Arizona Philharmonic’s Executive Director introduces a New Member of the Family, and a New Identity for AZ Phil
By Sandy Farrell, Arizona Philharmonic Volunteer
Arizona Philharmonic (AZ Phil) has seen some changes recently, expanding its family and updating its identity.
A New Family Member
AZ Phil Executive Director Abby Coffey gave birth to her first child with her husband Josh, son Asher, in early February. Known to be the Alpha and Omega of proper prior planning, supremely organized, and seldom missing a pivotal point, how did this professional woman plan for the interruptions of pregnancy, morning sickness, a new baby, sleepless nights … all while maintaining professional schedules for both Mom and Dad?
For one, thankfully, Asher delayed his arrival until the day after his father had to play with the Phoenix Symphony.
Still, while Abby admitted going back to work while raising an infant is a big challenge, she said, “I consider myself lucky because I have a variety of professional commitments and I learned to shuffle things. I see it as prioritizing projects. Pacing is different, for one thing, and folding laundry is rarely on the list.”
It Took a Village
Abby’s advice is for new parents to embrace the concept of a village—to wash dishes, bring in food, pick up the pieces as Mom and Dad are finding their way through managing a new life.
“Work it out day to day, do what works for your family. Some things are trickier but some not so much.”
The timeline of her day is very different, Abby said, as she mentioned Asher had been up eight times the night before she drove from Phoenix to Prescott to give a presentation. “If you know new parents who are career oriented, be part of that village,” she suggested.
Tipping the Hat Farewell – Arizona Philharmonic Introduces New Identity
AZ Phil has experienced great growth since its founding in Prescott in 2018, and so has the Prescott arts community. While the name Arizona Philharmonic represents the mission to bring together artists from across the state, it is equally important to reflect that Prescott is AZ Phil’s home.
The former logo—a bowler hat—was loved by some and left others curious. Over time, the image began to feel dated and didn’t emphasize AZ Phil’s home base as Prescott or its identity as a performing arts ensemble. As part of AZ Phil’s ongoing efforts to provide Prescott with the best classical music experience in town, the board and staff felt it was time to clarify the organization’s identity.
That Prescott Look
When working on designs for the new logo, there were three main areas of focus: professionalism, location, and a contemporary aesthetic. For the design process, the board hired Heather Brown of Cultural Sponge, who also created logos for the Flagstaff Symphony and Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra.
The resulting design features a stylized Thumb Butte, connecting AZ Phil to Prescott-area residents while remaining abstract enough to reflect our statewide scope. “We are excited to share our new logo and identity with the Prescott community, and look forward growing with it in the years ahead. Additionally, we chose the tagline ‘Unrivaled Talent – Authentically Prescott’ to reinforce AZ Phil’s professionalism and commitment to the community,” added Coffey.
About Arizona Philharmonic
Founded in 2018, AZ Phil is Prescott’s only professional orchestra focused on classical music. Ticket information, sponsorship and volunteer opportunities can be found at AZPhil.org or on Facebook.