People Moves
March 2025
Monica Meyer Beale, recent VP of advancement for the Milwaukee Symphony, is to join the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) as senior VP and chief development officer in April. She succeeds Mary Anne Talotta, who left in the fall for a similar post at Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Fine Arts. After working as coordinator of education and community programs Meyer Beale progressed to assistant director of marketing. She subsequently worked for the Virginia Symphony as VP and chief revenue officer and interim executive director.
In a move to enhance its advocacy efforts on behalf of music creators living in the world today, the American Composers Forum (ACF) has named Loki Karuna as executive director, beginning on June 10, 2025, and Vanessa Rose, who has led the organization since 2019, as CEO. Founded in 1973 by composers Libby Larsen and Stephen Paulus as the Minnesota Composers Forum, the ACF has in recent years centered its efforts on its commitment to racial equity.
Italy’s Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli has appointed Nicola Colabianchi as superintendent of the Fondazione Teatro La Fenice. He arrives after five years in the same post with the Cagliari Lirico. Colabianchi succeeds Fortunato Ortombina, who now oversees Teatro alla Scala, where he succeeded Dominque Meyer.
Violinist Nicola Benedetti has announced Paul Fitzpatrick as the first chief executive of her five-year-old music education initiative, the Benedetti Foundation, effective May 12. He is the current director of creative engagement—essentially education and community in-reach—for the National Theater of Scotland. Fitzpatrick holds a BA in dramatic studies from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music, and an MPhil in Dramaturgy (with distinction) from the University of Glasgow.
Matthew Lutton is to be the new artistic director of the Adelaide Festival, with a three-year contract beginning in 2026. He succeeds Brett Sheehy, whose association with the festival dates to 2003. For the past nine years, Lutton has been artistic director and co-CEO of Melbourne’s Malthouse Theatre, where he has been responsible for reinterpreting classic works of theater, opera, and dance. He has a wealth of experience collaborating at the global level with, among others, the Royal Lyceum in Edinburgh, the Lyric Hammersmith in London, and the Barbican.
February 2025
The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra (ASO) has appointed Erica Bondarev Rapach, who has been serving as executive director in an interim capacity since September of 2024, to the position permanently as of March 1, 2025. The aspiring violinist has held a number of positions in the nonprofit world, including stints at The Washington Ballet, Theater Alliance of DC, The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and the .ART domain registry. She has also been an adjunct faculty member in American University’s Graduate Arts Management program.
Anthony Mazzocchi, a trombonist and former director of the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University, has succeeded Kate Sheeran as executive director of the Kaufman Music Center. Mazzocchi, whose orchestra credits include the New Jersey Symphony and Broadway pit bands, is also co-executive director of the Kinhaven Music School and camp in Vermont. He is especially known for his TED talk, “What Can a Trombone Choir Teach the World About Collaboration.”
Segerstrom Center for the Arts has appointed Limor Tomer to succeed Judy Morr as vice president of programming and production. In January Tomer arrived in Southern California, trailing an impeccable reputation for her work as general manager of Live Arts for 13 years at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. A Juilliard-trained pianist known for her avant-garde sensibility, Tomer was a presenter and a producer whose approach was both bold and interdisciplinary. Her work at the Met transformed a fairly traditional concert series into experimental performances in unexpected spaces like the Temple of Dendur, where Philip Glass and violinist Tim Fain gave a site-specific concert.
The Naxos Music Group has made a number of changes in its senior management. Matthias Lutzweiler, who has been acting CEO since last October, is now the permanent chief executive officer, effective immediately. Jeffrey Lien, CEO of Naxos of America, now assumes the role of global deputy CEO, and Iwen Schmees, currently CEO of Naxos Deutschland, will become global chief operating officer (COO). Additional senior management appointments will be announced in the coming weeks.
Natalie Johnsonius Neubert, recent executive director of the Berkshire Music School, is to be president and CEO of the Berkshire Opera Festival, coming up on its tenth anniversary season next summer. She succeeds Abigail Rollins, who served as the festival’s executive director from 2019 until July 2024. Johnsonius Neubert’s previous positions include director of development for Shakespeare & Company in Lenox. She has also worked in marketing and administration with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the Dublin International Fringe Festival, and Performance Space New York (formerly P.S. 122), among others. She holds BA and BFA degrees from Sarah Lawrence College.
January 2025
Boston’s Longwood Symphony Orchestra (LSO) has appointed Hannah Collins, associate professor and string area coordinator at the University of Kansas School of Music, as its executive director. LSO, which seeks to combine the healing arts of music and medicine, is mostly comprised of healthcare professionals, including medical students, therapists, and caregivers, many of whom pursued advanced musical studies before turning to medicine. Collins holds an MM and Artistic Diploma from Yale and a DMA from the City University of New York.
Sean Campbell, recent artistic planning manager for the Chamber Music Society (CMS) of Lincoln Center, is to be the new executive director of Emerald City Music (ECM), a ten-year-old chamber music presenter based in Seattle. ECM offers seven programs in a variety of venues—small concert hall to lounge with open bar—and was founded with a commitment to eclecticism by Artistic Director Kristin Lee. Campbell starts February 3.
The South Bend (IN) Symphony’s executive director Justus Zimmerman stepped down last month to take the same job with the Austin Symphony Orchestra. South Bend has appointed its director of marketing, Sarah Perschbacher, as interim. She studied at Indiana University South Bend from which she holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees as well as a graduate certificate in Strategic Sustainability Leadership.
Robert McGrath, COO of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is to succeed Jonathan Martin as president and CEO as of February 17. Martin, one of Musical America’s Top 30 Professionals of the Year, announced his retirement last fall. McGrath, who holds a BM in bassoon performance from the New England Conservatory, arrived at the orchestra in 2011 as VP and general manager, having previously worked with the St. Louis and Boston symphonies, among others.
Amanda Smith has been named president & CEO of Honens, only this time it’s permanent. The organization’s director of marketing and communications for the last seven years, Smith last held the CEO post on an interim basis, in 2022-23 between the time that Neil Edwards stepped down and John Kieser arrived. But Kieser stayed in the role just 15 months, having resigned last November, so Honens turned to Smith again, this time permanently. In addition to marketing and communications, Smith has played an active role in community education initiatives. Prior to Honens she was a consultant.
Gary Ginstling was hired as CEO of the Houston Symphony, six months following his surprise departure from the New York Philharmonic after just one year in charge. Ginstling will start Feb. 3 and replace John Mangum, who had been Houston’s CEO since 2018 and left in September to succeed Anthony Freud as general director of the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Ginstling worked for the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra and San Francisco Symphony before becoming general manager of the Cleveland Orchestra (2008-13), CEO of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (2013-17), and executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra (2017-22).
The Moab Music Festival, coming up on its 33rd anniversary of indoor/outdoor concerts amid Utah’s red rocks, has announced the exit of cofounding directors Michael Barrett and Leslie Tomkins and the arrival of violinist Tessa Lark as the event’s artistic director. Barrett and Tomkins take the title of emeriti. One of Musical America’s earliest New Artists of the Month, the Kentucky-born Lark won the Naumburg International Violin Competition in 2012 and has since taken top prizes at other such events. A recitalist and chamber musician, she has performed as a soloist with countless orchestras, from the Seattle Symphony to the Amsterdam Concertgebouw.
December 2024
The Mellon Foundation has appointed a new program director for arts and culture to succeed Emil J. Kang. Deana Haggag, a program officer, has been with the Foundation since 2021, and will oversee all the arts and culture grant-making. According to the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation has an endowment of $7.9 billion and is the largest private source of arts, culture, and humanities funding in the United States. Grants can range up to $7 million and sometimes more.
Amanda Robie has been promoted from managing director to executive director of Opera Saratoga, a position that sees her working closely with Mary Birnbaum, general and artistic director. A resident of Saratoga Springs, Robie has sung professionally as a mezzo soprano, including Opera Saratoga; other administrative experience includes stints with the Boston Opera Collaborative, Fort Worth Opera, and Boston Lyric Opera.
Kerttu Piirto, longtime executive director and producer of the Helsinki Baroque Orchestra, and formerly of the Orchester Wiener Akademie, starts as executive director of Finland’s Time of Music Festival as of January 1. Time of Music is one of the country’s oldest contemporary music festivals, holding many partnerships within the EU’s Creative Europe networks. Johan Tallgren serves as artistic director.
The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia has named Spanish-born violinist Francisco Fullana to the newly created post of artistic advisor, with immediate effect. His appointment comes just two months after David Hayes arrived as music director. Fullana is scheduled to lead a week of works by Glass, Piazzolla, and Vivaldi in March. Fullana is active as a soloist on the European festival circuit and with Stateside orchestras such as the Indianapolis and Phoenix symphonies.
On Jan. 1, 2025, Robert Suttman will succeed Sara Cutler as president of Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians. Suttman, who ran unopposed, is a trombonist who has played in 95 Broadway pit bands, most recently on the tour of Beetlejuice, and is longtime trombonist of the Big Apple Circus. The largest local union of professional musicians in the world, 802 is the greater New York chapter of AFM, whose membership includes professional musicians from the New York Philharmonic to Broadway pit bands to string quartets to bars, arenas, recording studios, and TV shows. “I am honored to lead this powerful union,” Suttman said of his election.
The Chicago Sinfonietta has announced an interim CEO effective January 1. She is Wendy Lewis, founder and CEO of an LLC bearing her name that specializes in DEI. Lewis, on the Sinfonietta’s board of directors, is also executive producer of the documentary Beyond Their Years, The Incredible Legacies of Herb Carnegie and Buck O’Neil and onetime global chief DEI officer and VP of community engagement for McDonald’s. She held similar roles with Major League Baseball.
The College of Fine Arts at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) has announced a new head of the school of music in Milton Rubén Laufer, starting July 1 and reporting into CFA Dean Mary Ellen Poole. Laufer succeeds Jonathan Bailey Howard, who took over in August of 2022 and about one year later moved on to become dean of the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic has announced that the orchestra’s next chief philanthropy officer is Mitch Bassion, currently in that position with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts Philly, and in fact instrumental in facilitating that merger in 2021. In his current position, Bassion presides over a staff of 28 and is credited with overseeing over $220 million in funds raised. Previously he has worked in senior posts with Washington Performing Arts, Los Angeles Conservancy, Los Angeles Opera, Seattle Opera, and Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Terry D. Loftis, who joined the Dallas Symphony Orchestra two years ago as chief advancement officer, is to be the next president and CEO of the New Jersey Symphony. He is succeeding Gabriel van Aalst, who left in September to become president and CEO of Dayton Live, the performing arts presenter that serves Ohio’s Miami Valley. Loftis starts in March; Board Co-chair Craig Silliman has been serving as interim. In his brief stint in Dallas, Loftis, 57, is credited with securing a $10 million endowment gift, among other fund-raising accomplishments; he also oversaw marketing, special events, and analytics. Previously he was president and executive director of TACA (The Arts Community Alliance) in Dallas, of which he is a native.
Dickon Stainer, chairman of Universal Music Group’s Global Classics & Jazz (GCJ) division, has announced two major personnel moves. Clemens Trautmann, president of Deutsche Grammophon for the past nine years, will immediately assume the additional responsibility for New Business Strategy, Global Classics. Going forward, his remit calls for him to strengthen UMG’s market dominance in the classical genre by promoting collaboration among the company’s many labels and artist rosters. Natasha Baldwin immediately fills the newly created position of president, Global Classics, Jazz & Screen. As executive vice president of Classics & Screen since 2021, she has overseen Universal Music Publishing Group’s global classical and screen composer businesses. She will continue that work while also assuming responsibility for GCJ’s classical and jazz record labels, including Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Blue Note, Verve, Hyperion, and ECM.
November 2024
Netia Jones is to become associate director of The Royal Opera, a newly created position designed to lead opera programming in the Linbury Theater. She will be responsible for commissioning and creating projects for the Linbury as well as working with Oliver Mears, the company’s director, to oversee artistic output, especially with regard to new works. She will also take the lead in advocating for the role the Royal Opera and Linbury Theater will play as a leading source of research and development for the opera ecosystem.
Olivier Leymarie, managing director of the Ensemble intercontemporain, is to become the deputy general director of the Festival d’Aix en Provence as of January 29, 2025. He succeeds François Vienne, who left in March 2024 and becomes the storied event’s second in command to General Director Pierre Audi. Leymarie will have no artistic responsibilities; his remit is strictly administrative, financial, and institutional.
The Wyoming Symphony Orchestra, currently in its 75th-anniversary season, has appointed Melissa MacDonald to succeed Rebecca Herbert as executive director. The orchestra, comprised of professional musicians and performing about six concerts annually, also recently announced the departure of its Music Director Christopher Dragon at the end of the current season. The Australian conductor is the new music director of the Greensboro (NC) Symphony.
The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) has named Dame Shirley Bassey to a three-year term as the institution’s president. She succeeds HM King Charles, who held the position while Prince of Wales. The position is an honorary one in which the incumbent supports the College’s position as Wales’s national conservatory and promotes it as a training ground for those interested in the creative arts of music and dance. Bassey has been an RWCMD Fellow and a supporter of the college since underwriting a singing scholarship in her name. In 2016 the school named the Dame Shirley Bassey Studio in recognition of her generosity.
In Spring 2025, Andrew Moore will become artistic director of the Royal College of Music (RCM). He will succeed Stephen Johns, who steps down after 14 years. Moore will arrive in London from Scotland’s capital city, where he has been head of music for the Edinburgh International Festival for over a decade. In his role with the festival, he oversaw a broad range of programming while developing relationships with major international orchestras and artists. Prior to Edinburgh, Moore held positions with the Melbourne Symphony, the Academy of Ancient Music, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and Royal Northern Sinfonia.
Beat Fehlmann is to succeed Drazen Domjanic as artistic and managing director of the Liechtenstein Music Academy upon the latter’s retirement on Sept. 1, 2025. Domjanic has been in the post for 15 years, and will serve as an adviser to his successor as well as a member of the organization’s board of trustees. Fehlmann’s new responsibilities include managing both the Music Academy and its Esperanza Ensemble. He comes to his new post from the German State Philharmonic Orchestra of Rhineland-Palatinate, where he is artistic director. Earlier positions include artistic director of the Southwest German Philharmonic in Konstanz as well as stints at the Graubünden Chamber Philharmonic and the Philharmonie of Nations.
Welz Kauffman has left The Old Town School of Folk Music, citing personal family reasons. Troy Anderson, currently senior director of education, succeeds Kauffman, who had joined the organization following a national search. CEO of the Ravinia Festival from 2000 through 2020, Kauffman was most recently head of the Tucson Festival of Books before returning to Chicago.Anderson joined Old Town School in July 2023, after more than ten years as executive director of the Chicago Center for Music Education. Previous posts include leadership roles at the West Loop-based Merit School of Music and the David Adler Music and Arts Center.
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra has tapped Elena Dubinets to be its new artistic director as of May 1, 2025. She succeeds Ulrike Niehoff, in the post since January 2021, and will join Managing Director Dominik Winterling and Director of Operations David Bazen to comprise the orchestra’s Managing Board. More than two years ago, in June 2022, the Royal Concertgebouw signed Klaus Mäkelä to become its chief conductor as of 2027. Dubinets, named one of Musical America’s Professionals of the Year in 2018, is currently the artistic director of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and has previously held top artistic positions at the Atlanta and Seattle symphony orchestras.
The Boston Philharmonic has named Derek Beckvold as its new managing director. He succeeds Elisabeth Christensen, a 12-year veteran of the orchestra who was instrumental in creating the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (BPYO). Beckvold has worked with the organization for nearly eight years, first as education and community engagement manager and more recently as development officer. A multi-talented administrator, educator, performer, composer, and conductor, the new managing director concertized extensively across five continents after receiving a degree from New England Conservatory. Beckvold will work with Music Director Benjamin Zander, who founded the organization in 1979, to oversee both the Boston Philharmonic and the Youth Orchestra.
Scottish Ensemble, the Glasgow-based collective, has appointed James Hardie as its new chief executive, effective January of 2025. He follows Catherine Ferrell, who has been serving in an interim capacity since the departure of Jenny Jamison, who joined the National Center for Music in Edinburgh after five years at the helm of the Ensemble. Hardie, born and raised in Edinburgh, is currently executive director of The Marian Consort and music programmer at the Norfolk & Norwich Festival. During his six-year tenure, he has expanded the Consort’s reputation and reach, with debuts at the BBC Proms, Ravenna Festival, Miller Theatre New York, and Bunka Kaikan Recital Hall Tokyo.
October 2024
Limor Tomer, general manager of Live Arts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the last 13 years, is to be the new VP of programming and production at Orange County’s Segerstrom Center for the Arts as of January 2025. Casey Reitz, the Center’s president and CEO, praised Tomer as a “dynamo” whose “extraordinary blend of talents as an artist, programmer, educator and producer brings precisely the vision and expertise we need to propel the Center forward.” Tomer essentially revolutionized performance programming at the Museum, curating events for the 700-seat auditorium as well as its galleries and public spaces, including the Cloisters.
Blake-Anthony Johnson, who has brought the Chicago Sinfonietta to national prominence during his five years as president and CEO, is stepping down to be CEO of the 50-year-old New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation (NOJHF). He exits Chicago, where he also co-chairs the City’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) Advisory Council, on January 1, 2025. In New Orleans, Johnson will be succeeding Don Marshall, who is retiring after two decades in the role; the two will work together during the initial transition. NOJHF is the umbrella organization to the Jazz Fest, Heritage School of Music, Jazz and Heritage Archive, WWOZ radio station, and the Wein Center.
The Cincinnati May Festival, in its second year of a new business model that appoints a new director every season, has announced Renée Fleming for that position as of its next edition, the weekends of May 16 and 22. Fleming, whose exit from the opera stage can hardly be classified as “retirement,” has collaborated with Director of Choruses Matthew Swanson (who was announced as Robert Porco’s successor last year) in choosing repertoire for the festival. She’ll perform two concerts on the festival’s second weekend.
Michael Shinn has been named as executive director of the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, a position he initially assumed in August of 2023 as interim. He moves into the job as Berklee awaits the arrival of its new president in January, Jim Lucchese. Shinn, who served for six years as dean of music before taking the interim role, is credited by Berklee with an impressive number of achievements as interim, such as hiring 30 new faculty members including a dean of theater, growing the dance division, raising $4 million, and linking the Conservatory more closely with Berklee.
Clément Joubert has been chosen as the new executive director of the Festival de Lanaudière, Canada’s largest classical music festival. He succeeds Xavier Roy, who stepped down this past August after four years in the position. Joubert will work closely with Festival Artistic Director Renaud Loranger to organize and present the four-week event, held each summer in the Lanaudière region of Quebec. Offerings include symphonic music and opera in concert, recitals, and dance, all featuring some of the world’s most recognizable artists as well as local performers. The 2025 season will be the Festival’s 47th since its founding in 1978.
Announced as the new artistic director of the Taipei Music Academy & Festival (TMAF) as of August 2025, David Chan is well on his way to winning the sweepstakes for busiest concert musician of the year. Additional to this new gig, a three-year commitment, he is concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera, principal conductor of Washington, DC’s, Apollo Orchestra, head of the orchestral performance program at the Manhattan School of Music, Juilliard faculty member, and director of the Credo Music Chamber Music Festival at Oberlin.
The Cathedral Choral Society (CCS) has appointed an interim executive director to succeed Christopher Eanes, who is on his way out to take over as president and CEO of Chorus America, a trade organization representing the country’s professional and volunteer choral ensembles. She is Catherine Ort-Mabry, a soprano with over 25 years in CCS whose professional background includes marketing and consulting for non-profits, most recently the American Society for Microbiology (ASM).
David Pratt, former CEO/executive director of the Austin Symphony Orchestra, has taken the job of executive director of the Classical Tahoe Music Festival & Institute, an annual summer event that offers four weeks of orchestra, chamber music, and jazz concerts on the Lake Tahoe campus of the University of Nevada. Classical Tahoe Orchestra musicians—many of whom are members of major U.S. orchestras, including those of Philadelphia and the Metropolitan Opera—serve as mentors to students enrolled in the Academy. CT Fellows, as they are known, are from underrepresented populations and receive lessons, audition training, and the opportunity to perform with the orchestra.
Violinist Randall Goosby will be the 2025 MAC (Multi Cultural Awareness Council) Music Innovator at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO). He succeeds British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason to fill the one-year appointment, which offers a high-visibility platform for Black classical musicians who demonstrate both artistic excellence and a passion for community. Over the course of his residency, Goosby will offer master classes with students from the CSO’s Nouveau Program and the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestras as well as other educational and community engagement programs. Calling his selection “a special honor,” the violinist added, “No matter where I go, or what I play, building community and sharing the transformative power of music with young people is at the center of what I do.”
Music in the Mountains, the three-plus week festival located in Durango, Colorado, has named violinist Vadim Gluzman as its next artistic director, beginning with the 2025 season. He succeeds Gregory Hustis, who retired in 2022 after 15 years in the position. Hustis was also the principal horn player in the Festival’s orchestra from 1988 to 2013. Gluzman’s new responsibilities will include curating the Festival’s programs, ranging from symphonic and chamber music to Pops and world music as well as family-friendly events; attracting top-tier musicians; and ensuring the Festival’s continuing reputation for cultural and social excellence.
Dickon Stainer has been named chairman and CEO of Universal Music UK, succeeding David Joseph, who announced last week he was stepping down after almost 17 years. Stainer has over three decades of broad experience with the domestic and international music industry and for the past decade has been president and CEO of Universal Music Group’s (UMG) Global Classics and Jazz divisions. Going forward Stainer will have responsibility for the overall management and strategic direction of Universal Music UK while remaining as chairman of UMG’s Global Classics and Jazz divisions. Additional direct reports include the Island EMI Label Group, Polydor Label Group, Decca Records, the recently formed Audience and Media Division, and Abbey Road Studios.
September 2024
San Francisco Ballet, the oldest ballet company in the U.S., has chosen Vancouver Cultural Tourism Deputy GM Branislav Henselmann as its next executive director. He starts in November, succeeding Arturo Jacobus, interim for the last two years and retired CEO of the Atlanta Ballet. Jacobus succeeded Danielle St. Germain-Gordon, in the job for two years, who succeeded Kelly Tweeddale, who exited in 2021, also after two years in the job. Artistic Director Tamara Rojo arrived in 2022, after the 40-year reign of Helgi Tomasson. Prior to his current job, Henselmann was executive director of Ballet BC.
As it enters its 25th-anniversary season, the Concord (MA) Chamber Music Society (CCMS) announced new leadership, effective at the end of 2024-25. Succeeding founder Wendy Putnam, a violinist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, are violinist Daniel Chong and violist Jessica Bodner, founding members of the 20-year-old Parker Quartet. They will serve as co-artistic directors. In comments, the two expressed eagerness to grow the “vibrant community” of CCMS by “expanding our reach through performances at non-traditional venues, deepening our community and educational engagements with partners throughout Greater Boston, and working towards establishing a dedicated concert venue for CCMS.”
The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival has announced that Jim Griffith will be its next executive director, effective October 1, 2024. Griffith will succeed Amy Lam, who has been in post as interim executive director since June. As founder, president, and CEO of the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center in Fort Myers, Florida, he transformed a former abandoned federal building into a state-of-the-art, 30,000-square-foot venue, secured a 99-year lease, and raised $14 million in capital campaign funds.
Maryland Opera has announced the appointment of Jason Buckwalter as the company’s first general director. Buckwalter first came to Baltimore in 2004 where he studied at Peabody Conservatory. He earned his Master’s degree and Graduate Performance Diploma in Vocal Performance, graduating in 2008. “To me, the future of opera is in education and outreach, seeking a way to connect with our community. Maryland Opera maintains a strong outreach program visiting schools, head start centers, senior centers, and other venues as well as making education a part of our mainstage productions. This artform is for everyone and connects us all on a deeply human level. I look forward to fostering new audiences to ensure the future of opera.”
New York City Opera has announced the appointment of Constantine Orbelian as the company’s new executive director and music director. Orbelian is a respected, four-time Grammy-nominated conductor who has toured and recorded with some of the world’s greatest singers, including Renee Fleming, Sondra Radvanovsky, and Lawrence Brownlee. He is especially well known for his long and fruitful partnership in recital and on disc with the late Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky.
Jonathan Bradley has been named as the new executive director of Voices of Ascension, the New York City-based professional chorus with a mission to share the transformative power of choral music through performances, commissions, and community engagement. Bradley joins from Philadelphia-based choir The Crossing where he led the company as executive director over five seasons. Bradley has an fine track record, credited with sustainably doubling The Crossing’s production output and budget and overseeing 12 album releases, 24 commissioned world premieres, and two international choral-theater projects. During his tenure the ensemble won three Grammy Awards and nine nominations.
The Metropolitan Opera has promoted Michael Heaston to the position of deputy general manager. A respected pianist and music director as well as an experienced administrator, he had previously held the position of assistant general manager and artistic administrator. In his new role, Heaston will oversee all artistic planning, casting, performing groups, and activities of the artistic department. Previously at the Met, Heaston was executive director of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program from 2016 until 2018. He also served as score consultant for seven seasons of the award-winning Live in HD series and has been a frequent judge for the company’s Laffont Competition.
August 2024
Brent Assink, executive director of the San Francisco Symphony for 18 years before stepping down in 2017, is to be interim president and CEO of the Minnesota Orchestra as of Sept. 9. Assink is based in Pasadena, where he most recently served as executive director of The Fuller Foundation and chief of philanthropy for the Fuller Theological Seminary. He will split his time between California and Minnesota, the latter of which is hardly unfamiliar territory: Prior to SFS he served for five years as president of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (1994-1999), where he is credited with stabilizing the orchestra’s finances.
Scott Freck is to be the new VP of artistic operations and general manager of the Charlotte Symphony, which lays claim to being “the oldest operating symphony orchestra in the Carolinas.” Freck succeeds Michael Reichman, in the job 16 months. Freck, who has been consulting since stepping down as longtime Eugene (OR) Symphony executive director last year, will report to Charlotte President and CEO David Fisk and work with the orchestra’s incoming Music Director Kwamé Ryan.
Kari Welch, an actress, director, and choreographer in regional theater, has been appointed executive director of Eugene Opera. She is known for her marketing and fundraising efforts in the community. Eugene Opera offers two professional performances of two operas each this season, Verdi’s Rigoletto and Nico Muhly’s Dark Sisters. Andrew Bisantz serves as the artistic director and conductor.
Composer/conductor/performer Adam Scime is to succeed Faye Perkins as executive director of the Niagara (ON) Symphony Orchestra. Scime holds a DMA from the University of Toronto and joins the orchestra September 2. “The NSO is a treasure of the beautiful and musically rich Niagara Region, which I know well from my roots in Hamilton and Toronto,” said Scime. Bradley Thachuk is the orchestra’s music director.
The Royal Swedish Opera has selected Tobias Theorell as the company’s new artistic director. He follows Michael Cavanagh, who passed away earlier this year after joining the company in 2021. Theorell will assume his new responsibilities in early 2025. Ellen Lamm, who has been serving as interim, will return to her position as artistic director of the Young Opera.
Conductor and composer Mohamed Saad Basha has been named principal conductor and artistic director of the Cairo Opera Orchestra. He succeeds Ahmed El-Saedi. A graduate of the Cairo Conservatory, the 52-year-old Basha began his career as a percussionist in the orchestra he will now lead.
Lee Anne Myslewski has been elected to serve as the new board chair of OPERA America through June 30, 2025, completing the term of Susan G. Marineau following her resignation due to health reasons. Myslewski, OPERA America’s vice chair since 2022, has worked at Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts since 2006 and is currently its VP of opera and classical programming. She is a former opera singer as well as a seasoned administrator. In addition, two staff members have been promoted. Jamelah Rimawi, who joined the organization in 2018, is to be the new chief programs officer. Going forward her responsibilities will include supporting the development of new work, the career advancement of artists, and professional development for artistic personnel at opera companies. Rimawi will also oversee live and digital events, including the annual conference, and ensure that programs align with the organization’s strategic priorities and commitment to gender parity, racial equity, social justice, and access. A staff member since 2021, Megan Carpenter is the new senior manager of government affairs and civic practice. Carpenter was key to the launch of Opera RESPECTS, the organization’s anti-harassment training program, and the establishment of the new LGBTQIA+ Opera Network. Carpenter will lead OPERA America’s advocacy efforts and liaise with members on pertinent legislative and regulatory issues.
The Nashville Symphony has hired Jeff vom Saal as its chief operating officer (COO), effective in September. Vom Saal was for eight years the executive director of the Spokane (WA) Symphony, the most recent of a number of management positions held over a two-decade period at such regional orchestras as the Marin (CA) Symphony and the Fargo-Moorhead (ND) Symphony. In Nashville he succeeds Tonya Robles who left last December. In Spokane, Vom Saal is credited with doubling the budget, which is currently slightly smaller than Nashville’s, to $21 million. The Spokane Symphony owns and operates the city’s historic Fox Theater, home base to the orchestra and performance venue for a number of other presenters. The Fox claims annual attendance of 85,000.
Elizabeth S. Condic, chief financial officer of the Houston Symphony, will move into the post of interim executive director and CEO of the orchestra as of October, as John Mangum makes his exit to become general director, president, and CEO of the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Condic, who holds a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Houston, Clear Lake, has been with the orchestra since 2017. She is credited with helping to steer the orchestra back to fiscal health following the floods of Hurricane Harvey and the pandemic shutdown; she was deeply involved in formulating the symphony’s current strategic plan and is characterized as a “team player.
Mariko Silver, president and CEO of the Henry Luce Foundation, is to be the 12th president and CEO of Lincoln Center, effective September 23. The 46-year-old daughter of a Jewish father and Japanese-American mother is the first woman of color to hold the role. She succeeds Henry Timms, who announced his intended exit in February. Lincoln Center describes the Luce Foundation as “a private, independent philanthropy that works to deepen knowledge and understanding in pursuit of a more democratic and just world by nurturing knowledge communities and institutions, fostering dialogue across divides, enriching public discourse, amplifying diverse voices, and investing in leadership development.”
David Francis is to be the new chief executive of the Three Choirs Festival, an annual event first held in 1715 that rotates among the cathedral cities of Hereford, Worcester, and Gloucester. He succeeds Alexis Paterson, in the position since 2016, who leaves after this summer’s festival in Worcester. Francis, currently CEO of Wollongong Conservatorium of Music in Australia, earned degrees at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and has held positions in England with the BBC Symphony Chorus, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Arts Council England, and Dartington Hall Trust. He also played a major role in developing the PRS Foundation, one of the U.K.’s major funders of new music in all genres, and served as its first manager.
The musical instrument sellers’ trade organization, National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), has selected Julia Rubio as the new executive director of the NAMM Foundation. She succeeds Mary Luehrsen, who is retiring after 22 years, and will report directly to John Mlynczak, NAMM’s president and CEO as well as president of the NAMM Foundation. Rubio began her career as a public-school orchestra teacher in Ohio, and arrives at NAMM from the Merakey Foundation, the nation’s largest behavioral health nonprofit, where she has been executive director since 2019. Previous positions include executive directorships with performing arts, cultural, and educational nonprofits and foundations.
July 2024
William Gibbons will become the new dean of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) as of August 1. He succeeds Mary Simoni, professor of performing arts technology, dean since 2011. Gibbons joins RPI from SUNY Potsdam, where he has been dean of the Crane School of Music. He was previously associate dean of the College of Fine Arts at Texas Christian University, where he oversaw undergraduate and graduate programs in art, dance, design, fashion, music, and theater.
The Colburn School’s Music Academy has named Margaret Batjer as its new director. The American violinist has been a member of the Academy’s faculty since 2015, and will now join the Conservatory faculty, meanwhile resigning in 2026 from her professorship at USC Thornton School of Music. Her new responsibilities will involve shaping the artistic vision and program development for the Academy, which trains high-level pre-college musicians. Batjer will also continue to lead the Academy Virtuosi, a student ensemble.
The Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University is expanding its audio engineering and sound production degree track—in place since 1982—with a “music creation” track to form a new BS in Music Production degree. It will be in place as of fall of 2025. Students can specialize in either audio engineering or creation and production. To address both the musical and commercial sides of songwriting, the school has hired widely published songwriter, Nashville sideman, author, and educator Andy West as associate professor of music in music production, creation and production, effective Aug. 1.
Welz Kauffman, who led the Ravinia Festival for almost two decades before his departure in 2020, is returning to Chicago. On Sept. 30, he will begin his tenure as executive director and CEO of the Old Town School of Folk Music. He succeeds Jim Newcomb, who stepped down at the end of 2023 after five years in the position. Kauffman brings to his new responsibilities a range of experience. During his tenure at Ravinia, he is credited with substantially growing revenues and donor lists, improving the festival grounds’ infrastructure and visitor amenities, and rejuvenating and expanding educational programs. He diversified the festival’s musical offerings across more than 150 annual performances that included a longstanding collaboration with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and commissioned numerous original works.
Berklee College of Music has hired Jim Lucchese, a former top executive at Spotify, as its next president. Trained as a lawyer, the Boston-based businessman boasts a successful 20-year track record in connecting music and technology. He has not worked in academia but has served as an advisor to the College. He starts in January, succeeding an interim team of Provost David Bogen, serving as president, and Senior VP of Student Enrollment and Engagement Betsy Newman, as senior VP.
Jonathan Manners, who has been responsible for the artistic leadership of the BBC Singers since 2016, will add the top executive position of director to his remit. He succeeds Paul Hughes, who stepped down after 23 years in 2022. Since joining the group eight years ago, Manners has promoted the work of female and culturally diverse composers, partnered with a wide range of artists, and expanded the ensemble’s repertoire to include a range of musical genres. In 2024 the Singers won the Ensemble Category of the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards.
Thomas Kernan, associate professor of music history and associate dean of Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts, is to be the inaugural assistant dean of artistic operations for Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Kernan assumes the new position on August 15, after a decade at Roosevelt, where he has been managing the college’s Music Conservatory, Theater Conservatory, and Interdisciplinary Conservatory. He is a recipient of the school’s highest honor for teaching, the Provost’s Award for Innovative Curricular Design.
Two years ago, Texas A&M University established a School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts and named Tim McLaughlin, an expert in environmental design and visualization sciences, as its interim dean. Yesterday, McLaughlin, the founding head of the school’s Department of Visualization, was appointed to the role permanently, becoming the inaugural recipient of the Ray Rothrock ’77 Endowed Dean’s Chair.
Sir Keir Starmer, the U.K.’s new prime minister, has named Lisa Nandy as Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport. The 44-year-old Labor MP from Wigan was the shadow cabinet minister for international development prior to the Labor Party’s smashing victory in the recent general election. Nandy succeeds Conservative Lucy Frazer, who lost her seat in Parliament. Among Nandy’s first orders of business will be a review of the TV licensing fee, which funds much of the BBC’s activities through an annual charge of £169.50 per household. The fee was recently raised by £10.50 following a two-year freeze. A review initiated by the Tory government is currently underway, the results of which, due next fall, will now be examined in light of the new Labor government’s commitment to make culture and the arts more accessible and to invest in the creative industry as part of its industrial strategy.
Florian Wiegand, concert manager of the Salzburg Festival since 2012, has been announced by the mayor of Munich as the next Intendant of the Munich Philharmoniker in September 2025. He succeeds Paul Müller, who departs after 16 years. Beginning next fall he will be a frequent visitor to Munich in order to familiarize himself with the orchestra. He will assume his responsibilities a year before the arrival of recently designated successor to Chief Conductor Valeri Gergiev, Lahav Shani.
Christoph Müller is to be the new Intendant and artistic director of Settimane Musicali Ascona, which this season runs from August 31 to October 8 in Ticino, Switzerland. He starts in the fall of 2025, arriving after 24 years in a similar position with the Gstaad Menuhin Festival, which Daniel Hope takes over in November 2025. Müller succeeds Francesco Piemontesi and is charged with repositioning the event.
Sarah Cole, an expert in literary modernism, has been promoted from interim to dean of Columbia University’s School of the Arts, encompassing the departments of film, theater, visual and sound Arts, and writing. She has been serving as interim since September, stepping into the post held by Carol Becker for 16 years. Cole had been dean of the Humanities when she took the interim role; she has been with the school since 2018 as Parr Professor of English and Comparative Literature. Prior to becoming humanities dean—with leadership connections to Columbia College, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the School of General Studies, the School of the Arts, Barnard College, and the Office of the Provost—she was chair of the department of English and comparative literature.
June 2024
Michelle Miller Burns, president and CEO of the Minnesota Orchestra, is to take the same position with the Dallas Symphony as of September 23. She succeeds Kim Noltemy, who was announced in May as the new president and CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic as of July. Prior to her six-year stint in Minnesota, Burns was COO of the Dallas Symphony, where she started as VP of Development in 2015 and quickly worked her way to executive VP for institutional advancement and COO from 2017-18.
New York’s Diller-Quaile School of Music, est. 1920, has announced that Jennifer Patten will succeed Kirsten Morgan as executive director. Patten, who starts August 12, has for two years been director of strategic initiatives and special projects at The New School and is a former member of the Dean’s Council at Mannes. Previously she served as head of the Martha Graham School for seven years and director of curriculum integration at Trinity Academy of Performing Arts in Providence, RI.
Genevieve Twomey has left her position as VP and general manager of the National Symphony Orchestra to become executive director of the Westport, CT-based Meadowmount School of Music, a summer program for young string players founded in 1944 by Ivan Galamian. Twomey is a native of Australia who holds advanced degrees from the Peabody Conservatory. She trained as a cellist under Stephen Kates, an alumnus of Meadowmount. She served in management positions with a number of orchestras before her six-year stint with the NSO, including the Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Kitchener-Waterloo symphonies. In her new job she works with Artistic Director Janet Sung.
Daniel Hope is to become the Intendant and artistic director of Gstaad Menuhin Festival and Academy as of November 1, 2025. He succeeds Christoph Müller, in the position for 24 years. A violinist of international distinction, Hope is currently music director of both the Zurich Chamber Orchestra and New Century Chamber Orchestra. For the past two decades, he has spent increasing amounts of his time directing and curating music festivals and concert series, including the Savannah Music Festival, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, and the Philharmonie Essen. He also serves as artistic director of the Frauenkirche Dresden and president of the Beethoven House in Bonn.
Opera Carolina has turned to the Charlotte business community for its new general director. Dr. Shanté Williams will join the company on July 1, succeeding James Meena, who has held the dual titles of general and artistic director since 2000. He will continue to serve in the latter role and as principal conductor, while Williams oversees the business aspect of the company. Williams’s background features major accomplishments in medicine and in business. Having earned a Ph.D. in Integrated Biomedical Science, with a specialty in Neuro-Oncology and Pharmacology, from The Ohio State University, she has been recognized for discovering innovative chemotherapy treatments for high-grade invasive brain tumors.
Intermusica management has moved Nathan Morrison from the position of associate director of vocal & opera to head of vocal & opera, a title that also lands him on the board of directors. Morrison, who joined the firm in 2022 from rival company Askonas Holt, where he was a senior manager, will take over from the current vocal & opera head at Intermusica Julia Maynard (who was instrumental in hiring Morrison), in the job since 2006. She will remain with the company as a director; she also relinquishes her title of deputy executive director.
Suzanne Wilson will succeed Tony Beadle as president and CEO of Rockport (MA) Music as of July 1; she arrives after time in London with family, having previously served a brief term at the helm of the Phoenix Symphony and, before that, seven years at the Midori Foundation. She will oversee both content and operations at the Shalin Liu Performance Center, where the Rockport Chamber Music Festival (from which Rockport Music evolved) is currently underway. Barry Shiffman remains artistic director of classical music.
Amy Lam, founder and principal of the Lamling Consulting Group, is to serve as interim executive director of the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, which this year runs from July 14 to August 19. David Kitto, named to the post last fall, has had to resign due to health issues relating to Santa Fe’s high altitude. A search for his full-time successor is ongoing.
Juilliard‘s new VP of public affairs will be Mary Caraccioli a former television journalist hired by Lincoln Center in 2015 to be public relations chief. Caraccioli’s most recent post was chief communications and engagement officer for the Central Park Conservancy. She has an MBA from Drexel University and a BA in English from the University of Pittsburgh.
The Canadian Opera Company (COC) announced that David C. Ferguson has been appointed as Interim General Director, effective immediately.
Emily Fritz-Endres is to be the next executive director of the Albany Symphony Orchestra as of August. She succeeds David Hyslop, who has been serving as interim since January, three months after the departure of Anna Kuwabara. Fritz-Endes is a recent Atlanta Symphony executive management fellow and earned her MBA from Columbia University last year. Previously she was with the Boston Symphony Orchestra for eight years as director of board administration. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Carlton College. Albany Symphony Music Director David Alan Miller called her “a rising star in the orchestral world.”
Steve Wogaman, president and artistic director of Chamber Music Detroit, is to succeed Shawn Puller as executive director of the Garth Newel Music Center (GNMC) in Hot Springs, VA. Wogaman, who will continue as AD in Detroit remotely, is a pianist and chamber musician who trained at the Eastman School of Music and holds a DM from Indiana’s Jacobs School of Music where he studied under Menahem Pressler. A former chief executive of the Canton (OH) and Allentown (PA) symphony orchestras, he is credited with developing the CameraMusic webcasting platform during the pandemic, collaborating with 70 peer organizations and said to have reached more than 200,000 listeners worldwide.
The Flagstaff (AZ) Symphony Orchestra, now in its 74th season, has a new executive director as of this month. She is Michelle Wachter, a pianist and associate teaching professor of class piano at Northern Arizona University (NAU). She holds a DMA in piano pedagogy and a master’s degree in piano performance from the University of South Carolina. Wachter succeeds Stephanie Stallings, in the job two years. The orchestra performs about a dozen pops and classical concerts per season and is comprised of a core of professional musicians.
Symphony Tacoma, a professional orchestra that offers about ten concerts a season, has named Jenni Warren as its next executive director. She succeeds William (Bill) Ryberg, who has served as interim since January, following Karina Bharne’s departure. Bharne is now chief executive at the Orlando Philharmonic. Warren’s experience includes the top administrative post at the Fairbanks (AK) Symphony.
San Francisco Symphony Chief Artistic Officer Phillippa Cole will join Opus 3 Artists in November as senior vice president and manager, with a remit to create her own roster of artists at the firm. Cole has a long history in artist management, having served for 12 years at Askonas Holt, a relatively recent partner firm of Opus 3. She appears to have joined the San Francisco Symphony when Salonen did, in 2019, after one year as associate director of artistic planning for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, where she programmed the Hollywood Bowl Classical concerts and the Green Umbrella contemporary series.
Jonah Nigh, senior VP of development and alumni engagement at the New School, is to succeed Alexandra Wheeler as VP and chief advancement officer at the Juilliard School, reporting to President Damian Woetzel. Nigh previously worked in development at the Jewish Museum. Nigh’s experience in development includes jobs with Lincoln Center, Columbia University, and Opera America. A baker, stand-up comic, and Boston marathoner, he holds a BA in vocal performance from Lawrence University and an MM from the New England Conservatory.
Amy Iwano, a former executive director of UChicago Presents and current vice chair of New Music USA, is to be the next president and CEO of the Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra (HSO). She succeeds Dave Moss who left last December after three years in the job and is now chief executive of the Eugene (OR) Symphony. Iwano, whose most recent position was executive director of Performance Santa Fe, has worked with a range of arts groups in a range of jobs, including operations and fund raising. She holds a BA from Pomona College and attended Case Western University and the Goethe Institut in Berlin. The HSO has just completed its first full season under Music Director Dane Lam’s music directorship. In comments, Iwano called the Orchestra, “A jewel in the cultural landscape of O’ahu.”
