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CORNER OFFICE continued from page 59 star-studded schedule takes months of advanced plan- ning, and he's already hard at work on next year's offerings. "Putting together the season is like solving a Rubik's Cube—only you don't want all the same color in one place," he says. "We like to mix it up. We start with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, our longtime linchpin, and shape the season from there." " Putting together the season is like solving a Rubik's Cube. We like to mix it up. " An advertisement for Ravinia's early days hangs in Kauffman's office. Once the CSO squares are filled, big-name stars such as Sting or Carrie Underwood get top priority, but expensive headliners have to be balanced with smaller acts to meet the $27 million annual budget (half of it is earned from ticket sales attendees, fundraising). It's money well spent if it furthers Kauffman's goal of attracting all walks of music lovers. "My hope is to celebrate the cultural omni- vore that we are," he says, "and continually work to break down to 600,000 the other half annual from Kauffman tickles the ivories onstage at Ravinia. the walls that separate various music [genres] from one another. My motto is that it is never just about the quality of music here, but what the experience can be like on any given night. Someone once said to me that he always looks at Ravinia as a verb—as in 'Let's Ravinia tonight.' That's what I want." At the end of the day, though, what Kauffman wants most is the trust of his audience. "People know that when they come here on any given night, they are going to get great music and beautiful surroundings, whether they are on the lawn with friends or inside the Pavilion enjoy- ing the artists. My job is to use my personal tastes and experience to be the audience avatar in booking a season that gives the people what they love and brings them back." For information about the summer schedule, visit ravinia.org. MA Kauffman's dog, Ashton, is no stranger to the workplace. MUSIC MAN Taking a look at what makes Welz Kauffman tick. *UP ALL NIGHT Kauffman is constantly thinking of new ideas. "I have yellow stickies all over my bedroom. I'm known to send 4 AM e-mails to my staff." *PET POLICY Kauffman's dog, a Bouvier named Ashton, is a regular fixture at the Ravinia offices. *MORE THAN MUSIC Besides Ravinia's lineup, Kauffman also oversees Ravinia Park's physical upkeep. His summer to-do list Kauffman's music collection includes thousands of recordings, ranging from opera to rock. includes the addition of a railroad pedestrian underpass as well as a dining pavilion. *GIVING BACK Ravinia's educational mentors reach more than 75,000 kids: "You have no idea what it feels like when I witness a second grader experience Chopin or Bach. It stops me dead, like I'm hearing it for the first time, too." 60 MICHIGANAVEMAG.COM PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATRINA WITTKAMP