last minute?
Two key figures orchestrate these critical details: Clay McCollum, the ASO’s Director of Artistic Administration, and Nick Ciulla, the orchestra’s Personnel Manager, who also serves as acting principal trumpet. Together, they navigate the complex world of hiring musicians, managing personnel, and ensuring that every concert features world-class artistry.
Clay joined the orchestra in 2021, bringing his background as a trained singer and musicologist to the role of selecting soloists who perform concertos and featured vocal works. Nick, now in his 11th season as a player and second full season as Personnel Manager, handles the intricate task of hiring substitute and extra musicians needed to complete the roster for each performance—typically 10 to 30 additional players per week.
In this candid conversation conducted in October 2025, Clay and Nick share their perspectives on what it takes to build an orchestra, the challenges facing musicians today, and behind-the-scenes stories from their work with the ASO.
Getting to Know Our Guests
Can you tell us about your backgrounds and how you came to the Alabama Symphony Orchestra?
Clay McCollum: I’ve been with the orchestra since 2021, joining as the pandemic was starting to ease. I’ve lived in Birmingham since 2014. I attended Ole Miss, where I double-majored in modern languages—French and German—and earned a Bachelor of Music in voice. After spending time in New York for graduate study, I returned to Alabama to continue my education in Tuscaloosa.
By the time I was 25 or 26, I realized I wasn’t going to be singing at the Metropolitan Opera, and teaching 18 hours of studio voice a week for 40 years sounded unsustainable. I went back to school at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa—Roll Tide—on an assistantship, where I taught sections of music appreciation while completing my master’s degree in musicology. That’s how I ended up in Alabama, and now I’m in Birmingham working with the orchestra.
Nick Ciulla: I’m in my 11th season as a player. I started in 2015 as assistant principal trumpet, and I’m now in my second full season as orchestra personnel manager, handling both roles.
Before coming to Alabama, my wife and I were at Florida State working on our Doctor of Musical Arts degrees. My wife finished her degree, and I’m nearly done with mine through the University of Alabama. I earned my Bachelor of Performance at Baldwin Wallace University and my master’s in trumpet performance at Wichita State University, where I also served as second trumpet with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra.
I won my audition here in 2015, which brought me to Alabama. Before moving into administration, I was very active on musicians’ committees, serving on the orchestra committee, the local union board, and for a time as a representative on the board of directors. I believe my experiences as a player and committee member give me a strong foundation for overseeing orchestra personnel.
Understanding the Roles
Can you explain what each of you does and how your roles differ?
Clay: I work with the conducting staff to select and hire soloists—the featured artists who perform concertos or vocal works with the orchestra. When we present a piano or violin concerto, for example, I help identify and hire the soloist in collaboration with our Music Director, Carlos Izcaray, and the conductor for the program.
Since Carlos enjoys working with vocalists and I’m a vocalist with opera experience, that collaboration is especially rewarding. When we perform Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, which requires a solo vocal quartet in the fourth and final movement, I work closely with Carlos to select the singers.
Nick: I handle the instrumentation that supplements our existing orchestra based on repertoire requirements every time the Alabama Symphony Orchestra takes the stage. The ASO currently has 50 full-time musicians under contract. Each week we perform, I hire an average of 10 to 30 substitute or extra players to complete the ensemble.
Extra players are needed when a piece calls for more musicians than we have on staff. For example, during a Harry Potter concert—one of the largest orchestral programs we assemble—we may need 10 second violinists, but only have five on staff. A substitute player fills in when a full-time musician is unable to perform due to vacancy, illness, or leave. That’s why you may see different musicians on stage from concert to concert.
The Hiring Process: Building the Orchestra
Do you maintain a directory of musicians who regularly play with the ASO?
Nick: Yes, I have an extensive list of substitute players. When selecting qualified players, our criteria generally include recommendations from principal players or the music director, or a review of submitted resumes and recordings.
Often, we give someone a chance to play in a less demanding setting first—such as a brewery or pops concert. If that goes well, we may bring them in for a masterworks program.
Clay: Each program varies depending on the repertoire and level of virtuosity required. The demands of a masterworks concert can be quite different from those of a young people’s concert, which serves as an introduction to the orchestra.
Geographically, how far would you consider hiring someone?
Nick: We hire players from all over the country, not just locally. We offer subsidies that may include airfare assistance, per diem, mileage reimbursement, and a modest housing allowance. We’re also fortunate to have a donor housing program coordinated through Liz Saunders, which provides no-cost housing for visiting musicians.
We work with a wide range of players, including retired ASO musicians, local players from across Alabama, musicians from nearby states, and others who travel in from farther away.
Are substitute players given auditions?
Nick: Not in the traditional sense, but they are carefully evaluated. Often, an ASO member has played with them before, and hiring decisions are made collaboratively between the principal player and me.
Hiring Soloists
How far ahead do you hire soloists?
Clay: Typically, I plan 18 to 24 months in advance. By this point in the season, most soloists for the current year are booked, and I’m well into planning for the following season. During the summer, I often work three seasons ahead.
What are your criteria for selecting soloists?
Clay: My role is to support the conductor’s artistic vision. Once the repertoire is chosen, the conductor and I discuss potential soloists.
For example, when we programmed Liszt’s Second Piano Concerto for the 2025–26 season, Carlos recalled Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner from a previous performance. He was an excellent fit, and we invited him to return.
“Auditions are blind and highly competitive.”
The Audition Process
How do you maintain such a high level of quality in the orchestra?
Nick: It comes down to our audition and tenure process and the standards our musicians uphold. Auditions are blind and highly competitive, with candidates preparing numerous orchestral excerpts. Successful auditions lead into a tenure process that spans 18 months.
Not everyone receives tenure. Some are offered extensions, and others move on. The process includes regular performance reviews with detailed feedback.
The Reality of a Music Career
How common is it for musicians to hold administrative roles?
Nick: It’s challenging for musicians to rely on a single income source. Taking on an administrative role allowed me to stay closer to Birmingham and contribute in a different way while continuing to perform.
Clay: It’s fairly common for orchestra personnel managers to be musicians themselves. That shared experience builds trust and communication.
“Most players will take between 20 and 30 auditions before they win a job.”
Behind-the-Scenes Stories
Has anyone ever had a last-minute crisis?
Nick: Being late is extremely rare in this profession. Most issues arise well in advance, which gives us time to respond.
Clay: I’ve only had one soloist withdraw close to a concert. In May 2022, during a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, we were able to secure a replacement on short notice because it’s standard repertoire.
Looking Ahead
Why haven’t we seen many guest conductors recently?
Clay: Since we have three talented staff conductors, we’ve chosen to focus on them this season and allocate resources elsewhere. We do plan to bring in guest conductors for select masterworks programs in future seasons.
How You Can Help
Anna Newsome, VP of Development: As a non-profit organization, the Alabama Symphony Orchestra relies on ticket sales and philanthropic support. The orchestra employs about 70 people—50 on stage and roughly 20 in administrative roles. Community support makes our work possible.
The Alabama Symphony Orchestra thanks Clay McCollum and Nick Ciulla for sharing their insights into the work that brings each performance to life every time the Alabama Symphony Orchestra takes the stage . To learn more about supporting the ASO or attending upcoming concerts, visit alabamasymphony.org.