Chamber Music San Francisco has chosen Jeanette Wong to succeed its founder and longtime chief Daniel Levenstein as executive director. Levenstein steps down at the end of June after 19 years in the job. Wong has been with SFJazz for the last seven years, most recently as associate director of artistic programming. Previously she was executive assistant to the COO of the San Francisco Symphony and worked for the League of American Orchestras in New York. She holds a BM in music theory and composition from New York University.
May 2024
Florida Grand Opera has promoted its interim general director to the post permanently. Maria Todaro arrived last October taking over from Susan Danis. Having directed some 23 productions for opera companies such as those in Minnesota, Atlanta, and Honolulu, Todaro, a onetime professional mezzo-soprano, is the product of an opera-singing family, including parents Jose Todaro and Maria-Helena de Oliveira, and grandmother Helena de Oliveira.
Sheryl Kennedy Haydel is the new dean of the College of Music and Media at Loyala University. She comes to the post after serving as interim for the last year, succeeding Kern Maass. The College of Music and Media was formerly known as the College of Music and Fine Arts, a name change that came about in 2019. Haydel arrived at Loyola in 2021 as an associate professor and director of the School of Communication and Design, a position overseeing filmmaking, journalism, advertising, PR, and the like.
Jenny Mollica has been promoted to chief executive of the English National Opera, having served as interim for the past year. She has been with the company since 2020, initially as director of strategy and engagement, a post in which she is credited with establishing new partnerships—including those with Greater Manchester, where the ENO will soon have a presence—and growing the ENO’s social impact in general.
Montreal Symphony Orchestra has named Mélanie La Couture, president and CEO of the Montreal Heart Institute, to be its next CEO, effective in July. She succeeds Madeleine Careau, who announced earlier this year that she would be stepping down at the end of June. In commenting on the appointment, the orchestra noted La Couture’s management and fund-raising experience, as well as her “well-articulated vision” for the orchestra’s future.
The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University has selected Miguel Harth-Bedoya as its next resident director of orchestras and professor of conducting. After spending the 2024-25 school year as designate, he will assume his full responsibilities beginning the fall of 2025. Harth-Bedoya succeeds Larry Rachleff, who led the Shepherd School orchestras for more than 30 years before his death in 2022.
Violinist Annie Fullard, current chair of chamber music at the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University, is to be the next director of chamber music at the Peabody Institute. A founding member of the Cavani String Quartet, she will succeed cellist Michael Kannen, in the job 20 years, next fall. Kannen remains on the faculty. Prior to the McDuffie Center, Fullard was co-director of the orchestral program at Cleveland State University. She also served as coordinator of string chamber music at The University of Michigan and, with Cavania, quartet in residence at Cleveland Institute of Music.
The Guildhall School of Music & Drama will merge its vocal and opera studies areas into one Vocal Arts department come September 2024. Soprano Sarah Tynan has been announced as its new head as of next September 2024. She has an active performance career, having recently starred in productions by the ENO and the Royal Opera, and is a private voice teacher of the Royal College of Music.
On May 22 Angela Dixon is to became the new chair of the Royal Philharmonic Society succeeding 14-year incumbent Sir John Gilhooly, artistic and executive director of Wigmore Hall. Dixon, currently CEO at Saffron Hall, studied music at the University of London and worked in various positions at Barbican Center for 15 years before assuming her current post in 2014. She also manages performance engagements for composer/conductor Thomas Adès.
The Merola Opera Program has hired Sean Waugh, consultant and onetime artistic planning manager for the San Francisco Opera (SFO), as its new executive director. He succeeds Jean Kellogg, who stepped down last January after 12 years in the job. Waugh only the second individual to hold the position, will be working with SFO Artistic Director Carrie-Ann Matheson and General Manager Markus Beam. Waugh’s most recent job was a near two-year stint as director of artistic strategy & innovation at the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale. He was with SFO for 11 years, initially as assistant to the director of artistic administration.
April 2024
Credo Music, which marks its 25th anniversary this summer, has named Met Orchestra concertmaster David Chan as director of its annual chamber music festival at Oberlin Conservatory, effective in 2025. Chan, in addition to his 24 years with the Met, is also a conductor and heads the Manhattan School of Music’s (MSM) Orchestral Performance graduate program.
Orchestra Victoria has tapped Jessica Gethin to assume the orchestra’s lead artistic role. As artistic adviser, she will work with management on musician recruitment and performance, collaborate with key artistic personnel from Orchestra Victoria’s performance partners such as Opera Australia (OA) and The Australian Ballet (TAB), and offer expert guidance to uphold performance standards as a pit orchestra for other performance partners.
The Bavarian-Japanese violinist Midori Seiler will begin a three-year term as artistic director of the Cologne-based zamus: early music festival in 2025. She succeeds cellist Ira Givol, in the position since 2020. The festival annually presents a series of special concerts and events—enacted music performances, conversation concerts, children’s events, and improvisation sessions—that feature both young and seasoned artists.
Opera Philadelphia has named Anthony Roth Costanzo as its next general director and president. Costanzo is a star countertenor, but he is also an entrepreneur, a witty and versatile MC, and an easy inhabitant of a variety of stage guises, from Egyptian king to cabaret artist. Costanzo was the primary impetus and host for the New York Philharmonic’s clever BandWagon concerts during the pandemic. Constanzo’s official start date is June 1.
As of June 1, Nicholas Tzavaras will become senior director of artistic planning and educational programs at the Brevard Music Center (BMC) in North Carolina. As a member of senior management, the BMC’s new hire will be responsible for education, concert performances, and student recruitment and enrollment. A native of New York City, Tzavaras earned music degrees in cello performance from the New England Conservatory and the State University of New York at Stony Brook as well as an MBA from Montclair State University.
Nathan Lutz, director of operations and education at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra for the last seven years, has been named as the new executive director of the Carmel Bach Festival. Lutz reports having been responsible for a $10 million budget in Dallas. Previously he was assistant personnel manager at the Cincinnati Symphony and a double bass fellow at the New World Symphony. The Festival opens its 87th edition on July 13 and runs through July 27. Grete Peterson is principal conductor and artistic director.
Music@Menlo has tapped John Robinson to succeed Edward P. Sweeney as its next executive director. Sweeney, in the job 18 years, is credited with increasing the festival’s budget from $1.3 million to $2.5 million. Robinson is the current director of leadership gifts at the Asia Foundation in San Francisco and is a former executive director of the Santa Barbara Symphony.
Kaufman Music Center Executive Director Kate Sheeran has been tapped to succeed Jamal Rossi as dean of the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester. Sheeran, an Eastman grad, class of 2002, starts July 15 and will be the first woman to take the job. During her five-plus-year tenure at Kaufman, Sheeran is credited with expanding the partnerships within the community, doubling the endowment, and raising the Center’s profile, not least through a series of pop-up concerts titled “Musical Storefronts” during the pandemic.
The Verve Label Group (VLG) has promoted Joseph Oerke to executive vice president of Decca Records US. He has been with the company for 16 years, and in his most recent position as senior vice president, marketing and artist strategy, helped the label ascend to the leading industry position in the U.S., with a weekly average of 47 percent of the classical albums chart. His success led to his being named Billboard’s Executive of the Week, a first for a classical music executive.
Berkshire Choral International announced that Anthony Trecek-King, current resident choral conductor of Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society will be its new artistic director. Trecek-King holds a B.M. in Cello from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, an M.M. in Orchestral Conducting from Florida State, and a D.M.A. in Choral Conducting from Boston University.
Neil Constable OBE is to be clerk and CEO of The Musicians’ Company as of November. He succeeds Hugh Lloyd, in the position for ten years, and will work closely with The Hon. Richard Lyttelton, master of The Musicians’ Company, a charitable organization that distributes scholarships and awards worth over £250,000 annually to early career musicians. Awardees are invited to join the Company’s Young Artists’ Program and participate in performance and outreach opportunities.
The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) has selected Peter Jutras to become its new dean. Currently professor of piano and piano pedagogy and director of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music (HHSM) at the University of Georgia, where has held several teaching and leadership positions over the past 18 years, Jutras assumes his new duties as of Aug. 1, 2024, pending board approval.
Andrew Comben will assume the position of chief executive officer at Britten Pears Arts in September 2024. He succeeds Roger Wright, who has been in the position for ten years. Comben comes to his new post from Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival, where he has been CEO since 2008. While there, he created the festival’s annual guest director model, expanded engagement initiatives, and oversaw the restoration and redevelopment of the Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre venues.
Choral Arts Society of Washington, D.C., its 60th anniversary coming in 2025, has announced Marie Bucoy-Calavan as its next artistic director as of next season. She succeeds Jace Kaholokula Saplan who left after 18 months in the job. Saplan is associate professor and director of choral activities at Arizona State University.
March 2024
The Annapolis Symphony has tapped a former neurosurgeon and university president to be its next CEO, as of April 1. Ralph Kuncl comes to the position with an impressive track record as a fund raiser, most notably as president, now emeritus, of the University of Redlands in California, where he is credited with overseeing a successful $200 million campaign and securing the University’s largest-ever gift of $35 million. With choral singing as one of his avocations, he took a special interest in elevating the quality of the Redlands Conservatory and the affiliated Redland Symphony. An endowed scholarship to the Conservatory was created in his honor.
The Pacific Chorale has named Rhett M. Del Campo as president and CEO as of May 1. He succeeds Andrew Brown, who left last fall after five years to take the same position with the Pasadena Symphony. A onetime professional percussionist, Del Campo comes to the Chorale from chief-executive positions at iSing Silicon Valley, a choral education program for K-12 girls, and Seraphic Fire, a professional vocal ensemble based in Miami, to which he helped bring a national profile.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, who took office on Jan. 1, has tapped Valerie Gay to be the city’s new arts and culture czar. City arts leaders greeted the appointment as well as the mayor’s apparent intention to elevate the incumbent to a cabinet-level position with great enthusiasm. “We believe that the arts and culture sector now has several champions embedded within the administration,” said Patricia Wilson Aden, president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. “No one could better bring all of the qualities that we are looking for in our next arts and culture leader.”
Barry Hughson, executive director of the National Ballet of Canada for the last decade, is to take the same post at the American Ballet Theatre as of July 1. ABT, annual budget of $45 million, is said to be the third largest ballet company in North America; NBC is smaller, though on the upswing. Hughson’s experience at the executive helm also includes four years running the Boston Ballet preceded by two at the Atlanta Ballet. He started his career as a dancer with the Washington Ballet at the Kennedy Center. In comments, he said he was honored “to help navigate post-pandemic challenges [and] pursue opportunities for growth.”
The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO), which prides itself on being the only full-time professional orchestra in the state, has tapped Stephanie Lobato as its first managing director, charged with increasing revenue streams and nurturing relationships with new and longtime patrons. She joins the LSO from the Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra (HSO), where during her four-year tenure as director of advancement she is credited with increasing subscribers, doubling the donor base, and revitalizing the HSO’s corporate giving program. Lobato also initiated the revival of outdoor summer concerts, built audiences for a new symphony series, and introduced the orchestra’s first music director to the community.
The Seattle-based Music of Remembrance (MOR) has tapped Lorri Staal as its first executive director. A legal professional and experienced corporate litigator, Staal joined the staff on Feb. 26. She previously presided over operations at JND Legal Administration, and before that over client services at EPIQ, a global provider of legal administration services. A longtime human rights advocate, Staal has engaged in volunteer work with several organizations aligned with MOR’s mission, including as pro bono in-house counsel to the Seattle Symphony.
The BBC Concert Orchestra has tapped Matthew Swann to succeed Andrew Connolly, who stepped down in 2020 after 20 years, as director, effective on March 27. Swann arrives at the BBC with more than 20 years of leadership experience, including nine as CEO of City of London Sinfonia as well as roles at the Roundhouse in Camden and Orchestras Live. He is a co-founder of Your Turn Collective, a support organization for classical music creators from under-represented backgrounds.
At the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO), Sarah Bardwell follows James Williams as managing director ahead of the 2024-25 season. Bardwell joins the RPO from Britten Pears Arts, where she has been the executive director of the charity behind Snape Maltings, The Red House, and the Aldeburgh Festival. In her previous position as CEO of the Britten Pears Foundation, she led the merger with Snape Maltings that created Britten Pears Arts. Bardwell was also a key player in the recently completed £3 million transformation of London’s Handel House Museum into the Handel Hendrix House.
As of July 2024, Eric Melear will become the new artistic director of the London-based National Opera Studio. He succeeds David Sulkin OBE, in the position for six years. Melear will partner with Executive Director Nicholas Simpson in a new joint leadership structure for the organization. Melear has championed the development young singers and pianists at both the Houston Grand Opera and Wolf Trap Opera, and is a frequent guest coach in the U.K., Italy, and the U.S. He has guest conducted at the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival and at numerous U.S. opera houses, including Houston Grand Opera, Arizona Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, and Des Moines Metro Opera.
The Walton Arts Center welcomes Carlos Vicente as its new vice president of marketing and sales. Vicente will be responsible for marketing, public relations, ticketing and box office for Walton Arts Center, the state’s busiest arts presenter, and its outdoor amphitheater, the Walmart AMP. Vicente, originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, comes to Northwest Arkansas from Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he served as vice president of marketing and communications for the Grand Rapids Symphony since 2021. Before that, Vicente was director of marketing and communications at the Sarasota Opera in Sarasota, Florida.
February 2024
Central City Opera (CCO) has named Stage Director Alison Moritz as its new artistic director. A noted freelance director, Moritz has staged productions for the major opera companies of Cincinnati, Kansas City, Wolf Trap, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C., where she workshopped and directed Missy Mazzoli’s Proving Up. She was interim managing artistic director of opera at Peabody Conservatory in 2021-22 and has taught and directed at conservatories, such as Juilliard and the Shepherd School at Rice University, and worked with young artists programs from Santa Fe to Glimmerglass.
Paolo Arcà, artistic director of La Scala decades ago (1997-2003), is to take the post at Opera di Roma. Arcà will work in conjunction with Intendant Francesco Giambrone and Music Director Michele Mariotti. Also a noted composer and pianist, he has occupied artistic leadership positions at Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Carlo Felice di Genoa, Teatro Regio, and the Green Festival of Parma.
Hervé Boissière, founder and managing director of medici.tv, is to turn his attentions “exclusively” to the Verbier Festival as its new co-CEO, effective April 15. He will codirect the esteemed 30-year-old event together with its founder, Martin T:son Engstroem, 71. Boissière arrives just a few weeks before Câline Yamakawa, who has worked at the Verbier Festival Foundation for 18 years, the last six as COO, departs.
Daniela Nardi, a recorded solo vocalist whose career has encompassed marketing, producing, fundraising, and administrative leadership, is to be the new executive director of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, founded in 1894 and one of the most highly regarded choruses in the country. Nardi, who succeeds Anna Katjár, was recently interim executive director of Tafelmusik and is said to have revitalized 918 Bathurst Centre for Arts, Culture, Media, and Education as its executive and artistic director. Her new ensemble is a core of 24 professional vocalists that can expand to 100 with auditioned volunteers.
The North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, a professional ensemble of musicians from Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and Arkansas, has hired a new executive director. The new administrative boss is one Brooke Bullock Burleson, 26, who teaches piano and dance locally and has worked in marketing, fund raising, and digital media. She holds degrees in journalism and political science from the University of Southern Mississippi. Burleson succeeds Lisa Martin.
Music Academy (of the West) has appointed Nate Bachhuber as chief artistic officer as of February 26. Bachhuber was most recently an artistic advisor at the St. Louis Symphony for seven months; before that he was with the Cincinnati Symphony for five years as VP of artistic planning, the Los Angeles Philharmonic as artistic administrator for two years, and Carnegie Hall for two, largely in marketing and PR. He holds an MM in opera from Curtis.
At Toronto’s Luminato Festival, Olivia Ansell, an accomplished arts leader, director, and performance artist who is current director of the Sydney Festival, will succeed Naomi Campbell as artistic director, who stepped aside in 2023 after five years. Ansell is not scheduled to arrive until 2025. Ansell previously served as head of contemporary performance at the Sydney Opera House and has been in her current position since 2020. She has received high marks for steering the festival through the pandemic and exceeding attendance projections when live performances resumed.
The Colburn School promoted Nate Zeisler, interim provost, to the full position, succeeding Adrian Daly, who died in August. Zeisler has been at the school for 13 years, teaching career development and community engagement courses. While serving as interim provost, he was also VP of partnerships and planning. In his new post, assumed last month, he is chief academic officer for the Conservatory of Music, Community School of Performing Arts, Music Academy, and Trudl Zipper Dance Institute—a total of over 2,000 students, plus faculty and staff. Prior to Colburn, he was assistant professor of bassoon and entrepreneurship at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, and began his career as an elementary school music teacher.
The Chattanooga Symphony & Opera (CSO) has selected Susan W. Caminez as its new executive director. She succeeds John Kilkenny, who left after three years to fill the same position at the New York Youth Symphony. Caminez joined the CSO in 2021, progressing from bookkeeper to become the organization’s first director of education and community impact. In that role she reimagined the ensemble’s young people’s concerts and successfully reached out to new audiences with the support of a four-year, $200,000 grant from city government.
The Toledo Opera has tapped two insiders to succeed Executive Director Suzanne Rorick when she steps aside after 13 years on May 31, 2024. James M. Norman and Kevin Bylsma, the new general director and artistic director respectively, have collectively worked for the company for 45 years. Norman, a native of Toledo, first sang in the opera chorus in 1981, and from 1987 until 2000 performed in both chorus and comprimari roles. Eleven years later he served a stage manager for Turandot. Thereafter he was a part-time production manager until 2016, when he was appointed director of production. In the fall of 2019, Rorick named him co-artistic director. Bylsma joined Toledo Opera from Michigan Opera Theater (now Detroit Opera) in 1997 as head of music preparation and musical assistant to James Meena, principal artistic director at the time. In 2003 he became a vocal coach and the coordinator of opera at Bowling Green State University, soon to return to the opera company, where his role has evolved to include principal rehearsal pianist for all mainstage operas, chorus master, co-artistic director, and head of music preparation. Since 2006 he has overseen the longtime partnership between the university and the opera company.
January 2024
Branford Marsalis, the jazz saxophonist and composer whose career includes movie scores, Grammy-winning recordings, and a stint as the leader of The Tonight Show band, is taking on a new job in his hometown of New Orleans. Marsalis has been named as the new artistic director for the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music. The center is named for Branford’s late father, patriarch of a family of accomplished New Orleans musicians that also includes trumpeter and composer Wynton Marsalis, Branford’s brother.
In late March 2024 John Kilkenny will join the New York Youth Symphony (NYYS) as executive director, succeeding Shauna Quill, who was in the position for 12 years. Kilkenny will oversee all aspects of an organization that each season sees more than 260 students between the ages of 10 and 22 take part in orchestra, chamber music, jazz, composition, musical theater, songwriting, and apprentice conducting programs. He will also have responsibility for supervising community outreach, fundraising, artistic programming, and marketing.
The Boston Lyric Opera (BLO) has announced several new appointments to its artistic leadership team, chief among which is Nina Yoshida Nelsen as artistic director. She succeeds Esther Nelson, who until March 2021 held the position of general and artistic director. Nelson was succeeded on an interim basis by Bradley Vernatter, who subsequently advised the board that the two roles should be split. Joining Nelsen as a second newcomer to the BLO is theater director Anne Bogart, who has previously staged several operas with the BLO and now assumes the role of artistic associate. She will contribute to mainstage repertoire planning, particularly as it relates to dramaturgical issues and performance.
The Oregon Bach Festival (OBF) has announced that Jos van Veldhoven, longtime artistic director of the Netherlands Bach Society, and Craig Hella Johnson, in the same post with the Austin-based vocal ensemble Conspirare, are to be the festival’s new artistic partners. As artistic director of the Netherlands Bach Society for more than 35 years, Veldhoven has initiated hundreds of performances and recordings of Bach’s work. Craig Hella Johnson will devote his energies to improving the OBF’s educational offerings, sharpening its vocal performances, and promoting the inclusion of contemporary choral music as part of the festival offerings.
Librettist/producer Lila Palmer is to be general and artistic director of the New Orleans Opera Association (NOOA), effective in May, about one year after predecessor Clare Burovac announced her exit after three years. A onetime mezzo-soprano, Palmer has overseen arts programming for heritage spaces including the Museum of London and heard her librettos performed at Edinburgh Fringe, Gran Teatro del Liceu, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and Glimmerglass, among others. She will continue her work as a librettist, citing Mark Adamo and Rene Orth among collaborators.
Betsey Perlmutter, a multi-discipline producer who helped establish the New York Philharmonic “Art of the Score” series, has been officially named vice president of Schirmer Theatrical. Established in 2015, Schirmer Theatrical self-defines as specializing in “non-traditional symphonic and film concerts“ and boasts some 150 packages, using mostly music from its vast composer catalogs. Schirmer puts these packages together for symphony orchestras and other presenters.
December 2023
Francesco Ventriglia is to become artistic director of the Alberta Ballet, which performs its mainstage season in Calgary and Francesco Ventriglia is to become artistic director of the Alberta Ballet, which performs its mainstage season in Calgary and Edmonton. Assuming his new post in January 2024, the former dancer with the La Scala Ballet succeeds Christopher Anderson, who has filled the position since July 2022.Edmonton. Assuming his new post in January 2024, the former dancer with the La Scala Ballet succeeds Christopher Anderson, who has filled the position since July 2022.
Opéra de Lille will welcome a new director when Barbara Eckle arrives on July 1, 2025 to succeed Caroline Sonrier, in the position since 2003. Eckle was dramaturg at the Ruhrtriennale International Festival of Arts from 2020 to 2023, and before that at the Staatsoper de Stuttgart from 2018 to 2020.
Kristin Lavin has been appointed associate dean of external relations at Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University, a position that oversees development, alumni relations, and marketing and communications. Lavin is the former senior director for stewardship and donor engagement at the University.
The University of Kansas has named Paul Popiel as the next dean of its School of Music. He has served as interim dean since last January and has been a professor of music since 2010. Popiel, a conductor, was previously director of bands at the School from 2010 to 2022. He succeeds Robert Walzel, who had been in the job from 2010.
Christopher Marks, professor at the Glenn Korff School of Music since 2006 at the University of Nebraska (UN), where he is also associate dean of the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, takes over as associate vice chancellor for faculty affairs at UN-Lincoln as of Jan. 8.
Susan Miller Kotses, current VP of education and community engagement at the Pacific Symphony, is to become executive director of the Los Angeles Chlldren’s Chorus (LACC) as of February 8. She succeeds Kurt Swanson, an area arts consultant who has been serving as interim since July. Kotses, a former professional singer with advanced degrees in voice performance from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music and arts management from Carnegie Mellon University, has an impressive track record at Pacific Symphony where her efforts reached “60,000 constituents, engaging 1,000 volunteers, and training and deploying 50 teaching artists and content creators.”
Cincinnati May Festival has promoted Associate Director of Choruses Matthew Swanson to director. He succeeds Robert Porco who retires at the end of the next festival. Swanson joined the 130-member May Festival Chorus as a tenor in 2011 and worked his way up. Currently he oversees the May Festival Youth Chorus. In his new job, which starts in June, he’ll be responsible for preparing the May Festival Chorus for its own annual concerts in May 2024 as well as those with the CSO and the Cincinnati Pops. The Festival’s origins date to 1873; it is a volunteer ensemble.
The Pacific Chorale has named its Director of Artistic Production Alex Nelson to the new position of VP of artistic production and operations, effective immediately. Nelson has been with the 200-voice group for six seasons. The new post adds to his current duties day-to-day operations and delivering on the Chorale’s fiscal goals and strategies. He’ll also assist Artistic Director Robert Istad.
As of March 2024, Sir Nicholas Kenyon will become Chair of Trustees at Arcangelo, the internationally acclaimed period performance ensemble. He succeeds Rosalyn Wilkinson, in the position since 2014. Kenyon has served as controller of BBC Radio 3 (1992-98), director of the BBC Proms (1996-2007) and managing director of the Barbican Center (2007-2021). Currently chief opera critic of The Telegraph, he has in the past been a critic for the New Yorker, The Times (London), and The Observer.
The Borletti-Buitoni Trust has announced that Toby Smith is to be its new chief executive. He succeeds the retiring Susan Rivers, who has run the organization since its founding in 2002. The Milan-based trust provides financial support through annual awards, first made in 2003, to help classical instrumentalists, ensembles, and singers in their early 20s and 30s further develop international careers. Smith’s extensive experience as an arts administrator includes a nine-year stint as director of performance and programming at the Royal Northern College of Music and as festival director of the Salisbury International Arts Festival. Most recently he served as associate director of the Greenwich + Docklands International Festival and Global Streets. He also earned a degree in music from the University of York and in 1995 co-founded the Early Opera Company, which specializes in Baroque vocal music.
Kristen Linfante, executive director and artistic director for Chamber Music Pittsburgh, is to assume the former post with The Knights as of next month. She’ll be working with the group’s founding Artistic Directors Colin and Eric Jacobsen and succeeding Bridget Mundy, with the Knights for five years. Linfante’s previous position was general manager and director of artistic operations and touring for Apollo’s Fire Baroque Orchestra, an ensemble with which she performed.
The Eugene (OR) Symphony has chosen Dave Moss, recent president and CEO of the Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra (HSO), to be its next executive director, effective in January. He succeeds Scott Freck, who left last June after 11 years in the job. Prior to Hawai’i, where he is credited with balancing the orchestra’s check book against the odds of the pandemic, Moss was executive director of Chicago’s Haymarket Opera.
Bodo Busse, the current general intendant of Germany’s Staatstheater Saarbrücken, is to take on the same post at Staatsoper Hannover as of 2025-26, succeeding American Laura Berman.
Aaron Doty, current VP and general manager of the Grand Rapids Symphony, is to be the new president and CEO of the Reno (NV) Philharmonic. His appointment caps a search that began last summer, with David Hyslop serving as interim. Doty’s past positions include orchestra personnel & operations manager for the Washington National Opera; he has been in his current position for four years and holds an MM in conducting from Ohio University.
The Welsh National Opera has tapped Christopher Barron to be interim general director in early January 2024. He follows Aidan Lang, who is retiring at the end of this year after four years in the position. Barron has considerable high-level experience as an arts administrator. Among his postings: an early role as general manager of the Edinburgh International Festival, chief executive of Birmingham Royal Ballet and of Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet, and artistic director and chief executive of the Brighton Festival and Dome.
November 2023
Stanford Live, the multi-genre performing arts presenter at Stanford University, has named Iris Nemani, chief programming officer of Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre, as its next director. She arrives in April and succeeds Chris Lorway, who was also from Toronto; Lorway left last April to become president and CEO of the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Part of Nermani’s remit will be to collaborate with the university’s department of music. She arrives as a member of the senior arts leadership team under Deborah Cullinan, Stanford’s vice president for the arts and acting director of Stanford Live.
The Music School of Delaware, an accredited community institution serving its home state and nearby environs, will have a new president and CEO as it enters its centennial year in 2024. He is Stephen Beaudoin, an energetic music executive on the rise in the Washington, D.C., area. Beaudoin, who sits on the board of the Beaudoin Family Foundation, arrives in Delaware after just over a year as executive director of New Jersey’s South Orange Performing Arts Center.
Christopher White, head of music at Deutsche Oper Berlin since 2016, is to be the next head of opera at the Royal Academy of Music, his alma mater. He starts next September, succeeding Brenda Hurley who is moving to the role of visiting professor after four years in the job. White has been working under her as head of the vocal faculty, opera, at the Academy for the last year.
Aviel Cahn arrives at the new intendant of Deutsche Oper Berlin in 2026-27 (and Runnicles exits as music director), he leaves his current post as general manager of the Grand Théâtre de Genève where his successor is to be Alain Perroux, a former dramaturge at Genève who served as director of artistic administration and dramaturge at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence from 2009 to 2020. Perroux is a former music critic for the Journal de Genève and for Le Temps.
Tom Philpott, acting co-director of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, as well as director of planning for that organization, is to move to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in March as its director of artistic planning and partnerships. The post is a new one, created in the wake of Managing Director James Williams’s departure next summer to be director of the Royal College of Music.
Prague Summer Nights: Young Artists Music Festival, which is produced by Classical Movements and its CEO Neeta Helms, has named Derek Maselhoff to be its next director, while renewing the contract of Artistic Director John Nardolillo. Maselhoff is Classical Next’s operations manager; previously he was director of artistic planning for the National Youth Orchestra of China.
Helen Wallace is to be the new head of music at London’s Barbican Centre, effective in February of 2024. She succeeds Will Gompertz, who this past August announced he would leave the Barbican after a three-year tenure to become director of the Sir John Soane’s Museum this January. Wallace is currently the artistic and executive director at Kings Place, where she first assumed an advisory role in 2009. She became director of programming in 2018, and rose to her current post in 2020.
Sean Michael Gross, who has headed up Warner Classics in the U.K. since 2021, has added North America to his portfolio and will now split his time between London and the U.S. He will continue to report to Alain Lanceron, president, Warner Classics and Erato. During the past two years in London, Gross has been credited with growing the Warner label’s market share, introducing emerging artists such as Abel Selaocoe, Fatma Said and RIOPY, and leading the successful campaign to make the Official Classical Charts more inclusive.
As of January 2024, Sarah Meyers is to be the new artistic director at On Site Opera, where she will succeed Eric Einhorn, who co-founded the New York City-based company in 2012. Meyers brings extensive experience as a director of traditional opera and site-specific projects as well as the developer of new works. She has been a member of the directing staff at the Metropolitan Opera for more than a decade and has also worked at a number of regional companies as well as at On Site.
October 2023
Paul Wiancko, newly arrived cellist of the Kronos Quartet, has been chosen to succeed the late Geoff Nuttall as director of the chamber music series at the Spoleto Festival USA. Spoleto General Director & CEO Mena Mark Hanna said the new man will be “an engine of ingenuity for Spoleto,” noting that he would be exploring the new and usual and “subverting our expectations of what is western and non-western, canonic and not canonic, new and old.”
Edwaard Liang is to be the new artistic director of the Washington Ballet. Liang comes to the D.C. Company after a decade as artistic director of BalletMet in Columbus, Ohio, where he nearly doubled the organization’s budget and choreographed 21 works. A native of Taiwan who was raised in California, the 48-year-old Liang danced with the New York City Ballet and Nederlands Dans Theater and has created ballets for the San Francisco Ballet, New York City Ballet, Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet, and Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet. Since 2008 he has also choreographed five works for his new company.
Alessandra Ferri will become the new director of the Vienna State Ballet in September of 2025, succeeding Martin Schläpfer, in the position since the 2020/21 season. A Milanese native, the 60-year-old Ferri was principal dancer at the Royal Ballet and the American Ballet Theater, and remains prima ballerina assoluta at La Scala. During her career, she has made guest appearances with all the major international companies and directed the dance programming of the Spoleto Festival from 2008 to 2014.
Succeeding Paul Helfrich as executive director of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra is Karina Bharne, currently in that job with Symphony Tacoma in Washington. Prior to her five years in Tacoma, Bharne served as interim executive director of the San Antonio Symphony, part of Michael Kaiser’s team to put that orchestra, now defunct, on solid footing.
Brenna Corner, a freelance opera director currently based in Atlanta, has been appointed artistic director at Pacific Opera Victoria. She succeeds Founding Artistic Director Timothy Vernon, 75, who retired in June after 23 years. Corner’s directing credits range from Glimmerglass and the Washington National Opera to the Vancouver, Calgary, and Israeli operas, and from standard repertoire to new work.
At Arabella Arts, founded three years ago by Stefana Atlas and Samantha Scully, Guiomar Blanco arrives in the new position of head of European strategy and artist manager. Characterized as a “manager, pianist, and musicologist with 20 years of international experience,” Blanco formerly headed Music Management GB; her CV also includes stints at Spanish agencies Agencia Camera and Conciertos Augusto.
At Alliance Artist Management, Andrew Pudvah, former West Coast booking manager at IMG Artists, has joined the firm’s booking team. He boasts 25 years in the field, 14 of them with National Geographic, where he is credited with expanding its live speakers series considerably.
The Oslo Philharmonic has selected Knut Skansen as its new managing director as of Jan.1, 2024. He succeeds Ingrid Røynesdal, who became director of the National Museum on Oct. 1. Skansen, who has a degree in literature, joins the Philharmonic from the Deichman Library in Oslo, Norway’s largest cultural institution. He has been at the library for almost two decades, during which time he oversaw the construction of the new library in the Bjørvika neighborhood of the nation’s capital city.
Brian Speck, former director of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, has joined the Metropolitan Opera as artistic administrator. He succeeds Paul Hopper, who moved last May from associate artistic administrator at the Met to senior director of artistic planning at the LA Opera. At the Met, Speck works with Michael Heaston, assistant general manager, artistic, on casting and planning with a focus on small roles and covers.
Colin Michael Brush is the new director of the Sarah and Ernest Butler Houston Grand Opera Studio. He succeeds Brian Speck, in the position since 2015, and comes to Houston from ADA Artists/UIA Talent in Berlin, where he managed a roster of artists performing in European and other international markets. As director of the studio, Brush will oversee the artistic development of the program’s emerging artists while also identifying and recruiting future candidates from within the U.S. and around the world for HGO seasons.
Amy Cassello, associate director of the Brooklyn Academy of Music since 2020, is to serve as its artistic director on an interim basis, following the exit of David Binder in July. Binder will remain as advisor until 2024. Cassello arrived at BAM in 2012, as associate producer of the Next Wave Festival and has been on the rise at the company ever since.
Central City Opera, which came close to losing its entire summer season due to thorny AGMA negotiations, has named Scott Finlay as its new president and CEO. He succeeds Pamela Pantos, who exited rather suddenly in July. Finlay has been serving as one of the two interims in the time since. Previously he was the company’s VP of development, a post he came to not long after Pantos’s arrival, in June 2022.
Sue Elliott is to be general director and CEO of the Calgary Opera as of November 20, 2023. She succeeds Heather Kitchen, who is retiring after five years in the job and 40 in arts administration. Elliott arrives to the 50-year-old opera troupe after serving as chief audience officer at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA. Prior to that she was the inaugural director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Linde Center/Tanglewood Learning Center.
September 2023
Scott Altman, current president and CEO of the Cincinnati Ballet, onetime opera singer and opera company executive, is to be the new president and CEO of the Los Angeles Master Chorale as of January 2. He succeeds Jean Davidson, who exited in March. Commenting on Altman’s appointment, Master Chorale Artistic Director Grant Gershon said the new man’s vision was “fully aligned with my own” and pointed to the Chorale as “ramping up for a major expansion of all our activities.”
Alfrelynn Roberts has joined the Portland (OR) Opera as director of artistic planning and operations; she comes to Portland from Fort Worth Opera, where she was associate artistic director & chorus master from 2018-2023. Roberts succeeds Priti Gandhi, in the job from 2021 until she was named associate director of the Met Opera Laffont Competition in September 2023. Roberts reports to Portland General Director Sue Dixon. Damien Geter is listed on the company website as interim music director and artistic advisor.
The Southwest Florida Symphony (SWFS), located in Fort Myers, has named Raniero Tazzi as its new artistic and operations director. Entering its 63rd season the 70-member ensemble is led by music director Radu Paponiu and offers a 5-concert masterwork series as well as three pop concerts. In his new role, Tazzi will oversee concert and event production, as well as auditions. “Raniero is the perfect fit for our team,” said Amy Ginsburg, executive director of the SWFS, citing “his diverse experience and community familiarity.
Priti Gandhi is the new associate director of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition. She succeeds Brady Walsh, who left the job in August. Gandhi comes to the Met after serving as artistic director of the Portland Opera for just two years. Previously she was chief artistic officer of the Minnesota Opera and, before that of the San Diego Opera, where she made her debut as a soprano, then mezzo soprano in 1996 and then returned seven years later as artistic administrator. Gandhi has sung with Los Angeles Opera, Seattle Opera, Theatre du Chatelet, the Royal Opera House, New York City Opera, and San Francisco Opera, among others, and appeared with orchestras from the New York Philharmonic to the Philadelphia Orchestra. She has also been a writer, publishing a weekly behind the scenes in opera column for The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Jenny Wong is the San Francisco Symphony Chorus director as of the 2023-24 season, also the ensemble’s 50th. She is the fourth person to take the job, joining an impressive lineage: Louis Magor (1974–1982), Vance George (1983–2007), and Ragnar Bohlin (2007–2021), who resigned in protest of the orchestra’s vaccination mandate. Margaret Hillis served as interim during the 1982–83 season. Also associate artistic director of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Wong, a native of Hong Kong, has conducted choruses for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, the Industry, Long Beach Opera, and more. She holds a DMA and an MM from the University of Southern California and a BA in voice performance from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Violinist Abi Fayette has succeeded cellist Jim Wilson as artistic director of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. She is also a recent member of the Catalyst Quartet, succeeding Jessie Montgomery. The 29-year-old artist holds a bachelor’s degree from the Curtis Institute, where she was concertmaster of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, and a master’s degree from the New England Conservatory. She has been a member of Orpheus since 2020; her sister, 31-year-old cellist Madeline Fayette, has also joined the orchestra.
On Sept. 1, Sarah Cole became Interim Dean of the School of the Arts at Columbia University, succeeding Carol Becker, who was in the role for 16 years. Cole will step aside from her current post as the Dean of Humanities for the duration of her interim assignment. She is also the Parr Professor of English and Comparative Literature. A scholar of literary modernism, Cole has co-founded the NYNJ Modernism Seminar and founded Columbia’s Humanities War and Peace and Climate Humanities initiatives. Her teaching ranges across the 19th and 20th centuries, and includes topics such as war and violence, the body and sexuality, Irish literature, and the works of Woolf, Eliot, Wells, Joyce, and others.
The Boston Baroque, approaching is 50th-anniversary season in 2023-24, has appointed Sarah Radcliffe-Marrs as its next executive director, as of November 1st. She succeeds Jennifer Ritvo Hughes, who in July was appointed CEO of the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic. Radcliffe-Marrs was most recently executive director of Blue Heron, a Boston-area vocal ensemble specializing in Renaissance and medieval vocal music. Previously, she held roles in the artistic and concert operations departments at the Boston Symphony Orchestra and at the Celebrity Series of Boston. A native of the U.K., she earned undergraduate and master’s degrees in music and musicology from the University of Oxford, subsequently working for the Royal College of Music, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and the BBC Proms & Radio 3. She moved to the U.S. in 2012.
In Maine, Renia Shterenberg is the new administrative chief of the Bangor Symphony and the Bangor Symphony Youth Orchestras, succeeding Sarah S. P. McCarthy. A former violinist, Shterenberg is the recent general manager of the Britt Festival Orchestra in Jacksonville, OR, and onetime executive director of the Olmos Ensemble chamber-music group in San Antonio, TX. Lucas Richman is music director and conductor of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra.
The Concours musical international de Montréal (CMIM) has chosen a leadership team from within to succeed Christiane LeBlanc, who announced her retirement last February and left in May. She had served as both executive and artistic director since 2012. In her stead, Chantal Poulin becomes executive director and Shira Gilbert artistic director. The two women have been critical players in the last three editions of the Concours and have collaborated in the post since LeBlanc’s departure. Poulin is the longer tenured of the duo, joining the CMIM in 2019 and fulfilling successive roles in communications, logistics, and production before becoming part of the general management team in August 2021. Previous to joining Concours, she was a consultant, best known for her management of 360-degree projects and large-scale events. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in History, followed by a Master of Arts, at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Gilbert arrived at the CMIM in the fall of 2022 after working as a communications consultant with numerous musicians and presenters. During a stint as publicity manager for Universal Classics Group (Deutsche Grammophon and Decca), Gilbert worked closely with such prestigious artists as Renée Fleming, Cecilia Bartoli, Hilary Hahn, Lang Lang, and Anna Netrebko.
The Monterey Jazz Festival has announced that composer and musician Darin Atwater is to succeed Tim Jackson as artistic director. Jackson is retiring after leading the world’s longest continuously running jazz festival for 32 years. A Washington, DC, native, Atwater studied at Morgan State University and Peabody Conservatory before embarking on a more than 20-year career that has included roles as an artistic director, composer, conductor, pianist, vocalist, and cultural advocate.
David J. Kitto, executive director of the National Theater Foundation in Washington, D.C., is to be the new executive director of the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival as of October 30. He succeeds Steven Ovitsky, who last fall announced his intention to retire at the end of the current season, on August 31. He has been in the job for 20 years. In his current job since 2019, Kitto oversees all operations, educational programs, fundraising, marketing, and capital planning. Previously he served as the interim president of The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center / La Jolla Music Society (2018-19), senior VP of marketing and sales at the Kennedy Center (2001-2017), where he worked with an annual operating budget of over $200 million, and director of marketing and ticket operations at Carnegie Hall (1983 to 2000). He holds a BA in Music and an M.A. in Arts Administration, both from the University of Michigan.
The San Francisco Opera has appointed Georgi Kelly as chief philanthropy officer effective October 2, where she succeeds Lisa Bury, who left the company last spring. Kelly joins the SFO from KQED, the San Francisco-based NPR and PBS member station, where she first came to work in 2001 and rose, by 2016, to become VP of development. In her capacity she oversaw the $135 million Campaign 21 as well as all fundraising activities for the $105-million public media organization.
Susan Avila joined the Los Angeles Music Center as senior VP of advancement in September. She follows Valentine Gelman, in the position since 2016. Avila served most recently at the California College of the Arts (CCA) in San Francisco, first as VP of advancement from 2000 to 2008 and then as senior VP from 2008 to 2023. Other previous postings included the director of development at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
August 2023
David Hyslop is the new interim president and CEO of the Reno (NV) Philharmonic. Hyslop’s most recent post was at the helm of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. He has held CEO positions with the Oregon Symphony (1972-1978), the St. Louis Symphony (1978-1991), and the Minnesota Orchestra (1991-2003). Since then, he has served interim CEO for the Omaha, Dallas, Louisville, Stockton, and South Dakota symphonies, the Orlando and Oklahoma City philharmonics, the Sun Valley Summer Symphony, and Dallas Summer Musicals.
Santa Barbara chamber music group Camerata Pacifica announced that its new executive director, in the job since June 1, is Ana Papakhian. Papakhian’s most recent position was at the Music Academy (of the West), where she served as chief marketing and communications officer; previously she was director of communications for The Cleveland Orchestra and the Indianapolis Symphony.
The Moab Music Festival has a new executive director in Amy Weiser, most recently city manager for Moab. She joins founders Artistic Director/violist Leslie Tomkins and Music Director/pianist Michael Barrett in oversight of the 31-year-old event, which this season runs through September 15 and hosts 23 performances in a wide variety of outdoor and historic venues.
Patty Isacson Sabee, current executive director of Planet Word in Washington, D.C., former CEO of the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, is to succeed Wayne S. Brown as president and CEO of the Detroit Opera. Isacson Sabee previously worked in a number of capacities for the Seattle Symphony and is married to one of its players. She is a graduate of Grinnell College in Iowa.
New York’s Juilliard School has announced the appointment of a new assistant dean and director of chamber music. Merry Peckham, a cellist, educator, and experienced arts administrator will take up the role at the beginning of January 2024. Peckham is currently associate director and director of the chamber music workshop for the Perlman Music Program as well as chair of chamber music at the New England Conservatory.
The Ulster Orchestra has added the position of artistic director and deputy chief executive with the appointment of Patrick McCarthy, Ulster’s former principal trumpet and head of artistic planning. He will report to CEO Auveen Sands, the former corporate banker who was promoted from COO to the top job about one year ago.
