CI to Eye with Monica Holt Macy Schmidt on Creative Risks, Audience-Centered Experiences, and Barbie
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Sep 11, 2025 Macy Schmidt, founder of The Sinfonietta and CEO of Overture Global Entertainment, is a trailblazer in live orchestral design with a focus on audience engagement. She shares how her childhood love for Disney fueled her creative journey and reflects on her work launching women-led orchestras to enhance representation. The discussion highlights her innovative Macy Method and the bold pitch to Mattel that led to Barbie the Movie in Concert, showcasing the blend of niche art with mainstream culture and the emotional impact of immersive performances.
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Orchestrate By Removing The Crutch
- When orchestrating, remove the original instrument 'crutch' and redistribute its role across orchestral colors.
- Use texture and wall-of-sound techniques to carry rhythm and emotional drive without relying on piano or guitar.
Birth Of The Sinfonietta
- Macy Schmidt started the Sinfonietta during the pandemic after Broadway shut down and racial equity conversations intensified in 2020.
- She pitched an all-women, majority women-of-color orchestra and financed in-person, high-quality filming to prove excellence.
Representation Unlocks New Audiences
- All-women, majority women-of-color orchestras create representation and invite nontraditional symphony audiences.
- Presenting commercial music in orchestral form reduces psychological barriers for people who exclude themselves from symphonies.