British countertenor Andrew Watts is to succeed Ivan van Kalmthout as general director of the International Vocal Competition (IVC) ‘s-Hertogenbosch, effective September 1. Celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2024, the competition this year focuses on LiedDuo, with the live rounds scheduled to run October 10-15; baritone Bo Skovhus is chairman of the international jury. Past laureates range from Elly Ameling to Thomas Hampson to Pretty Yende.
Timo H. Buckow is the new artistic director of the annual Rheingau Musik Festival in Oestrich-Winkel, Germany. His arrival in fact is a return; he started his professional career in 2006 in the artistic administration department of the festival. Buckow has been working his way up the ladder ever since, with occasional forays elsewhere—including Pro Arte Frankfurt and Wiesbaden Musik.
Ottavio Dantone is to be the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music’s next music director and succeeds Alessandro De Marchi, artistic director of the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music, whose 47th edition, focusing on Vivaldi concluded at the end of August. De Marchi recently was presented with the Ring of Honor of the City of Innsbruck by the Mayor for his many years of service. Current Operations Director Mag. Eva-Maria Sens will take over as artistic director.
Shauna Quill, current executive director of the New York Youth Symphony (NYSS), is to succeed Scott Reed as president and CEO of the Music Academy, formerly known as the Music Academy of the West. Quill’s 12 years at the helm of NYYS included introducing new programs for NYC teenage students; forming partnerships with Interlochen, Harlem School of the Arts, and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, among others; and expanding the orchestra’s repertoire. She has also raised its profile considerably, including performances on CBS Sunday Morning, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and CNN.
Carlo Fuortes, who resigned as head of the Italian public broadcaster RAI last May, is in at Teatro San Carlo in Naples as general manager. Prior to his RAI job, Fuortes was superintendent of the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma.
Isaac Thompson, managing director of the New York Philharmonic, is to be the next president and CEO of the Oregon Symphony, moving from No. 2 at the former to No. 1 in Oregon. He starts in October. Thompson’s accomplishments in New York are impressive: playing a key role in planning both Van Zweden’s inaugural season as well as the orchestra’s initial season in the new David Geffen Hall. He’s also responsible for the NY Phil Bandwagon, a big hit during the pandemic, as well as a variety of other community-in reach projects and the Nightcap contemporary music series.
Overture Center for the Arts has selected Jenie Dahlmann as chief marketing and communications officer, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on July 5, 2023. Dahlmann most recently served as the director of marketing & engagement at the Younes & Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts in Northridge, CA, where she was responsible for securing $2.5M in earned revenue and $500k in contributed revenue.
The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance (DPAA) has chosen Brandon Ragland as Dayton Ballet’s artistic director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on August 1, 2023. Ragland, a seasoned ballet professional with over 15 years of experience, joins Dayton from the esteemed Louisville Ballet. During his tenure there, he excelled as a principal dancer, skillfully managed the Louisville Ballet School’s pre-professional program, and contributed his creative prowess as a resident choreographer.
The Young People’s Chorus of New York City announced the appointment of Michael Fraccaro as chair of its board of directors, which he joined in 2018. Mr. Fraccaro currently serves as the chief people officer (CPO) for Mastercard, where his proven ability to grow organizations through innovative approaches aligns with YPC’s vision to strengthen and expand its impact among youth and throughout the chorus industry.
Jensen Artists announced the appointment of Gina Meola to the role of vice president of artist management and booking. Effective immediately, Meola will be promoted from director of artist bookings to her new role. Having joined Jensen Artists in 2015 as the agency’s first booking agent, Meola has, for the last eight years, worked to shape the careers of Jesen Artists’ artists and ensembles, all with a dedication to bringing classical music to the widest possible audience.
July 2023
West Virginia’s Wheeling Symphony Orchestra (WSO) has hired Sonja Thoms as its new executive director. Thoms has been VP of operations for the Nashville Symphony since 2015. She holds an MM in oboe performance from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University and has performed with Lucerne Academy Orchestra, the New World Symphony, and Alarm Will Sound, among others. In 2019, she launched OrchestraCareers.com, a mentoring/job hunting website.
San Diego Opera has a new chief development director in Llewellyn Crain, who comes to the organization from the city’s Old Globe theatre, where she has been director of philanthropy since 2016. Across her seven-year tenure there, she is credited with increasing the donor pool by 200 percent and the annual fund by over 40 percent and helping to restore the organization’s finances, post-pandemic. In her new job, she’ll have many of the same duties, as well as overseeing special events. She’ll report to General Director David Bennett and becomes part of the senior staff.
The Louisville Youth Orchestra (LYO), now in its 65th year, has announced the appointment of Matthew Vanover as executive director. He arrives from a similar position at the Immanuel School of Music at Immanuel Church in Louisville. LYO currently serves some 250 students who play in various ensembles, from chamber to full orchestra, and train under a staff of 15.
The Shed has hired the CEO of the Boston Ballet, Meredith Hodges, for the same role. The move is necessitated by Alex Poots’s decision in January to focus solely on matters artistic rather than attempting to continue as both CEO and artistic director. Poots will report to Hodges, also known as Max. Hodges, a Harvard MBA, has a pretty stunning track record. In Boston, she increased the endowment from $14 million to $36 million during her nine-year tenure; the 60-year-old company’s attendance record in 2022-23, of 170,000, was its second highest on record.
Ballet Hispánico, which self-defines as the largest Latinx/Latine/Hispanic cultural organization in the U.S., comprised of a dance company, school, and community-partnership hub, has created the new position of chief managing director and named Patrick Muhlen as its first appointee. He will report to Artistic Director & Chief Executive Officer Eduardo Vilaro, taking on all of the “executive office” functions. Muhlen, a lawyer with a BA from the University of Sydney, is the previous managing director of the Washington Ballet and chief development officer of the San Diego Opera. He has also worked in development for the Los Angeles and Houston Grand operas and, prior to moving to the U.S., held assorted financial directorships in the government of New South Wales.
The San Antonio Philharmonic, the new iteration of the defunct San Antonio Symphony, has named onetime local city council member and architect Roberto Treviño as its first ever executive director. He will move from his position on the Philharmonic board of directors to the administrative post. The orchestra describes him as a creative problem solver with a commitment to the arts, borne out in his former chairmanship of the City Council Arts and Culture Committee. The orchestra plans two performances each of ten programs in its first full, 2023-24 season.
Jennifer Ritvo Hughes exits as executive director of the Boston Baroque for the last four years to become CEO of the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic, a key fund-raising post for the Israeli orchestra of the same name. She succeeds Danielle Ames Spivak, in the job for 12 years. At Boston Baroque, Hughes was responsible for managing education, strategic planning, finances, operations and development. Previously she was executive director of the Boston-based Cantata Singers for over six years and, before that, director of publicity and coordination for the arts at Wellesley College, a position from which she ran the school’s concert series. She holds a BA from Wellesley and a BM from Brandeis University.
The Greeley (CO) Philharmonic Orchestra has moved Ben Barnhart, its acting executive director since February, to the position permanently. He succeeds Nick Kenney, who left in January for a job in financial planning. The GPO is a fully professional regional ensemble, said to be in business for over a century. Barnhart is a fund-raising executive and has worked with the county humane society, Iowa State University, the University of Northern Colorado, and the American Red Cross.
June 2023
As of October 1, 2023, Philip Setzer, violinist in the soon-to-retire Emerson String Quartet, takes the post of The Manchester (VT) Music Festival’s artistic director, with pianist Jenny Lin taking over from Betsy Bleakie as executive director. In addition to his work with the Emerson, Setzer is the Distinguished Professor of Violin and Chamber Music at SUNY Stony Brook and Visiting Faculty of the Cleveland Institute of Music. The festival he is about to take over boasts a teaching element at its core. Jenny Lin is a Steinway artist with some 50 recordings to her credit. She is on the faculty of the Mannes School at the New School.
The Los Angeles Children’s Chorus has brought Kurt J. Swanson on board as interim executive director. Swanson, over the last 30 years, has served on the business side of the Skylight Comic Opera, DanceCircus, and the Steppenwolf Theater, among others. Lately he has taken a particular interest in interim work, serving as interim general manager of The Broad Stage in Santa Monica and interim COO of The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, where he led the senior staff during a time of transition to a new CEO.
The Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra (SYSO) has named Andrew Krus as its next executive director, effective in August. Krus is a former SYSO board member whose experience includes 17 years as director of performing and visual arts at the Lakeside School in Seattle. His tenure there included capital campaigns for the renovation of two theaters and the launch of an orchestral education program. Krus succeeds Kathleen Allen, who left last fall after 12 years with the organization. SYSO is not affiliated with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra.
Sarah Curran, an arts consultant who has been acting as executive director of the University of Chicago’s presenting series, has moved into the position permanently. She succeeds Amy Iwano, who exited UChicago Presents (UCP) in 2021 to become executive and artistic director of Performance Santa Fe. Curran is identified as having broad experience across all the performing arts, the visual arts, and film. She is the former director of the Center for the Arts at Wesleyan University, where she simultaneously served as managing director of the Institute for Curatorial Practice in Performance (ICPP. For the eight previous years, Curran was with Stanford Arts as the director of programming and partnerships.
Jessica Zweig will succeed Co-founder Stanford Thompson as executive director of Play on Philly (POP), which brings music instruction to thousands of Philadelphia school children. She has been with the 13-year-old organization since 2016 and has played a key role in bringing the El Sistema-based program into the national limelight. She starts July 17.
Ravinia Steans Music Institute (RSMI), now in its 35th year as the educational arm of the famed summer festival, has appointed Midori to be artistic director of its piano and strings program, which runs June 23-July 24, 2024. She succeeds Miriam Fried, currently in her final season after having started in the job in 1994. Midori will oversee coaching and visiting faculty for a program geared to practice and performance by ensembles comprised of young string players and pianists. Part of her remit is recruitment.
The Florida Orchestra (TFO), which prides itself on being the largest orchestra in the state, has named the Spanish industrialist-cum-orchestra manager Ignacio Barrón Viela as its next CEO. Barrón Viela has been CEO of the Reno (NV) Philharmonic for the last nine months. Previously he served in the same capacity at the Billings (MT) Philharmonic, annual budget $2 million, for four years. TFO reports that he “doubled the symphony’s net worth and endowment” while there.
SFJAZZ has appointed Terence Blanchard to the newly created position of executive artistic director. The seven-time Grammy Winner and two-time Academy Award Nominee will oversee the organization’s artistic programming and creative direction, expand its digital platform, and further develop community engagement and educational offerings. A renowned composer, bandleader, and trumpet player, Blanchard has been a genre-stretching artist for more than 40 years whose work includes not only performing but writing film scores, crafting television series soundscapes, and, lately, conceiving grand operas. He has also taught at, among others, the Berklee Institute of Music, The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, and is Chair of Jazz Studies at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.
The Los Angeles–based experimental opera producer The Industry has selected Tim Griffin as its next executive director. He succeeds Cordelia Istel, who has served in an interim capacity. A former editor-in-chief of Artforum and onetime director of the Kitchen, Griffin was most recently a visiting professor in the art history and English departments at Ohio State University in Columbus. He remains a contributing editor of Artforum.
Michelle Williams, head of casting for the English National Opera since 2016, is to be the new director of artistic administration for the Garsington Opera as of next September. She succeeds Laura Canning, the new general director and CEO of Opera North. Williams, who studied singing at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, was previously with the Scottish Opera, most recently as head of casting. In comments, Artistic Director Douglas Boyd noted her “broad experience and skills” as essential in casting and developing young artists.
The Apollo, the iconic Harlem performing arts center dedicated to Black arts and culture, has tapped Michelle Ebanks as its next president and CEO. Recently in the same position with Essence Communications, she succeeds Jonelle Procope, whose tenure of more than two decades proved transformative for the 109-year-old institution. Ebanks brings to her new position an impressive record of achievement in print and electronic media. Beginning her career as corporate business manager for Condé Nast’s 13 titles, she then joined Time Inc., initially as the general manager and financial director for Money magazine. As vice president in Time Inc.’s corporate division, she led the acquisition of Essence and then assumed the position of CEO of Essence Communications.
Scott Guzielek has been named to lead The Academy of Vocal Arts; he has been the organization’s VP and general manager since 2019. He starts July 1, precisely four years after he first arrived from the Palm Beach Opera, where he was artistic director. Guzielek is credited with helping to guide AVA students through Covid-19 and increasing contributed and earned income. He holds a BA in vocal performance from the State University of New York College at Geneseo and an MA in arts management from American University.
Riley Nicholson will be the next executive director of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. Nicholson is the current executive director of the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA). Accomplishments during Nicholson’s three years at SoNA include forming a strategic plan, prioritizing DEI and community in-reach efforts, and increasing educational activity. Nicholson holds a master’s degree in composition from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and BA degrees in psychology and percussion from the University of Memphis.
Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music has hired Jonathan Bailey Holland as dean, starting in September and succeeding Toni-Marie Montgomery, who exits at summer’s end after 20 years in the job. Holland is the current head of the Carnegie Mellon University School of Music, a job he has held for less than one year. Holland’s works have been performed by the Cincinnati, Dallas, Detroit, and National symphonies, as well as contemporary ensembles such as Eighth Blackbird and Roomful of Teeth. Holland holds a Ph.D. in music from Harvard University and a BM from the Curtis Institute of Music, where his teachers included Ned Rorem, a Bienen alumnus. He is a native of Flint, MI.
The College of Fine Arts at The University of Texas at Austin has named Cuban and Latin American music scholar and administrator Susan Thomas as director of the Butler School of Music, effective July 1. Thomas joins the Butler School from the University of Colorado Boulder. She will hold the Florence Thelma Hall Centennial Chair in Music. Thomas received significant grant funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission for which she is leading research projects related to the music cultures of southern Colorado and photoplay music for silent film. While directing the AMRC, she also founded the journal, Americas: A Hemispheric Music Journal, for which she serves as editor-in-chief. Prior to coming to Boulder in 2018, she held a joint appointment in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music and the Institute for Women’s Studies at the University of Georgia.
May 2023
Sebastian Nordmann, director of the Konzerthaus and Konzerthaus Orchestra Berlin, is to be the next executive and artistic director of the Lucerne Festival, succeeding Michael Haefliger, who last fall said he would step down after 26 years at the end of 2025. Nordman, 52, starts on January 1, 2026, and will relocate to Lucerne. Nordmann has been with the Konzerthaus since 2009; previously he was artistic and executive director of the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and served as a consultant with the Boston Group in Berlin. In 2008 he is was appointed professor of Cultural Management at the Rostock University of Music and Theatre; he holds degrees in musicology and modern history gained in Heidelberg and Berlin.
The American Pianists Association (APA) has hired Chris Williams, executive VP of Concert Artists Guild of five years, to be its next CEO. He starts in July, relocating to Indianapolis and succeeding Peter Mraz, who resigned in July 2022; Joanne Bennett, who has been serving as interim, will return to her post as general manager. Prior to his appointment at CAG, Williams, 38, was for two years with Judson Management Group as vice president; before that he was with Frank Solomon Associates for six years as an artist manager. He holds an MM in viola from Yale, and a BM in viola from the University of North Texas.
Los Angeles Philharmonic has named its COO Daniel Song as interim CEO, effective immediately. The current CEO, Chad Smith, is to take that position with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and so will now move in LA to an advisement position. Song was previously LA Phil’s VP of Philharmonic and production for four years. Before that he was VP and general manager at the Aspen Music Festival and before that was with the LA Phil for eight years in development and artistic planning. He holds a BM from the University of Miami.
The Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, a broad musical education program that has impacted thousands of students across Southern California since its 1986 founding, has named Fred Meads to be its new associate artistic director. Meads, music director of the Princeton Boychoir, education director for the Westrick Music Academy, both in New Jersey, will conduct LACC’s Preparatory Choir and Intermediate Choir—two of the organization’s progressively advanced seven ensembles—and oversee LACC’s musicianship program. Meads will start on August 1, succeeding the retiring Mandy Brigham.
The American Youth Symphony (AYS) has appointed one of its former musicians to be its next executive director. She is Isabel Thiroux, who moved from the AYS viola section in 2007 to become an administrative assistant and then gradually worked her way up the ladder. She most recently had been serving as interim executive director, in the wake of Tara Aesquivel’s departure last June. In comments, Music Director Carlos Izcaray called her “an absolute pleasure to work with.” AYS was founded in 1964 by conductor Mehli Mehta.
Chad Smith, chief executive of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, is to be the next CEO of the Boston Symphony Orchestra; he will succeed his former colleague, Gail Samuel. Save for a brief stint with the New York Philharmonic, in 2006, Smith has been with the LA Phil since 2002 and in the top job for the last four years. As such, he has overseen an annual budget in excess of $150 million, including the Philharmonic, the Hollywood Bowl, Disney Hall, et. al. The BSO’s is in the neighborhood of $110 million, including Tanglewood.
Lawrence (Larry) Edelson, founding artistic and general director of the American Lyric Theater (ALT), has been announced as the new general director of the Chicago Opera Theater as of July 1. He will now run both organizations. In Chicago, Edelson succeeds Ashley Magnus, who announced her departure earlier this year; he arrives as COT prepares to launch its 50th-anniversary season. Meaghan Stainback Smallwood has served as interim general director; she will return to her previous position as COT’s director of development on September 1.
Courtney Beck, executive director of the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale, is to move to the same position with Alonzo King LINES Ballet, also based in the Bay Area. She takes the post held since 2019 by company co-founder (with King) and Creative Director Robert Rosenwasser, who will now focus more on creative matters. Rosenwasser had taken over on an interim basis from Karim Eric Baer, who left in 2017. Beck’s long tenure at PBO saw an increase in budget, programming, and audience reach. Prior to serving as the organization’s top executive, she oversaw its fundraising.
Toronto early music enterprise Tafelmusik has appointed Glenn Hodgins , current president and CEO of the Canadian Music Center, as its next executive director, as of June 21. Hodgins, who started his career over three decades ago as Tafelmusik’s touring and operations director, succeeds Carol Kehoe, who exited last June after four years in the job. Hodgins’s nine years at the CMC have led to major advances in fund raising, streaming, publishing, recording, and diversity work. “I am thrilled to return to Tafelmusik, where my career in arts administration began,” he said, noting the uniqueness of being a new leader of an organization “along with [having] a deep understanding of its past.”
Washington National Opera has made some staffing adjustments in artistic planning and production. Samuel Gelber has been promoted from director of artistic planning, a post he assumed in 2018 after working in the same capacity with the Los Angeles Opera, to director of artistic planning and operations. New to the company will be Chelsea Antrim Dennis, who arrives in August as director a production, a job she previously held with the Santa Fe Opera. The two are essentially dividing up the responsibilities previously overseen by Paul Horpedahl, a seasoned consultant in the area. Horpedahl has held the title of “temporary” director of artistic and production operations at WNO since last fall.
Ben Hartley, CEO and founder of Orama Consulting, whose clientele include “Fortune 500 and not-for-profit clients in luxury, media, lifestyle, and culture industries,” is to be the new executive director of Silkroad. He succeeds Kathy Fletcher, who served for three years in the job and has remained involved in a consulting capacity. Hartley’s most recent position was executive director of Manhattan’s 125-year-old National Arts Club, where he is credited with a new strategic plan, renovating the building, and creating arts programming “with a stronger focus on diversity and inclusiveness.”
The York Symphony Orchestra (PA) has named Anthony Wise as its new executive director, effective May 7. As the ensemble’s operations and personnel manager since 2021, Wise succeeds Michael Reichman, now the VP of artistic operations and general manager of the Charlotte (NC) Symphony Orchestra. Wise will be partnering with Lawrence Golan, the orchestra’s music director, to lead the 90-year-old ensemble of professional musicians that offers about ten classical and pops concerts annually on a budget of $1.1 million.
Keith Elder is to become the new president and CEO of the Grand Rapids Symphony as of July 1, 2023. He succeeds Mary Tuuk Kuras, who retired in December 2022; Chuck Frayer has been serving as interim. Elder joins the Grand Rapids ensemble from Oklahoma, where he has been the top man at the Tulsa Symphony for four years. Previous postings include senior management positions at the Aspen Music Festival and School, Eastman School of Music, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops, and directing jazz and popular music concerts at Tanglewood Music Center.
Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra (CYSO), which serves some 10,000 young musicians annually, both at its own facilities and in schools, has named a new executive director in Jennie Oh Brown. She succeeds Susan Lappe, who left in November after five years in the job to become VP of development for the Harris Theatre for Music and Dance. Brown most recently was artistic director with Epiphany Center for the Arts, a landmark venue for which she produced both concerts and educational programs. Before that she was executive and artistic director of Ear Taxi Festival in 2021; founder, director, and faculty member of Credo Flute; and taught at Wheaton College and Elmhurst University. She is on the board of Chamber Music of America.
April 2023
Jenny Mollica will assume the post of interim chief executive of the English National Opera (ENO) next September, succeeding Stuart Murphy, who announced plans to leave last fall. Director of strategy and engagement since 2020, Mollica has been leading the company’s transition and business planning in response to Arts Council England’s mandate that it establish a primary locus of activity outside London, developing new digital programs and strategic partnerships that last year increased and enhanced the engagement with communities throughout the U.K.
John Kieser, longtime executive VP and provost for the New World Symphony, current director of partnerships for Idagio, will relocate en famille from Germany to Calgary to become president and CEO of Honens, a triennial piano competition and summer festival. He arrives in July, succeeding Neil Edwards, now CEO of Peggy’s Cove for Arts and Culture in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Marketing and Communications Director Amanda Smith has been serving as interim since November. Pianist Jon Kimura Parker remains artistic director.
Piper Gunnarson, executive director of On Site Opera since 2017, has been promoted to the post of general director and CEO, effective May 1. She moves into the top administrative position, soon to be vacated by co-founder and Artistic Director Eric Einhorn. He’ll remain with the company through 2023, with the search for a new artistic director underway. Gunnarson is credited with increasing the staff to seven and more than doubling the budget. Board size and character has also grown, with DEI a particular priority. In comments, Einhorn noted her “vision, leadership, and dedication to our mission.”
The Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) has appointed stage director J.J. Hudson as interim artistic director of its Opera Theater. He will start next fall, stepping in for Dean Southern, now the school’s dean and VP of academic and student affairs. Hudson comes to Cleveland from Georgia State University in Atlanta, where he has been Professor of Practice in Opera since fall 2021. Before that, he served as a guest director with a number of professional and conservatory opera companies. He recently staged Dialogues of the Carmelites at CIM.
Stanford Thompson, founder and former executive director of Philly Pops, is to be the first executive director of Equity Arc, a new membership organization formerly known as the National Instrumentalist Mentoring & Advancement Network (NIMAN), which self-defines as “a national coalition that works to align, promote, and develop equitable opportunities for musicians of color.” NIMAN had its first convention last month in Cincinnati.
Laura Canning, director of artistic administration at Garsington Opera, is to be the new general director and CEO of Opera North, succeeding Richard Mantle, who is retiring after 29 years in the job. Canning has been with Garsington—a two-month summer festival on the Wormsley Estate in Buckinghamshire, U.K.—for ten years. Previously, she was artistic administrator at Welsh National Opera until 2008, and with the Houston Grand Opera as director of the Opera Studio young artist training program.
The Saint Louis Symphony has hired Paul Pietrowski as its new COO, effective 10 April 2023; Pietrowski most recently was orchestra, production, and operations manager of the Cincinnati Symphony for six years. He held a similar position with the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, and before that taught music in Virginia and North Carolina. He holds an MM in trombone performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
The Pacific Opera Project (POP) has a new executive director in Katherine Powers, founding director of vocal arts at California School of the Arts. She is also a vocal coach and singer who has performed with POP in the past. She’ll oversee all administrative aspects, working alongside founder and Artistic Director Josh Shaw. “I’ve been performing with POP since its second season and have watched them grow from an irreverent start-up to a genuine culture-maker in Los Angeles,” Katherine said, citing the company’s “unique mix of ransacked classics, rediscovered gems, and provocative new works,” as well as its educational programs.”
Brad Cohen, a native of Sydney, is to be the next general director of the New Zealand Opera (NZO). The former artistic director of the West Australian Opera, he is an active guest conductor of opera and symphonic repertoire, as well as a music editor and publisher. In New Zealand, he succeeds Thomas de Mallet Burgess, in the job for five years before being named artistic director of opera at the Finnish National Opera and Ballet as of August 2023.
Alessio Vlad has added the Regio Theater of Parma to his long list of artistic directorships. Effective immediately, he will hold the post for the next three years, working with the new house Superintendent Luciano Messi. Vlad has been artistic director of the Rome Opera (2010 to 2022), the Ravello Festival (2020), Donizetti Theater of Bergamo (1999), Carlo Felice Theater in Genoa (1999 to 2001), Theater of the Muses of Ancona (2004 to 2014), San Carlo Theater in Naples (2006 to 2007). He served as a consultant to the Spoleto Festival of the Two Worlds (2008 to 2020) and to the Royal Opera House of Oman (2011) and is the current artistic director of the Marche Opera Network.
March 2023
Emma Stenning is to be the new chief executive of The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) as of April 3, 2023. She succeeds Stephen Maddock, who leaves after almost 24 years to become principal at the Royal Birmingham Conservatory. Her arrival coincides with that of Kazuki Yamada, the CBSO’s new chief conductor and artistic advisor. Her most recent post has been as executive director of Toronto’s Soulpepper Theater. Her impressive credentials also include roles as chief executive of Bristol Old Vic, executive director of Battersea Arts Center, head of theater at Arts Council England, and cultural program advisor for the London Organizing Committee for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Henry Filloux-Bennett has been announced of the new executive director of Opera North, effective in May. He succeeds David Collins, in the role since October of 2021. Filloux-Bennett Henry is the current executive director and deputy CEO of HOME arts center in Manchester. Among his other past administrative jobs, he served as a producer and general manager for the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Filloux-Bennett is an author and playwright whose credits include What a Carve Up!, chosen as one of the Guardian’s Top 10 theater shows in 2020. A year later he adapted Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, which has been subsequently viewed in over 70 countries.
Camerata Zürich has announced violinist Esther Hoppe as its next artistic director, succeeding Igor Karsko, as of the 2025-26 season. A soloist, chamber musician, and professor of violin at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, the Swiss violinist is the former first concertmaster of the Munich Chamber Orchestra and prize winner of the International Mozart Competition in Salzburg. With the Tecchler Trio, she has won the German Music Competition, the Prix Credit Suisse, and first prize at the ARD competition in Munich.
Seattle Opera has announced two new appointments starting this month. Marissa Betz-Zall becomes the company’s new chief financial officer (CFO), with Angela Gist as chief operations officer (COO). The new appointees take over from Jane Repensek, who had served as both COO and CFO since 2017. Betz-Zall started work with Seattle Opera in 2013 as a senior accountant and later as a controller. As associate director of finance from 2019 to 2021, she helped steer the company through the pandemic, securing over $11 million in relief funding. In 2021, she left the company to work as CFO client consultant for the remote finance platform RADAR Nonprofit Solutions, where she oversaw the onboarding of multiple new organizations, including Seattle Opera. Returning now as CFO, she will oversee a $25 million budget and be responsible for new funding strategies and ensuring the company’s financial health. Angela Gist joined Seattle Opera in 2021 as director of human resources. As one of the company’s COVID site monitors, over the last two years she was part of a response team that ensured that a not a single performance was cancelled as a result of COVID. Before joining Seattle Opera, she was artistic director of Vashon Center for the Arts and managing director of Freehold Theatre. As COO, she will work with the board to chart the company’s future and oversee the company’s facilities, IT, and HR departments.
Robert van Leer, most recently VP of artistic planning at the Kennedy Center, is to be the new executive director and CEO of California’s Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performng Arts as of April 1. He succeeds Rachel Fine, who left in August and is now heading up the Yale Schwarzman Center. Van Leer’s accomplishments at the Kennedy Center, where he oversaw a $90 million budget, include the launch in 2019 of REACH, the indoor/outdoor space geared to community and new-artist interaction, and the introduction of hip hop and social impact programming.
The Colorado Symphony Orchestra (CSO), which celebrates its centennial during the 2023-24 season, has announced that as of May 8, Mark Cantrell will be the ensemble’s new chief executive officer. He succeeds Jerome H. Kern, who retired as CEO and board chairman in September of 2021. For the past 18 months, Coreen Miller, the CSO’s chief financial officer and chief operating officer, has served in an interim capacity. Cantrell is coming to Colorado from the Florida Orchestra, where he has been president and CEO. He had previously headed up the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. Earlier positions included administrative jobs with several Boston music organizations, teaching positions at Boston University and the University of Massachusetts, and performing as a bass trombonist.
Julie Kent, artistic director of the Washington Ballet since 2016, will join the Houston Ballet as its first-ever co-artistic director next July, sharing the pivotal role with the current Stanton Welch. A 30-year member of the American Ballet Theater, and as such the longest serving ballerina in ABT’s history, Kent, 53, has danced in more than 100 ballets by some of the most noted choreographers in history. In Washington, she is credited with 27 commissions and with bringing not only new but modern classics to the repertoire.
Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival (CCCMF), founded in 1979 by pianist Samuel Sanders, announced the appointment of Ray Salva as its new executive director. A seasoned non-profit professional and year-round resident of Osterville, he assumes the position from long-time Executive Director Elaine Lipton, who has been serving most recently in an emeritus role. With more than 20 years of experience working in the performing arts, museum, and social advocacy sectors, Salva has held leadership roles with organizations ranging from Boston’s Handel & Haydn Society to New York City’s American Museum of Natural History. Prior to joining the Festival, he served as the sole development officer for Cape Cod’s largest arts organization, Cape Symphony.
The Guthrie Theater (Guthrie) has selected Tracy Brigden as senior artistic producer, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on October 31, 2022. Brigden arrived at the Guthrie having accumulated over 20 years of experience as a dynamic artistic leader and artist in Broadway, off-Broadway, and regional theaters. Previously, Brigden served as artistic director at City Theatre Company. During her 16-year tenure, she developed and expanded upon the theatrical offerings and programs that have elevated the company to its respected place as a major incubator for innovative plays and musicals.
February 2023
MacDowell, one of the oldest artist residency programs in the U.S., has tapped Chiwoniso Kaitano as its new executive director, the organization announced Friday. Kaitano joins MacDowell with a mandate to “intensify outreach to traditionally underrepresented artistic voices,” among other charges, a release said. Kaitano is the former executive director of Girl Be Heard, a nongovernmental organization that uses theater and the performing arts to advocate for social change. Originally from Zimbabwe, she also serves on the boards of several arts organizations.
Finnish violist Lilli Maijala, head of the viola faculty at her alma mater the Sibelius Academy, has added the Zurich University of the Arts to her CV, where she will start in fall as professor of viola. Maijala is a specialist in contemporary repertoire and performs in an experimental-quartet lab with violinists Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Pekka Kuusisto, and cellist Pieter Wispelwey. She is also a member of the Valo Quartet.
Flutist/composer Valerie Coleman will join the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music (MSM) next fall; she will teach flute, composition, and chamber music.
Violist Lech Antonio Uszynsk arrives on the faculty of The Royal Conservatoire The Hague next September. A member of the Stradivari Quartet since 2010 and an international soloist, he has a recordings catalog that includes Steve Reich’s quartets Different Trains and Triple Quartet for Warner Classics, chamber music versions of Mahler Symphonies Nos. 1 and 4, and a solo album, Progetto Gibson, for Sony Classical.
The University of Arkansas’ Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences has appointed bassoonist Lia Uribe as chair of its department of music, which offers a BM degree in vocal and instrumental performance as well as conducting, composing, music education, music history, and jazz.
Opéra de Lausanne has appointed Claude Cortese, current artistic director at Opéra national du Rhin in Strasbourg, to be its next director as of July 1, 2024. He succeeds Eric Vigié, who will have been in the job 20 years. A musician by training, Cortese, 51, first came to Opéra de Lausanne at age 19, as a stage manager. Later he was production manager at the Grand Théâtre de Genève. Before his current, Strasbourg job, Cortese was artistic director of the Opéra national de Lorraine in Nancy, and before that Angers Nantes Opéra.
Paolo Petrocelli resigned after three years as founding director general of the Stauffer Academy in Cremona to become the new head of the Dubai Opera House, a multi-genre presenter. He started the job in the United Arab Emirates in February. Petrocelli is former associate director at MG Artists and Advisor for International Development and Special Projects at Royal Opera House Muscat in Oman. He has also served as assistant to the superintendent for international development and external relations of Fondazione Teatro dell’Opera di Roma and Director of International Projects at Oregon Music Festival.
The Robert McDuffie Center for Strings in Mercer University’s Townsend School of Music in Macon, GA, is welcoming back two cellists as new members of its faculty. Next autumn, Sihao He, who received an undergraduate degree from the Center in 2015 before continuing his studies at Northwestern’s Bienen School of Music, will join the faculty as distinguished artist and lead cello teacher. Joining Sihao on the faculty will be his mentor, Hans Jørgen Jensen. “I am coming back because I really love the Center, but also because I want to support Sihao He,” Jensen said. “Sihao and I have worked together for many years…. [He] is an incredible cellist and teacher.”
Alexander Brose has been selected to succeed Peter Simon as president & CEO of Canada’s Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) in August of 2024. As of next fall, he’ll serve as president designate until with Simon retires at the end of the school year. Brose was the inaugural executive director and CEO of the Tianjin Juilliard School until the end of the last school year. His skills as a Mandarin speaker, student of Asian studies, and onetime professional vocalist helped him establish a footprint for Juilliard in China. Prior to his five-year term there he was VP for development at the Aspen Music Festival and School in Colorado and, before that, a senior manager at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Oregon Ballet Theater, approaching its 35th anniversary and including a school with an enrollment of over 300, has named choreographer Danielle (Dani) Rowe as its next artistic director, effective presently. She succeeds Peter Franc, who has been serving as interim since 2021. The company also has a new executive director in Shane Jewell, who came on board in January after serving as general manager of the New York City-based Gibney Company, a contemporary ensemble.
Flutist Tara Helen O’Connor, a highly credentialled performer and pedagogue, has been appointed visiting associate professor, adjunct, at the Yale School of Music, effective next fall. A contemporary music champion, she has premiered hundreds of works, is a member of the Windscape woodwind quintet and the Bach Aria Group, and has played as a substitute in the New York Philharmonic, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.
Violist Paul Laraia, a member of the Catalyst Quartet and artist-in-residence of Chamber Music Northwest, has joined the faculty as an associate professor at the Boston Conservatory of Music at Berklee. Laraia is a first-prize winner of the 2019 Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition and the 2011 Sphinx Competition and has performed as a soloist with a number of U.S. orchestras.
South Korean pianist HieYon Choi has joined the Peabody Conservatory faculty, arriving from her tenured position as chair of the piano department at Seoul National University. Known for her two complete cycles of Beethoven sonatas, performed internationally, plus a cycle of his complete chamber works with piano, she has recorded works by Liszt, Debussy, Beethoven, and Chopin, and given lectures and master classes Stateside and in Europe.
German soprano Juliane Banse is to succeed Susan Bullock as head professor of the “Alfredo Kraus” Fundación Ramón Areces Voice Chair at Madrid’s Reina Sofia School of Music as of the 2023-2024 academic year. With an unusually wide range of repertoire, from the Marschallin to Donna Elvira, Banse comes to Madrid after several years teaching at the Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf and the University Mozarteum Salzburg.
Last fall, tubist Aaron Tindall joined the brass faculty of the Colburn School. He is particularly active in the state of Florida, serving as principal tubist of the Naples Philharmonic, Sarasota Orchestra, and associate professor of tuba and euphonium at the Frost School of Music, University of Miami.
Theater and opera director Mary Birnbaum is to be the new general and artistic director of Opera Saratoga, whose origins date back some 60 years (it was previously known as Lake George Opera). She succeeds Larry Edelson, who announced in May that he would be exiting at the close of last summer’s season. Birnbaum teaches acting for singers at the Juilliard School, serving as dramatic advisor to the MM and diploma programs at the Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts. She will continue her work there as she adds Opera Saratoga to her portfolio.
Aviel Cahn, general director of the Grand Théâtre de Genève, has been named intendant of Deutsche Oper Berlin as of August, 2026. He succeeds Dietmar Schwarz, whose contract expires one year prior. Cahn, VP of Opera Europa for three years, up until last June, has been with Geneva since 2019. Prior to that he was for ten years intendant of Belgium Opera Ballet Vlaanderen; he’s also served as managing director of the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, director of opera for Stadttheater Bern, and held positions with the Finnish National Opera and the China National Symphony Orchestra. He holds a doctor of law from Zurich University.
Clare Fox Hillard, music director and conductor of the Albany (GA) Symphony Orchestra, is the new president of the International Conductors Guild. Elected for a two-year term during the ICG’s recent three-day conference in Valencia, Spain, he succeeds Julius P. Williams. Hillard, a native of Grand Rapids, MI, made his podium debut at 18 and went on to earn masters and doctoral degrees from the University of Iowa. He received additional training from notable conductors such as Leonard Slatkin, Pierre Boulez, Maurice Abravanel, and Jorge Mester.
Olivier Py is to be the new artistic director of Paris’s Théâtre du Châtelet. Py, former director of the Avignon Festival, is something of a cultural hero, and news of his appointment had been deemed “a sure promise of audacity, joy, surprises and impertinence,” by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo. In addition to heading the Festival d’Avignon from 2014 to 2022, Py is a playwright, director of opera and plays, author, actor, and singer. Quite understandably, Châtelet Board Chair Xavier Couture called him a “major figure in the performing arts.”
The Washington Chorus has announced that Anthony Salvi-Exner its new executive director. He previously sang with The Washington Chorus and was a board member before his appointment as interim executive director in August 2022. He brings 30 years of executive leadership experience working in a variety of organizations, having held several CEO positions, including most recently at VMD Corp, a professional services company.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG announced that Heran Sereke-Brhan, Ph.D. has joined the firm as vice president, practice leader to support the Strategic Planning & Community Engagement service area. Based in ACG’s Washington, DC, location, Sereke-Brhan brings to the firm vast expertise in change management, community development, strategic visioning, and grant-making programs within the arts and culture and government sectors.
Pratt Fine Arts Center has selected Jessica Borusky as executive director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). They began their tenure on January 13, 2023. Borusky arrives to the visual arts organization as a cultural leader whose practice is grounded in community building and equitable, accessible art education.
An experienced leader in arts advocacy, operations, and education, Shannon Kelly joins the Virginia Symphony Orchestra as vice president of development and operations following her tenure as senior director of government affairs at the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. In this role, Kelly delivered an increase in local, state, and federal public funding to support the Foundation’s programs, including the Institute for Early Learning through the Arts and Wolf Trap Opera.
January 2023
The Boston Symphony Orchestra has named Ed Gazouleas as interim director of the Tanglewood Music Center. Gazouleas is the current provost of the Curtis Institute and was for 24 years a member of the BSO viola section. He was active in key roles such as chairing the orchestra’s artistic advisory committee, and serving on the search committee that chose Andris Nelsons as music director. He’s been on the TMC faculty for 18 seasons, as well as the faculties of a number of other conservatories, including Jacobs School of Music at IU, New England Conservatory, and, of course, the Curtis Institute, of which he is an alumnus.
The Pittsburgh Ballet Theater (PBT) has hired Adam McKinney, 46, as its new artistic director as of March 15. McKinney, currently an associate professor of dance at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, attended the Milwaukee Ballet School and Butler University before dancing with the Milwaukee Ballet for five years. He appeared as well in New York with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet. He has also taught at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater School.
Soprano Melody Moore is to be the new artistic administrator of the San Diego Opera, reporting to General Director David Bennett and succeeding not one but two individuals: Dominic Domingo, now a senior agent at Askonas Holt, and Jordanna Rose, current director of artistic operations for Opera Colorado. Moore will continue her singing career alongside her new post. At San Diego Opera, she will be working with Joan Foster, director of production and artistic administration.
Peter Kjome, who exited his post as president and CEO of the Baltimore Symphony a year ago, has been hired by the Phoenix Symphony for the same position, effective February 1. He succeeds Suzanne Wilson, in the job two years. Formerly in marketing and strategic planning at 3M, Kjome holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and is an alumnus of the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Sam Jackson will leave his current position as executive VP of Global Classics & Jazz at Universal Music Group to become the new controller of BBC Radio 3, a position from which he will oversee the network as well as the BBC Proms, which his new employer defines as “the world’s biggest classical music festival.” Prior to UMG, Jackson was for 15 years with Global, said to be Europe’s largest radio company.
Opera Omaha has appointed Allison Swenson, development director at Santa Fe Opera, as its next general director. She succeeds Roger Weitz, who announced his intention to move on last May. Swenson, 37, has been with Santa Fe since 2013; at one time she was assistant to former General Director Charles MacKay, who gives her a tremendous vote of confidence in a recent article in the Omaha World Herald. Swenson was among 40 individuals who applied for the job. She starts in mid-February.
Juan José Escalante, executive director of the National Dance Institute (NDI), a noted arts-education program, is the new executive director of the Miami City Ballet as of February 6. He succeeds Tania Castroverde Moskalenko, who left in 2022 after four years in the job. He will work with Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez, overseeing all matters administrative with a focus on expanding the company, one of the country’s most prestigious, as well as its school. Also mentioned in his remit are “a digital transformation of the organization, both internally and on our stages,” as well increased community-engagement activity and touring.
KMFA Classical, an independent public classical radio station in Austin, TX, has appointed George Preston as its new CEO. Preston arrives after serving for the last three years as VP of radio and GM of WFMT, Chicago, a high-profile classical outlet for which he initially hosted and produced the internationally syndicated Lyric Opera of Chicago broadcasts. Also on his CV is host and music director at WNYC, New York City’s primary NPR station, a tenure at Boson’s WBUR, and an impressive opera career singing such roles as Papageno in The Magic Flute and leads in The Marriage of Figaro, Kiss Me Kate, and The Music Man.
The Royal Albert Hall has appointed James Ainscough as its new chief executive officer, effective in the late spring of 2023. He succeeds Craig Hassall, who stepped down on December 16, 2022 to become president and chief executive of Playhouse Square in Cleveland, OH. Dan Freeman, the Hall’s chief operating officer, will continue to act as Interim CEO until Ainscough arrives. The appointment reunites Ainscough with an institution he served from January 2008 to December 2017, first as director of finance and administration and then as chief operating officer. Since leaving RAH, he served as CEO of Help Musicians, a charity for both working and retired professional musicians of all genres.
Jean Davidson, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Master Chorale since 2015, is to succeed Gary Ginstling as executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra, effective April 1. At the 58-year-old Master Chorale, she grew the budget by 50 percent from 2015-2019; her fund-raising prowess came into view most recently when she secured the Chorale’s largest gift ever: $2.55 million in unrestricted funds from the Perenchio Foundation as part of a successful pandemic recovery effort.
Chris Lorway, executive and artistic director of Stanford Live, California University’s presenting series (200 performances/four venues), is to be the next president and CEO of the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, effective in April. He succeeds Janice Price, who announced in July 2019 that she would not be renewing her contract when it expires in March of 2023. Lorway, 49, is a native of Cape Breton, off Nova Scotia, and is a Canadian citizen. Prior to Stanford Live, he was for two years director of programming and marketing at The Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall—home to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
The New York City Ballet has hired Alexei Ratmansky as artist in residence—a new position for this company—beginning in August, just two months after he leaves ABT. With an initial contract of five years, he is committed to create at least one new work a year, with the first planned to make its debut during the winter portion of NYCB’s 2023-24, 75th-anniversary season.
Atlanta Ballet has selected Juliana Han Witt as chief advancement officer, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on June 26, 2022. Prior to joining Atlanta Ballet, Witt held senior roles in various renowned cultural institutions including The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Metropolitan Opera, and National Dance Institute.
The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO) has selected Michael Reichman as vice president of artistic operations and general manager, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on January 9, 2023. Prior to joining the CSO, Reichman served as executive director for the York Symphony Orchestra (YSO) in York, PA.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Hywel W. Sims has joined the firm as senior vice president to expand the Planning and Capacity Building area of the firm. Based in ACG’s New Orleans location, Sims brings 30 years of expertise in the U.S., U.K., and Australia in leading and building support for organizations, including during times of financial challenges, contractions, and growth, as well as in responding community needs in the arts and social service sectors.
December 2022
Arts Access, an editorial partnership between KERA and The Dallas Morning News, has hired multimedia journalist Samantha Guzman as its editor.. Launched in October, the new community journalism effort has embraced the mission of providing “arts, music and culture coverage in North Texas through the lens of equity and access.” Guzman, daughter of immigrants from the Dominican Republic, grew up in Grand Prairie, TX, and received degrees in photojournalism and journalism from the University of North Texas. She has worked previously at KERA, the Dallas affiliate of NPR and PBS, as associate producer for a midday talk show, and is currently executive editor of a community journal specializing in visual storytelling at Austin PBS.
Brooklyn’s much-heralded new music venue National Sawdust has announced a new managing director in Ana De Archuleta, who has for the last year been director of artistic operations. In turn, Kim Chan, deputy director and head of external affairs, is now senior director, and senior producer Alexander Barnes steps up to director of artistic operations and artistic administrator.
The Charlotte Symphony, founded in 1932, now with 62 full-time professional musicians, has announced its new VP of artistic operations and general manager, reporting to President and CEO David Fisk. He is Michael Reichman, who has been serving as executive director of the York (PA) Symphony for seven years. Reichman holds an MM of music in conducting from the New England Conservatory and is a professional musician, having this past year played second flute for the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra’s transatlantic partnership with the Bayerische Philharmonie. He simultaneously served as Denver’s general manager.
City of London Sinfonia (CLS), now its 51st season, has a new CEO arriving in April 2023. She is Rowan Rutter, known primarily for her work as a theater producer and administrator. She arrives after serving as executive director and joint chief executive at HighTide, which specializes in mounting new work. She succeeds Elaine Baines, the orchestra’s COO who has been serving as interim.
Anastasia Tsioulcas, a staff cultural correspondent for NPR, joined The New York Times’s freelance classical music reviewing staff November 2022. She remains fulltime at NPR as well. Previously, Tsioulcas, originally from Boston, was editor of Sony Music Entertainment’s online magazine Ariama and a freelance journalist for a number of music outlets, including Billboard and Gramophone. She was on staff at BMG Music for four years, working in classical music, jazz, and world music. Tsioulcas holds a BA in Comparative Religion from Barnard College.
The Virginia Symphony Orchestra (VSO) has a new president and CEO in Andrea F. Warren, in the job since early December. She succeeds Karen M. Philion, who announced in April that she would be leaving after over a decade in the job. Warren, the first black woman to lead a professional American orchestra, arrives with significant experience in education administration. Her most recent position was executive director of the Governor’s School for the Arts in Norfolk, VA, which offers after-school programs in the performing and visual arts. She also served as principal of Norfolk’s Plaza Middle School and assistant principal of Bayside High/Middle School.
Opera and music theater director Jo Davies is to be the new artistic director of Opera Australia, effective in November of 2023 and succeeding Lyndon Terracini, who was in the job 13 years before opting out of a contract renewal. He left prematurely in October. Davies, whose experience ranges from operas at Covent Garden to musicals at the Barbican, will relocate to Sydney in fall of 2023. The remit of Allan’s new hire is to focus on native talent and “reflect the Australian community and spirit.”
Violinist Curtis Stewart, also a composer and genre-bending improvisor, is to succeed composer Derek Bermel as artistic director of the American Composers Orchestra. A graduate of the Eastman School with a degree in mathematics, Stewart has a wide-ranging career, and is well-regarded among the new music intelligentsia. Performance activity ranges from glittery onstage miked appearances with orchestra to teaching chamber music at the Juilliard School and the Perlman Music Program to performing on the New York Philharmonic “Bandwagon” series.
Glenn Briffa has been installed as CFO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, having served as interim since July, when he succeeded Karen Sturges. Briffa will oversee the financial, information technology, and office administration functions of the largest-budget orchestra in the United States, currently reported at $148 million. He arrives to the job after two years as a finance consultant to small and medium sizes businesses. Prior to that he was CFO of a number of New York City-based firms, including We’re Magnetic LLC, MediaLink, TBA Global, Bono’s (RED), and, from 2003-10, Viacom Music Group. Briffa lives in New Jersey and holds a BS in finance and economics from NYU and an MBA in finance from Pace University.
The League of American Orchestras has appointed Andrew Clark, recent director of finance for Philadelphia’s Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence, as VP, finance and administration. He succeeds Marc Martin, now with the Dance Theater of Harlem. Clark will oversee the League’s finances, human resources, and information technology.
Lee Bynum, VP of impact at Minnesota Opera for two years, is to be the chief of education for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) as of February 1. The description of his role by LCPA is nonspecific, other than to say he “will build upon the organization’s storied history and re-imagine the role of education at Lincoln Center.” In Minnesota, Bynum was in charge of community learning, education, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Prior to that, he was at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation as associate director of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship program, administering DEI grants to colleges and universities. Bynum holds graduate and undergraduate degrees in history and education from Columbia University and was his alma mater’s assistant director of the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race. He also spent a year as a visiting scholar at Caritas Francis Hsu College in Hong Kong.
Violinist and new-music champion Jennifer Koh is the new artistic director of the Kennedy Center’s Fortas Chamber Music Concerts. The appointment is effective immediately into spring of 2026, with her first fully programmed season in 2024-25. In welcoming her, KenCen President Deborah Rutter expressed confidence that Koh would build on Kalichstein’s legacy, while at the same time “push us forward in her artistic vision.”
Erik Finley, vice president and general manager of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra since 2017, is to move to the position of vice president of artistic planning for the Minnesota Orchestra, a post in which he’ll be leading the artistic and digital teams, working with Music Director Designate Thomas Søndergård. He starts January 30, 2023, reporting to President and CEO Michelle Miller Burns.
November 2022
Fort Worth Opera announced that its new general director would be soprano Angela Turner Wilson, who will hold the additional title of artistic director. With stage credits including the New York City, D.C., and Portland opera companies, along with Fort Worth, Wilson, 51, is associate professor of professional practice in voice at Texas Christian University and chair of the vocal arts division. Wilson holds an MM in Vocal Performance from the New England Conservatory. She starts December 12.
Sheri Notaro has joined the Minnesota Orchestra as its first vice president of people and culture. Her charge—to provide “strategic direction and tactical support” for human resources and lead anti-racism initiatives. Although new to the orchestra world, Notaro is a seasoned pro when it comes to diversity work. She served the Institute of Social Research at the University of Michigan as senior leader and previously held positions in human resources and diversity and inclusion programs.
Sarah Caggiano, recent executive director of continuing and expanded education at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), has joined the New England Conservatory with a mandate to expand its Preparatory School (NEC Prep) offerings as well as its adult education, summer, and other non-degree-granting programs. The school cites part of her job as creating partnerships and operations on and off campus and expanding enrollment. She takes the title of executive director of expanded education.
As of this month, Graham Parker moves from being interim executive director of the Louisville Orchestra to the position of chief executive. The former president of Decca Records U.S. at Universal Music Group, in which capacity he connected with Teddy Abrams, the LO’s music director of nine years, Parker first joined the Kentucky outfit one year ago as interim. Parker has wasted no time in furthering Abrams’s goal of making the orchestra central to life in Louisville and beyond, first by implementing the Creators Corps program that brings composers to reside in town and create new work for their environs.
Awadagin Pratt joins the San Francisco Conservatory of Music as professor of piano in July and will accept students into his studio as of the fall. Currently professor of piano and artist-in-residence at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, Pratt is an acclaimed performer and onetime artistic director of the Cincinnati World Piano Competition, a post he now holds with the annual Art of the Piano festival.
The New England Conservatory (NEC) announced that alumnus Minsoo Sohn would be joining the piano faculty as of next fall. A highly accomplished performer, he recently proved his prowess as a teacher when South Korean pianist Yunchan Lim took first prize at the 2022 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, making him the youngest winner in the competition’s history. Minsoo Sohn, himself the top winner of 2006 Honens International Piano Competition, has been on the faculty at the Korean National University of Arts since 2015, prior to which he taught at Michigan State University.
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, the now nearly 40-year-old organization credited with creating the city’s 14-block “cultural district” as a means of socio-economic revitalization, has announced a new president and CEO, the first person of color to hold the post. She is Kendra Whitlock Ingram, who currently holds the same title at the Marcus Performing Arts Center in Milwaukee, WI. In Pittsburgh, she succeeds the retiring. J. Kevin McMahon and starts in February.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Jeff Erbach has joined the firm as associate vice president to support executive search and leadership transitions, as well as the planning and capacity building areas of the firm. Based in ACG’s Calgary location, Erbach brings to the company more than 30 years of expertise in cultural diplomacy, change management, and arts education focused on inclusion, diversity, equity, and access.
Oregon Ballet Theatre has selected Shane Jewell as executive director following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He will begin his tenure on January 9, 2023. Jewell has over 20 years’ experience in performing arts administration. Most recently, Jewell served as general manager for Gibney Company, a new contemporary dance establishment based in New York City. Jewell led the company through a dynamic period of transformation, developing infrastructure necessary for domestic and international touring, building strategic partnerships, and advancing entrepreneurial initiatives.
October 2022
The Johnstown( PA) Symphony has a new executive director in Erin Codey, in the job on an interim basis since July. Codey, who has taught visual and performing arts for the last ten years, holds an undergraduate degree in media production from Quinnipiac University and a master’s degree in art education. She will be working with Music Director James Blachly and succeeds Jessica Satava, now executive director of the Greenville (SC) Symphony.
The San Diego Master Chorale has appointed Jan Rogers as the first full-time executive director in its 61-year history. The 100-member group, of high-level volunteers and paid professionals, performs under Music Director John K. Russell. The new hire arrives after serving as a consultant for choruses since leaving the top executive post at the Phoenix (AZ) Chorale in 2021.
José Martinez, former director of the National Dance Company of Spain and Étoile dancer of the Ballet de l’Opéra de Paris, is to be the next director of the Paris Opera Ballet. He starts in December, succeeding Aurélie Dupont who left in July. Martinez joined the Ballet de the Paris Opera in 1988 before being named Étoile in 1997; he left in 2011 to run the Spanish company; after eight years in that job he turned to free-lance teaching and choreography. Apart from two of his ballets set to premiere in Bordeaux and Stockholm in 2023, he will now turn his efforts exclusively to the Paris Opera Ballet.
Baptiste Charroing, current director of production at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, has been appointed director general designate of the theater, set to succeed Michel Franck in 2025, now in his third term in the job. Carroing, a violist by training, has been with TCE since 2020, and served in various capacities beforehand, including artist management and recording.
Cristiano Sandri, director of programming for the Verdi Festival and the Teatro Regio di Parma, is to become artistic director of the Teatro Regio di Torino next January. He succeeds Sebastian F. Schwarz, who arrived in 2019. Sandri has been an artist manager and worked in casting for Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.
Opera Europa has selected Karen Stone to become the new director of the Brussels-based service organization as of Jan 1, 2023. She succeeds Nicholas Payne, in the position for 19 years. Stone, who recently retired after 13 years as Intendantin at Theater Magdeburg, has previously been general director at The Dallas Opera, Generalintendantin at Oper Graz, and opera director at Oper Köln. She has also held various positions in theaters in Germany and the U.K. and enjoyed an international career as a stage director.
La Musica International Chamber Music Festival, in Sarasota, FL, has selected Wu Han as its new artistic director. She succeeds Bruno Giuranna, who co-founded the festival 37 years ago. In announcing the appointment, the festival’s board president, Bruce Lehman, noted: “We chose Wu Han because of the breadth of her reputation, her commitment to engaging younger musicians and audiences, and her sheer love of the chamber music canon.”
Ji Su Jung has joined the timpani and percussion faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music. She arrives at Curtis from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, where she will continue on the faculty as a lecturer. She graduated from Peabody and holds an MM from the Yale School of Music, where she studied under Robert van Sice, her new Curtis colleague.
New on the Eastman School of Music full-time faculty is saxophonist/composer Christine Jensen, as assistant professor of jazz and contemporary media. In the midst of a thriving international career as a soloist and composer, she is the founding artistic director and conductor of the Canadian National Jazz Orchestra, as well as the past artistic director of Orchestre National Jazz de Montreal.
The Penn State College of Arts and Architecture has hired double bassist Patricia Weitzel as assistant teaching professor. A member of the Columbus Symphony, she was previously lecturer of double bass at Columbus State and has served on the faculties of Augustana College, Central College, Grinnell College, St. Ambrose University, and Drake University.
Both the opera and ballet of the Finish National Opera are getting new artistic directors. Javier Torres López arrived at the National Ballet in that capacity on August 1, 2022, and Thomas de Mallet Burgess is slated to succeed Lilli Paasikivi (in the job since 2013) at the artistic helm of the National Opera in August of 2023. Both men report to General Director Gita Kadambi. Torres has been a noted free-lance choreographer and teacher for 30 years and danced with the company from 1991 to 2008. Burgess, general director at New Zealand Opera since 2018, enjoys an international reputation as an expert in performing arts training and education and places special importance on diversity and inclusion.
The Association of British Orchestras (ABO) has tapped Judith Webster as its new chief executive, beginning Nov. 14. She succeeds Mark Pemberton, who stepped down on Sept. 30 after 15 years in post. The ABO serves the U.K.’s professional orchestras, youth ensembles, and the wider classical music industry by offering advice, support, intelligence, and information to the industry.
Violinist Colin Jacobsen, co-founder of the Knights and Brooklyn Rider, is to succeed Anne-Marie McDermott as artistic director of the Santa Fe Pro Musica. Santa Fe Pro Musica, which specializes in the Baroque, presents orchestral and chamber concerts. Jacobsen begins his new role with at the Bach Festival in December. A graduate of the Juilliard School and the Royal Conservatory of the Hague, Jacobsen has performed internationally and participated in residencies at New York’s 92nd St. Y, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Hollywood Bowl.
Swallow Hill Music has selected Aengus Finnan as president and CEO following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on October 1, 2022. With a distinguished international career of more than 20 years in music and performing arts, Aengus Finnan most recently served as executive director at Folk Alliance International (FAI). During his tenure, Finnan doubled the institution’s annual budget, increased its global reach from 9 to 46 countries, and cultivated vital partnerships with several renowned organizations, including UNESCO, Recording Academy, International Rescue Committee, and Smithsonian.
Intermusica welcomed Isabella Gage in the newly created position of senior artist manager & manager to The King’s Singers. She joins Intermusica from IMG Artists, where she held the position of vice president in its Vocal Division, working with such artists as Alice Coote, John Chest, Clive Bayley and Sara Fulgoni.
September 2022
French conductor Stéphane Denève will succeed Michael Tilson Thomas as artistic director of the New World Symphony as of the 2022-23 season. MTT, who cofounded NWS with Ted and Lin Arison 35 years ago, will stay connected to his ground-breaking project as its artistic director laureate. Denève, who has been guest conducting at NWS since 2006, is the current music director of the St. Louis Symphony and starts as principal guest conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic in 2023.
The Boston Lyric Opera has named Bradley Vernatter as its general director and CEO, following his two years acting as GD and artistic director. The latter position has been spun off, at Vernatter’s suggestion, to be a dedicated one reporting to Vernatter and working on artistic planning with Music Director David Angus. Vernatter, previously BLO’s COO, is credited with not only keeping things on track during the pandemic, but with developing new initiatives such as the streaming platform, operabox.tv, whose productions included an animated film of Philip Glass’s The Fall of the House of Usher, an adaptation of Ana Sokolovic’s Svadba, and the miniseries desert in.
Following his year-long stint as interim, Matthew Spivey has been named CEO of the San Francisco Symphony, an organization he joined in 2015 as director of artistic planning under now laureate Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas. He was made official today after a year guiding Esa-Pekka Salonen’s first full season as SFS music director. The orchestra’s accomplishments during Spivey’s interim tenure include the release of two digital projects led by Salonen: Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale, a collaboration with British director, designer, and video artist Netia Jones; and Ligeti: Paradigms, another collaboration merging the composer’s music with media artist Refik Anadol, Dolby Labs, and SFS “collaborative partner” Carol Reiley.
The Ulster Orchestra has appointed Auveen Sands as its first female chief executive. She will assume the position, which has been held by Richard Wigley for more than six years, in October. Sands joined the orchestra as head of finance and operations in January 2014, after a career of more than 15 years in corporate banking. She played a key role in keeping the ensemble afloat after severe public funding cuts threatened its continuation and has worked closely with Wigley on strategic issues.
Pianist William Ransom is to succeed Christopher Rex as artistic director of the Amelia Island (GA) Chamber Music Festival. Rex, who founded the event in 2001, died last March, having retired from the Atlanta Symphony in 2018 after 39 years as principal cello of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Amelia Island offers about a dozen events annually, in various venues. Running it will become one of Ransom’s many hats, which also include being founder and artistic director of the Emory Chamber Music Society in Atlanta, artistic director of the Highlands-Cashiers (NC) Chamber Music Festival, and Professor of Piano at Emory University. He and Rex were close Atlanta colleagues.
Boston University Tanglewood Institute (BUTI), the Lenox, MA, summer program for young musicians ages 14 to 20 founded in 1954 that links the BU College of Fine Arts with Tanglewood and the BSO, has a new executive director in Nicole Wendl. Also a noted violinist, Wendl has served as program manager of Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival in Burlington, Vermont, and co-founder and -director of the Lumino Festival in Falls Village, Connecticut.
At the Oregon Symphony, Clement So has succeeded Charles Calmer as VP for programming. So arrives from the San Diego Symphony, where he was VP for artistic planning for five years. Before that he was artistic administrator of New York’s 92nd Street Y for over 10 years. In Oregon he’ll work with Music Director David Danzmayr, who succeeded Carlos Kalmar as music director last season. So will report to President and CEO Scott Showalter. Calmer has retired.
Unitey Kull has joined the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra as VP of marketing and audience experience; she succeeds David Nischwitz, who left earlier in the year for a similar position with Drury Hotels, also in St. Louis. Kull comes to the SLSO from a similar position at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (CAM) where she is credited with nearly doubling visitor-ship over the last ten years. Before that she was executive director of the Manhattan New Music Project, a nonprofit performing and arts-education organization. She holds an MBA from George Washington University.
The Boise Philharmonic, which prides itself on being Idaho’s oldest performing arts organization, has a new executive director in New Zealand native Tim Young. He arrives from a stint as a consultant, having stepped down last January as executive director of the Reno (NV) Philharmonic, a job he held for 19 years. The Reno Phil, where he is credited with expanding programming and financial resources, says it is the largest performing arts organization in the state.
Michael S. Rosenberg, recent managing director of McCarter Theater Center in Princeton (NJ), longtime managing director of La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, CA, is to be the new president and CEO of New York’s City Center. He succeeds Arlene Shuler, who announced her intention to retire last December, after nearly 20 years in the job.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Flora Stamatiades has joined the firm as associate vice president to expand the Leadership Transitions practice area. Based in ACG’s New York location, she brings more than 30 years of expertise in consensus building, strategic planning, organizational changes, and business negotiations.
Intermusica today announced the appointment of two new members to its Vocal & Opera team. Nathan Morrison will join the Vocal & Opera department as associate director. With degrees in both music and law, Morrison trained as a singer before forging his career at Askonas Holt, where he rose through the company to senior manager. Nicholas Moloney joined as senior artist manager. An accomplished pianist, Moloney worked closely with singers and creative teams as artistic administrator of English Touring Opera, where he helped to build and develop the company’s future strategy. Following this, he moved to the UK Government’s Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), where he was integral in delivering COVID-19 recovery programs for the live events sector.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Dat Ngo has joined the firm as associate vice president to support the Executive Search and IDEAS practice areas. Based in ACG’s Washington, DC, location, Ngo brings over 20 years of experience in arts education, program planning, strategic visioning, diversity training, executive coaching, and community engagement.
Grand Performances has selected Rafael González as president and CEO, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on August 2, 2022. A well-versed leader in the nonprofit, government, and philanthropic sectors, González previously held a position as Director of Community Outreach and Engagement for the Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission. While there, González implemented effective outreach strategies to ensure healthy and stable community development.
August 2022
The Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) has named Sonja Kostich as its new executive director, effective in mid-October 2022 after board approval. She succeeds Cora Cahan, the organization’s president and CEO from October 2019. As BAC’s administrative head, Kostich will work alongside Baryshnikov to oversee all aspects of an organization that since it was founded in 2005 has become a gathering place for artists from all disciplines.
The Los Angeles Ballet, now in its 17th season, has selected Melissa Barak as the company’s new artistic director. An accomplished ballet dancer and choreographer, she succeeds Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary, the founding co-artistic directors. Barak is returning to the company for which she was a leading dancer from 2006 to 2011. Barak has created new works for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Richmond Ballet, Dayton Ballet, American Repertory Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Los Angeles Ballet, and Barak Ballet, a Los Angeles based contemporary ballet company she founded in 2013.
Washington National Opera has chosen Christopher Cano to be the next director of the Cafritz Young Artists (CYA) and American Opera Initiative (AOI). He starts in September, succeeding Robert Ainsley, in the job since 2016. In the latter capacity, Ainsley succeeds Francesca Zambello, also artistic director of the Washington National Opera, essentially replacing his former boss at WNO, since Zambello had long run both. Cano now reports to her as well as WNO General Director Timothy O’Leary.
Danni Gee, longtime dance curator for Central Park’s free outdoor festival SummerStage, has been named director of programming for the Joyce Theater, New York’s core dance venue and presenter of small/visiting troupes. Gee is a former member of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and onetime member of Philadanco, with which she danced on the Joyce stage as a young artist.
Craig Hassall, CEO of London’s Royal Albert Hall since 2017, has announced his resignation, effective at the end of 2022. He is leaving to assume the role of president and chief executive of Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio. In assuming his new position, Hassall replaces retiring CEO Gina Vernaci, a 39-year veteran of the organization. Playhouse Square, which celebrates its centennial this year, is the second largest theater district in the U.S. It includes seven resident companies, 11 venues, and the largest touring Broadway season ticket base in North America.
The Reno (NV) Philharmonic has hired Ignacio Barrón Viela, executive director of the Billings (MT) Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, to be its next president and CEO, effective October 26. A native of Spain, he succeeds Tim Young, who retired last November after 19 years in the job. Viela’s four year in Billings yielded the orchestra’s two largest single gifts in its 72-year history. He is also credited with doubling the annual budget to close to $2 million and strengthening the orchestra’s connection to the community. He studied industrial engineering and business and is an accomplished cellist.
The Abilene (TX) Philharmonic has a new executive director as of August 15 in Gerard Gibbs, a Baroque and Classical oboe player who has performed in a number of period and regular orchestras. During his time in the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra in Alberta, he co-founded the Fort MacLeod International Chamber Music Festival with violist Rivka Golani and led a full range of performing arts programs of the Empress Theater.
Jazz trumpeter and pedagogue Ingrid Jensen has been named dean of the Manhattan School of Music’s (MSM) Jazz Arts division, a position she moves into with immediate effect. Jensen has been serving as interim dean of the program since Associate Dean and Director of Jazz Arts Stefon Harris exited in July 2020. Jensen, who has her own band and is a frequent sideman on recordings, joined the faculty in 2018.
Seth Abramson, a jazz guitarist/band leader turned label executive turned presenter/producer, is to be the first director of the Gilmore International Piano Festival’s jazz awards, established in February with an $8 million grant from Gilmore Board President and local brewery owner Larry J. Bell. The new award mirrors the Gilmore Artist Award (won by Igor Levit, in 2018), in that its nomination comes from a panel of anonymous industry insiders, whom Abramson is now charged with assembling and directing. Like the Gilmore Artist Award, the Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Award brings its recipient $300,000—$50,000 cash plus $250,000 over four years for furthering their artistry and career. The first award is scheduled to be made in 2026. Abramson starts September 1.
Jen Luzzo has been hired by the Kennedy Center to oversee classical music public relations. Previously in a related position with the New York Philharmonic, she arrived at the KenCen in early August and has a portfolio that includes the Washington National Opera (WNO), the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), the Fortas Chamber Music series, all music education activities—of which there are many—and initiatives that explore the intersection of music and wellness.
The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University appointed Bob Halbruner as associate dean for external relations effective September 6, 2022. In this role, Halbruner will be a member of the senior leadership team reporting directly to Dean Fred Bronstein and will provide overall strategic leadership to advance the Development, Alumni Relations, and Marketing and Communications programs for the Peabody Institute.
The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts (the Hobby Center) has selected Mark Folkes as president & CEO, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on August 22, 2022. An accomplished leader with executive experience in the nonprofit sector, Folkes most recently held positions as chief advancement officer and chief growth officer at the Greater Houston Community Foundation, one of Houston’s most impactful philanthropic organizations. While there, Folkes provided leadership for the Advancement and Donor Relations team, advancing the Foundation in its mission to maximize charitable resources for local communities.
Trinity Repertory Company (Trinity Rep) has selected Kate Liberman as executive director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She will begin her tenure on September 6, 2022. Liberman is joining Trinity Rep from Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival in New York, where she has worked since 2015 and has been serving as the managing director. She brings with her a history of fiscal acumen, organizational excellence, and community engagement.
Choral Arts has selected Dr. Jace Kaholokula Saplan as artistic director beginning June 10, 2022, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). A fierce advocate of the classical and choral arts, Dr. Saplan joins the Choral Arts with experience and leadership as an artist, educator, and community leader. Dr. Saplan has most recently served as co-director of choral activities and associate professor of music learning & teaching and choral conducting at Arizona State University.
The City of Richardson has selected Ally Haynes-Hamblen as executive director for the Eisemann Center, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She will begin her tenure on September 19, 2022. Prior to joining the Eisemann Center, Haynes-Hamblen served as director for the City of Las Vegas Office of Cultural Affairs, where she established the Office of Cultural Affairs’ pioneering grant program for the arts in Las Vegas, expanded the city’s repertoire of annual festivals, and initiated an impactful artist-in-residence program, fostering the growth of local creative communities.
Birdfoot Music Festival has named Rebecca Crenshaw its new executive director. She succeeds founding executive director Tracey Sherry, who retired this summer. Rebecca is currently Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra’s Community and Engagement Manager, where she directed and managed the orchestra’s Music for Life program. She is an alum of the Global Leaders Program, an executive graduate degree focused on social entrepreneurship and impact innovation, and previously worked within the New Orleans public schools, founding two string orchestra programs at Crocker Arts and Technology and then Homer Plessy Community School.
July 2022
The Nashville Symphony has a new COO in Tonya McBride Robles, who arrives in September having served a similar function with the Baltimore Symphony, where she was involved with the five-year musicians’ contract that brought the BSO back to life in 2020. Previously she served as executive director of the Annapolis Symphony and worked with a number of other classical organizations, having by now acquired 20 years in the business. In Nashville, she will report to longtime President and CEO Alan Valentine and be responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations across all aspects: artistic programming, education and community engagement programming, orchestra operations, marketing and communications.
The 70,000-square-foot Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, which opened nine years ago in Beverly Hills as a community arts and education facility, has named Manuel “Manny” Prieto as its next director of education. The recent executive director of the Los Angeles Music and Art School (LAMusArt), he starts his new job in September with responsibility for overseeing the Wallis’s education and outreach programs, which fall under the rubric “GRoW@.” His appointment was announced by the Center’s Executive Director and CEO Rachel Fine. Prieto succeeds Mark Slavkin, who created the department seven years ago and is now retiring.
The Melbourne-based Victorian Opera has named Stuart Maunder AM (Member of the Order of Australia) as its next artistic director. He will succeed composer-conductor Richard Mills AM at the conclusion of 2023. Maunder began his career in stage management at the then Australian Opera, and went on to senior management roles at Opera Australia (1999-2008); as general director of New Zealand Opera (2014-2018); and most recently as artistic director of State Opera South Australia. During his tenure at State Opera, Maunder has championed Australian repertoire and the development of the next generation of Australian artists while also presenting a broad repertoire designed to reach the widest possible audience.
James Thomas, creative director of the Manchester Camerata, is to be the next director of the Royal Northern Sinfonia (RNS) & Classical Program. RNS is the U.K.’s only full-time chamber orchestra and is resident at Sage Gateshead, an international performing arts center serving primarily the north and northeast of England. Thomas, a native of Wales, is a professional bassoonist turned administrator; his five-year tenure with the Manchester Camerata has been marked by new artistic partnerships, a more well-developed programming profile under Music Director Gábor Takács-Nagy, touring, recording, and advances in the organization’s digital realm.
Beth Morrison Projects has a new executive director in Brooklyn-based Sam Linden, previously with TDC, a consulting firm that specializes in arts and culture. He succeeds Jecca Barry, with BMP since 2013, who has left to pursue her own projects. Linden was previously associate director of marketing and communications at Yale Repertory Theater. He has a BA in music from Harvard College, and an MFA and MBA from Yale’s School of Drama and Management, respectively.
Ontario Arts Council, responsible for funding the likes of the Canadian Opera Company, the Toronto Symphony, Tafelmusik, plus the region’s numerous lower profile outfits, has hired Michael Murray as its new CEO, starting August 29. Murray was for six years the executive director of the Toronto Musician’s Association, Local 149 of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM); he most recently served as director of ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists Performers’ Rights Society), Canada’s largest performers’ rights organization.
The Houston Chamber Choir (HCC), founded in 1995 by Artistic Director Robert Simpson, has named its first executive director in Brian Miller, most recently the chorus manager for the Houston Symphony. The HCC, winner of a 2020 Grammy award for its Duruflé recording, is a fully professional ensemble with about a five-concert season; the symphonic group is all-volunteer. At HCC Miller will oversee non-artistic operations, from marketing to finance and points between. A former director of Texas high school choral programs, Miller has sung professionally with the Houston Men’s Choir and holds an MM in choral conducting and a BM in music education.
David Tompkins is the Boston Lyric Opera’s new COO, having arrived last May to fill a position previously occupied by Bradley Vernatter, now the BLO’s acting artistic director. Vernatter took over when longtime General and Artistic Director Esther Nelson stepped down at the end of last season. Tompkins comes to the job from the Woodman Museum where he served for four years as executive director, overseeing concert and lecture series, fund raising, and all administrative functions. He’s also held executive posts with the ballet companies of Boston, Portland (OR,) and Arizona and with the Sundance Film Festival. He holds a BS in technical theater from Kansas State University.
The Greenville (SC) Symphony has named Jessica Satava as its next executive director; she arrives having held the same position for three years at the Johnstown (PA) Symphony Orchestra. She also worked for many years in operations at the Peabody Institute, from which she holds an MM in voice and opera, and served as orchestra manager at the Aspen Music Festival and School. In Greenville, she succeeds Julianne Fish, who left in December after four years in the job.
The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc. hired Geoffrey Cohen in May to serve as associate marketing VP, reporting to Crystal Brewe, chief marketing and audience experience officer of the newly merged organization. Cohen previously worked with the Philadelphia Orchestra for nearly ten years.
Andrew Nethsingha, director of music at St. John’s College, University of Cambridge, is to be the next organist and master of choristers at Westminster Abbey—in effect the Abbey’s director of music. He succeeds James O’Donnell, who has been appointed as Professor at the Yale School of Music and Yale Institute of Sacred Music as of January 2023. O’Donnell will remain at Westminster until then. Nethsingha, a graduate and onetime organ scholar of St. John’s College, was appointed its director of music in 2007; previously he was director of music at Gloucester Cathedral and before that held positions at cathedrals in Wells and Truro. He has also been artistic director of the Three Choirs Festival.
Big Apple Performing Arts, the umbrella organization of the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus (NYCGMC) and the Youth Pride Chorus, has installed new, permanent leadership in John D. Carrion as executive director, and John J.Atorino as artistic director. The former has been in the post on an interim basis since October, coming to the group from London, where he worked for New York University as assistant director of the Global Housing Administration. His affiliation with GMC dates to 2011 when he joined the London iteration, becoming the group’s chair for four years, until 2017. He has a BA in Metropolitan Studies and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from NYU. Atorino is an arranger and conductor who comes to NYCGMC from the Portland GMC, where he was artistic director. He also served for a time as assistant conductor of NYCGMC and worked with Samuel French/Concord music publishers. He holds an MME from New York University, where he led the men’s glee club and mixed a cappella choir.
Kate Kammeyer is the new executive director of the Berkeley (CA) Symphony succeeding Jim Tibbs, who is retiring after three years in the job. Kammeyer is the former senior VP and general manager of the Rochester Philharmonic, as well as its interim artistic administrator. Prior to that, she was orchestra manager of the Philadelphia Orchestra, assistant dean of artistic planning at the Longy School of Music, and general manager and artistic administrator with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. She holds a BM from the University of Iowa, an MM from the Hartt School, and an artist diploma from SUNY Purchase, all in oboe performance. The orchestra recently completed its 50th-anniversary season. Joseph Young is music director.
The Detroit Symphony has named Jessica Slais to a newly created position—creative director of popular and special programming. She starts August 1, with responsibility for planning and producing the Pops and Young People’s Family Concerts as well as special events and community concerts at Orchestra Hall and in metro Detroit. She’ll work under Senior Director of Artistic Planning Jessica Ruiz and along with Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik, Music Director Jader Bignamini, and Jazz Creative Director Chair Terence Blanchard.
Patrick O’Herron is the new VP of marketing and communications at the Toronto Symphony. He comes from the Buffalo Philharmonic, where he held the same post for four years. He is succeeding Katie Sejba, TSO VP of marketing, and Sally Szuster, TSO VP of communications, both of whom left in January. Sejba is now with the Nashville Symphony, Szuster with Victoria College at the University of Toronto. Prior to Buffalo O’Herron worked in marketing and communications for Americans for the Arts, and before that with Brookfield real estate’s arts and events division.
The Straz Center Board of Trustees today has announced the appointment of Greg Holland as president and CEO of the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts beginning September 1st. An arts executive, theater administrator, revenue builder and dealmaker with more than 25 years of experience, Holland is currently the president of Brown-Holland Entertainment which provides business development services for Nederlander Worldwide. Additionally, Holland is the chief operating officer for Lighthouse Immersive which aims to cultivate community and creativity through large-scale events and exhibitions of all art forms.
June 2022
The Enescu Festival & Competition has named Cristian Macelaru as its new artistic director. (The total value of the prizes is 120,000 euros, along with concert appearances.) “One of the first things we will add is a series of concerts for children through which we present and introduce to art and culture….It is something missing in today’s society, and I want this focus to be brought back through the Festival.” He also wants to expand cultural diversity and “challenge the public” with 20th and 21st-century works rare to Romanians.
The Townsend School of Music at Mercer University, in Macon, GA, has named Gary Gerber as its new dean effective July 1. He succeeds the retiring C. David Keith, in the job since 2013. Gerber, who specializes in choral conducting, has been dean of the School of Fine Arts at Ouachita Baptist University (OBU) in Arkadelphia, AK, since 2015. He also served as chair of the division of music.
Seattle’s Cornish College of the Arts has named Kel Dylla as the first executive director of its new School for Creative Arts. Dylla is the previous executive director of the Kirkland Arts Center and the VP of education and community engagement at the Seattle Symphony. She was also the director of audience engagement at the Pacific Symphony in Orange County and is a Juilliard-trained violist.
Pace University has named Jesse Carlo as its program head for musical theater. His CV includes helping develop the undergraduate curriculum at Columbia College Chicago for performing arts studies in acting, musical theater, and theater. Before that he was assistant professor of arts and Humanities at Miami Dade College for six years.
As of November, 2022, Gary Ginstling current CEO of the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), is to become the New York Philharmonic’s executive director, transitioning to the post of president and CEO on July 1, 2023, as Borda exits—sort of: At the Board’s request, she will take the position of executive advisor to the president and board of directors, starting July 1, 2023. Ginstling, responsible for launching Gianandrea Noseda’s hugely successful tenure as music director of the NSO and keeping him there through 2027, is a smart, experienced orchestra administrator and trained musician who is highly regarded and well liked by his colleagues in the field.
The Seattle Opera has selected Dennis Robinson, Jr., as its next director of programs and partnerships. He succeeds Alejandra Valarino Boyer, in the position since late 2018. Robinson has extensive experience as a theater administrator, most recently as manager of artistic administration at Palm Beach Opera. His previous postings included director of education and accessibility at City Theater Company in Pittsburgh and manager of community programs and accessibility at Pittsburgh Ballet Theater. Among his successful ventures in Pittsburgh were a series of collaborations with organizations such as the Children’s Museum, Carnegie Science Center, Pittsburgh Symphony, and the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.
Seb Lovell-Huckle, executive director of the Birmingham (UK) Contemporary Music Group, is to take the same post with the English Symphony Orchestra as of August 8. He succeeds Peter Sheeran; ESO Board Chair Jonathan Godfrey has been serving in the interim. The ESO traces its origins to 1976, when William Boughton brought together a group of former members of the Midlands Radio Orchestra to form the Vivaldi Chamber Orchestra. That subsequently became the English String Orchestra, which specialized in English music, made over fifty recordings, and toured regularly in Europe. “ESO” has since broadened its repertoire, thus keeping the acronym but changing its format.
The Great Lakes (MI) Center for the Arts, a five-year-old multi-genre presenter in northern Michigan, has appointed Marie Klopf as its chief executive, as of July 9. She succeeds Jill O’Neill, in the job since the Center’s founding in 2014 and opening in 2018. Michael M. Kaiser is the artistic director of the Center and chair of the Washington, D.C.-based DeVos Institute, which assisted in the search for O’Neill’s successor.
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) has announced the appointment of Patrick O’Herron as its new vice president of marketing & communications after a search led by Arts Consulting Group. O’Herron comes to the TSO from the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) where he served as vice president, marketing & communications for four years. Prior to the BPO, Patrick held leadership roles in marketing and communications for the national arts service organization Americans for the Arts, and for the largest privately funded arts program in the world, Arts Brookfield, the arts and events initiative of global real estate corporation Brookfield Properties.
Washington Performing Arts has hired Lauren Beyea as its director of marketing, communications & creative media. Beyea officially joined Washington Performing Arts as part of the seven-member senior management team on June 27, 2022, after 13 seasons at Ford’s Theatre. At Washington Performing Arts, Beyea will steward a team of internal staff and external consultants, focusing on audience development and engagement, earned revenue growth, and institutional promotion and storytelling across all platforms.
May 2022
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra has named Gaetan Le Divelec to be VP of artistic planning. Perhaps as much as the concertmaster, it’s a job central to any orchestra’s artistic standing and its ability to negotiate guest artist contracts advantageously. Le Divelec was Nathalie Stutzmann’s (the Orchestra’s new music director) artist manager at the powerful, London-based Askonas Holt.
The Ojai Music Festival’s music director for the 2023 edition will be composer, singer, fiddle and banjo player Rhiannon Giddens. Giddens, not coincidentally the artistic director of Silkroad, will bring with her a hand-picked roster (see below), as well as witness the west coast premiere of her first opera, Omar, which receives its world premiere this weekend at the Spoleto Festival USA.
Robert Ainsley, director of the Cafritz Young Artists Program and the American Opera Initiative at the Washington National Opera (WNO), is to be the next artistic and general director of the Glimmerglass Festival. Ainsley, credited with commissioning and workshopping numerous opera samplings for WNO’s American Opera Initiative, was previously associate music director at Portland Opera, head of music staff and chorus master at Minnesota Opera and Opera Theater of Saint Louis, and a guest chorus master at English National Opera, among other credits.
Celebrity Series of Boston has appointed Nicole Taney as its new artistic director. She takes over later in the summer. Taney, director of artistic planning and operations for the Spoleto Festival USA, has been with Spoleto for eight years; previously she was director of producing and touring for Bill T Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company; company manager for New York City Ballet; general manager of Trisha Brown Dance Company; and worked in corporate sponsorship for Carnegie Hall.
The Berkeley Symphony has hired Kate Kammeyer, recent senior VP and general manager of the Rochester Philharmonic, to succeed Jim Tibbs as executive director. Tibbs is retiring after three years in the job. Prior to her year at Rochester, she was for ten months assistant dean of artistic planning for the Longy School in Boston; she has also worked with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, Carnegie Hall, the Aspen Music Festival, and Interlochen.
Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen, Minister for Culture for North Rhine-Westphalia, has announced that beginning November 1, 2023, Ivo van Hove will become artistic director of the Ruhrtriennale for a three-year term. Van Hove will succeed the current artistic director Barbara Frey, who has programmed the festival’s next two seasons. Hove has been artistic director of the Internationaal Theater Amsterdam (ITA), the Netherlands’ largest theater company, since 2001. He was also artistic director of the Holland Festival, one of the longest-standing Dutch music and theater festivals, from 1998 to 2004.
On July 1 J. T. Kane will be joining the Manhattan School of Music (MSM) as dean of the newly created Instrumental Studies and Orchestral Performance Division. Kane is currently VP for musician advancement and dean of orchestra at the New World Symphony. In his new position, Kane will oversee the creation of a cohesive pedagogical and performance framework for the MSM’s largest division, which includes more than 80 faculty and approximately 350 students.
Symphony San Jose, formerly Symphony Silicon Valley, formerly San Jose Symphony, has named Robert Massey as its general director. His title of general director, rather than CEO, accounts for Symphony San Jose’s business model, which does not include a music director, leaving Massey to make artistic as well as executive decisions. The professional orchestra performs two concerts each of seven classical programs annually, plus additional special events, and is based at the city’s newly restored California Theater in downtown San Jose.
Susan Jaffe, for 22 years a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre, has been named to succeed Kevin McKenzie as the company’s artistic director. Jaffe, most recently in the same post with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, starts at the end of the current season, stepping into a position that McKenzie has held with distinction for 30 years. Following her retirement in 2002, she taught in the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School and took on the aforementioned roles within the company. In 2012, she was appointed Dean of Dance at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) in Winston-Salem, NC. Over her eight-year tenure, she implemented the ABT National Training Curriculum, established the Choreographic Institute of UNCSA, and proved an effective fundraiser, bringing in $3.5 million in scholarships and other student aid.
Jonathan Bailey Holland, recent chair of composition, contemporary music and core studies at Boston Conservatory at Berklee, has been appointed as head of the Carnegie Mellon University School of Music, as of August 1. In the Boston Conservatory job since 2016, when it merged with Berklee, Holland, 48, holds a bachelor’s degree in composition from the Curtis Institute and a Ph.D. from Harvard University. He joined Berklee College of Music in 2000 as assistant professor of composition; during his tenure, he worked with the Educational Testing Service in Ewing, N.J. to design music theory examinations and professional development programs. Other achievements include establishing a low-residency MFA track in music composition at Vermont State University.
Yarmila Alfonzetti is to take over as chief executive of the Queensland Symphony as of July 11. She succeeds board member Valmay Hill, who has been serving as executive director since Craig Whitehead exited in 2021 to take over at the Sydney Symphony. Alfonzetti has been executive director of State Opera South Australia since 2018, having managed the hiring of the company’s new artistic director, Stuart Maunder. Prior to that Alfonzetti was CEO for Sydney Youth Orchestras, head of external relations for Sydney Conservatorium, and head of classical music at Sydney Opera House.
London’s Philharmonia Orchestra has hired Thorben Dittes, current director of the Royal Northern Sinfonia (RSN) in Gateshead, to be its manager beginning in August. He has held the Royal Northern Sinfonia post since 2014, along with the presidency of the Lakeland Sinfonia. Philharmonia COO Kate Collis has been serving as interim.
April 2022
The Cleveland Orchestra’s previous Director of Artistic Planning Ilya Gidalevich has been promoted to VP, Artistic Planning, charged with overseeing the orchestra’s artistic planning and chorus departments. Prior to Cleveland he was an artist manager with Opus 3. Joining the department as artistic administrator under Gidalevich is Michael Gandlmayr, the previous artistic administrator of the Seattle Symphony and formerly in the external affairs department at the St. Louis Symphony.
Steven Melendez is to succeed company founder Diana Byer as artistic director of the New York Theater Ballet, a troupe he joined as an apprentice in 2006 and, after winning the Rudolf Nureyev International Ballet Competition in Budapest, Hungary, studying at the School of American Ballet, summering with the major companies of San Francisco and Houston, was promoted to principal. Melendez has been a featured soloist with major international dance ensembles and performed the world premieres of works by Pam Tanowitz and Richard Alston, among others.
James O’Donnell, an internationally recognized concert organist, choral conductor, and liturgical musician, is joining the faculty of the Yale Institute of Sacred Music and the Yale School of Music in January 2023. He succeeds Thomas Murray as professor to graduate organ majors and other students in sacred music, and will also direct a new professional liturgical vocal ensemble.
In autumn, Richard Davidson-Houston will become the new managing director of Glyndebourne. As managing director, he will work closely with Stephen Langridge, the institution’s artistic director. Davidson-Houston has been director of audience development and media for the last two years. His experience in media is extensive and includes past senior positions with Channel 4 and Microsoft.
Philippe Tondre and Katherine Needleman, principal oboists for the orchestras of Philadelphia and Baltimore, respectively, will succeed Richard Woodhams on the Curtis Institute faculty roster. The appointment of two oboists to head the program, which usually has five students, represents a change in approach by Curtis, which has been moving toward requiring all students to train with more than one major teacher. The new faculty also represent two different schools of playing. Tondre’s is the European sound, while Needleman, who studied with Woodhams at Curtis, is part of an American pedagogical tradition that extends back several generations.
Rachel Saltz, dance editor at The New York Times since 2015, is to add classical music to her purview. In the latter category, she succeeds Zachary Woolfe, who was recently promoted from classical music editor to classical music critic, succeeding chief classical critic Anthony Tommasini, who retired. Saltz started at the Times in 2003 as a copy editor on the sports desk and moved to culture a year later.
John Thiessen is to be the executive director of New York’s Gotham Early Music Scene (GEMS) starting in September. The former orchestra manager for Trinity Baroque, he will succeed Gene Murrow, founding executive director of GEMS. Murrow launched the group in 2007 and plans to retire and become board president. Thiessen, who plays natural trumpet, is GEMS’s current director of education and concert production.
Writer and director Robin Norton-Hale, artistic director of OperaUpClose, which she founded in 2009, is to be the new general director of the English Touring Opera. She starts in July, having devoted most of her efforts in recent years to OperaUpClose, also a touring company, though a more experimental one.
Symphony New Hampshire, coming up on its centennial season in 2022-23, has a new executive director in Deanna Hoying. She has been serving as interim since the departure in August of Marc Thayer, now with Elgin Symphony Orchestra.
George E. Lewis, a professor of music at Columbia University and an outspoken advocate for the inclusion of Black artists in experimental music, is to be the new artistic director of the International Contemporary Ensemble. A trombonist who is perhaps best known for his work in electronics, Lewis has been a frequent collaborator with ICE and a board member since 2018. “George’s impact on this ensemble is almost immeasurable,” noted a fellow board member. “His voice and his vision have been quietly shaping the musical direction of our collective.”
The J. Paul Getty Trust has chosen New York University Provost Katherine E. Fleming as its new president and CEO. She follows James Cuno, who will retire this summer after more than a decade in the position. Fleming, whose academic credentials include undergraduate and master’s degrees in religion and a doctorate in history, has been provost at NYU since 2016. Her responsibilities at the Trust, which employs 1,400 people, include oversight of the J. Paul Getty Museum, the grant-issuing Getty Foundation, the Getty Research Institute, and the Getty Conservation Institute. At the top of her agenda, she says, will be the threat the growing environmental degradation poses to the world’s artistic and cultural heritages.
Mark C. Hanson, who resigned as CEO of the San Francisco Symphony not long after Esa-Pekka Salonen took over as music director, is the new CEO of the Baltimore Symphony. He started April 21 and succeeds Peter Kjome, whose contract expired in January and whose five-year tenure was marked by strikes, lock-outs, and the Orchestra’s near financial collapse. He is charged with finding a successor to Marin Alsop. James Conlon is serving as the orchestra’s artistic advisor in the interim.
Zachary Woolfe is moving from the position of classical music editor to classical music critic of The New York Times. He succeeds Anthony Tommasini, who retired last year. Woolfe started at the Times as a freelance critic in 2011; he has been in the staff editorial position since 2015. He has long held the reputation as one of the Times’s finest arts critics, and has a particular interest in new music and opera. Previously he worked at a publishing house and studied literature at Princeton University.
The League of American Orchestras has appointed Caen Thomason-Redus as its VP of inclusion and learning, one of several leadership shifts at the organization. Thomason-Redus is the senior director of community & learning at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, in which he served as an orchestral fellow. He’s also been a flute professor at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and development director of the Sphinx Organization. He will start at the League presently and remain in Michigan.
Fontana Chamber Arts, dedicated to the presentation of traditional and non-traditional chamber music performances, community outreach and collaboration with other arts presenters, has named Bradley Wong, former director of the School of Music at Western Michigan University, as its director. Wong will join Fontana on May 1, 2022.
The Young People’s Chorus of New York City (YPC) announced the appointment of Elizabeth Núñez as creative director. An acclaimed conductor, clinician, speaker, and soloist, Núñez has been with YPC since 2004 and played a significant role in fostering the choir’s key programs as well as providing vision for new initiatives. In her new role, Núñez will lead YPC’s creative programming efforts.
Charlotte Ballet has selected Alejandro Cerrudo as artistic director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He will begin his tenure on May 1, 2022. A nationally and internationally renowned artist and choreographer, Cerrudo joins Charlotte Ballet following his most recent appointment as resident choreographer at Seattle’s Pacific Northwest Ballet.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG), provider of hands-on management consulting services to the arts and culture industry, announced that Trinity Villanueva has joined the firm as associate vice president in Washington, DC. She will be an active member of the leadership transitions team. Prior to joining ACG, Villanueva led the nonprofit organization Public Art Reston as executive director, shining light on community inclusion and equitable public art processes.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG announced that Kim Davis has joined the firm as vice president. Based in Chicago, Davis brings more than 25 years of experience in arts and culture education, management, and leadership in nonprofit organizations and municipal agencies. Prior to joining ACG’s Leadership Transitions team, Davis served as the senior director of education at Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, the largest community arts school in the United States.
New York City mayor Eric Adams has named Laurie Cumbo commissioner of cultural affairs. Cumbo previously served as majority leader in the New York City Council, representing the city’s 35th district.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG announced that Andy Fife has joined the firm as vice president to expand the leadership transitions area. Based in Seattle, Fife is an expert in strategy, leadership, and governance. He brings 25 years of experience in founding and leading nonprofits and public programs in the arts and creative sector with an extensive background in executive leadership transitions and organizational design, finance, strategy, and governance.
Washington Performing Arts has announced the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors: Joseph May and Kerrien Suarez. Having previously served on the Junior Board, Dr. May and Ms. Suarez have been engaged advocates for Washington Performing Arts’s mission, amplifying their support for its wide-ranging programs.
March 2022
The Madison (WI) Symphony Orchestra (MSO has appointed Robert A. Reed as its new executive director, starting full time on June 6, 2022. He succeeds Rick Mackie, who retired last June. Reed arrives after six years in the same position with the Plano (TX) Symphony, capping some 30 years working with orchestras in a variety of jobs.
The San Francisco Ballet has selected Danielle St. Germain-Gordon, interim executive director for the last nine months, to assume the position on a permanent basis. She succeeds Kelly Tweeddale, in the role for less than two years. St. Germain-Gordon will partner with Artistic Director Tamara Rojo, when she arrives later this year, the first new person in that post in nearly four decades. Before joining the SF Ballet in 2018 as chief development officer, Germain-Gordon was director of development at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis and at Washington, DC’s, Shakespeare Theater Company; chief development officer at Arena Stage; and VP of institutional advancement at the American Association of Museums. St. Germain-Gordon is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
Patrick Chamberlain, VP of artistic planning at the New Jersey Symphony, is to be the next VP of artistic administration for the Aspen Music Festival and School. He succeeds Asadour Santourian, newly named as VP of the Boston Symphony’s Tanglewood Music Center & Learning. Chamberlain will report to Aspen President and CEO Alan Fletcher, working with Music Director Robert Spano, Aspen Opera Theater and VocalARTS Co-Artistic Directors Patrick Summers and Renée Fleming, and the artist-faculty. He is a former artist liaison at Aspen.
Violinist Nicola Benedetti is to be the next director of the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF), becoming the first woman and the first Scot to lead the 75-year-old late summer celebration of music, theater, opera, and dance. The 34-year-old, Ayrshire-born musician first came into the public eye when, at 16, she was crowned BBC Young Musician of the Year. Now she has become is one of Scotland’s most visible performing artists as well as an outspoken advocate for music education throughout the U.K. Benedetti has worked closely with Sistema Scotland for several years, has established her own foundation, and offered free online music lessons during the pandemic.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Ernest A. Figueroa has joined the firm as associate vice president. Figueroa brings 30 years of experience and has worked as an arts administrator, live event producer, director, performer, and playwright within in professional theater, educational theater, film, television, radio broadcasting, and arts event management. Based in Los Angeles, Figueroa joins ACG’s leadership transitions team, providing additional support in the areas of facilities and program planning, strategy, and capacity building.
February 2022
Kate Rockett, who for six years has been director of artists and repertoire and executive producer for the Pentatone label, is to be the new general director of the Amsterdam-based Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century. Trained as a trombonist at the Royal Academy of Music, she moved into management about ten years ago after touring internationally with the likes of the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, The Gabrieli Consort, and Concerto Köln, among others. At the 40-year-old Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, she succeeds Sieuwert Verster.
The Metropolitan Opera has brought veteran and versatile New York Times reporter Daniel J. (Dan) Wakin on board as its senior director of communications, reporting to Met Assistant General Manager for Marketing and Communications Gillian Brierley. Wakin has been at the Times for 22 years, most recently as an editor at the Obituaries desk, but several promotions before that he was the newspaper’s first officially designated arts and culture reporter.The Met has declined to say what his duties will be; he certainly knows the place well, having done his fair share of stories about it over the years.
Colorado’s Central City Opera, which prides itself on being the country’s fifth oldest professional opera company, has appointed a new president and CEO in Pamela Pantos, current development director of the Boston Children’s Chorus, a job she has had for five months. Before that, until May 2020, she was artistic director of the Newport Music Festival for three years.
Gina Duncan, who left the Brooklyn Academy of Music in September 2020 to become producing director at the Sundance Institute, is returning to BAM as its new president. Duncan, 41, takes on responsibility for a $50 million operating budget; The New York Times reports she has never held the top job at an arts institution. During her 18 months at Sundance, Duncan produced the Film Festival online and in-person and managed the institute’s year-round operations.
Claire Spencer, CEO of Arts Center Melbourne (ACM), is to become the first-ever CEO of the Barbican Center, which claims to be the largest performing arts and conference center in Europe. She succeeds Nicholas Kenyon, who stepped down last September after nearly 14 years in the post of managing director. Prior to her current post, which she’ll exit in April before starting in London next May, Spencer was with the Sydney Opera House for ten years, the last of which she was CEO.
Recent hires at the Banff Center for Arts and Creativity have filled three key leadership positions: director of indigenous leadership, dean of arts and leadership, and director of dance training programming. Simon Ross, a hereditary member of the Nlaka’pamux Nation in British Columbia, fills the first post. The program, which is celebrating its 50th year, trains leaders how to develop, implement, and measure the success of strategic plans. Participants also learn the skills and knowledge needed to run effective organizations and build economically sustainable communities. Mark Wold is the new dean of arts and leadership; with more than two decades experience in arts and leadership at the Center, Wold has developed and implemented programs in music, visual, and literary arts, and supported the growth of year-round indigenous arts programming. The Center’s third new hire is Alejandro Ronceira as director of dance training programming. A native of Bogota, Columbia, Ronceira trained in both classical ballet and modern dance in Columbia, the Soviet Union, and New York before moving to Canada in 1984.
The Las Vegas Philharmonic has tapped Alice Sauro as its interim executive director, effective February 1. She succeeds Anne Berquist, who was recently dismissed “based on her performance in the role,” according to the orchestra. Sauro, who served for seven years as executive director of the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera (SPO) before moving to Las Vegas two years ago, will be providing artistic and administrative counsel in her new post.
Marcus Performing Arts Center has selected Katie Dillow as vice president of finance and administration, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). Dillow began her tenure on December 13, 2021. In addition, Marcus Center has selected Ken Harris to be vice president of venue operations, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). Harris began his tenure on November 8, 2021.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Todd M. Ahrens has joined the firm as vice president to expand the revenue enhancement area. Ahrens has 30 years of nonprofit experience in the arts, museums, and education sectors, including 15 years in senior-level management positions.
Green Lake Festival of Music has named violist, chamber music coach, and performer Elizabeth Oakes program director of its Chamber Music Institute. Oakes brings with her decades of experience as a string quartet and chamber music performer, an arts entrepreneur, and a chamber music coach and presenter.
January 2022
Col. Larry H. Lang, commander and conductor of the U.S. Air Force band from 2012-19, is to be the Amarillo (TX) Symphony’s executive director as of March, 2022. He succeeds David Hyslop, who’s been serving as interim since September of 2021. Lang arrives after nearly three years in the same post as executive director of the Flagstaff (AZ) Symphony. Moving to Amarillo, he says, brings him closer to his grandchildren. Lang has spent 29 years in the USAF, serving in various capacities, from combat to conducting.
Approaching its centennial season next year, the San Francisco Opera has added the position of chief operating officer (COO) to its ranks, a post that reports directly to General Director Matthew Shilvock in the role of “strategic partner.” She is Theresa Von Klug, arriving as of February 28 after seven years as General Manager of the Berkeley Repertory Theater. Among her areas of oversight in San Francisco are music operations (including orchestra, chorus and dance corps), patron operations, and the company’s archives.
The Chattanooga Symphony and Opera (CSO), which presents about 20 pops, symphonic, and chamber concerts a season, has named John Kilkenny to succeed Samantha Teter as executive director, starting March 1. He’s been at George Mason University since 2008 and has been serving as artistic and executive director of the Sewanee Summer Music Festival at the University of the South in Sewanee, TN. In the job since 2018, he is credited with expanding programing and enrollment, as well as successfully raising the festival’s profile and its funding base.
John Batchelder, a solo violist and member of the Julius Quartet, is the new executive director of the Dallas Chamber Music Society, succeeding Mary Anna Salo. Batchelder’s administrative experience includes working with a nonprofit music education program and serving for one year as creative director and artist-in-residence at EMERGE Coalition Inc., a contemporary, cross-genre arts program. The DCMS presents five concerts a season, mostly by touring groups.
New York Public Radio (NYPR) has a number of new staff members, including Kristina Newman-Scott, who earlier in January 2022 became executive director of The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space, a new position. NYPR is the umbrella corporation housing the aforementioned, along with WNYC, WQXR, Gothamist, WNYC Studios, and New Jersey Public Radio. Newman-Scott stepped down in August after three years as president of BRIC, a Brooklyn-based contemporary arts and media center. In her new job, she’ll oversee the programming and public visibility of NYPR’s street-level live-performance and studio space, which in the past has hosted everything from press conferences to lectures to performances and celebrity interviews.
Des Moines Metro Opera (DMMO) has named Allen Perriello, recent head of music at Minnesota Opera, as director of artistic administration, a new position succeeding the previous one of artistic administrator, held by Samuel Carroll, in the job from 2015-21. Perriello, also recent director of the young artist program at Glimmerglass, returns to DMMO after having served on its music staff from 2011-16. He starts next month, as the company launches its 50th-anniversary season in March.
Pensacola Opera, which in this its 39th season performs two performances each of The Magic Flute and the Barber of Seville, will realign its staff as of August 2022, when Jerome Shannon retires after 20 years as artistic director. Cody Martin, with the company since 2017 as conductor and overseer of resident artist and community education programs, will move up to the post of music director. Corey McKern, a baritone with experience on a number of opera stages in the southern U.S., is to be artistic director. Chandra McKern becomes general director, having previously held the post of executive director. She first joined the company in 2015. Shannon, meanwhile, is to be titled principal guest conductor.
Mezzo-soprano Leanne Pettit Clement, former director of Louisiana’s Opéra Louisiane, is the general director of Charlottesville Opera as of January 1. Charlottesville’s next summer season includes The Sound of Music and The Merry Widow.
On Jan. 11 the San Francisco Ballet appointed Tamara Rojo as its first new artistic director in nearly 40 years and the first woman to lead the company. She follows Helgi Tomasson, in the position for 37 years, and will join the company at the end of 2022. Rojo will be coming to San Francisco from the English National Ballet, where she has been artistic director and lead principal for nine-and-a-half years. Her tenure has been characterized by a creative program balance between new and contemporary choreography and a commitment to re-contextualizing classics to directly address pertinent social issues. She also led a successful £36mn ($49.3mn) capital campaign to create a new company headquarters.
The board of the Orlando Ballet named Jorden Morris as the company’s new artistic director. Morris has worked with the company since August 2020 as guest artistic director, and is widely credited for productions of Moulin Rouge—The Ballet and Peter Pan and his enhancements to the company’s annual The Nutcracker; his new production of The Great Gatsby will close the season in April 2022. Morris began his career at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, where he danced for 11 years, and has held leadership positions at Boston Ballet, Edmonton Citie Ballet, and The School of Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
Mark Williams, chief artistic and operations officer of the Cleveland Orchestra, is to be the new CEO of the Toronto Symphony as of April 2022. He succeeds Matthew Loden, who took over as dean of Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music in October after running the TSO for three years. Prior to joining Cleveland in 2013, Williams, 42, was artistic administrator of the San Francisco Symphony. With a BM in horn performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music, he began his career at IMG artists.
In St. Louis, Orchestra President and CEO Marie-Hélène Bernard introduced Yolanda “Yoli” Alovor, Ph.D., as the institution’s first VP of external affairs and equity, diversity, and inclusion. A St. Louis native, Alovor will oversee the SLSO’s ongoing work toward, equity, diversity, and inclusion as well as the alignment of its external affairs and communications with the orchestra’s strategic plan and EDI framework.
In Los Angeles Shelby D. Boagni has been named senior VP of people & culture at the Music Center, the nation’s third largest performing arts center. With the aim of championing an inclusive culture across the organization, she will be charged with overseeing the recruitment, development, motivation, and retention of a team that prioritizes diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. Most recently vice president of human resources for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Boagni’s more than 25 years of experience also include executive-level positions with industry-leading companies including IHOP; The Home Depot; Mars, Inc.; McDonald’s Corporation; and The Walt Disney Company. A native Angeleno, Boagni has a B.A. from Howard University and a Senior Certified Professional Certification (SHRM-SCP) from the Society for Human Resources Management.
With the new post of vice president of the Tanglewood Music Center & Learning, Asadour Santourian will oversee the BSO’s training, education, and community programs, including new partnerships and collaborations. (Ellen Highstein, who has planned most of 2022, will return next summer to run TMC and direct the 2022 Festival of Contemporary Music.) Santourian arrives from the Aspen Music Festival and School, where he has been VP for artistic administration and artistic advisor for 18 years.
Also new at the Boston Symphony as of this month is Maureen Flores, in the position of chief development officer. Flores has been with Bentley University since 2014 and, since 2017, has been its VP for advancement. Previous higher education advancement posts have included Fordham and Harvard universities and the University of Cincinnati.
Tino Gagliardi has won a three-year term as president and executive director of the NYC Musicians’ Union Local 802, the largest local union of professional musicians in the world. His election, which was unopposed, represents a fourth time around for Gagliardi, who served in the same capacity from 2010 to 2018.
December 2021
Acclaimed heldentenor Stuart Skelton is to be the new chairman of opera at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music as of January 3. He succeeds Marie-France Lefebvre, in the job two years; she plans to remain on the faculty as professor of opera. Skelton, a CCM alumnus (MM Voice 1995) and active performer and recording artist, has been on the faculty since August.
The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in Palm Beach has tapped Phillip Bergmann as artistic advisor for classical music. His responsibilities will include the “Regional Arts Classical Concert Series,” entering its 47th season; the “Young Artists Series;” and the “Beyond the Stage” series of pre-concert talks. Bergmann studied opera and vocal performance at Carnegie Mellon University before working as a booking agent in New York for Columbia Artists Management, Inc. (CAMI) and Opus 3 Artists. He relocated to South Florida in 2016 to head music and film programming at The Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach, where he served for four years.
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) has appointed Craig Whitehead as interim CEO, effective immediately, in the wake of Emma Dunch’s resignation on Dec. 10. Whitehead has considerable experience at senior executive levels in the Australian arts community, serving as CEO of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra (2019-21), the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (2008-18), and West Australian Opera (2006-08) and as General Manager of Brisbane’s La Boite Theater Company.
The Cardiff-based Streetwise Opera has named Martin Constantine as artistic director, beginning in January. His appointment results from an organizational overhaul that has combined two co-executive director positions into that of a CEO and elevated a part-time artistic director to fulltime status. For nearly 20 years Streetwise Opera has engaged world-class artists in collaborations with people affected by homelessness; it currently operates singing and creative workshops in London, Manchester, and Nottingham.
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) has looked within to find the successor to Anne Parsons; it is current VP and General Manager Erik Rönmark, who has been with the orchestra since 2005 and who can comfortably call Parsons his mentor. He takes over in March, as Parsons remains in the job through November 2022 in the post of president emeritus, a position to which she was named in perpetuity by the board last year. Among a host of accomplishments, he is credited with heading the search committee that found Jader Bignamini, and was also involved in launching the Live from Orchestra Hall webcasts in 2011, making it the first orchestra in the U.S. to stream its concerts live and enabling the DSO to stream prerecorded full orchestra performances during the pandemic long before other groups could get their acts together.
The Monteux School and Music Festival, the six-week conductor-intensive founded by legendary maestro Pierre Monteux in 1943, has a new executive director in Stan Renard, an alumnus of the school. Renard succeeds Marc C. Thayer, in the job three-plus years before being named CEO of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra in Illinois last July. Renard takes over in the 2022 season, which next summer runs from June 19 to July 22 and is currently accepting applications from candidates 18 and up. Described by Monteux as a “violinist, violist, arts manager, orchestra conductor, and founder and arranger of the Bohemian Quartet,” Renard is currently visiting associate professor and coordinator of arts management and entrepreneurship at the University of Oklahoma.
The Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, which celebrated its 75th-anniversary in the 2019-20 season, has named Jenny Mann as its next president and executive director. Mann is associate professor of bassoon and music management at the University of Alabama, where she also serves as coordinator for the arts administration degree. She authored the widely adopted textbook Teaching Woodwinds: Bassoon and has recorded three albums with the Cavell Trio. She holds a BA in music education from Baylor University and master’s and doctorate degrees in music from the University of Texas at Austin.
November 2021
Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Flórez is to be the next artistic director of the Rossini Opera Festival, an annual summer event dedicated to its namesake. He was recommended by his predecessor in the position, Ernesto Palacio, also a Peruvian tenor, who has held the job since 2019. Flórez, 48, has been a regular at the 42-year-old event, which takes credit as the site of his professional debut in 1996, appearing in Matilde di Shabran. Since then, Flórez has sung in 15 operas and 11 concerts at the Festival.
The Supervisory Board of the Salzburg Festival has appointed Kristina Hammer as the new president of the Salzburg Festival. She succeeds Helga Rabl-Stadler, who held the position for 27 years. Hammer’s selection from among six finalists, said the Board, was a “conscious step taken… to further internationalize the Salzburg Festival.” Among those capabilities that recommended Hammer were “her successful career… her long-term connection with the Salzburg Festival, and her cultural track record as a board member of the Friends of the Zurich Opera.” Hammer, who studied law in Mainz and earned a doctorate degree summa cum laude in European business law at the Vienna University, has been owner of the strategic brand consultancy HammerSolutions in Zurich for more than ten years. For the previous 15 years she held international management positions in Germany, England, and Austria.
The general manager of Beyoncé’s media company has just been named CEO and executive director of the American Ballet Theatre. Janet Rollé succeeds Kara Medoff Barnett, who resigned in July. Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie has also announced his intention to retire, at the end of 2022. Rollé starts January 3. She has been the overseer of Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment since 2016, managing a broad spectrum of activity from media and film to business development and artist management. Previously she was executive VP and chief marketer at CNN Worldwide, with a staff of 110, and before that executive VP of BET Networks.
Edmonton Opera has hired an artistic director known for his bold programming ideas, Joel Ivany, founding director of Against the Grain Theatre (AtG), whose moniker defines its mission of presenting off-beat updates of operas in unusual venues. Ivany, 41, succeeds Tim Yakimec, who left earlier this year after eight seasons. In addition to his new post, Ivany will remain artistic director of AtG as well as director of opera at the Banff Centre.
Charlotte Smith, editor of The Strad, is to succeed Oliver Condy as the editor of BBC Music magazine in January. Smith has been editor of The Strad since 2017; she initially served as the magazine’s online editor and has also worked for Gramophone. She holds a bachelor’s degree in violin performance from London’s Royal College of Music and a master’s in English from Cambridge University.
John Roloff is the new COO of the Kansas City Symphony. He arrives from the Milwaukee Symphony, where, as VP of orchestra and facility operations, he functioned as executive producer for MSO’s live and media activities, including a nationally syndicated radio series and, during the pandemic, the launch of MSO Live, the orchestra’s streaming platform. He also guided the metamorphosis of the Warner Grand Theater into the Bradley Symphony Center and oversaw the transition of operations to the new facility after it opened in January 2021. Roloff holds an MBA from the University of Iowa and is an alumnus of the League’s Emerging Leaders Program.
Washington Performing Arts, D.C.’s other major presenter, has named Eric James to the post of CFO. James currently holds the same position with the National Education Association (NEA) Foundation and starts at the venerable producing group in January. James, with over two decades of experience in finance and the arts, holds a master’s degree in administration from Trinity Washington University and a bachelor’s in business from Washington and Lee University.
The Little Orchestra Society (L.O.S.) has promoted its director of education and recent associate director to the top administrative post. Now executive director, Anthony C. Ball, succeeds Joanne Bernstein-Cohen, who died in August at the age of 73. She had been with the L.O.S. for 34 years. In conjunction with David Alan Miller, appointed the orchestra’s artistic advisor in 2019, Ball will oversee the youth-purposed professional orchestra’s upcoming 75th anniversary season.
David McCormick, an early music scholar, educator, and Baroque violinist, is to succeed Karin Brookes as the executive director of Early Music America (EMA). Brookes, in the job four years, is the new administrative director at the Juilliard School. McCormick, a founding member of New York-based medieval ensemble Alkemie, has been artistic director of the Early Music Access Project, as well as executive director of Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival and Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival, both in Virginia.
Robert Neu, an opera and music theater director, is to be the new VP of artistic planning for the Utah Symphony | Utah Opera. The organization cites his past consultancies and affiliations with the major orchestras of Colorado, Minnesota, and Cincinnati. By his own accounting, Neu has directed more than 100 opera and music theater productions over the past two decades, served as artistic director of Minnesota’s Skylark Opera Theater, co-founder of Angels & Demons Entertainment, and a lecturer at the University of Minnesota.
Graham Parker is to serve as interim executive director of the Louisville Orchestra. He steps into the vacancy left by Robert Massey, who left in May 2020 after one year in the job. Previously Parker, a musician by training, was senior VP of New York Public Radio, serving as general manager of New York’s classical music mainstay WQXR. Before that he was executive director of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and held various positions with the Brooklyn Philharmonic, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and the New York Philharmonic. In Louisville his tasks will include the search for his permanent replacement.
October 2021
The San Francisco Opera has engaged Lisa Bury as its chief philanthropy officer, reporting to General Director Matthew Shilvock and overseeing the department responsible for the annual fund, institutional and major gifts, grants, corporate sponsorships, planned giving, endowment and capital campaigns. She arrives December 8 after two years in a similar post with the Dallas Opera and, before that on an interim basis, the Boston Symphony and other classical organizations, including 14 years with the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
The Britt Festival Orchestra (BFO), which is coming up on the 60th anniversary of its annual Britt Music & Arts Festival next summer, has named Renia Shterenberg, a former violinist in the orchestra, as its new general manager. The southern Oregon Festival’s music director is Teddy Abrams, Musical America’s 2022 Conductor of the Year. Shterenberg, who played with the BFO from 2004-11 before switching to arts administration, arrives from San Antonio, TX, where she served as executive director of the Olmos Ensemble, an emerging chamber group.
The London Mozart Players (LMP), founded in 1949 by Harry Blech, has a new executive director in the wings. His name is Flynn Le Brocq and he starts in January. Le Brocq has held executive leadership roles at the Southwell Music Festival and the Oxford Bach Soloists, and was a company manager at Nevill Holt Opera. His recent startup projects have included the Stay at Home Choir and music concierge service Haus Musik. Flynn trained as a singer at the University of Edinburgh.
Welz Kauffman, who resigned two years ago after 20 years at the helm of the Ravinia Festival, has resurfaced in Tucson, AZ, where he has become the first-ever fulltime managing director of True Concord Voices & Orchestra, a professional ensemble that performs about 10 programs annually, each in multiple venues and all available for streaming thereafter.
olorado’s Central City Opera has come up with a new five-year strategic plan that moves Pelham “Pat” Pearce, Jr., its general/artistic director sporting 25 years with the company, to the position of artistic director and senior VP. A new post of CEO has been added, designed to oversee all administrative and operations.
Camerata Pacifica, a 30-year-old chamber ensemble based in Santa Barbara, CA, has named former Jacksonville Symphony VP and General Manager Roger Wight as executive director. He succeeds Amy Williams, who left the position of managing director last fall and is now executive director of the Savannah Philharmonic. Camerata Pacifica is a traveling operation, with subscription series in four Southern Californian cities: Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Marino, and Los Angeles. The group’s “Nightingale Channel,” a collaboration with UCLA Health, offers digital programming to hospitals and retirement communities.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Mario Garcia Durham has joined the firm as vice president based in Washington, DC. A respected policy strategist known for his diplomatic approach and ability to bring people together, he brings more than 30 years of experience guiding community-based, regional, and national arts and service organizations. His areas of expertise include board relations and leadership, strategy, organizational management, resource optimization, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Dámaso Rodríguez has joined the firm as vice president within the Planning & Capacity Building area. Based in Portland, OR, he has worked as a producer, director, educator, and arts administrator at theaters and universities, bringing more than 20 years of experience as an arts leader at both start-up organizations and venerable institutions across the United States.
The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts has selected Christopher Harrington as president and CEO, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He will began his tenure on November 1, 2021. Mr. Harrington has held several positions at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, where he has worked since 2012. Most recently serving as senior director of jazz and @The Max, he was responsible for marketing and programming local, national, and international talent, ensuring a sustainable business model to attract and retain new audiences. Mr. Harrington also increased the symphony’s presentations sevenfold, grew ticket revenue by more than 300 percent, and led the rebranding and launch of its venue The Cube.
Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival has named Elizabeth Chang its new artistic director. Chang, professor of violin at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has been a member of the festival’s faculty since 2007. She succeeds founder Kevin Lawrence.
United Arts of Central Florida has selected Jennifer Clark Evins as president and CEO, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on June 21, 2021. For more than a decade, Ms. Evins held various leadership roles at Chapman Cultural Center, a South Carolina arts agency that provides major funding and support for local arts and culture organizations. Most recently serving as the president and CEO, she oversaw facility operations, marketing, cultural tourism, arts education, grant-making, public art, and advocacy. She also facilitated equity, diversity, and inclusion training for the cultural sector and expanded cultural facilities to include affordable studios and co-workspaces for artists to collaborate, teach, and hone their skills.
September 2021
The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance has named Patricia Wilson Aden as its new president and CEO as of January 2022. She will succeed Priscilla M. Luce, who has been in the role since the previous leader, Maud Lyon, retired on July 31, 2020. Aden, current president and CEO of the Blues Foundation in Memphis, TN, is no stranger to the Philadelphia arts scene, having been president and CEO of the city’s African American Museum for eight years. She also held positions as president of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia and director of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s mid-Atlantic regional office.
The Portland (OR) Opera has named an interim music director in composer Damien Geter whose works fuse various styles and bear titles such as An African American Requiem, The Justice Symphony, and Neo-Soul. Geter has been Portland Opera’s co-artistic advisor since July 2020 and artistic advisor for the social justice focused Resonance Ensemble; he is also a singer and actor and holds a master’s degree in conducting from Indiana State University.
As of Sept. 1, 2022, dramaturg, curator, and theater manager Matthias Pees will become the new director of Berliner Festspiele. He succeeds Thomas Oberender, in the position since 2012 and leaving at his own request. The 51-year-old Pees, a native of Georgsmarienhütte, brings an impressive résumé to his new assignment. He has served as both artistic and managing director of the international production house Künstlerhaus Mousonturm in Frankfurt/Main (2013–22), leading dramaturg at Wiener Festwochen (2010–13), founder and co-managing director of the international production agency prod.art.br. in São Paulo (2004–10), program dramaturg at Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen (2003–04), theater dramaturg at schauspielhannover (2000–03) and at Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz (1995–2000). He has also worked as an arts journalist and theater critic.
Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) has named Natasha Baldwin to the newly created position of Executive VP, Classics and Screen. The London-based Baldwin will be responsible for leading the company’s global classical and screen composer businesses, and will be a direct report to Jody Gerson, UMPG chairman and CEO, and Marc Cimino, UMPG COO. She is following Jim Kendrick, who is retiring after ten years leading UMPG Classical.
Toledo Opera has named not one but two artistic directors to succeed James Meena, who left as general director and principal conductor last year to take the same post with Opera Carolina, in Charlotte, NC. Toledo’s James Norman, employed by the company since 2012, has been promoted from director of artistic administration and production to co-artistic director with Kevin Bylsma, a voice coach and longtime lecturer in opera at Bowling Green State University. Bylsma has been with Toledo Opera on and off since 1997, originally as a rehearsal pianist and chorus preparer. Both will be working with Executive Director Suzanne Rorick and all three will be involved with season planning. Music preparation will fall mostly to Bylsma, production to Norman, and together the duo will make casting, design, and direction decisions.
Debra Lew Harder, a classical music host and producer for Temple University’s WRTI-FM in Philadelphia, as well as a concert pianist and a medical doctor, is to be the new host of the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts, starting when the season opens on September 27. She succeeds Mary Jo Heath, who retired in May after five years in the job. The Met cites its broadcasts as the “longest running classical music program in American radio,” dating back to 1931. Lew Harder is the fifth host, preceded by Heath, Margaret Juntwait, Peter Allen, and Milton Cross.
Sean Michael Gross is to be the new director of Warner Classics U.K., reporting to Alain Landeron, president of Warner Classics and Erato, based in Paris. Gross succeeds Patrick Lemanski, who left last year and is now consulting for Naïve records. Gross’s most recent position was director of global strategy and innovation at London-based Askonas Holt artist management, a position for which he relocated from New York in 2018. He stepped down from AH last January as the pandemic swept through the business and crippled artists and their managers’ income.
The Public Theater of San Antonio has selected Claudia de Vasco as executive artistic director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on September 13, 2021. Most recently, Ms. de Vasco served as the head of cultural integration for BrickHouse Talent Agency in Los Angeles. While there, she identified hurdles for diversity within Hollywood and devised practical solutions to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in the industry and agency. Ms. de Vasco also designed and launched a ground-breaking agency division by ideating with other entertainment industry change-makers.
Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach has named Ahmad Mayes its new executive director. Mayes previously served as director of education and community engagement with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. While there, he oversaw a wide range of field leading programs including Concerts for Young People, school and community partnerships, musician training, and nation-wide DE&I collaborations as director of education and community engagement.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has selected Francesca Harper as artistic director of Ailey II, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on September 7, 2021. Ms. Harper has choreographed works for both of the Ailey professional companies, Dance Theater of Harlem, Hubbard Street II, and La Bale Da Cidade, among others. She has also choreographed works commissioned by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and her own company, The Francesca Harper Project. Ms. Harper has been a principal dancer with Frankfurt Ballet and a featured performer in Broadway shows. Sought after for her expertise and experience as a consultant for major film and stage productions, Ms. Harper is currently engaged as executive producer with Sony Pictures on a series in development.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Menon Dwarka has joined the firm as senior vice president to lead and expand ACG’s services to Canadian organizations. Based in Toronto and New York, his expertise is focused on supporting opportunities for more diverse management teams, boards of directors, programming, and accessible cultural facilities that better serve the changing demographics of North America.
Breckenridge Creative Arts (BCA), a multidisciplinary nonprofit organization responsible for the successful management of a series of programs, properties, and partnerships that collectively animate and populate a cultural corridor in the heart of downtown Breckenridge, announces today that Tamara Nuzzaci Park has been named president and chief executive officer. Park was appointed acting president in May 2021 and served as the executive director of Breckenridge Music (Breck Music) for the past six years.
August 2021
Li Xincao, chief conductor of the China National Symphony Orchestra (CNSO) since 2018 and its vice president since 2019, has been named the orchestra’s president by the Ministry of Culture & Tourism. He fills a post vacated by Zhang Yi who resigned in April 2019. Li Xincao studied in Vienna and returned to China in 1999. At 50, he is the youngest among the five conductors working closely with the orchestra, including Tan Dun (artistic advisor), Chen Xieyang (emeritus conductor), Shao En (principal guest), Muhai Tang (honorary conductor).
Marc Stevens is to succeed Paul Dornian as president and CEO of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra in September. Dornian is retiring after six years in the job. Stevens arrives after seven years at the National Arts Center (NAC) in Ottawa, where he was the NAC Orchestra’s general manager and, for a time, acting managing director, and led the orchestra on a number of tours of North America and Europe.
Tom West, former chief advancement officer of the Los Angeles-based American Film Institute, is the new executive director of the Atlanta Ballet. He succeeds Arturo Jacobus, who retired at the end of last season, leaving the company in fiscal health after 12 years in the job. West’s fund-raising proclivity has been demonstrated with 10 years at the AFI, nearly four years as VP of development for the Segerstrom Center for the Arts (at the time known as the Orange County Performing Arts Center), and 10 years as VP of development at the Kennedy Center. He holds degrees in theater and arts administration. he starts full time in Atlanta at the end of September.
Michael Heaston, a former executive director of the Lindemann program and current artistic administrator for the Metropolitan Opera, has been named as Diane Zola’s replacement, and will oversee all matters artistic, including planning, scheduling, and casting; managing music and artistic staff; scheduling rehearsals, performances, and auditions; and working with all artists and their representatives. Melissa Wegner, current overseer of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions—renamed in May “the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition”—is to add the executive directorship of the Lindeman Young Artist Development Program to her duties.
As of September 1, Kevin Kwan Loucks, an Orange-county based chamber musician and entrepreneur, is the new CEO of Chamber Music America. He succeeds Margaret Loi, who announced her retirement last November. Loucks’s wide-ranging background includes co-founding Chamber Music OC, a performance and outreach organization coming up on its 10th anniversary in 2022; program development for the Music Academy of the West; fund-raising for the Philharmonic Society of Orange County; performing as pianist and founding member of the still-extant Trio Céleste; and serving as a teaching assistant for the Emerson String Quartet at SUNY Stony Brook.
Mark Ball will become artistic director of the Southbank Center, the U.K.’s largest arts center, in January 2022. Currently the creative director at Manchester International Festival, Ball will be responsible for developing an expansive artistic strategy to foster a nationwide reach and enhance the organization’s digital offerings. Prior to his current position at Manchester, Ball served as artistic director and chief executive of the London International Festival of Theater, head of events and exhibitions at the Royal Shakespeare Company, and founding artistic director of Fierce, an edgy, Birmingham-based theater company.
Opera Parallèle, San Francisco’s vital source of new and contemporary opera since 2007, has a new senior executive team, organized under and announced by its Founder and Artistic Director Nicole Paiement, who recently added general director to her title. Ruth Nott, creator and director of San Francisco Opera’s (SFO) education and community programs from 2008 to 2019, is to be Opera Parallèle’s (OP) managing director after having recently served as its interim COO. Her work with the SFO earned a Yale Distinguished Music Education Partnership Award for its focus on collaboration, professional development, and arts integration. Another SFO alumna, Aileen Tat, is to be Opera Parallèle’s new development director, having been leadership giving officer at SFO as well as a founding member of the company’s Diversity, Equity and Community Committee.
Opera Australia (OA) has named a new CEO, the first woman to occupy the job, and a highly credentialed one at that. Fiona Allan, born in Australia but living in the U.K. since 2004 when she was appointed artistic director of the Wales Millennium Center, will move into the top OA executive job at the end of 2021. She succeeds Rory Jeffes, who announced in February that he would step down. He’ll remain CEO until Allan’s arrival.
London native Suzy Klein, a veteran of the BBC for over two decades, is to become the broadcaster’s head of Arts and Classical Music in October. Her position has been newly created to ensure that arts and classical music commissioning is fully integrated into BBC content. Klein graduated with first-class honors in Music from the University of Oxford in 1996, and received a postgraduate diploma in broadcast journalism from City University London. After beginning her career as a presenter on radio and TV with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, she returned to the U.K. and began at the BBC, first at Radio 4 before moving to television as a director and producer.
The 92nd Street Y has appointed a successor to Hanna Arie-Gaifman, who announced in January that she would step down after 21 years as director of the Tisch Center for the Arts. The new candidate, Amy Lam, will hold a slightly different title: Vice President of Tisch Music. Perhaps that is to better describe her remit, which, like many these days, stretches beyond classical music on both sides of the footlights and emphasizes diversity. Lam was most recently artistic director of Boston’s multi-discipline Celebrity Series, where for 25 years she booked some 60 events annually, from classical music to jazz, pop, and world music. She is also credited with expanding the programming to include theater, lectures, and multi-discipline performances. She starts at the Y in November. Arie-Gaifman, meanwhile, takes the title of director emerita and will oversee a new classical music festival scheduled for summer 2022.
Bill Chandler, who started his career as a violinist in the Houston Symphony after earning his master’s degree from Rice University, is to be the new chief executive of the BBC Concert Orchestra. He succeeds Andrew Connolly, who stepped down after 20 years in the post last December. Chandler arrives with 30 years working, in one capacity or another, in orchestras. Most recently, he was director of concerts and engagement for the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO), an organization with which has been affiliated for over 26 years, the first 20 of which he served as associate leader (akin to associate concertmaster).
After a year as associate artistic director of the Public Theater, Shanta Thake is to take the top artistic position at Lincoln Center, overseeing its various series and festivals. The position has been vacant since Jane Moss departed in 2020. In its announcement however, Lincoln Center emphasizes her title, “Chief Artistic Officer,” as a new one, in alignment with the organization’s official “Commitment to Change,” which declares “Black Lives Matter” and its plan to “change the status quo.” Thake starts September 1. Prior to her current post, she was senior director of artistic programs at the Public Theater and director of Joe’s Pub, from 2007. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in theater from Indiana University at Bloomington.
Seattle Chamber Music Society has named John Holloway its new executive director, effective September 6. Holloway has served as managing director of the Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival in Greenville, NC, since 2014. In addition to greatly expanding both its season and its supporting budget, he created and developed Winter Workshop.
Ocean County College has selected Shannon Mayers as executive and artistic director of the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for Arts (Grunin Center), following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on July 12, 2021. Ms. Mayers’s career spans more than 25 years in the arts, including extensive management and curatorial experience in both professional and academic settings. Most recently, she served as executive director at Keene State College’s Redfern Arts Center, where she commissioned 13 projects, presenting many regional and world premieres.
Stages Houston has selected Katie Maltais as managing director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on August 1, 2021. A veteran performing arts executive, Ms. Maltais most recently served as managing director at Curious Theatre Company in Denver, CO. In this role, she earned an industry reputation for forging rapid growth and instigating institutional change, specifically in areas of patron loyalty and community building. Ms. Maltais also created The Loyalty Target, a new model for arts administration that has been adopted by arts organizations in both the United States and United Kingdom.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Delilah Norris has joined the firm’s Executive Search practice area as vice president. Based in ACG’s Chicago and Dallas locations, she brings nearly 30 years of comprehensive management, leadership, and innovative human resources experience spanning the arts and culture, nonprofit, private, and K-12 public education sectors. Her areas of expertise include the full complement of the employee life cycle, employee relations, conflict resolution, mediation, change management, employee benefits, and employee coaching, as well as belonging, inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility (BIDEA) strategy and initiatives.
July 2021
With the August 6 arrival of Early Music America Executive Director Karin Brookes to succeed Benjamin Sosland, now at the New England Conservatory, Juilliard has a new head of its Historical Performance Program. It also has a new Music Division Director, a new Prep School Dean, a new Provost, and quite a number of open positions. Brookes arrives after four years at the helm of Early Music America. Prior to EMA, Brookes was with Early Music Seattle, where she served as director of development; before that she worked with Northwest Boychoir and Pacific MusicWorks.
The Cleveland Institute of Music has named Scott Harrison executive VP and provost—a new position at CIM. Harrison is a familiar name among executives in orchestra circles, including the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and, most recently, the Louisiana Philharmonic, where he was interim ED. He starts his CIM job in August. Harrison’s portfolio includes overseeing academic and student affairs, pre-college programs, recruitment, and artistic programming for the Cleveland community.
Emmanuel Hondré is to be the next general director of the Opéra National de Bordeaux, effective as of August 2022 and succeeding Marc Minkowski as his term expires. Hondré has been director of the Concerts and Shows department of the Philharmonie de Paris since 2014, where he is responsible for an annual season of 500 concerts. He is also a lecturer and gives master classes on music management and cultural politics at schools ranging from the National Conservatory of Music of Paris to the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory of Saint Petersburg and the Shanghai School of Art and Culture.
Portland Opera has announced that Priti Gandhi will be the company’s new artistic director. Gandhi arrives from Minnesota Opera where she was chief artistic officer. Her responsibilities will overlap with those of PO’s former Director of Artistic Operations Clare Burovac, who left the Oregon-based company for New Orleans Opera in September 2020.
The American Pianists Association (APA) has named Peter Mraz, former VP of the Arts Consulting Group (ACG), to succeed Dr. Joel Harrison, who announced last September that he would step down in June of 2021. He starts August 1. Harrison will stay on as a consultant as Mraz adjusts to the job. Mraz, 44, is highly credentialed, having earned a diploma in piano performance from Kosice Conservatory in his native Slovakia (and winning two piano competitions), a business degree at the City University of Seattle, and a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School.
Mena Mark Hanna is to be general director of the Spoleto Festival as of next October, succeeding Nigel Redden, who announced last fall that he would step down after 35 years in the job. Hanna, the son of Egyptian immigrants, is the founding dean and professor of musicology and composition at Daniel Barenboim’s Barenboim-Said Akademie in Berlin. Prior to starting in that position, in 2014, he spent three years with the Houston Grand Opera and was a lecturer at the Shepard School of Music at Rice University. In an earlier position, he served as assistant to David Foster, President and CEO of Opus3 Artists.
The Dayton (OH) Performing Arts Alliance (DPAA), formed from the 2012 merger of the Dayton Philharmonic, Dayton Ballet, and Dayton Opera, has a new president and CEO in Patrick J. Nugent. He succeeds interim CEO Patricia McDonald, who took over in February 2020 when longtime CEO Paul Helfrich left to become executive director of the Orlando (FL) Philharmonic.
Marc Thayer is leaving his post as executive director of Symphony New Hampshire, and of the Monteux School and Music Festival, to be CEO of the Elgin (IL) Symphony Orchestra, a professional ensemble founded in 1950 with a budget of about $2.2 million. He succeeds Erik Malmquist, in the job 18 months before leaving to become casting director for the 2021-22 season at Munich’s Bayerische Staatsoper. Thayer, a violinist, has led New Hampshire five years, and before that worked with the St. Louis and New World symphonies. He holds a Master’s Degree in violin performance from the Eastman School.
Nicole Belmont, a media strategist, ensemble soprano singer, and co-founder of New York group Choral Chameleon, is to be the new executive director of the Phoenix (AZ) Chorale, a 28-voice professional ensemble. She succeeds Jen Rogers who left in January after 15 years.
Performance Santa Fe, a presenter of high-profile classical music artists, along with dance and other disciplines, has named Amy Iwano as its executive director. She steps into the new role in September, succeeding Chad Hilligus, who left last month after two years to become CEO at The Gallo Center for the Arts in Modesto, CA. Iwano is the executive director of the University of Chicago Presents and is credited with expanding the 77-year-old series beyond classical music to include jazz and world music, artist residencies, and multidisciplinary festivals. Prior to that she was executive director of the Chicago Chamber Musicians and of the Japan America Symphony of Los Angeles, which she took on its first concert tour to Japan.
Kevin Bitterman, director of institutional advancement and partnerships at New York’s Theater Communications Group (TCI, is to be next executive director of the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts, effective August 16 and succeeding Corey Madden, who exited one year ago. The privately funded Institute is designed to link University of North Carolina School of the Arts and its students and faculty to the local community, and vice versa, providing material and financial resources toward artistic innovation, and in turn strengthening the creative economy in North Carolina and the Southeast.
San Francisco Ballet has selected Jennie Scholick as director of education and training, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on May 10, 2021. Ms. Scholick’s career has spanned arts management, scholarship, and teaching, both in higher education and performing arts organizations. She has held various roles at SF Ballet since joining the organization in 2017, including associate director of audience engagement, associate director of audience development, and, most recently, interim director of education and training. While at SF Ballet, Ms. Scholick launched and curated the organization’s public programming, adult education, and audience development initiatives.
Meadowmount School of Music announced the appointment of Mark Hayman as executive director. Mark Hayman is a musician and seasoned arts executive with over 30 years of experience in the music world focused on emerging artists. As former executive director of the renowned nonprofit artist management Young Concert Artists, he developed and promoted the careers of extraordinary young musicians for decades alongside founder Susan Wadsworth.
The Kalamazoo Civic Theatre has selected Laura Zervic as executive director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on July 1, 2021. Ms. Zervic has practiced marketing and advertising law for more than 20 years for such companies as Chobani, Kellogg Company, two prestigious law firms in Chicago, and BISSELL Homecare, Inc. In addition to her work as an attorney, she has remained highly engaged with and dedicated to her community and to the arts, serving as a trustee and treasurer of the Gull Lake Community Schools Board of Education and president of the Gull Lake Community Schools Fine Arts Foundation, among other public service distinctions.
Formerly American Traditions Vocal Collection’s artistic director, Mikki Sodergren will now serve as both executive and artistic director. Prior to and during her tenure with the ATVCollection, Ms. Sodergren has continued her career as a sought-after vocal soloist in both classical and popular music fields. She has sung with the Jacksonville Symphony, the Savannah Philharmonic, and the Washington Bach Consort, among others.
Global Arts Live has selected Connie C. Chin as executive director following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on July 26, 2021. Ms. Chin will succeed founder and current Executive Director Maure Aronson, who will transition to director of artistic programs in a new co-leadership structure. For the past five years, Ms. Chin served as president of the Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library, where she strengthened the organization’s financial position, fundraising, partnerships, curatorial work, and orientation to social and racial justice goals.
Composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate has been named a Cultural Ambassador for the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs. Tate, whose appointment is part of American Music Abroad’s 2021-22 season, will deliver performances, workshops, lectures, and more in a month long virtual tour. He is a CMA-commissioned composer.
The Broadway League has selected Gennean Scott as director of equity, diversity, and inclusion, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on July 6, 2021. For the past 20 years, Ms. Scott has been committed to fostering inclusion and equity by implementing various racial and social justice initiatives in community organizations and professionally in the nonprofit and education sectors. Ms. Scott most recently served as vice president of human capital and inclusion at Omaha Performing Arts, where she led and created equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives and programs.
June 2021
Stefano Pace, current superintendent of the Fondazione Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi, in Trieste, is to be the new general and artistic director for the Royal Opera of Wallonia-Liège as of October 2021. He succeeds the late Stefano Mazzonis di Pralafera, who died unexpectedly last February. Liège will begin his five-year term in October 2021. Applicants to the job were required to have at least 10 years of experience in classical music in management and / or artistic management.
Yuval Sharon, founder and artistic director of The Industry and recent artistic director of the Michigan Opera Theater, is getting some help. Sonic artist Ash Fure and interdisciplinary artist Malik Gaines are joining The Industry as co-equal artistic directors for an initial term of three years. Fure, an associate professor of music at Dartmouth College and 2016 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in music, utilizes sonic art to create immersive listening experiences in unusual places. Gaines, for 20 years a Los Angelino and now an associate professor of performance studies at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, co-founded the musical performance art group My Barbarian in 2000.
Louisa Proske, co-founder and co-artistic director of Heartbeat Opera, will step down to become associate artistic director of Oper Halle; she will, at the same time stay connected to the bold, eight-year-old New York based company with the title of resident director. As she exits, her co-founder and co-artistic director Ethan Heard moves up to become the sole artistic director. At the same time, Black activist and bass-baritone Derrell Acon has been appointed associate director, starting July 1; he’ll remain chief impact officer at Long Beach Opera, which has simultaneously promoted him as its own associate director.
The Las Vegas Philharmonic has a new executive director, Anne Berquist, as of May 3, coming to the city from Grand Rapids, MI, where she served for the last year as a consultant and, prior to that, COO to a startup called Aid the Neway International_SignArt. At one time she was executive director of Opera Grand Rapids and president & CEO of Ann Arbor School for the Performing Arts.
The World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC) has elected a new president in Peter Paul Kainrath, artistic director of the Ferrucio Busoni Piano Competition and CEO of Klangforum Wien. He will serve a three-year term, succeeding Didier Schnohrk of the Geneva Competition, who served two terms in the job.
The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), located in Winston-Salem—one of UNC’s 17 statewide campuses—is undergoing major changes, as witnessed by the arrival of new deans at three of its five genre-specific schools. Saxton Rose will continue to oversee all of the School of Music operations, performances, and its 265 students, 47 faculty and 11 staff members. UNCSA named dancer, choreographer, and educator Endalyn Taylor as the new dean of the School of Dance effective August 1. She arrives after six years at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, where she teaches ballet and musical theater as an associate professor. Independent filmmaker and educator Deborah LaVine will take over in July as dean of the School of Filmmaking, which in 2020 was ranked among the Top 10 film schools in the country. She arrives from the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), where she was program director of the graduate-level film directing program.
The Louisiana Philharmonic, which self-defines as “the only full-time collaboratively governed and operated orchestra in the United States,” has named Philadelphia native Anwar Nasir to be its next executive director. Nasir is the current chief revenue & advancement officer for the Omaha Symphony, where he has worked for two years. The orchestra, whose pre-pandemic budget was $5.5 million, will return to its annual, 36-week schedule of live performances next October. Normally, it employs 67 musicians and has an administrative staff of 17. Carlos Miguel Prieto is its music director.
Mhiran Faraday is the new executive director of the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival. She comes to the position after three years as manager of the Banff International Chamber Music Competition (BISQC). In addition to the Banff competition, Faraday served as program director for the Center’s music department, operations director for Symphony Nova Scotia, and executive director for Debut Atlantic. She holds a BA in Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology from Dalhousie University.
Carlos Miguel Prieto, Musical America’s 2019 Conductor of the Year, is to serve as artistic advisor to the North Carolina Symphony (NCS) as it continues its search for a successor to Welshman Grant Llewellyn, who exited in spring of 2020 after 16 seasons. The 58-year-old Llewellyn now holds the title of music director laureate; he is the music director of Orchestre Symphonique de Bretagne in France.
Terell M. Johnson, former community engagement director for the New World Symphony, is to be the next executive director of the Chicago Philharmonic, a three-decade-old ensemble that has gone through various iterations since its founding.
The Winnipeg (CA) Symphony also has a new executive director. Angela Birdsell is described as an arts management consultant, with Ottawa Live Arts Community, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, and the Saint John Theater Company among her clients. She succeeds Trudy Schroeder, in the job for 13 seasons.
Cristina Rocca is to return to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as VP for artistic planning, a post she vacated in October of 2020 after five years to become artistic director of the London Philharmonic. She starts in Chicago on June 28, occupying the only endowed administrative post at the CSO, the Mary L. Gray Chair, reporting to CEO Jeff Alexander, and overseeing the artistic administration staff of eight. She will, once again, work with Music Director Riccardo Muti and be responsible for all programming, including jazz, world, the Symphony Center Presents lineup, and the MusicNOW contemporary series.
Fund for the Arts (The Fund) has selected André Kimo Stone Guess as president & CEO, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on June 30, 2021. A native Louisvillian, Mr. Guess brings more than 20 years of experience in the arts sector, working with arts organizations and individual artists. For more than 14 years, he has also owned and operated management consulting firm, GuessWorks, Inc. During that time, he managed the careers of world-class artists and provided management, consulting, and producing services to arts organizations and nonprofits.
Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival has named Paul Schwendener as its new executive director, effective June 1. He succeeds Elaine Lipton, who is retiring after 15 years in the position. Lipton will continue as executive director emeritus through August.
The International Festival of Arts & Ideas (Festival) has selected Roslyn (Roz) Gilhuly as director of development, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on February 8, 2021. Ms. Gilhuly brings more than 25 years of experience in fundraising, donor stewardship, marketing and communications, public relations, and corporate relationship building to her new role at the Festival. Most recently, she served as Senior Vice President, External Relations at Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, where she oversaw all marketing, development, and membership operations.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG), announced that Nagham Wehbe has joined the firm as associate vice president to support all of ACG’s practice areas with market research, data analysis, financial modeling, survey and interview design, and translation of data for cultural organizations. Based in Los Angeles, she began her tenure on June 1, 2021. As a researcher and strategist, she has utilized qualitative and quantitative data (primary and digital) to identify trends and deliver recommendations to clients. Her areas of expertise include audience engagement trends, brand visibility, and program competitiveness.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Calida N. Jones has joined the firm as vice president to expand the planning and capacity building areas of the firm. Based in Washington, DC, Ms. Jones brings more than 20 years of experience in planning, workshop and curriculum development, project management, and advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and access initiatives. Passionate about intentional and purposeful mentoring and community engagement, her personal mission is to ensure that those with limited resources have access to arts opportunities and activities. She is also committed to correlating the art of teaching to life skills and community building.
May 2021
Katie McGuinness will exit her post as director of artistic planning at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra to join the Dallas Symphony as VP of artistic operations, as of the 2021-22 season. Overseeing a department of 10, she’ll report directly to DSO President and CEO Kim Noltemy, who announced the appointment jointly with Music Director Fabio Luisi. In her new job she’ll be responsible for all classical and pops programming, with, respectively, Luisi and Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik. A professionally trained pianist who counts John O’Conor among her primary teachers, she spent two summers in administration at the Aspen Music Festival and School while working on her doctorate in piano performance at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Ireland.
Larisa Gelman, onetime director of the 92nd Street Y’s Center for Education Outreach, among other nonprofit leadership positions, is the new executive director of Midori & Friends. She succeeds Suzanne Wilson, who left in 2019 after seven years in the job and is now president and CEO of the Phoenix Symphony. Midori & Friends is heading into its 30th anniversary of working with New York City public schools to provide music education and enrichment to students in grades K-12. By its own estimation, it has reached over 300,000 students.
Joshua Barone, a senior staff editor at the New York Times, has been given the title of assistant performing arts editor, a boost to the culture department. Barone, who writes frequently about classical music, holds degrees in journalism and French literature from the University of Missouri. He joined the Times in 2013 after a year at the Financial Times and a variety of internships, including the Wall Street Journal, Esquire magazine, and Standard and Poor’s. Other recent shifts in Times culture include the arrivals in New York of Javier C. Hernández, 36, to cover classical music and dance, with a background in political reporting, and the move in Los Angeles of that town’s longtime Bureau Chief Adam Nagourney, 66, to focus on West Coast arts, in particular California’s. Both were necessitated by Michael Cooper’s promotion from arts reporter to deputy culture chief.
Amanda Gookin is to be the next executive director of Music at the Anthology, or MATA, which supports emerging composers through commissioning, performing, and funding their work. Founded by Philip Glass, Eleonor Sandresky, and Lisa Bielawa in 1996 at a time when getting a hearing for new work was difficult, MATA has since become, by its own account, “the world’s foremost sought-after performance opportunity for young and emerging composers.” Gookin, a cellist, succeeds Loren Loiacono on June 5.
Moving from new music to vintage repertoire, San Francisco’s Merola Opera Program has a new director of advancement as of June 1. Nancy E. Petrisko, director of development at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, UC Davis, takes up the post as Merola moves into a new generation of leadership under Carrie-Ann Matheson, who succeeded Sheri Greenawald as artistic director last January. Petrisko is a former operations manager at San Francisco Opera and has worked with many opera companies and presenters across her career in a range of capacities. She has also taught arts-management courses at the university level and been an independent fund-raising consultant for a number of non-profit arts organizations.
The Juilliard School has named a top Curtis Institute academic as dean and director of its music division. David Serkin Ludwig—whose uncle was Peter Serkin and whose grandfather, pianist Rudolf Serkin, was director of Curtis from 1968-1976—is to take the new job on June 1. He will be responsible for all music performance and academic training in his new position; his three focuses, according to the school are “excellence, creativity, and inclusiveness.”
Interlochen Center for the Arts has selected Enrique Márquez as director of music, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He will begin his tenure on June 1, 2021. Mr. Márquez most recently served as manager of events for the Harvard University Department of Music. In this role, he oversaw Music Department concerts and events and served as the administrator of the Fromm Music Foundation, which has commissioned more than 400 new compositions. Mr. Márquez actively collaborated with music institutions, including Tanglewood, the American Composers Orchestra, the American Academy in Rome, and Sony Classical.
Interlochen Center for the Arts has also named trumpeter Josh Lawrence as its new director of jazz studies, effective August 9. Lawrence, who received a CMA 2017 New Jazz Works grant, succeeds Bill Spears, who is retiring after 34 years at the Center.
April 2021
Olivier Mantei, managing director of the Opéra-Comique, is to be the next director of the Cité de la Musique/Philharmonie de Paris. He starts on November 1, succeeding Laurent Bayle, in the job since 2015. His term, for five years, was announced on April 28 by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and Minister of Culture Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin. In his new role, Mantei will oversee all artistic matters for the Cité de la Musique/Philharmonie, as well as make it “accessible and exemplary in terms of inclusion” and diversity of musical genres and origins.
Enrique Márquez, who produces and books events for Harvard University’s Department of Music and administers the Fromm Music Foundation, has been appointed director of music by Interlochen Center for the Arts. Márquez will oversee music programming, pedagogy, and curricula for Interlochen Arts Academy, Camp, College of Creative Arts, and Interlochen Online. He starts June 1 and reports to Vice Provost of Academic and Artistic Education Jason Hubbard; he’ll also collaborate with Christian Macelaru, artistic director and principal conductor of Interlochen’s World Youth Symphony Orchestra, a summer program.
Violist Geraldine Walther, who exited the Takács Quartet in 2019 after a 15-year run, has been appointed interim director of chamber music at the Colburn School in Los Angeles. She starts next fall and her position is expected to become permanent thereafter.
The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music has named Professor Farzad Amoozegar as the new director of the Iranian Music Program, an appointment made as part of the school’s partnership with the Farhang Foundation, which promotes Iranian art and culture in the community. The Foundation supports much of the program’s activity, which includes connecting UCLA students to international Iranian music and musicians.
Renae Williams Niles, chairman of the board of APAP (Association of Performing Arts Professionals), best known for her work in arts education and dance, will oversee all programming at the Los Angeles Philharmonic, including classical. Her newly created position, which she assumes on June 7, is chief content and engagement officer, reporting directly to CEO Chad Smith.
Alison Friedman, current artistic director of performing arts for Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, is returning Stateside for reasons personal and political; she has been hired as executive and artistic director of Carolina Performing Arts at UNC-Chapel Hill. She starts in October, filling the post vacated in 2019 by Emil Kang, now at the Andrew Mellon Foundation.
Oper Köln has hired Dutch cultural manager Hein Mulders, onetime artistic director of the Nederlandse Opera, current intendant of the Aalto-Musiktheater in Essen (Germany), as its new artistic director, effective in 2022-23.
Elena Dubinets, recent chief artistic officer of the Atlanta Symphony, onetime Musical America Top 30 Mover and Shaper, highly regarded musicologist, author, and lecturer, is to be the London Philharmonic’s artistic director, as of next September. Prior to Atlanta, the Russian-born Dubinets was VP of artistic planning and creative projects for the Seattle Symphony. Over her 15-year tenure, she is credited with widening the orchestra’s repertoire, especially through contemporary work and commissions, and launching its in-house label, which garnered a number of Grammy Awards.
Marc Baylin, who announced his decision to wind down Baylin Artists Management last year just one month before the pandemic struck, has been hired as artistic advisor and programming consultant by the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. The multi-discipline presenter, based at the University of Pennsylvania, is approaching its 50th-anniversary season. It has been active digitally during the shutdown and is now preparing for its next, live moves.
Patrick Castillo, who describes himself as “a composer, performer, writer, and educator,” has been hired by the New York Philharmonic as VP of artistic planning. He has been consulting for the orchestra under his predecessor, Isaac Thompson, who was promoted to managing director in December as one of two key executives under President and CEO Deborah Borda.
The City of Aspen has named Lisa Rigsby Peterson as the executive director of the Wheeler Opera House, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on March 1, 2021. A long-time Colorado resident, Ms. Rigsby Peterson most recently served as the founding executive director of the municipally owned Lone Tree Arts Center. During her decade-long tenure, she brought high-profile performers to Lone Tree, presenting up to 80 performances annually. Her innovative approach to strategic artistic partnerships and programs helped identify unmet needs in the community as well as curate signature programs to serve them.
March 2021
Bronx Arts Ensemble, nearing 50 years of bringing performances and teaching artists into Bronx public schools, has named Judith Insell as its executive director. Insell, a professional violist born and raised in the Bronx, was named artistic director in summer 2020. Insell, a onetime Broadway pit musician, was previously director of music at the Harlem School of the Artsts and assistant director of Instrumental Studies at Mannes College of Music, The New School. She is a member of the avant-garde jazz collective Jump Off This Bridge and the Greenwich (CT) Symphony.
Benjamin Sosland, interim dean and director of the Music Division at the Juilliard School, is to be the next provost and dean of the New England Conservatory, effective July 5. He succeeds Thomas Novak, a 20-year NEC veteran who holds the title of VP and provost. Sosland will oversee all aspects of NEC’s programs including the College, Preparatory School, and School of Continuing Education.
Christine Goerke, who led last October’s Twilight: Gods in the Michigan Opera Theater parking garage, has been named associate artistic director for three years as of April 1. “…she will partner with Yuval Sharon to reposition MOT with a new focus for what opera in Detroit will mean,” said MOT President Wayne Brown. Davóne Tines is MOT’s new artist in residence.
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) has named a chief diversity officer, a newly created position reporting directly to the CEO. An Ohio native and Harvard graduate, Harold Brown will oversee CSO diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) both internally and in the community.
The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) has selected Dr. Carleen Graham to become the School’s inaugural associate dean and director of vocal arts. A distinguished teaching professor emerita of the State University of New York at Potsdam, Graham is currently director of HGOco, Houston Grand Opera’s program connecting the company to its community. She begins her new position on July 1, 2021.
David Pratt, executive director of the Savannah Music Festival (SMF) for slightly more the two years, is to be the new CEO and executive director of the Austin (TX) Symphony Orchestra (ASO). Pratt is credited with balancing the $3.4 million annual budget at SMF and adding new community programs.
The Wheeling (WV) Symphony Orchestra has named Bryan Braunlich, its general manager, to the position of executive director, effective immediately. He succeeds Bruce Wheeler. Braunlich first arrived in 2017 as director of marketing and communications.
Caramoor has appointed Edward J. Lewis III to succeed Jeffrey P. Haydon as president & CEO. Lewis, a onetime violist in the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, has been vice chancellor for advancement at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) for six years, a position from which he is credited with “surpassing all annual and campaign fundraising goals.” He’ll start at Caramoor in May, succeeding interim CEO Nina Curley. Kathy Schuman remains VP and artistic director.
The City of Thousand Oaks has selected Jonathan Serret as cultural affairs director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on November 20, 2020. Mr. Serret most recently worked at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center (BAPAC), serving as technical director for 10 years and as deputy cultural affairs director/general manager since 2017. In addition to providing operational oversight, he implemented the Cultural Affairs Five-Year Strategic Plan and produced the City’s Pop Up Arts and Music Festival.
February 2021
The Los Angeles-based Colburn School, which has grown over the last 70 years from a community music school into a major conservatory, has announced that 26-year-old choreographer and former New York City Ballet dancer Silas Farley is to succeed Jenifer Ringer (also a City Ballet alum) as dean of the Trudl Zipper Dance Institute (TZDI). Concurrently, Darleen Callaghan, former director of Miami City Ballet School, will succeed James Fayette as associate dean. The changeover occurs in June 2021, with the two incumbents becoming visiting artists.
James Darrah, artistic director of Omaha’s annual ONE Festival, is to take the same title with Long Beach Opera, another entity known for bold moves and experimentation. Darrah is well known in new opera circles, having directed the world premieres of Ellen Reid’s Pulitzer Prize-winning opera p r i s m, Missy Mazzoli’s Breaking the Waves and Proving Up, a new production of Philip Glass’s Les enfants terribles and the first West Coast performances of Jennifer Higdon’s Cold Mountain, among others.
John Kieser has been enlisted by the classical music streaming service Idagio as its “director of partnerships,” which will help open industry doors for the company and expand its reach beyond the 30,000 registered users it currently claims.
Gail Samuel, longtime chief overseer of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and its assorted tentacles, is to be the new president and CEO of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She succeeds Mark Volpe, with the orchestra for 23 years, every one of which, it would seem, has seen the storied institution grow and prosper, especially at its Tanglewood location.
David Lomelí, director of artistic administration for the Dallas Opera, is to be the Santa Fe Opera’s chief artistic officer as of May 1. The position is newly created, necessitated by the departure of Artistic Director Alexander Neef, now general director of the Paris Opera, and the retirement of Brad Woolbright as director of artistic administration.
National Endowment for the Arts appointments for the Biden-Harris Administration include the following:
- Ra Joy will become chief of staff and previously served as executive director for CHANGE Illinois, a nonpartisan coalition for government reform, and from 2007 to 2015 as executive director of the statewide arts advocacy organization Arts Alliance Illinois. As a senior staffer for U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky from 2001 to 2007, he specialized in appropriations, community development, education, youth development, and the arts.
- Jennifer Chang will serve as White House liaison and senior advisor to Mr. Joy. Before working on the appointments team with the Biden-Harris transition, she consulted on performing arts and education issues. Chang also spent over a decade working at Google, during which time she also earned a master’s degree in viola performance from The Juilliard School. In 2016, she took a six-month sabbatical to work on the Hillary Clinton campaign.
- Sonia Chala Tower, who has spent more than 25 years working in cultural development and arts policy, will fill the role of director of strategic communications and public affairs. Among her previous positions are arts program officer for a community foundation, a municipal arts director, and vice president of development and special initiatives for Americans for the Arts. Most recently she was the national co-chair for Arts for Biden-Harris. Tower is also a classically trained mezzo-soprano specializing in Byzantine and Russian liturgical music.
- The fourth appointee, Ben Kessler, will become director of congressional Affairs. An intellectual property lawyer, Kessler has worked for the United States Senate Committee on Aging; Invariant Government Relations, a lobbying agency; and the Pew Charitable Trusts working on food safety policy. During the Biden campaign, Kessler managed a team of intellectual property law volunteers reviewing campaign-produced content for copyright, trademark, and right of publicity concerns.
Melissa Ngan, founder of the Chicago-based new music group Fifth House Ensemble, project consultant to the Cleveland Orchestra, among others, is to succeed Edward Yim as president and CEO of the American Composers Orchestra (ACO). Yim has been chief content officer for WQXR since September. Jesse Rosen, recently retired CEO of the League of American Orchestras, has been serving as interim. Fifth House Ensemble has welcomed Alexandra Olsavsky as its new executive director.
Chicago’s Hubbard Street Dance Company has turned to one of its own, former company dancer Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell, as its new artistic director. She replaces Glenn Edgerton, in the position since 2009, and takes over on March 1, 2021.
Arkansas Arts Academy has selected Richard Burrows as CEO, following a national executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on September 14, 2020. Mr. Burrows has worked at the local, state, national, and international levels for more than 40 years. His appointments include K-12 public education, post-secondary institutions, governmental service, agency executive leadership, and community development.
The Grand Rapids Symphony announced that Carlos Vicente is to be vice president of marketing and communications after a nationwide search conducted by the Tom O’Connor Consulting Group. Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Carlos has more than 22 years of experience with performing arts organizations both in the U.S. and abroad. Carlos comes to Grand Rapids from the Sarasota Opera, where he has been the director of Marketing since 2014.
The Flynn has selected Jay Wahl as executive director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on January 1, 2021. Mr. Wahl joins the Flynn after 11 years at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia. As producing artistic director, he served as an international liaison and advocate for the Kimmel Center and the Philadelphia arts community, programming and producing a wide range of performances and spearheading efforts to bring diverse and inspiring artists to the city.
Jennifer Clarke has joined the National Flute Association as its new executive director. Jennifer has extensive experience in leadership and management of non-profit arts institutions, most recently as executive director of Associated Chamber Music Players (ACMP) and the ACMP Foundation.
January 2021
The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) has named Hanif Abdurraqib as guest curator at large. The Ohio-born poet, essayist, and cultural critic will work closely with BAM programming teams to curate musical engagements and conceive longterm projects.
Russell Thomas will serve as the Los Angeles Opera’s next artist-in-residence through the end of the company’s 2023-24 season. He follows composer-conductor Matthew Aucoin, in the position since 2016.
Julia Noulin-Mérat, co-artistic director of Boston’s artist-led Guerilla Opera, is the new general director and CEO of Opera Columbus. She succeeds Peggy Kriha Dye.
Stratford Summer Music (SSM) has hired Kendra Fry as its new general manager, as of April 1. She succeeds Judy Matheson, in the job for seven years. SSM is a six-week, 100-performance event.
The Metropolitan Opera, which has named Marcia Lynn Sells, dean of students at Harvard Law School since 2015, with the title of chief diversity officer. Sells, who holds a law degree from Columbia University and has served as assistant district attorney for New York State, comes on staff in late February with a broad mandate.
Richard Lonsdorf is the new executive director of New Century Chamber Orchestra, having served as interim since August, when Philip Wilder stepped down to become the president and general director of Chanticleer.
Astral Artists, a by-audition management company specializing in emerging classical artists, has named Lourdes Starr-Demers as executive director, succeeding Julia Rubio, who left in October 2019 to join the Merakey Foundation.
The American Federation of Musicians’ Local Los Angeles-area chapter 47, representing some 6,000 musicians, has elected Stephanie O’Keefe to serve as its next president. A professional French horn player, O’Keefe is the first woman to take the top post in the 123-year history of the national union.
The University of Texas at Austin has named alumnus Ramón H. Rivera-Servera as the next dean of the College of Fine Arts. His appointment will begin July 1.
December 2020
As of January 1, New York Philharmonic President and CEO Deborah Borda will delegate the bulk of her internal administrative duties to two key deputies, clearing a path forward for her to be fundraiser in chief. Adam Cox, whom Borda hired last year as COO, is to become executive director and Isaac Thompson, current VP of artistic planning, will move to managing director. Cox, former executive VP of the AT&T Performing Arts Center (AT&TPAC) in Dallas, and known for his skill in operational turnarounds, will handle all business functions. Thompson, whose three years with the orchestra have broadened both its artistic and community impact, will manage artistic, concert, and production functions. Bill Thomas continues to oversee the Geffen Hall project.
The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, a multi-genre presenting venue in West Palm Beach, FL, has chosen Terrence W. Dwyer, former president of California’s Segerstrom Center, to be its next CEO. He starts January 11, succeeding founding CEO Judith Mitchell, who has retired after nearly 30 years. Dwyer, 64, was in his former job for 13 years, overseeing a $60 million budget, a $140 million capital and endowment campaign, and much lauded community projects and partnerships. In a nod to the challenges ahead, he noted in comments that the Kravis Center was “well positioned to respond to the changing needs of its community.”
One of Canada’s renowned early music vocalists, soprano Suzie LeBlanc, has been selected as the next artistic and executive director of Early Music Vancouver. She succeeds Matthew White, who held the position for seven seasons before leaving to become CEO of the Victoria Symphony. LeBlanc begins on Jan. 4, 2021. A native of New Brunswick, LeBlanc is based in Montreal, where she is currently director of Cappella Antica at McGill University. Fifteen years ago, she cofounded the Montreal-based company Le Nouvel Opéra. LeBlanc has been awarded four honorary doctorates for her contributions to music and is a GRAMMY-winning recording artist.
La Jolla Music Society, as of January 4, 2021, will have its fourth new president and CEO in two years. He is Todd Schultz, 54, whose last, year-long job was senior VP of development for the McCallum Theater in Palm Desert, CA. Previously, he served as VP of institutional advancement for San Diego Symphony; he has also worked for San Diego Opera as director of marketing and PR.
Ott Maaten is to be the new director of the Estonian National Opera (Rahvusooper), succeeding Aivar Mäe, who resigned in late August. Maaten, 53, is the current finance and administration director of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theater, where he has overseen the successful completion of several major construction projects. Maaten, a onetime professional musician, starts his new job in January. The National Opera is housed in Tallinn’s Estonia Theater, also home base to the National Ballet, and has both a theater and a concert hall. The possibility of moving to a new facility has been under discussion for the last decade.
Canadian director Michael Cavanagh, who lays claim to staging 150 opera productions in 32 international houses, is to succeed Birgitta Svendén as artistic director of the Royal Swedish Opera, starting in summer of 2021. Svendén, who became the company’s first woman director in 2009, moves to CEO on his arrival and will remain in the post for one year thereafter. Cavanagh has signed a five-year contract. In Sweden, his highest profile productions for the Royal Opera house have been Nixon in China and Aida. He credited Svendén with raising the company’s artistic level as well as its international profile, and said he was “humbled” to be stepping into her shoes.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Geoff Chang has joined the firm as vice president to expand the leadership transitions and capacity building practice areas. Based bi-coastally in San Diego and New York, he brings a rich background of experience within the arts and culture industries, specifically within the dance sector. Mr. Chang most recently served as general manager at the Mark Morris Dance Group in Brooklyn, NY, where he produced performances at many of the world’s leading cultural venues and arts festivals.
November 2020
Perryn Leech is to be the next general director of the Canadian Opera Company, effective March 1. He succeeds Alexander Neef, now the general director of the Paris Opera. The search committee chair commented, “Perryn’s values closely mirror our own, particularly when it comes to breaking down barriers. The committee was struck by his passion for sharing the art form with others and his enthusiasm for bringing more opera out of the Four Seasons Center for the Performing Arts and into our neighborhoods….Perryn stood apart for his vision of a more accessible COC.”
London-based Maestro Arts has named Jordi Martin Mont as its new managing director. He succeeds Rachel van Walsum, who moves to the position of director and artist manager. Martin Mont has been with the company since its founding, with Ms. Van Walsum, in 2011. The agency, whose roster numbers 46, was founded as a multi-discipline enterprise.
Gillian Friedman Fox is to take on the 53rd season of the Newport Music Festival as its executive director. She arrives January 4, 2021 after five years at the Dallas Symphony, most recently as director of contemporary programming initiatives, including the three-week international Soluna Festival and the Women in Classical Music Symposium. Prior to Dallas, Friedman Fox was a booking agent for CAMI Music and, before that, for Unlimited Myles. She holds a BA from the University of Rochester.
The Curtis Institute has appointed alumna Michelle Cann to the inaugural Eleanor Sokoloff Chair in Piano Studies, named in honor of the legendary teacher who passed away in July at age 106, after serving on Curtis’s faculty for 84 years. The position is funded by alumnus William A. Horn, M.D. (Piano ’70) and by the family of the deceased, honoring her desire to see more women on the Curtis faculty. Cann earned an artist’s diploma from the school in 2013, studying with Robert McDonald. Her undergraduate and graduate degrees are from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Her new job is effective immediately and will involve individual lessons as well as chamber coachings—all remote for the nonce.
Lacey Huszcza has exited the Las Vegas Philharmonic (LVP) after two years in the job, to take the same post with the Richmond Symphony, where she is succeeding president and CEO David Fisk, who moved on after 18 years to take the top administrative job at the Charlotte (NC) Symphony. In Las Vegas, Tim Robinson, active locally as a consultant in entertainment, with a master’s degree in classical guitar performance, will serve as interim.
Robert Driver has succeeded Amy Drummond at the St. Louis Symphony as its VP and chief philanthropy officer. Drummond left last June to join EMD Consulting. Driver, a onetime member of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus, was most recently assistant vice chancellor of development at the University of Missouri in Columbus.
Ralph Remington, former actor and regional chief of Actors Equity Los Angeles, has been appointed as the director of cultural affairs for the San Francisco Arts Commission. Currently deputy director for arts and culture in Tempe, AZ, Remington assumes his new role in January. As director, Remington will oversee cultural activities in all aspects of the arts citywide, including special projects, grant-making, and policy-setting. Remington will report to the 15-member Arts Commission, which is appointed by the mayor and responsible for the city’s civic art collection, civic design review, cultural equity grants, seven cultural centers and other funding, public art, and art vendors in the city.
Joe Goetz is to succeed Ryan Lohr as music director of Classical MPR. He arrives November 16 after serving for six years as music director of WFIU, the public radio station associated with Indiana University in Bloomington, IN. Goetz is charged with overseeing Classical MPR’s daily programming and classical selections; he’ll also be involved with APM’s national classical music strategies. At WFIU, Goetz is credited with overseeing “wholesale changes,” including launching nationally syndicated programming and producing broadcasts of Jacobs School of Music concerts. He also produced a weekly music show hosted by soprano Sylvia McNair.
London’s Southbank Center, Europe’s largest arts complex, has hired Toks Dada as head of classical music, succeeding Ben Larpent who left in May to become director of artistic planning at the Philharmonia Orchestra. Dada will be working with Benji Unsal, head of contemporary music, both under Gillian Moore, director of music and performing arts. Dada is classical program manager at Birmingham’s Town Hall Symphony Hall. He’s also guest curator for the three-day Wonderfeel in July, said to be the Netherland’s largest outdoor classical music festival. He’s on the board of Welsh National Opera, an advisor for the U.K.’s PRS for Music foundation, and an ISPA Fellow.
The International Festival of Arts & Ideas has selected Malakhi Eason as director of programming and community impact, following an international executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on November 16, 2020. Mr. Eason brings more than 15 years of arts administration experience to the Festival. Originally from Boston, he most recently served as Programming Manager at Omaha Performing Arts, where he maintained a large network of artist managers, agents, and promoters and curated the Jazz on the Green Series, a six-week summer community concert series with more than 50,000 people in attendance.
SPARC (School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community) has selected Evelyn A. Francis as director of programs, following a national executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She will began her tenure on November 16, 2020. Ms. Francis is an innovative theater artist, educator, and administrator with more than 20 years of experience providing artistic vision, building equitable programming, and working with community-based artists on theatrical shows, fundraisers, concerts, commercials, art exhibits, parades, and festivals. Most recently, she served as producing co-executive director at The Theatre Offensive (TTO) in Boston.
Nicolas Gonzalez has recently joined the Stamford Symphony as manager of community engagement and education. In this newly created role, Nicolas will take the lead in planning and implementing the organization’s strategy to encourage patrons of all ages to participate in, and learn about, all the ways in which an orchestra can serve its community. He will work to ensure that the Stamford Symphony has meaningful and effective engagement within the Stamford and wider Fairfield County communities.
October 2020
Brian Newhouse, who for 27 years served as producer and host for Minnesota Public Radio’s (MPR) live broadcasts from Orchestra Hall will be the Minnesota Orchestra’s associate VP of institutional giving as of November 2. He left MPR in June, having served in a number of positions, the last of which was managing director. Along the way, he created the network’s education program, “Music for Learning,” which has served some 250,000 students and has been adopted by PBS. He also founded the 24-hour “Choral Stream” and MPR’s state-wide “Bring the Sing” program, as well as writing and hosting SymphonyCast, the national weekly broadcast series of live orchestral performances.
The Berklee College of Music has chosen Erica Muhl to serve as the school’s next president, making her the first woman to lead the institution in its 75-year history. Muhl, a composer and conductor, previously led music and arts schools at the University of Southern California, where she spent 30 years. She begins at Berklee in July, replacing Roger Brown, who is stepping down after 17 years as president.
Alexander Busche is to be the new managing director of the Göttingen Symphony Orchestra, as of November 1. He succeeds interim Frank Wiegelmann. Busche, 42, previously worked for Opus 3 in Berlin and before that with Sony Music A&R, also in Berlin. The orchestra simultaneously announced the extension of Artistic Director Nicholas Milton’s contract for five years.
Linda Moxley, VP of marketing and communications for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, is headed to Florida, where she is to be the first-ever executive director of the Sarasota Concert Association, which, heretofore, has been run by a volunteer board of musicians, educators, and business types. Across her 30 years of experience in the field, Moxley has worked with a variety of arts groups including the Baltimore Choral Arts Society and the Atlanta and San Francisco symphonies. She has also had her own consulting firm for marketing, fund-raising, and PR, and served as a trustee on a number of nonprofit boards. She holds a bachelor’s degree in music education and piano from the State University of New York at Fredonia, and a master’s degree in arts management from the University of Cincinnati. SCA’s 76th season gets underway in January.
Miah Im, director of opera studies at Rice University and music director of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, is to be head coach of the Aspen Music Festival and School’s new Opera Theater VocalARTS program. An AMFS alumna, she will assist Co-artistic Directors Renée Fleming and Patrick Summers in the new venture, which, if all goes according to plan, will launch in summer 2021.
Anna Karinsdotter is to be the new artistic and managing director of the 250-year-old Drottningholms Slottsteater as of May 2021 for a five-year period. The former artistic director of Unga på Operan at the Royal Swedish Opera, she will be succeeding Sofi Lerström, who declined to renew her contract after ten years and is expected to exit in April.
September 2020
American Composers Orchestra (ACO has named Lyndsay Werking as its acting president, effective immediately following current President Edward Yim’s departure on September 18. Werking joined ACO as director of development in 2017 and will continue that role concurrently. ACO has engaged executive search firm HC Smith Ltd to fill the position of president permanently.
San Diego Symphony has added two new senior staffers to its ranks: Myra Garcia, as vice president, institutional advancement, and Craig Hall, as vice president, marketing and communications. Garcia, who trained as a soprano, was most recently at the University of La Verne, in La Verne, CA, where she is credited with a successful $125 million capital campaign, among other accomplishments. Hall arrives after 13 years at the New World Symphony (NWS) in Miami Beach, where he worked closely with Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas and for which he launched an impressive media opening of the Frank Gehry designed New World Center.
The board of directors of Virginia Opera has selected Peggy Kriha Dye as the organization’s new general director and CEO, effective Oct. 18, 2020. She succeeds Russell P. Allen, who is retiring after two different stints leading the company for a total of 15 years. Born in Minnesota, Dye earned her BA in Music Education from Saint Cloud State University before pursuing graduate studies at Manhattan School of Music and The Juilliard Opera Center. Dye started an administrative career in 2011 at Opera Columbus, all the while continuing to perform. She rose from directing education and community programming to general and artistic director and CEO in 2017, at which point she retired from the stage.
Yuval Sharon, MacArthur Fellow, darling of the avant-garde, interim artistic advisor of the Long Beach Opera, has just added another feather to his cap: The Michigan Opera Theater has tapped him as artistic director. Sharon, who has signed a five-year agreement with MOT, recently completed a three-year residency at the Los Angeles Philharmonic, where productions included a new War of the Worlds and a staging of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde; he also directed Lohengrin for the Bayreuth Festival last summer and The Magic Flute for the Berlin Staatsoper Unter den Linden.
The Maryland Symphony Orchestra announced that Emily C. Socks has rejoined its administrative staff as director of development. Since 2018, Socks served as a major gift officer for Adventist HealthCare in Gaithersburg, MD. She previously served as director of advancement for the Maryland Symphony Orchestra from 2016 to 2018.
Shea’s Performing Arts Center has selected William Patti as general manager, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on November 4, 2019. An experienced arts educator specializing in acting and directing, Mr. Patti brings more than 10 years of theater management experience to his new role. Most recently, he served as the artistic director of the Highlands Playhouse in NC after two years as theater manager. In this role, Mr. Patti achieved record ticket sales, assisted with the transition into a new facility, enhanced the Children’s Theatre Program, and oversaw all daily summer operations.
August 2020
Megan Van Voorhis, CEO of Arts Cleveland for 17 years, will exit her post to become cultural and creative manager for the City of Sacramento, CA, as of September 1. In her new post, she’ll oversee grants to local artists and organizations as well as arts education, the city’s public art program, and the Sacramento Film Office. In short, she’ll serve as both advocate for and administrator of city-funded arts initiatives.
New Century Chamber Orchestra has named Richard Lonsdorf as interim executive director. He is a seasoned manager with artistic-planning experience in the major orchestras of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York. In comments, Board President Mark Salkind cited his “impressive track record of designing and producing innovative and imaginative projects.” Those include the San Francisco Symphony’s SoundBox series and the NY Philharmonic’s CONTACT! concerts, as well as its performances of Stockhausen’s Gruppen for three orchestras at the Park Avenue Amory.
The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra has promoted its artist-educator, composer Derrick Spiva, Jr. , to the position of artistic advisor. Spiva has been with the orchestra for two years; several of his pieces have been performed by LACO. He will be working with composer-in-residence Ellen Reid and Music Director Jaime Martin on programming and the choice of guest artists; he’ll also continue his work overseeing education and community outreach.
Violist Stephanie Griffin, founding member of the Momenta Quartet, principal of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, is to be executive director of Associated Chamber Music Players (ACMP), the 72-year-old organization that provides coaching and ensemble match-making services for its 2,300 international members.
Carrie-Ann Matheson is to be the new artistic director of the San Francisco Opera Center (SFOC), succeeding Sheri Greenawald, who is set to retire in December. Matheson starts in January 2021, joined by onetime IMG Artists VP and artist manager Markus Beam, who is to take the newly created position of general manager of SFOC. The pair will oversee the Center, as well as the artistic and operations pieces of the Merola Opera Program—a summer training concern that operates independently yet in partnership with SFO—and the company’s Adler Fellows, who are chosen from the Merola grads.
Lori Dimun is the new president and CEO of Chicago’s Harris Theater. She succeeds Patricia Barretto, whose three-year tenure was cut short by her death in March. Dimun joined the Harris Theater in 2011, first as director of operations and since 2017 as COO and general manager. She has been acting president and CEO since March. Her prior postings include a seven-year stint as an events manager at Steppenwolf Theatre Company and two years as a high school theater educator.
Marty Camino is the new executive director of the Center for the Arts in Jackson, WY. He succeeds David Rothman who resigned in March after a year in the job. Camino, who first relocated to Jackson Hole in 2013 to work for the Grand Teton Music Festival, has been COO of the Center since 2018 and has been serving as interim executive director since April. Camino holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from the University of Wyoming and a Master’s degree in Arts Administration from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.
The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) has named Tazewell Thompson as director of opera studies in the school’s Vocal Arts Division. The Harlem native, who assumes his position immediately, is charged with developing a cohesive vision for the Opera Studies program. Thompson is a playwright, librettist, educator, and actor whose work has graced the stages of major opera houses around the world. His more than 150 directing credits include productions at Glimmerglass, New York City Opera, Teatro Real, La Scala, L’Opéra Bastille, and San Francisco Opera. His opera Blue, written with composer Jeanine Tesori, has won several awards and is a centerpiece for this season’s online Mostly Mozart Festival.
Ed Yim, president and CEO of the American Composers Orchestra, is to be the new chief content officer for New York Public Radio’s WQXR as of September 28. His responsibilities are described as overseeing all content including broadcasts, website, podcasts, community events, fund raising, operations, etc. He reports to President and CEO Goli Sheikholeslami. A native of LA, Yim holds an AB in Government from Harvard College and an MBA from Case Western Reserve University.
Tehvon Fowler-Chapman is the new executive director of the Washington Concert Opera, which presents two performances a year. He succeeds Caryn Reeves, who was in the job for four years. Fowler-Chapman, who holds an M.A. in arts administration from Indiana University, has been external affairs manager at Vocal Arts DC and company manager of the Wolf Trap Opera. He was active in the Artist Relief Tree, which helped artists with $250 grants early in the pandemic; he also was involved in the startup of Sphinx’s L.E.A.D. (Leaders in Excellence, Arts, and Diversity) program.
Scott Harrison, former executive director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, is to serve as interim executive director and “senior strategic facilitator” for the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. Board President Dwight McGhee said Harrison had “a plethora of ideas to improve the LPO” and said that the new man’s “leadership style will instill confidence in our community.”
July 2020
Emma Kail, former general manager of the Kansas City Symphony, is to be the new executive director of the Grand Teton Music Festival, as of September 1. Kail is a graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy and studied trumpet at the Jacobs School of Music, earning her Masters’ Degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music; she also holds an artist diploma from the Glenn Gould School in Toronto’s Royal Conservatory, and is a graduate of the League of American Orchestras’ Orchestra Management program. In addition to her nine years in Kansas City, Kail has worked with the Grant Park Music Festival, Omaha Symphony, and served as director of artistic administration at the Alabama Symphony.
Multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, American roots musician Rhiannon Giddens is the new artistic director of Silkroad. Ms. Giddens succeeds the triumvirate of Nicholas Cords, Jeffrey Beecher, and Shane Shanahan, who succeeded founding Artistic Director Yo-Yo Ma in 2000. All three will remain with the group. Giddens has been working with Silkroad since 2016 and recently appeared on its COVID-19-necessitated Home Sessions with frequent collaborator Francesco Turrisi. “In addition to her enormous musical talent, she fosters an immense social consciousness and creates unity through her art,” said Executive Director Kathy Fletcher. “These are goals for which we consistently strive….
Mark Thompson, CEO of The New York Times since 2012, will step down from his post and be succeeded by COO Meredith Kopit Levien, 49, the youngest person to take the top job. She starts Sept. 8. Levien, from Virginia, arrived at The Times in 2013, as head of advertising and quickly worked her way up the ladder, as executive vice president and chief revenue officer in 2015 and then as COO in 2017.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic has named a new chief financial officer, Karen Sturges, a CPA who will oversee the organization’s finances, information technology, and office administrations. She starts August 10, succeeding Alison Snowden, who retired last month. Sturges has spent most of her career in the entertainment business, most recently with Endeavor Content, where she was the senior VP and head of finance. She has also worked for Global Television Distribution at NBCUniversal, WarnerBros Entertainment, and Sony Pictures Entertainment.
David Fisk, executive director of the Richmond Symphony for nearly two decades, is to be the next president and CEO of the Charlotte Symphony, starting August 31. He succeeds Mary Deissler, who left a year ago after three years in the job. The orchestra’s development director has been serving as interim. A onetime member of London’s St. Paul’s Cathedral Boychoir, Fisk holds a music degree from Manchester University and a postgraduate diploma in piano accompaniment from the Royal Northern College of Music. He still performs collaboratively.
Clare Burovac, recent director of artistic operations for Portland Opera, is to take over at the New Orleans Opera in September, in the meantime holding the title of general director-designate. She succeeds Robert Lyall, who moves from general and artistic director to the latter position solely, until the end of the 2020-21 season. He will have been with the company for 23 years. In her 11 years in Portland, Burovac was responsible for artistic planning, education, and community engagement, including “Opera a la Cart,” which took free outdoor performances to the Portland metro area. She is credited with producing two world-premiere recordings and the company’s first bilingual opera, a Spanish/English Barber of Seville, which travelled throughout the region as part of the Portland Opera to Go program. She is said to have elevated the company’s resident artist program and has served as a judge in the Metropolitan Opera Regional Auditions.
Charlottesville Opera has hired Christina Deaton DeMarea, recent CEO of the Chicago Children’s Chorus, which reports serving some 5000 young singers annually. DeMarea, with the CCC for 12 years, succeeds David O’Dell, who left Charlottesville in January after a year in the job. The company, which changed its name from the Ash Lawn Opera three years ago, has been in operation for over forty years, and generally mounts five productions annually. DeMarea, president of the Musician’s Club of Women of Chicago, holds an MM Vocal Performance from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music.
Jeffrey P. Haydon, CEO of the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, is to be the next president of the Ravinia Festival as of September. He succeeds Welz Kauffman, who announced his resignation last October, after 20 years in the job. Prior to his 10-year stint at Caramoor, Haydon, 47, was executive director of the Ojai Festival; he has also held positions at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, and Aspen Music Festival.
Andrés Holder, recent general manager of the Washington Ballet, is the new executive director of the Boston Children’s Chorus, an organization comprising 13 choirs from 110 different Boston-area zip codes. He succeeds Anthony Trecek-King, who held the position of artistic director when he left last January, having been with BCC for 14 years. In comments, BCC Co-chair Claudia Mathis said Holder showed “a deep commitment to building community,” and that his goals aligned with BBC’s for “artistic excellence, cultural equity, and social justice.”
As of July 6, Dana Stone took over as executive director of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra (ICO), which self-defines as a “champion for new music” under Music Director Matthew Kraemer. Stone succeeds Elaine Eckhart, who retired in May. Stone, who maintains a private voice studio, is the former executive director of the Anderson (IN) Symphony Orchestra and also served as administrative director of Union Avenue Opera in St. Louis, MO, and of the St. Louis Women’s Chorale. She holds a BM from DePauw University and an MM from Washington University in St. Louis. ICO is in its 35th season.
JACK Quartet announced the appointment of its first managing director, Julia Bumke, a new work dramaturg and nonprofit strategist who has fostered composers, performers, and playwrights at all stages of their careers. Prior to her work with JACK Quartet, she served as development director with So Percussion, where she focused on Board growth and individual giving strategy. Bumke began her role at JACK Quartet on July 1, 2020. The managing director at JACK position was created with support from the New York State Council on the Arts’ Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) Initiative.
June 2020
The Vermont Symphony Orchestra (VSO), which reports that it is currently offering small-ensemble performances throughout the state, has named a new executive director. She is Elise Brunelle, former managing director of the Cape Town Opera. Brunelle succeeds Ben Cadwallader and has been with Cape Town Opera for 16 years, serving as financial manager and fund raiser prior to her current post, which she assumed in 2018. She is credited with increasing the company’s touring and educational programs, as well as recruiting more regional talent and putting CTO on firm financial footing.
Steven Brosvik was announced as the new CEO of the Utah Symphony | Utah Opera (USUO). He will succeed Paul Meecham, who left suddenly last fall. Former longtime board chair Patricia Richards has been serving as interim. Brosvik takes over in August; he was been with the Nashville Symphony Orhcestra for five years, overseeing all operations, from fund raising to recordings, one of which, Jennifer Higdon’s All Things Majestic, won a Grammy award. He has been especially effective in creating local partnerships, including those with the Nashville Ballet, and in projects promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Sir Lucian Grainge, chairman & CEO of Universal Music Group, has tapped Rebecca Allen to become president of renowned British record label EMI, now rebranded from Virgin EMI; Virgin will fall under the EMI umbrella. “The appointment of Becky Allen,” noted Grainge when announcing the news, “is a testament to our longterm commitment, and our adamance that the EMI name will mean as much to a new generation of artists and fans as it did for mine.” Allen is taking charge at EMI Records after 20 years at Universal Music, the past three as president of Decca.
The Cambridge-based Academy of Ancient Music (AAM) has named a successor to Alexander Van Ingen as chief executive, effective September 1. He is John McMunn, current general manager of the London period instrument and choral ensemble Gabrieli. McMunn is not a newcomer to AAM, having formerly sung in its chorus and been involved in marketing efforts. He has been with Gabrieli, founded in 1982, since 2016 and is credited with expanding its tours into Asia and Australia and developing a trademark choral training called Gabrieli Roar. Previously he as artistic director of the 2016 Cambridge Summer Music Festival.
Long Wharf Theatre has selected King Kenney as director of marketing and communications, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on April 20, 2020. Mr. Kenney has 15 years of experience directing marketing functions as a reputable insider with a unique understanding of how to tell stories that inspire action. He most recently served as marketing director at Duke Performances, Duke University’s professional performing arts presenting organization that offers an eclectic season of more than 100 performances and free public engagements spanning theatre, dance, and classical, jazz, Americana, indie rock, and international music.
Kimball Art Center has selected Aldy Milliken as executive director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on July 1, 2020. A trained artist and educator, Mr. Milliken has 30 years of international experience collaborating with artists, effectively achieving fundraising goals, and developing and implementing strategic plans. Since 2012, he has served as executive director and curator at KMAC Museum in Louisville, KY. In this role, he managed $1.3 million budget and oversaw all programs and operations.
The Phoenix Symphony has selected Kate Francis as chief development officer, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on June 1, 2020. A veteran arts administrator, Ms. Francis has held a variety of arts management and fundraising positions for nearly 20 years. She most recently served as vice president of development at the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis, a privately funded united arts agency.
The International Festival of Arts & Ideas has selected Shelley Quiala as executive director, following an international executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She will begin her tenure on August 1, 2020. Ms. Quiala comes to the Festival from the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts (Ordway) in Saint Paul, MN, where she has worked since 2003. For the past six years, she served as vice president of programming, education, and community engagement at this multifaceted organization.
May 2020
Lisa Richards Toney, a self-described consultant in arts management and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), is to be the new president and CEO of the Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP), effective July 1. She succeeds Mario Garcia Durham. Richards Toney’s last full-time affiliation was with the D.C.-based Abramson Scholarship Foundation, where she served as executive director, the organization’s sole staff member, until 2018. The Foundation’s $3 million annual budget provides financial support and mentoring to selected D.C. high school students in their transitions to college. Prior to that, Richards Toney was deputy director of the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
Brian Cole, interim chancellor of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) since August of 2019, has been appointed to the position permanently. Cole succeeds Lindsay Bierman, who left in 2019 to become CEO of UNC-TV Public Media North Carolina. A onetime assistant conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony and the May Festival, Cole was appointed interim chancellor last year after having served as dean of the UNCSA School of Music for three years. Prior to that he was the founding dean of academic affairs for four years at Berklee College of Music’s campus in Valencia, Spain.
Miah Im, who heads the music staff for the Los Angeles Opera, has joined the Houston Grand Opera as music director of the HGO Studio (its training program). She also joins the general company’s casting committee and will plan the Studio’s recital series. She succeeds Michael Heaston. Im will be working with Brian Speck, the Studio’s director. As a conductor, pianist, and prompter, Miah Im has served on the music staffs of numerous opera companies, including the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Opera Theater of Saint Louis. In Houston, she will also be involved with Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music.
Peter Biggs, a former CEO of the advertising agency BBDO in Melbourne, is the new CEO of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra; he has been serving as interim since December 2019, stepping into the position of Christopher Blake, who retired in February. Apart from the advertising realm, Biggs’s background includes serving on the boards of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the NZSO. He was chair of the Government’s Orchestral Sector Review in 2013 and was at one time the representative to The Prince of Wales’ Charities in New Zealand.
Blake-Anthony Johnson, a cellist and director of community and learning for the Louisville Orchestra, is to be the next CEO of the Chicago Sinfonietta, which self-defines as “the nation’s most diverse orchestra.” He succeeds Jim Hirsch. Johnson took over on June 1. Johnson previously worked with the Cincinnati Symphony and New World Symphony, according to the Sinfonietta. His education includes the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University, Cleveland State University, and the Manhattan School of Music.
Meurig Bowen, head of artistic planning at BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales, is to become chief executive and artistic director of UK chamber orchestra Britten Sinfonia, starting in August. Prior to the BBC, he was for 10 years director of the Cheltenham Music Festival. Sinfonia Board Chair Jerome Booth said Bowen shared the Sinfonia’s “fearless” approach to music making. “He is an experienced and adventurous programmer and a passionate advocate for reaching wider audiences.”
Pianist Anne-Marie McDermott, artistic director of the Bravo! Vail Music Festival, is to serve in the same position at Santa Fe Pro Musica. She moves into the post over the next two years as successor to Music Director Tom O’Connor, who cofounded the organization in 1980 with Carol Redman. The latter will stay on, as conductor of the Pro Musica Baroque Ensemble.
Violinist/conductor Julian Rachlin, 45, is to be the new artistic director of the Herbstgold-Festival in Eisenstadt (Burgenland, Austria), starting in 2021. The current season runs September 9 to 20 and focuses on the Beethoven 250th anniversary, featuring such artists as Nicolas Altstaedt, András Schiff, and Fazil Say. Rachlin will oversee the resident Haydn Philharmonie and the folk and jazz series, as well as introducing some new elements.
The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra has announced that Edgar Herrera is its new executive director, following a six-month search for a successor to Patrick J. Nugent, who left in. Herrera was previously the owner of Group Luzed, a Mexico-based start-up incubator. He has also worked in a development capacity for the Pensacola and Syracuse symphonies.
April 2020
The Lucerne Festival Academy has appointed a new managing director. He is Felix Heri, 34, current managing director of the Basel Sinfonietta; he starts on June 1, succeeding Dominik Deuber and reporting to Lucerne Festival Executive and Artistic Director Michael Haefliger, cofounder of the Academy in 2004 with Pierre Boulez. Heri will also supervise the Academy’s alumni, a large and ever-growing group that traditionally plays a key part in the larger Festival’s activities. Wolfgang Rihm remains artistic director of the Academy; to date, the gap left by Matthias Pintscher’s abrupt exit mid-season in 2018 as the Academy Orchestra’s principal conductor has not been filled.
Charles, “Charlie” Wade is the new VP of marketing for the Philadelphia Orchestra, filling a position that had been vacant for about a year. His predecessor was Janice Hay, now director of marketing & communications for the Depaul University School of Music. Wade has been on staff with Philadelphia since January, having started as a consultant last fall. He joined the Inghilleri Consulting Group (ICG) in July of 2019 when he left the Seattle Symphony after five years as senior VP for marketing and business operations.
German-born arts administrator Florian Riem, interim secretary general of the Geneva-based World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC) since last August, has been given the job, now part-time. He succeeds Benjamin Woodruffe, who left last summer after five years in what was a full-time position; Woodruffe is president of the New York-based Global Foundation for the Performing Arts, which provides career guidance to rising young artists. Riem reports to President Didier Schnorhk, self-described as “the sole executive of the federation.” Riem is CEO of South Korea’s Tongyeong International Music Foundation and of its music festival and competition.
J.C. Barker, a professional clarinetist, is to be the new executive director of the Delaware Symphony Orchestra, which self-defines as “the state’s only professional symphony orchestra.” Barker, who starts May 1, has for 13 years served as general manager and director of artistic administration of the Mobile (AL) Symphony, where was also principal clarinet.
The Evansville (IN) Philharmonic has chosen Indian-American conductor Roger Kalia to be its next music director starting next fall. Kalia holds the same position with the New Hampshire Symphony. Most recently he served as associate conductor of the Pacific (CA) Symphony, where he also was director of its youth orchestra. The conductor’s bio says he is co-founder and music director of the Lake George Music Festival.
Simon Woods, who resigned as CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic last fall, is to be the new president and CEO of the League of American Orchestras effective September 1. Woods, a Brit, is currently the interim chief of the Grand Teton Music Festival and has a wealth of experience running orchestras. He succeeds Jesse Rosen, in the job since 2008 and with the League for 22 years. Prior to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Woods was CEO of the Seattle Symphony, where he is credited with turning its fortunes around.
The College of Fine Arts at The University of Texas at Austin has named Professor Robert Ramirez as chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance. Ramirez, head of the Acting program in the department, has been serving as interim chair since summer 2019. Ramirez, who joined the faculty in the UT Department of Theatre and Dance in 2014 as head of the Acting program, will be the first Latinx chair of the department. Ramirez is a graduate of the Los Angeles Theatre Academy and received his M.F.A. from the Professional Theatre Training Program at the University of Delaware.
Peabody Conservatory welcomes Beth Willer as director of choral studies; she will join the faculty of the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University as associate professor and director of choral studies in the fall 2020 semester. As founder and artistic director of Boston’s Lorelei Ensemble, Willer has championed new music while fulfilling Lorelei Ensemble’s mission to elevate and expand the repertoire for women’s voices, collaborating with established and emerging composers from the U.S. and abroad and leading the ensemble in more than 60 world, U.S., and regional premieres since its founding.
Prescott Park Arts Festival (PPAF) has selected Courtney Perkins as executive director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She will begin her tenure on May 15, 2020. A former attorney, Ms. Perkins dedicated her career to ensuring great art reflects the community it serves. She comes to PPAF from Chicago where she spent nearly 13 years with Chicago Sinfonietta. As the chief operating officer, she worked with the CEO managing a $2.6 million nonprofit orchestra committed to innovation, diversity, equity, and inclusion in classical music.
March 2020
New York Mayor Bill DeBlasio has chosen Gonzalo Casals, who currently leads the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art in SoHo, as the city’s new cultural affairs commissioner. Lohman, who assumes the position on April 13, replaces Tom Finkelpearl, who left the job last October after a five-year tenure. An immigrant from Argentina who identifies as queer, Lohman has led the Leslie-Lohman, an institution devoted to the L.G.B.T.Q. civil rights movement, since 2017. Prior to that, he served as deputy and then interim director at El Museo del Barrio in East Harlem, and as vice president for education and community engagement at Friends of the High Line.
The Philharmonia Orchestra of London has appointed Alexander Van Ingen as its new chief executive, starting in September. Van Ingen is the current chief of the Academy of Ancient Music, a post he has held for three years. Before that he was executive producer for Decca Classics. The orchestra said it would be adding the post of director of artistic planning under Van Ingen.
The Washington Post has a new classical music critic as of March 9. He is Michael Brodeur, a.k.a. Michael Andor Brodeur. The Post describes him as “a writer, critic and editor who has worked most recently at the Boston Globe.” Previously he was music editor and “lead music critic” for the Boston Phoenix and editor of Boston’s Weekly Dig.
David Hallberg, star principal dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet and American Ballet Theater, is to be the new artistic director of the Australian Ballet. He succeeds David McAllister, who exits after two decades at the end of 2020. Hallberg’s last performances as a dancer will be in 2021 with the American Ballet Theater. He starts his new job in January of that year as well.
California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) has named João Ribas as executive director of the Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater (REDCAT), and VP of cultural partnerships, effective June 1. Now in its 17th season, REDCAT is part of the Performing Arts Center in downtown Los Angeles, along with Walt Disney Concert Hall and Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, among other venues. It is operated by CalArts and is known for cutting-edge, multidisciplinary presentations.
UIA Talent announced the expansion of the Classical division with the acquisition of Francesca Condeluci to the newly created position of director of Classical. Ms. Condeluci has spent the past six years in the vocal department at Columbia Artists Management, developing and nurturing the careers of some of the most in-demand artists in the industry. Recognized for her ability to identify great talent, Francesca was a judge at the 2019 inaugural Nicola Martinucci Competition in Lucca, Italy, and will be a guest faculty member at the Potomac Vocal Institute and Drake University.
Courtney R. Rowe joined the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University as associate dean for external relations on March 2. Rowe most recently served as assistant dean for advancement for the University of Colorado Boulder College of Music and Colorado Shakespeare Festival. Prior to her work at CU Boulder, Rowe held programmatic and fundraising positions in Chicago, including at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.
February 2020
Gerald Martin Moore, artistic associate of Carnegie Hall’s SongStudio program and vocal consultant to a number of international opera companies, will join the Yale faculty next fall as director of Yale Opera and coordinator of vocal studies for the School of Music.
David Butcher, chief executive and artistic director of the Britten Sinfonia for over 25 years, is to be the new chief executive of the Hallé orchestra in Manchester as of next September. He succeeds John Summers, who retires in July.
Andrew Norman, Musical America’s 2017 Composer of the Year, is at the moment based in Los Angeles, but not for long. He will be relocating to New York to take on two major appointments next season: To hold the Debs Composer’s Chair at Carnegie Hall and become the newest member of the Juilliard School college composition faculty. Recently he’s been the director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Composer Fellowship Program for high school composers.
Dave Moss, executive director of the Haymarket Opera in Chicago and a former violist with the Chicago Philharmonic and Elgin Symphony, started his new job as executive director of the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra March 1. He succeeds Scott Harrison, interim since November, following the exit of Jonathan Parrish, who left after six years to take the top administrative job with the Maryland Symphony.
Matthew Herren is to be the next executive director of the Harrisburg (PA) Symphony, as of June 15. He arrives at his new post from the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, where he has been executive director since 2014. Moss succeeds Jeff Woodruff who will retire at the end of the current season.
Genevieve Macias, recent executive director of the Foundation for the Long Beach Symphony as well as its VP of development and communications, has stepped into the role of executive director of the Long Beach-based Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra. The group, which serves Long Beach and Los Angeles, was founded in 1993 and performs about a dozen concerts a season. Its music director is Martin Haselböck.
Seattle Opera has hired its first scholar-in-residence, Naomi André. André is a musicologist schooled in the works of Verdi who teaches courses on 19th-century Italian opera as well as on race and gender at the University of Michigan. After a return visit in 2019 to chair Deconstructing Allure, a forum exploring representations of women and ethnic minorities in art that accompanied a production of Carmen, the Seattle Opera created the position to formalize their relationship. Now André not only provides context for the works the company presents to the public but also advises management on issues of race and gender as they impact day-to-day operations.
The Juilliard School has promoted Music Division Director Adam Meyer to the position of provost, succeeding Ara Guzelimian, who announced last year that he would be resigning from the chief academic post. Meyer, who is also deputy dean of the college, starts in his new job July 1. Because the president of the school, Damien Woetzel, has a background in dance rather than music, he has added the new position of dean of the music division to keep the school’s music bona fides strong. A search for candidates will commence soon.
Eugene Rogers, director of choirs and associate professor of conducting at the University of Michigan, is to be the next artistic director of The Washington Chorus (TWC). He starts in July, succeeding Christopher Bell, in the job two years. Rogers, 47, will maintain his academic responsibilities while overseeing TWC. Rogers is the 2017 Sphinx Medal of Excellence award-winner and a 2017 Musical America Mover and Shaper. He joins TWC on the eve of its 60th-anniversary season, in 2020-21.
Raff Wilson is to succeed Elena Dubinets as VP for artistic planning at the Seattle Symphony in April. Wilson served for seven years in a similar capacity for the Hong Kong Philharmonic, from 2010-17, and is credited with bringing Jaap van Zweden in as the orchestra’s music director. His most recent job was at the Sydney Symphony, where he was director of artistic planning. In his new job, Wilson will work with Seattle Music Director Thomas Dausgaard in planning the orchestra’s repertoire. He will also be responsible for all Benaroya Hall programming, including touring ensembles and artists.
Sam Jackson, senior managing editor of Global, Europe’s largest radio company, has been appointed executive VP Global Classics and Jazz for Universal Music Group (UMG). Jackson, whose current portfolio includes Classic FM, which self-defines as “the world’s largest classical radio station,” will report to Global Classics and Jazz President and CEO Dickon Stainer out of the London office. The position is a new one and involves building new audiences. Acknowledging a new “era of fan engagement,” Stainer noted the new man’s “broad and pioneering track record of success in attracting diverse audience sectors to different types of music.”
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Jane V. Hsu has joined the firm as associate vice president to expand ACG’s executive search practice. Based in New York City, Ms. Hsu brings 20 years of experience in museum and nonprofit arts organization leadership. Her areas of expertise include large-scale project management, strategic community partnerships, integrated artist engagement, employee mentoring and evaluation, and equity, diversity, and inclusion education.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that María Muñoz-Blanco has joined the firm as vice president to expand its executive search practice. Ms. Muñoz-Blanco brings more than 25 years of experience in the arts, culture, and public sectors, specifically within arts service, venue management, and grant-making organizations. Her work in the public sector has focused on improving quality of life in diverse communities, expanding programs and services in the arts and parks, and successfully integrating diverse voices from a broad spectrum of creative organizations and artists. Ms. Muñoz-Blanco will be based in ACG’s new location in Raleigh, NC.
The Phoenix Symphony has selected Suzanne Wilson as president and CEO, following an executive search process. She began her tenure on January 21, 2020. A performing arts industry veteran with a focus on education, leadership, and organizational growth, Ms. Wilson joins The Phoenix Symphony after more than seven years as executive director of the Midori Foundation in New York. In this role, she doubled the organization’s operational budget, improved the Charity Navigator rating from one to four stars, increased earned revenue by 50 percent, and added 46 new public school partnerships.
The University of Texas at Austin College of Fine Arts named Bob Bursey to lead Texas Performing Arts beginning Jan. 1, 2020. He comes to Austin from New York, where he served as executive director of the Richard B. Fisher Center for Performing Arts at Bard College. As director, Bursey will oversee a diverse artistic program that features more than 280 performances each year in music, theater, dance and touring Broadway productions. Texas Performing Arts manages venues that range in size from the 244-seat Brockett Theater to 2,900-seat Bass Concert Hall. With a full-time staff of 50, the organization engages with more than 200,000 audience members annually and is the home of educational initiatives that reach students across the university and throughout Central Texas.
Cincinnati Opera has selected Christopher Milligan as The Harry Fath General Director & CEO, following a national executive search proess. He began his tenure on March 2, 2020. An industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience in arts administration and collaborative leadership, Mr. Milligan has been part of Cincinnati Opera since he first joined the organization in 1989 as a production intern. Joining Cincinnati Opera fulltime in 1997 as director of marketing, he was responsible for all marketing and community engagement programs, raised $1.5 million in annual ticket sales, and surpassed 30-year attendance records for 12 productions.
Bard College announced the appointment of Liza Parker as executive director of the Fisher Center, a leading performing arts center and hub for research and education. Previously a member of the senior leadership team at Lincoln Center, most recently as chief operating officer, Parker was responsible for overall strategy and direction, overseeing management of the campus, including Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and the David Rubenstein Atrium. As executive director of the Fisher Center, she will lead senior administration, and manage operations and external relations for the Center’s professional and educational programs. The College also announces the promotion of Gideon Lester to artistic director for the Fisher Center. A curator of contemporary theater, dance, and performance, Lester has been the artistic director for theater and dance at the Fisher Center since 2012, as well as professor of theater and performance and director of the undergraduate Theater and Performance Program at Bard College.
Musiqa, the composer-led chamber music nonprofit, has selected its new executive director. Board President Pamela Horton announced this week that, as of January 13, Anthony Barilla would replace Brian Hodge in this leadership role. Mr. Barilla is a composer, musician and performer who has spent over two decades working in the arts in Houston and Europe. He has written music and songs for theaters, bands and radio programs including “This American Life.”
January 2020
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) found its new president and CEO within its own ranks, elevating Angela Elster from VP of the VSO School of Music & Community Programs to the post left vacant when Kelly Tweeddale left to become the executive director of the San Francisco Ballet. Elster will be responsible for both the orchestra and the school located in downtown Vancouver. Together they comprise the largest arts organization in western Canada. Since joining the VSO in March of 2018, Elster has created the VSO’s inaugural Day of Music celebration, welcoming over 14,000 people to 100 free performances.
The London Philharmonic has announced a restructuring that separates the position of chief executive and artistic director. For the past 17 years, Timothy Walker has held that post; a recent two-year study indicated that it should be split between executive and artistic. David Burke, the orchestra’s general manager and finance director for the past decade, will succeed him in the post of chief executive; as a search for new artistic director gets underway. Burke has been responsible for the LPO’s last three business plans, establishing strategic aims and objectives for all operational areas, and is a keen advocate for increasing diversity and access.
The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) has tapped Peter Biggs as acting chief executive, succeeding Christopher Blake, who retired at the end of 2019. During his interim appointment, Biggs will step aside from his position on the NZSO Board. From 1999 to 2006 he served as chair of the Arts Council of New Zealand, and has also served on the board of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. A former advertising executive, Biggs chaired the panel advising the government on the NZ Orchestral Sector.
Gail Samuel, currently executive director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, was named to the newly created post of president of the Hollywood Bowl, as well as COO of the LA Phil Association, with responsibility for the Bowl and the Ford Theater. Since 2012, she has overseen the Bowl’s programming and operations.
Cellist István Várdai is to be the artistic director of the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra (FLCO), a new concept for an ensemble whose history has seen its leaders either within the group and/or with visiting soloists, a stellar collection that has included Svyatoslav Richter, Isaac Stern, Emmanuel Pahud and, more recently, Martha Argerich. The new arrangement also has the group coming onto the roster of HarrisonParrott.
The Australian Festival of Chamber Music (AFCM) has tapped British violinist Jack Liebeck as its new artistic director. He follows Kathryn Stott, who will step down at the conclusion of the 2020 festival. News of his appointment coincides with the announcement that he is also to become the first Émile Sauret Professor of Violin at London’s Royal Academy of Music. Liebeck also serves as the artistic director of his own Oxford May Music festival, a music, science, and arts event that celebrates culture and human achievements. He is also the AD of Hamburg’s DESY Humboldt Science and Music Series, and of Alpine Classics in Switzerland.
Longtime artist manager Stephen Wright—former joint managing director of Harold Holt, founder & managing director of IMG Artists Europe, and chairman of Wright Music Management—has “transitioned” his firm, its staff, and clients to protégée Alexandra Knight. The result is a new agency, Knight Classical, built with funds from a U.S.-based private equity company and maintaining a connection with Stephen Wright as “a long-term consultant.” Alexandra Knight, 30, studied Music at the University of Oxford, where she focused on “the psychology of musical performance and listening.” She also earned a graduate diploma in law. Her first job in the business was as an assistant artist manager at Harrison/Parrott.
Ballet BC (British Columbia) has chosen one its favorite choreographers to be its next artistic director, taking over in July 2020 in time for the company’s 2020-21 season, its 35th. He is Nederlands Dans Theater alumnus Medhi Walerski, succeeding Artistic Director Emily Molnar, who in turn will take over Walerski’s alma mater at season’s end. Walerski started with the Paris Opera Ballet before moving on as a soloist to NDT. As a choreographer he is known for trying out new directions, such as having the dancers speak, or juggle.
The Atlanta Ballet’s top fundraiser is to be the new president and CEO of the Jacksonville Symphony as of February 1. Steven Libman, Atlanta’s chief advancement officer since 2014, succeeds Jacksonville’s Robert Massey, now CEO of the Louisville Orchestra. David Strickland has been serving as interim and will now go back to being chairman of the board. Prior to Atlanta, Libman, who has his own arts consulting firm, was founding president & CEO of the $175 million Carmel Center for the Performing Arts in Indiana, a post from which he resigned.
Ben Cadwallader, executive director of the Vermont Symphony since 2015, is to take the executive helm of The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra starting in March. A onetime oboe player with a degree from Mannes College at the New School, he previously worked at the Los Angeles Philharmonic as manager of education and composer fellowship programs. In Vermont, Cadwallader is credited with revitalizing the 86-year-old organization. At the time of his arrival, he told the local media that “he wanted to take risky moves [that] would tap into new audiences.”
Wesleyan University’s Center for the Arts has appointed an interim director in the wake of Sarah Curran’s departure in November. She is Jennifer Calienes, a Massachusetts-based arts consultant whose recent clients include Urban Bush Women, the New England Foundation for the Arts, and AXIS Dance Company. She served as interim deputy director for the Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival in 2028.
Soundstreams, which self-defines as “the largest global presenter of new Canadian music,” has a new executive director. He is arts consultant Menon Dwarka, whose background includes stints as music program director at the Harlem School of the Arts, social media consultant for Listen magazine, and very briefly executive director of Toronto’s Art of Time Ensemble. Dwarka holds degrees from SUNY Stonybrook and the University of Toronto.
Music Teachers National Association announced the appointment of Ryan Greene as director of membership development and affiliate relations, effective February 1, 2020. In this newly created position, Greene will be responsible for the creation, implementation and evaluation of all membership development programs and services with an emphasis on young professional programs and digital content. In addition, Greene will serve as the liaison between the CEO and the MTNA state and local affiliates and leaders to ensure the smooth and effective integration of MTNA programs and services within the affiliates and will recommend and implement new affiliate programs and services.
Colbert Artists Management has named Martha Bonta as its new vice president and artist manager. Bonta previously worked at New York’s WQXR as an executive producer and at IMG Artists as a vice president and artist manager. Martha was also the director of artistic planning and touring at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and she spent several summers on the staff of the Marlboro Music Festival. Bonta was hired as part of a staff expansion by newly appointed Colbert Artists Management President & CEO Lee Prinz.
Old School Square has selected Shannon Eadon as president & CEO; she began her tenure on October 21, 2019. With 30 years of experience in community and corporate fundraising, marketing, and management, Ms. Eadon most recently served as director of development for Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood, New Jersey.
December 2019
Alain Perroux is to be the general director of Opéra national du Rhin in Strasbourg, as of January 2020. Perroux, director of artistic administration and dramaturg of the Aix Festival since 2009, succeeds Bertrand Rossi, who has been serving as interim since the untimely death of Opéra national du Rhin General Director Eva Kleinitz in May at the age of 47. The well-connected Perroux, selected from a shortlist of four, will “promote the diversity of lyrical formats,” according to the French Culture Ministry’s site. At the Aix Festival he oversaw casting, worked closely with former General Director Bernard Foccroulle on programming, and coordinated the transition from Foccroulle to Pierre Audi, this year. During Foccroulle’s transformative reign, he was involved with the foundation of the Mediterranean Orchestra in 2014, the expansion of the Festival Academy, and the commissioning of titles such as Written on Skin in 2012.
Scotland-based conductor Holly Mathieson takes over as music director of Symphony Nova Scotia as of January 2020 on a three-year contract. Her first performance in the new role will be next October. Born in New Zealand, she has conducted major U.K. orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Phiharmonia, the BBC Philharmonic, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, among others. Last year, she and her husband, Jon Hargreaves, founded Scotland’s Nevis Ensemble, whose primary purpose is to perform in “isolated and marginalized” communities.
In February 2020 Paul Helfrich will join the Orlando Philharmonic as executive director. He succeeds Christopher Barton, who left in March 2019. Helfrich had for eight years been president of the Dayton [Ohio] Performing Arts Alliance, the merger of the local ballet, opera, and symphony, which he helped facilitate. Prior to that he was for four years president of the Dayton Philharmonic. He holds an MA in arts administration and a BM from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.
David Bazen, 55, business and media director, is to serve as interim managing director of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, with the orchestra since 1999. He’ll take over January 1, and the orchestra reports the new managing director won’t be in place until next summer.
The Cincinnati Opera has looked to its own and chosen Christopher Milligan, its current managing director, to be its next general director and CEO. He starts on March 2, succeeding Patricia Beggs, who announced in March 2019 that she would be retiring after 35 years with the company. She now takes the title emerita, staying on through the finale of this centennial, 2020 season (June 18-August 1, 2020). Milligan’s first job with the company was as a production intern in the summer of 1989. He joined fulltime in 1997 as director of marketing and never looked back.
The Paris Conservatory—Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris (CNSMDP)—has named it first woman director. Émilie Delorme, current director of the Academy at the Aix-en-Provence Festival, is to succeed composer Bruno Mantovani, who left the Paris position in July and is scheduled to become music director of the Ensemble Intercontemporaine in January. Anne-Marie Le Guével has been serving as interim at the Conservatory. The 44-year-old Delorme, from Lyon, makes history by stepping into the role; the prestigious conservatory was founded in 1795.
Kendra Whitlock Ingram, executive director of the University of Denver’s Newman Center for the Performing Arts since 2016, is to be the new president and CEO of Milwaukee’s Marcus Performing Arts Center. The first woman to hold the job, she succeeds Paul Mathews, who announced in July that he would be leaving the 50-year-old facility after 21 years in the job. The Marcus Center is home to the Milwaukee Ballet, Florentine Opera, First Stage, community events, and the Milwaukee Symphony, which is planning to move into its own facility, the former Warner Grand Theater, in 2020.
The Tucson Symphony Orchestra, which self-defines as “the oldest continuing professional performing arts organization in the state of Arizona,” has a new president and CEO in Steven P. Haines, recent CEO of The Young Americans, a performing arts college and international touring organization, and former VP of strategic growth for the San Francisco Zoo. He started his new job December 4, succeeding Kathryn R. Martin, who served as interim during the search for a successor to Thomas McKenney, in the job two years.
The South Bend (IN) Symphony Orchestra, which has about 75 musicians and 20 annual concerts, has appointed Justus Zimmerman, recent director of marketing and communications with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, as executive director. He succeeds Agnieszka Rakhmatullaev, who left in August after four years with the orchestra.
The Canadian Opera Company (COC) has selected the Canadian stage director Julie McIsaac as its inaugural director/dramaturg-in-residence at the COC Academy, its professional development program. McIsaac, a seasoned stage director, dramaturg, playwright/librettist, and multi-instrumentalist, focuses her work on stories that highlight the diverse composition of Canada’s communities. She is a graduate of Carleton University and the Canadian College of Performing Arts and holds a master’s degree in theater from the University of York (U.K.).
Cecilia Bartoli is to become the first woman to run the Monte-Carlo Opera. Her appointment was announced today by Princess Caroline, who serves as chair of the board of directors. Bartoli will still be “free to continue her work as a singer,” according to the press statement, and presumably free to continue to serve as director of the Salzburg Whitsun Festival as well. She takes over Monte-Carlo in 2023, succeeding Jean-Louis Grinda, who has been in the job since 2007. The company offers about 70 performances annually, most in the 500-seat Salle Garnier. The current season lists three or four performances each of seven operas between November and April.
Mezzo-soprano Marianne Cornetti has succeeded Jonathan Eaton as artistic director of the Pittsburgh Festival Opera, which this summer runs July 10-26. Eaton, in the job since 2012, left in October. Cornetti, dubbed “world-renowned” by the company’s board president, is a native of Pittsburgh and has sung internationally. In her new job, she’s to focus on fund-raising, board development, and longterm artistic planning. Christopher Powell, also new to the company, is the PFO’s executive director.
November 2019
Yuval Sharon, MacArthur Fellow, much admired and inventive opera director, is to serve as interim artistic advisor of the Long Beach Opera, putting together the 2021 season, including all artistic personnel. He will also direct one of the company’s productions. At the same time, he’ll continue as artistic director for his company, The Industry.
Longtime Metropolitan Opera Artistic Administrator Jonathan Friend will leave his job at the end of the current season. He’s to be succeeded by Michael Heaston, the former executive director of the Met’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, who left in June 2018 to become Rice University’s director of opera studies. Heaston was in turn succeeded by English National Opera Casting Director Sophie Joyce, announced in June 2018. Now, Joyce has decided to leave the Lindemann Young Artist position at the end of the current season to become casting director for the Paris Opera.Diane Zola, the Met’s assistant general manager, artistic, will assume Joyce’s job, in addition to her current duties.
Lisa Dell is the new executive director of the California Symphony; she succeeds Aubrey Bergauer who left in June. Dell has been for three years an assistant VP with the Chicago-based Silverman Group, a public relations firm and holds a BA in communications from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Paul Hegland, onetime development director for the Ravinia Festival, is the new executive director of the Fargo-Moorhead (ND) Symphony. He succeeds Linda Boyd, who has retired. Hegland is from Kenosha, WI, where he was chief of staff to the president of Carthage College. He holds an undergraduate degree in music education and a graduate degree in music history.
The Fayetteville [NC] Symphony Orchestra has a new executive director as of December 4. He is Jesse L. Hughes, Jr. , a professional trumpet player formerly active in the U.S. Army as a musician, instructor, and advisor. Hughes holds a bachelor’s degree in music performance from Wichita State University and a master’s in jazz studies from Howard University. He succeeds Christine Kastner, who resigned in June.
Abhijit Sengupta, director of artistic planning for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra for just under two years, is to be the new director of artistic planning for Carnegie Hall as of January 6. He succeeds Jeremy Geffen, who left last spring to become executive and artistic director of Cal Performances at the University of California. Sengupta (known as “Ab”) holds an MM in viola performance from USC and spent four years as an orchestral fellow with the New World Symphony. His BA from Yale University is in economics.
Silkroad, the international musicians’ collective founded in 2000 by Yo-Yo Ma, has announced that Kathy Fletcher is to be its next executive director; she succeeds Eduardo A. Braniff, who left last month after two-and-a-half years. Fletcher is director of creative leadership initiatives at the Kennedy Center, a position from which she has been overseeing Turnaround Arts, a national program she co-founded in 2011 under First Lady Michelle Obama.
October 2019
The popular New York City Center series Encores! has selected a new artistic director. Lear deBessonet, currently resident director of the Tony-honored series, will assume the top slot beginning in 2021, when Jack Viertel, in the position for 20 years, retires. In addition to her role as resident director at Encores!, a position she has held since 2014, deBessonet is founder of Public Works and Resident Director at The Public Theater, a position she will retain. Public Works is a celebrated program that annually stages a new musical adaptation of a classic story with a small cast of Equity actors and over 100 amateur thespians from throughout New York’s five boroughs.
Portland (OR) Opera has elevated Sue Dixon to the post of general director; she has been external affairs director and interim GD since Christopher Mattaliano, who led the company as general director for 16 years, left in July. Mattaliano is now serving as artistic consultant. Portland has also hired outgoing Palm Beach Opera General Director Daniel Biaggias as interim artistic director. The plan is to find a permanent candidate for the job by 2022-23.
Richard Brunel, director of the Centre Dramatique national de Valence, is to be the new general director of the Opéra National de Lyon, effective September 1, 2021. In its announcement, Lyon stated that Brunel’s job would be to maintain the company’s international prestige while exploring “new creative processes that allow composers, orchestra directors, stage directors and choreographers of the new generations work alongside today’s big names.”
Orange County’s Segerstrom Center for the Arts—a multi-venue complex that is home to the Pacific Symphony, Philharmonic Society of Orange County, Pacific Chorale—has named Casey Reitz, current executive director of New York’s Second Stage Theater, to be its next president. That said, Reitz’s fundraising prowess has been proven in his nine years at Second Stage, during which he has nearly doubled the budget; he also won a Tony Award as producer of the Broadway hit Dear Evan Hansen in 2017. Previously he was director of development at the Public Theater and director of individual giving at Manhattan Theater Club.
Opéra de Québec General Artistic Director Grégoire Legendre has announced his intention to retire after 25 years at the helm. He leaves at the end of the 2019-20 season. His hand-picked successor is baritone Jean-François Lapointe, who arrives in December 2020 after a brief transition period. Lapointe has 36 years on the opera stage to his credit. Currently he teaches at Québec’s Laval University and serves as general and artistic director of the Society of Lyrical Art of the Kingdom, Saguenay.
Adrian Jones becomes the new orchestral director of the Staatskapelle Dresden as of January 2020, a capacity in which he’ll be working with Dresden Staatsoper Chief Conductor Christian Thielemann. Jones succeeds Jan Nast, who left Dresden on October 1 after 22 years. Jones is the current orchestra director of the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin. A onetime professional cellist turned artistic manager, he worked for two years for Columbia Artists Management, Inc., out of its Berlin office before moving on to become director of artistic production at Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks in Munich.
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir (TMC), one of Canada’s most highly regarded professional choirs, has named Anna Kajtar to succeed Cynthia Hawkins as executive director. Kajtar has served in an administrative capacity for a number of arts groups, including Toronto’s Groundling Theater and Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie, a dance organization of which she is the current general manager. Kajtar, who boasts five years as academy manager of her country’s Royal Academy of Music, starts her new job November 4.
The Los Angeles Music Center—whose resident companies include the Center Theatre Group, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Los Angles Opera and the Los Angeles Philharmonic—has a new board chair in philanthropist and onetime City Council Member Cindy Miscikowski. She succeeds Lisa Specht, in the job since 2013 and credited with bringing the recent $41-million Music Center Plaza renovation to fruition.
Ara Guzelimian, who announced his departure from the Juilliard School as dean and provost last June, is to be the Ojai Festival’s artistic director as of its 75th season, June 10 to 13, 2021. He succeeds Chad Smith, named to the post 18 months ago, only to be appointed President and CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic on October 1, clearly a post that will require his full attention and then some. Guzelimian, whose initial appointment is for three years, is hardly a stranger to Ojai; he served as artistic director from 1992 to 1997 and as the Festival’s talks director since 2004.
The Ann Arbor Symphony will promote its director of marketing and communications, Tyler Rand, to the post of executive director in January. He succeeds Mary Steffek Blaske, who will retire in December after 25 years in the job. Rand, also a professional oboist, worked previously at Classical 90.5 WSMC-FM in Chattanooga, TN, where he oversaw programming, fundraising, marketing, and community engagement. He holds bachelor’s degree in music theory and literature from Southern Adventist University.
Kimberly Bredemeier is the new executive director of the Evansville (IL) Philharmonic Orchestra. Director of operations for the orchestra for the last 15 seasons, she’s been serving as interim position since December, having taken over from Gary Wagner. Bredemeier holds a bachelor of science in music management from the University of Evansville.
Cal Performances’ Katy Tucker has moved from interim director of artistic planning to director. She succeeds Rob Bailis, who left within weeks of Jeremy Geffen’s arrival after serving as interim for Geffen’s post. Tucker will be involved with senior management in creating artistic, community, and education programs for future seasons, as well as overseeing artist relationships. Tucker started out in artistic administration at the New York Philharmonic. From there she became director of promotion for G. Schirmer, Inc. and from there went to UC Berkeley, where she has been serving as concert hall manager.
Annilese Miskimmon—current director of opera at Den Norske Opera and Ballet/Norwegian National Opera & Ballet—is to be the new artistic director of the English National Opera. She succeeds Daniel Kramer, who left in August. Miskimmon starts in September 2020, although she will have artistic input starting January 1 while retaining her current job.
Stéphane Lissner, current general director of the Paris Opera, is to be the new superintendent of the Teatro San Carlo. He assumes the role in March of 2020 and will arrive in Naples on April 1. As he did at La Scala, Lissner will cover the twin roles of superintendent and artistic director. Lissner, 66, came to the Paris Opera in 2014 after nine years as general manager and artistic director at Milan’s Teatro della Scala. He was the first non-Italian director in the theater’s history. From 2005 to 2013, he was also musical director of the Wiener Festwochen in Austria.
The Music Academy of the West (MAW) has appointed Jamie Broumas to the newly created position of chief artistic officer. Currently director of classical and new music programs at the Kennedy Center, she will assume her new job in January. Among her many responsibilities in her new position at MAW, Broumas will guide training programs, develop partnerships and community outreach initiatives, and build new revenue streams and audience support. She will also work with contemporary composers to create new commissions.
Veteran arts administrator Cora Cahan is to be the next president and CEO of the Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC); she succeeds Georgiana Pickett, who served as executive director from August 2011 to April 2019. In her new position, Cahan will be responsible for overseeing all facets of an organization that serves as a creative laboratory and performance space for artists from around the world. Cahan brings an impressive portfolio. As founding president and CEO of The New 42nd Street for the past 29 years, she oversaw the preservation and reinvention of seven historic Broadway theaters, including the new Victory Theater and 42nd Street Studios. Previously she helped develop the Lawrence A. Wien Center (890 Broadway) and was instrumental in the creation of the Joyce Theater in her capacity as co-founder and executive director of the Feld Ballet.
Chad Smith, who first joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2002 and was named COO in 2015, is the new president and CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Smith succeeds Simon Woods who resigned unexpectedly in September after about 20 months in the job. Smith will add the LA Phil to his job as artistic director of the Ojai Festival, where he was named to succeed Tom Morris as of the 2020 season. He’s a board member of the New England Conservatory, from which he holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in vocal performance from the New England Conservatory. Smith started 20 years ago at the New World Symphony, moved on to the LA Phil two years later, to the New York Phil for four years, then back to the LA Phil, initially as VP of artistic planning, then COO.
September 2019
The 92nd Street Y tapped Seth Pinsky as its new chief executive, beginning in January 2020. A former head of the Bloomberg administration’s economic development corporation, Pinsky succeeds Henry Timms, who was appointed president of Lincoln Center earlier this year. Before leaving city government in 2013 to work in private real estate, Pinsky spent five years negotiating on behalf of the city on such projects as the new Yankee Stadium, the World Trade Center, the Whitney Museum’s High Line location, and the renovation of the Kings Theater in Brooklyn as a multipurpose arts center.
Charlotte Schroeder has announced her intention to exit the presidency of Colbert Artists Management as of year’s end and tapped as her successor Lee Prinz, current senior VP for artist management and booking. Prinz arrived in 2003, she writes, “and immediately became an invaluable addition to the booking staff, rising to his current position….He has, in fact, been leading the company for the past months with his characteristic joy, enthusiasm and superb professionalism.
Francesca Campagna is the new general director for The Center for Contemporary Opera (CCO) in New York. She succeeds Jim Schaeffer, who served as artistic and general until June of 2018, when he retired after ten years in the job. Based in New York, Campagna, Italian by birth, has been active as a consultant to a number of opera companies, including the New York City Opera. Most recently she was a development consultant to Teatro Regio di Parma, where she was on staff for six years; a guest lecturer at La Scala; and consultant on international projects for Fondazione Teatro Massimo in Palermo. She also served as senior artistic manager for the Royal Opera House Muscat for a number of years and as the executive director of the International Friends of Festival Verdi.
Sony Music Entertainment has announced two key promotions from within the company ranks to replace Bogdan Rošcic as head of the Sony Music Classical business when he steps down to become artistic director of the Vienna State Opera next year. Mark Cavell, who joined SONY in 2009 and has been head of the U.S. label and senior VP of finance at Sony Music Masterworks since 2017, is set to become president of Sony Masterworks. Per Hauberwill be president of Sony Classical, which is based in Berlin. He joined the company in 2011 from Universal Music Germany as senior VP for Sony Classical International, the label’s classical repertoire center.
The Minnesota Orchestra has a new leadership model for its annual Sommerfest in July; a “Creative Partner for Summer Programming.” The first is to be pianist Jon (“Jackie”) Kimura Parker, who will work with Music Director Osmo Vänskä, the Musicians’ Artistic Advisory Committee, and artistic staff to develop programming. He will also perform and serve as host. Parker starts immediately, and the plan is to rotate the Creative Partner position for a term of two or three years.
Tanya Derksen, president of Orchestras Canada and of that country’s Regina Symphony Orchestra in Saskatchewan, will move into a new job with the Philadelphia Orchestra as of October 28. The position, which bears the title VP of Artistic Production, appears to have more to do with things operational than artistic. Derksen, a pianist with an MBA, will “oversee personnel, production, operations, and touring,” according to the orchestra.
The BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales (BBC NOW) has named Lisa Tregale as its first-ever woman director. She starts in the new year, succeeding Michael Garvey, who stepped down in July to become the executive director of British violinist Nicola Benedetti’s new foundation. Tregale is the current head of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) Participate, that orchestra’s deeply layered outreach and education plan. She has also been involved in strategic planning.
The Bozeman (MT) Symphony has hired one of its former musicians, Emily Paris-Martin, to be its executive director. Paris-Martin played with the orchestra from 2002-2015, before turning to the administrative side. She served as operations manager, director of marketing, director of communications, and director of business operations before assuming her current post.
The Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra—named for the twin cities Duluth, MN, and Superior, WI—has a new executive director. He is Brandon VanWaeyenberghe, most recently the finance director of the Charlotte (NC) Symphony. He succeeds Kevin Peterson, a violist in the orchestra who served as interim after Rebecca Peterson left in the spring of 2018, after seven years in the job. Prior to North Carolina, VanWaeyenberghe was with the Houston Symphony in fund raising and business intelligence. He holds a BS in music management from the University of Evansville, IN, and, from the University of Cincinnati, an MBA and an MA in arts administration.
John Glover, VP and director of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s DiMenna Center for Classical Music, is to be the new director of artistic planning for the Kaufman Music Center, which includes Merkin Hall. It’s a new position under the Center’s new Executive Director Kate Sheeran. Glover, also a composer and artistic director of a number of new music festivals, will oversee the Kaufman Center’s presentations in Merkin Hall as well as coordinating those among its various educational programs and individual concert series.
Louise Jeffreys, artistic director of the Barbican, is to become deputy chair of English National Opera and the London Coliseum. She succeeds Nicholas Allan. In her new position on the ENO board of directors, she will serve as chair of the Artistic Committee. It’s worth noting that the position of artistic director of the ENO is currently vacant. No doubt she will be involved in the search to fill the job.
David J. Kitto, former senior VP for marketing and sales at the Kennedy Center, is the new executive director the Washington (DC)’s National Theater Corporation. He succeeded Sarah Bartlo-Chaplin, now at the State Theater New Jersey, in July. Most recently, Kitto was interim president of La Jolla Music Society, where he is credited with raising funds for and planning the opening of the new Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center. He also was instrumental in restructuring the organization’s education programs.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Susan E. Totten has joined the firm as senior vice president to lead and expand its contributed and earned revenue enhancement practice areas. Based in Southern California, Ms. Totten brings more than 25 years of experience in capital, operating, and endowment campaign fundraising for arts and culture, higher education, and medical institutions. She has also demonstrated success in strategic planning, board development, and mobilizing resources to advance organizational mission and vision.
Shea’s Performing Arts Center has selected Kevin Sweeney as director of marketing and communications. He began his tenure on September 16, 2019. A skilled marketer and leader with more than 20 years of experience in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, Mr. Sweeney brings a knowledge of arts business and a passion for the arts community. Most recently, he served as the Director of Marketing for Geva Theatre Center in Rochester, New York. Over the past 10 years in this role, he oversaw the annual budget of $1.2 million, created and managed the annual marketing plan, and led the rebranding initiative for both stages.
Boise State University has selected Laura Kendall as executive director of the Velma V. Morrison Center for the Performing Arts. She will begin her tenure on October 7, 2019. Ms. Kendall’s years of experience have covered a variety of fields, culminating in a multitude of skills, including marketing, ticketing, arts education, outreach, artist residencies, and grant writing. Most recently, she served as the vice president, programming and education for Omaha Performing Arts in Nebraska, where she increased rental and co-promotional events by 67 percent, managed a programming budget of more than $4 million, and oversaw booking for three performance spaces, totaling over 5,000 seats.
Ballet Des Moines has selected Blaire Massa as executive. She began her tenure on September 3, 2019. Ms. Massa most recently served as director of advancement for the Concord Hill School in Chevy Chase, MD, where she oversaw the budget, led the annual fundraising campaign, directed all school events, and assisted in the design and creation of all school communications and publications. She also led the Advancement Board Committee and coordinated the annual auction, procuring more than 300 items.
August 2019
The Atlanta Opera has hired not one but two new development officers. Stepping into the newly created post of chief advancement officer is Paul Harkins, whose most recent position after 13 years at the University of Michigan was chief development and external relations officer for the School of Music, Theater, and Dance. In Atlanta, he’ll oversee fundraising and marketing. Reporting to him in Atlanta will be Jonathan Blalock, hired as individual giving officer. Blalock, who comes to the company after serving as development and patron services manager for Opera Saratoga in upstate New York.
Abigail Rollins is to be the executive director of the Berkshire (MA) Opera Festival as of September 3. She succeeds Claudia d’Alessandro, serving as interim; previously, cofounders Artistic Director Brian Garman and Director of Production Jonathon Loy handled the executive and administrative functions. Rollins has been in her current job, as managing director of the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company in Wellesley, MA, since 2010. She also held positions at Lyric Stage Company of Boston and Trisha Brown Dance Company in NYC.
Goli Sheikholeslami, chief of Chicago Public Media, is to be the new CEO of New York Public Radio—parent of WNYC, WQXR, a number of other local affiliates, WNYC Studios, a podcast division, and Gothamist. A former executive at The Washington Post and Condé Nast, she succeeds Laura Walker, who completely transformed WNYC into a major media organization with a budget of $97 million during her 24-year tenure.
Berkshire Choral International has selected Steve Smith, for four years the executive director of the Seattle Men’s Chorus and Seattle Women’s Chorus, as its new president. He succeeds Debi Kennedy. In Seattle, Smith oversaw a budget of $3.5 million and is credited with increasing donations, devising a new strategic plan, and creating a middle-school residency program.
La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) has a new executive director, complementing its musical direction under Steven Schick. She is Stephanie Weaver, formerly in the same position with the Cape [Cod] Symphony & Conservatory [a community music school] for over eight years. She starts at La Jolla in late September, succeeding the retiring Diane Salisbury, who exits after 20 years in the job.
Caroline Mousset started her new job as executive director of the Washington (DC) Metropolitan Philharmonic Association as of August 1. She arrived from the Phillips Collection, also in DC, where she was director of music. In her new position, she works with WMPA Artistic Director Ulysses S. James.
The Johnstown (PA) Symphony Orchestra has appointed Jessica Satava as its new executive director. Satava holds a master’s degree in voice from the Peabody Institute, where she worked for 13 years in the concert office. She is a former manager of the Aspen Chamber Symphony at the Aspen Music Festival and School and holds a certificate in management development from the Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business.
The University of North Carolina School of the Arts has hired Tony Woodcock, former president of the New England Conservatory, onetime CEO at a number of orchestras, as interim dean of the School of Music. Woodcock left NEC after eight years in the job in 2015; he has been consulting “for higher education and the performing arts” ever since.
Gia Kourlas is to move from freelance to staff dance critic for The New York Times; she steps into Alastair Macauley’s slot, who retired in 2018 after 11 years in the job. Kourlas becomes one of two fulltime staff dance critics in the country, the other being Sarah Kaufman at The Washington Post.
The U. S. Senate confirmed Mary Anne Carter as chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. As acting chair, she has focused on expanding Creative Forces, an arts therapy program aimed at mitigating post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other psychological health conditions among U.S. service members and veterans. She has also sought to promote such initiatives as Shakespeare in American Communities, NEA Big Read, Poetry Out Loud, Jazz Masters, and the National Heritage Fellowships.
Ticket Philadelphia has selected Matthew Cooper as assistant vice president. He began his tenure on July 15, 2019. A professional arts management expert, ticketing specialist, and musician, Mr. Cooper joins Ticket Philadelphia after 16 years with Jacobson Consulting Applications (JCA), an independent, international nonprofit consulting firm. Most recently, he served as president and COO, where he managed an annual budget of $7.5 million, guided key clients in their longterm strategic projects, and advised leading performing arts and cultural organizations in ticketing, marketing, customer service, and development.
The Northwest Arkansas Council has selected Allyson Esposito as executive director of its new, as-yet-unnamed arts services organization in Arkansas. She began her tenure on July 22, 2019. Ms. Esposito most recently served as senior director, arts and culture program for The Boston Foundation. In this role, she created and implemented a new vision and mission for the Foundation’s arts and culture programs, improved diversity, equity, and access within Boston’s arts sector, and developed new funding partnerships and initiatives with local and regional government and philanthropies.
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis has appointed soprano Patricia Racette as its new artistic director of young artist programs and Damon Bristo (currently a vice president at Columbia Artists) as director of artistic administration, succeeding Paul Kilmer. Racette and Bristo, whose contracts begin in September, will collaborate with Artistic Director James Robinson and Resident Conductor and Head of Music Roberto Kalb in OTSL’s artistic planning. They make their first national audition road trip in September.
July 2019
The U.K.’s former education secretary/minister for women and equalities, Nicky Morgan, is to be the new Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport under new Prime Minister Boris Johnson. She succeeds Jeremy Wright, becoming the U.K.’s eighth culture secretary in nine years.
The Cleveland Institute of Music announced the appointment of Constance Skingel as its new director of development. She started in mid-July, succeeding Dan Coleman who moved into an advisory capacity last April. Skingel arrives from the Veale Foundation, for which she performed the same function, and will be a member of CIM’s senior staff. At the Foundation, she is credited with managing over $150 million in assets.
Also new at CIM as of last week is Johnnia Stigall, just former manager of the Sphinx Organization’s National Alliance for Audition Support, which aims to bring diversity to American orchestras. Her new job entails managing CIM’s Young Artist, Musical Pathway Fellowship, and Pre-College programs for the Preparatory and Continuing Education division. She’ll report to Jerrod J. Price, executive director of preparatory, enrollment, and pathway programs at CIM. The preparatory division is currently being restructured.
Alexander Neef is to succeed Stephane Lissner as director of the Paris Opera starting with the 2021-22 season. The 45-year-old Neef has been general director of the Canadian Opera Company since June 2008. He became artistic director of the Santa Fe Opera in February 2018.
The Seattle Opera (SO) has taken a step to ensure that issues of race and gender inform its programming by appointing its firsts-in-residence. Naomi André is a trained singer with a PhD in musicology from Harvard and currently a faculty member teaching Women’s Studies and Afro-American/African Studies at the University of Michigan. In her new role, André will “advise staff and leadership on matters of race and gender in opera; consult in artistic planning . . .; and participate in company panel discussions, podcast recordings . . . and contribute essays to opera programs.”
Elena Dubinets, VP of artistic planning and creative projects at the Seattle Symphony (SSO), is to move to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) next month, in the new position of chief artistic officer. Her job will be to oversee all extant concert and community programs and “lead the effort to create new streams of programming,” according to the orchestra. She’ll work with Spano and Principal Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles and no doubt be involved in the search for the next music director, just as she was in Seattle with Morlot and his successor, Thomas Dausgaard.
Emil Kang, founding executive and artistic director of Carolina Performing Arts (CPA) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has been appointed program director for arts and cultural heritage by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. He succeeds Ella Baff, who left in 2018. In launching Chapel Hill’s CPA, he is credited with creating one of the country’s most extensive, university-based arts presenters. According to Mellon, “Kang has driven change and growth through the arts across the University, programming thousands of artists, commissioning [50] new works, and championing new scholarship on the arts.” He starts at Mellon on October 1.
The Juilliard School has named Rosalie Contreras VP of public affairs. Contreras has been with the Seattle Symphony for 19 years, working her way up from publicity manager. Her most recent post was VP of communications. At Juilliard, in the job as of July 8, 2019, is charged with overseeing marketing, communications, editorial, and creative services, including multimedia and materials relating to recruitment for admission to the school. She will be the school’s official spokesperson and attend all board meetings.
Multi-genre presenter Performance Santa Fe, soon to launch its 83rd season, has hired a new artistic and executive director in Chad Hilligus, 37, resident producer and director of major gifts for the McCallum Theater in Palm Desert, CA. He started July 15, succeeding Jonathan Winkle, who leaves after three years in the job.
North Carolina’s Arts & Science Council, a granting and technical support organization in Charlotte, has named producing, marketing, and public relations specialist R. Jeep Bryant as president. His most recent job was director of marketing and business development for the Broadway League. In addition to increasing sponsorship for the Tony Awards, he is credited with raising funds for and the profile of VIVA Broadway, an outreach program for Latino and Hispanic communities.
Jan Nast, current orchestra director of the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, is to succeed Johannes Neubert as intendant of the Vienna Symphony. Neubert has moved to a similar post with the Orchestre National de France as of 2019-20. Nast trained as a horn player and arts administrator and is credited with making Dresden’s Staatskapelle the orchestra in residence of the Salzburg Easter Festival.
New York City Gay Men’s Chorus has selected Gavin Thrasher as artistic director following an international executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He will begin his tenure in September 2019. An experienced singer, conductor, and teacher, Mr. Thrasher most recently served as the Interim artistic director & conductor for the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA), where he shaped and refined the musicianship and sound of the ensemble, managed all educational programs, and created the concert season.
June 2019
Dramaturge and music journalist Tobias Wolff, managing director of the International Handel Festival in Göttingen, has been appointed Intendant of the Leipzig Opera (est. 1693), the third oldest opera house in Europe. According to SWR2, the job received only 29 applications. He takes up the post in the 2022-23 season, exiting his current post, where he has been since 2011, in May 2021.
The Curtis Institute of Music has appointed Christopher Mossey, until 2018 a major Juilliard School fundraiser and international administrator (co-founder of Juilliard Global Ventures and the Tianjin Juilliard School), to be its next VP for institutional advancement. He’ll oversee development, marketing, and communications as the school prepares for its centenary in 2024. Mossey succeeds Amy Burns.
Five-year-old Opera Ithaca (NY) has hired Benjamin Robinson is to be its artistic director as of next season. He will continue to hold the same position with Raylynmor Opera in Keene, NH. Robinson is a lecturer in voice at Slippery Rock University in PA and a director whose credits range from Verdi to Peter Brook. He’ll be succeeding cofounder and Artistic Director Lynn Craver, who will remain with the company as director of its apprentice program. He’ll also take on the duties that have been handled by Interim Executive Director Dan Taylor. The company will over several performances each of three traditional operas next season.
Festspielhaus Baden-Baden’s announced that Ursula Koners, 47, is the new CEO, starting next season. Her appointment follows that of Benedikt Stampa the new artistic director. Koners, 47, holds a doctorate in business administration and has been head of the Friedrichshafen Institute for Family Business (FIF) at Zeppelin University since 2011. Prior to that, she worked for Daimler AG and Ravensburger Spielwaren-Verlag.
The Göteborg Opera has tapped Henning Ruhe, 41, as its new artistic director opera/drama. Currently head of artistic administration at the Bavarian State Opera, he will succeed Stephen Langridge. Ruhe’s term begins on a part-time basis on Jan. I, 2020; he will take up the reins fulltime after the summer of 2020.
Tri-Cities Opera has named John Rozzoni its new executive director. As of July 1, he succeeds Interim Executive Director George Cummings, who took the role in September after Susan Ashbaker stepped down for a position at Westminster Choir College; Ashbaker remains TCO’s artistic director, however. Rozzoni holds a bachelor of music in vocal performance from Ithaca College. He has for the last two years served as house operations director at the Anderson Center for Performing Arts at Binghamton University.
The Orlando Philharmonic has hired David Hyslop as its interim executive director. He succeeds board president Mary Palmer and founding musician Mark Fischer, who have been serving as co-interims since April, when Christopher T. Barton resigned. He had been in the job two-and-a-half years.
Kelly Tweeddale, president of Canada’s Vancouver Symphony and its School of Music, is to be the next executive director of the San Francisco Ballet, one of the three largest ballet companies in the U.S. She starts in September and succeeds Glenn McCoy, who retires at the end of this month after 32-years with the company.
Present Music has named violinist Eric Segnitz and conductor David Bloom its new co-artistic directors, effective July 2019. Segnitz and Bloom succeed outgoing artistic director and founder of Present Music, Kevin Stalheim who retires this June.
Festival Mozaic has selected Lloyd Tanner as executive director. He began his tenure on May 23, 2019. Mr. Tanner is a nonprofit manager and fundraiser focusing on brand management, strategic planning, and business operations. He most recently served as principal of Double L Analytics and Consulting, working with clients such as LA Opera, Opera Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. During his tenure, he prepared nonprofit and performing arts organizations for financially secure futures, delving into aspects of their pricing modules, donor activity, and patron bases.
The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO) has selected Jonathan Kaledin as vice president of development. He began his tenure on May 22, 2019. Mr. Kaledin is a lawyer and nonprofit executive with more than 30 years of experience, including work in both government and the private sector as well as the nonprofit sector. He has also worked in the environmental and conservation field and arts and culture field. He most recently served as president and CEO of Cape Arts & Entertainment in Massachusetts.
Arts Midwest has named Torrie Allen its president and CEO, effective in August. He succeeds long-time President & CEO David Fraher. Prior to joining Arts Midwest, Allen served as chief development officer at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
May 2019
British violinist Nicola Benedetti has chosen Michael Garvey, director of the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales, to be executive director of her new, foundation, The Benedetti Foundation, which is dedicated to providing “enrichment, inspiration, and variation” to the U.K.’s music education system and communities. Garvey, who exits his BBC post to assume his new position in July, will provide strategic management in areas of fundraising and best business practices.
The U.K. has a new minister for arts, heritage, and tourism. As part of a cabinet reshuffle, Rebecca Pow, the Conservative MP for Taunton Deane, has been tapped to replace Michael Ellis, in the job since January 2018. Ellis will now become transport minister. Pow said she was “honored and absolutely delighted” with her new responsibility. Her tenure, however, may prove short lived. May’s announcement that she will step down as prime minister on June 7 will lead to a new occupant of 10 Downing Street, who may well choose a new cabinet.
American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), the union that represents some 7,500 American professional opera singers, choristers, and dancers, has elected a new slate of officers. Each will serve a four-year term. The new president, elected by the full membership, is Raymond Menard, production stage manager at the Metropolitan Opera and assistant professor at Columbia University School of the Arts. Menard is a 21-year AGMA member and most recently served as its treasurer. He takes over the presidency on June 1, succeeding John Coleman. Additional officers include Treasurer J, Austin Bitner, an opera singer based in Baltimore, and Recording Secretary Louis Perry, an arranger and onetime member of the NYC Opera Chorus. Nineteen governors comprised of soloists, choristers/actors and dancers were also elected.
Longtime Metropolitan Opera Orchestra trombonist Weston Sprott is the new dean of Juilliard’s preparatory division, overseeing the school’s pre-college division and Music Advancement Program (MAP). He will also remain with the MET Orchestra. Sprott will be working with Juilliard President Damian Woetzel, Provost and Dean Ara Guzelimian, Pre-College Artistic Director Yoheved Kaplinsky, and MAP Artistic Advisor Anthony McGill.
George Hanson is the new executive director of the Alexandria (VA) Symphony Orchestra as of June 1. He succeeds Paul Frank, who died two years ago after four months in the job. Hanson arrives in the Virginia orchestra’s top administrative post after 20 years as conductor of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. He will remain part-time as director of the Tucson Desert Song Festival and continue as conductor and artistic director of Oregon’s Sunriver Music Festival, a two-week event held in August.
Michigan’s Ann Arbor Symphony, with an annual budget of $1.6 million, has announced a new president in Dr. Geoffrey Barnes, a cardiovascular physician and researcher at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; he succeeds current president Richard Hendricks.
Scott Guzielek, director of artistic operations at Palm Beach Opera since 2012, is to move into the newly created position of VP and general manager of Philadelphia’s Academy of Vocal Arts. He starts July 1, reporting to President and Artistic Director K. James McDowell, with responsibility for creating community partnerships and liaising with board members and donors. At the opera Guzielek oversaw artistic planning, casting, and repertoire and headed the Benenson Young Artist and Bailey Apprentice Artist programs, which expanded during his tenure. Prior to Palm Beach, he was for six years artistic administrator at Washington National Opera, a time during which Plácido Domingo served as general director.
Chad Herzog, co-executive director and programmer of the International Festival of Arts and Ideas, is to become executive director of UA Presents, the presenting organization of the University of Arizona. He succeeds Chuck Tennes, who stepped down in 2014. At UA, a multi-genre presenter that honors its 25th anniversary next season, he will oversee all aspects of the operation, from marketing to fundraising to artistic programming.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG announced that Douglas R. Clayton has joined the firm. Based in Chicago, Mr. Clayton will oversee the firm’s Planning & Capacity Building areas, guiding strategic planning and community engagement, facilities and program planning, organizational benchmarking studies, board governance summits, team building retreats, and a variety of services that strengthen nonprofit organizations, universities, government agencies, and the communities they serve. With more than 20 years of experience in the arts and culture industry, specifically within opera, theater, and arts service organizations, Mr. Clayton is passionate about creating innovative business models.
The Holland Festival’s supervisory board has named Emily Ansenk its new general director as of 1 September. Like the current director, Ansenk will be responsible for the festival’s artistic and business policies. Ansenk will succeed Annet Lekkerkerker, who is leaving the festival at the end of June 2019 after ten years.
Cal Performances announced that Shariq Yosufzai, a vice chair of the Cal Performances board, has agreed to lead the organization as its interim executive director, beginning on June 15. Cal Performances Associate Director Rob Bailis will serve under Shariq as interim artistic director. Shariq has been a member of the Cal Performances board since July 2014, and has served as a vice chair since July 2016. Rob Bailis joined Cal Performances in June 2013 and was promoted to associate director soon after. He has been instrumental in shaping many defining artistic initiatives;, curating programming for dance, theater and world stages; and overseeing the fundraising, communications and marketing and education departments.
New England Conservatory (NEC) announced the appointments of Michael Sarra as vice president for communications and Elizabeth Dionne as vice president for finance. Michael Sarra will work closely with colleagues across the Conservatory to tell NEC’s story in a way that connects meaningfully and persuasively with current and prospective students, alumni, donors, faculty, staff, and peers across the arts and education landscapes. Elizabeth Dionne comes to NEC with proven strategic-leadership abilities and strong financial, managerial, technical, planning, and communication skills, all of which will enable her to ably manage finance, accounting, and budgetary administration, as well as database administration and information technology for New England Conservatory.
Yvonne Lam, violinist and Grammy-winning musician of Eighth Blackbird fame, will become the newest member of the string area faculty at the Michigan State University College of Music. As an entrepreneur and co-founder of the Blackbird Creative Lab, Ms. Lam will bring extensive experience as a performer, collaborator and educator. Her position as full-time assistant professor at the college begins this fall.
Joe Rooney has been appointed associate dean for finance and administration at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, effective May 13, 2019. Most recently serving as deputy director of the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., Rooney has previously held the roles of chief operating officer at Arts Presenters, as well as vice president for Operations at The New 42nd Street, focused on redevelopment of Times Square.
April 2019
Menon Dwarka is to be executive director of Toronto’s Art of Time Ensemble (ATE) as of May 14. He succeeds David Abel, who has joined the National Arts Center as managing director, English Theater. Before returning to his native Toronto in 2013, Dwarka worked as a composer for television and as an administrator at New York’s 92nd Street Y, Harlem School of the Arts, and Greenwich House.
Vanessa Reed, chief executive of Britain’s Performing Rights Society (PRS) Foundation, is to be the new president and CEO of New Music USA, the organization formed out of the merger of the American Music Center and Meet the Composer in 2011. Reed is credited with vastly expanding the PRS Foundation’s programs and resources and has been widely feted for her efforts. She has been a particular advocate for women composers. She takes up her post in August.
The Washington Ballet announced that the former CEO of The Florida Orchestra, Michael Pastreich, is to take its top administrative post, working with Julie Kent, the company’s artistic director of three years. Not only is Pastreich credited with turning the orchestra around, he also managed to grow its endowment from $8 million to $21 million, to appease relations between the musicians and management, such that strikes were no longer a threat, and to launch a wide array of community, educational, and collaborative projects, including a cultural exchange with Cuba.
Rob Bailis, recent interim artistic director and associate director of Cal Performances at the University of California, Berkeley, is to be artistic and executive director of California’s Eli & Edythe Broad Stage at the Santa Monica College (SMC) Performing Arts Center, as of June 1, 2019. The Broad Stage—not to be confused with The Broad, a contemporary art museum in downtown Los Angeles—is in its 11th season as a multi-genre presenter. It is known for its intimacy (500 seats) and yet features one of the city’s largest proscenium stages.
Festival Mozaic has named Lloyd Tanner as its next executive director, starting in May. Tanner is the recent director of business development for the Los Angeles Opera. Tanner was with the LA Opera for 14 years; previously he was assistant director of development for the Washington National Opera and before that worked in operations for the Spokane and Atlanta symphonies. He has a BM in music performance (trombone) from Southern Methodist University.
Jason Smoller, free-lance oboist and former associate director of external affairs for The New York Pops, is the new development director for the New York City Opera. He also serves as executive director of the Greenwich Village Orchestra and is a former development associate for the Morgan Library & Museum.
The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Greensboro has named Bruce D. McClung as the dean of its College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA), as of July 14, 2019. UNCG’s CVPA defines itself as having “the premier, most comprehensive, and largest set of visual and performing arts programs in North Carolina.” As of 2016, it comprises the combined School of Art, School of Dance, School of Music, and the School of Theater, as well as the Arts Administration program.
Justin Brown, current manager of concert operations for the New York Philharmonic, has been appointed VP and general manager of the Aspen Music Festival and School. He starts June 20, succeeding Keith Elder, and reports to CEO Alan Fletcher. Brown was previously operations manager at the San Francisco Symphony, education manager for the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, orchestra and operations manager for the Juilliard School, from which he holds a graduate diploma, and librarian for the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.
Francesco Milioto is to be artistic advisor of Milwaukee’s Florentine Opera Company, marking General Director Maggie Oplinger’s first major hire since assuming the job in March. Oplinger, who succeeded William Florescu, is a former opera singer with expertise in fundraising and community engagement; Milioto will provide the requisite artistic leadership on a consulting basis. He will also help recruit young singers for the studio artist program.
George Bruell, director of communications at Glyndebourne for the last 11 years, is to join HarrisonParrott as director of creative partnerships. In his London-based post, he will oversee the firm’s consultancies and special projects. Andrea Berbegal, the current HP sponsorship and development manager, will report to him in the new title of creative partnership & development manager.
The New York Philharmonic has elected not one but two individuals to succeed Oscar S. Schafer as board chair. The orchestra reports this is the first shared chairmanship in its history. Peter W. May and Oscar L. Tang, both current board members, are to be co-chair designates until September, when they move as co-chairs into the position Schafer has held since 2015. He will become chairman emeritus.
Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra has named board president Mary Palmer and founding orchestra and staff member Mark Fischer as co-executive directors. The La Crosse (WI) Symphony Orchestra has also hired a board member to be its next executive director. The 70-member professional ensemble, led by Music Director Alexander Platt, has named Eva Marie Restel, a ceramic artist and owner of Restel & Sons, LLC. She has been on the board for six years and is an active arts community volunteer. Tucson Symphony Orchestra President and CEO Tom McKinney is to be replaced on an interim basis by Kathryn R. Martin, described by the orchestra as a “transition expert and veteran arts leader.”
The San Bernardino County Museum Association has selected Geoffrey Corbin as CEO following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group. He began his tenure on April 15, 2019. An experienced nonprofit leader and administrator of change, Mr. Corbin has focused his career on the missions of social impact and cultural organizations as well as enhancing lives through the nonprofit sector.
The Moss Arts Center at Virginia Tech has named Margaret Lawrence as its new director of programming, effective June 25. She will lead the center’s performance season planning, including community engagement and student learning, with a focus on diverse voices and meaningful experiences. Lawrence has served as director of programming at Dartmouth College’s Hopkins Center for the last 23 years.
March 2019
American soprano Susan Narucki has been named as inaugural director of arts and community engagement at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD) . The Arts and Community Engagement Division has been created by UCSD with the aim of connecting students, faculty, alumni and staff with the greater community in order to foster cultural dialogue and civic engagement. Narucki will serve for two years.
Dickon Stainer, the current president and CEO of Universal Classics and Jazz, will now assume direct responsibility for the New York-based Verve Group in hopes that he can offer the label a new global focus. His new role will see him adding to his existing substantial portfolio, which includes classical music powerhouses Deutsche Grammophon and Decca.
Jennifer Turner, executive VP and managing director of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, in Orange Country, CA, is to be the president and CEO of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, effective in May. She succeeds Kathleen O’Brien, who retires after 31 years at TPAC, the last 14 as its head. Prior to six years at Segerstrom, Turner was COO and general manager of the Auditorium Theater at Roosevelt University. She also served as opera house manager for the Michigan Opera Theater.
Christina Scheppelmann, artistic director general of Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu, is to be the next general director of the Seattle Opera; she succeeds Aidan Lang, who exits after four years to be general director of Welsh National Opera. Born in Hamburg, Scheppelman was for 11 years director of artistic operations at Washington National Opera under Plácido Domingo and is credited with creating the WNO’s American Opera Initiative, now in its eighth season. She also served as artistic administrator of the San Francisco Opera under Lotfi Mansouri. Scheppelman, 53, has been in Barcelona for four years, prior to which she was the first director general of the Royal Opera House Muscat (Oman), the first theater of its kind in the Persian Gulf Region.
Daniel E. Beckley, VP and general manager of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, former chief executive of the Charleston (SC) Symphony, is to be the new executive director of the Kansas City Symphony as of July 29. He will succeed Frank Byrne, who announced last year that he would be stepping down after 19 years in the job. Beckley will oversee all the management and administrative functions of the orchestra, a $19.8 million budget operation with a full-time staff of 35; the 80-member orchestra offers up to 200 performances annually.
La Jolla Music Center has named Ted DeDee its next president and CEO. He start April 1. DeDee has run seven performing arts centers, including the $205 million Overture Center, from 2012-2018, Eastman School of Music’s Eastman Theatre in Rochester, NY, the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, both in Nashville.
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group (BCMG), founded in 1987 by members of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, has a new executive director in Seb Huckle, its former marketing manager. He’ll report to Artistic Director Stephan Meier, and take on overall responsibility for the group’s busy production schedule as well as all business matters.
The Ensemble Orchestral Contemporain (not to be confused with the Ensemble InterContemporain) has named French composer Bruno Mantovani, 44, to be its musical and artistic director as of January 2020. He is currently the director of the Paris Conservatory; in his new job, he’ll succeed Daniel Kawka, who founded the Lyon-based group in 1992. Ensemble Orchestral Contemporain has a core of 19 musicians that expands as necessary; it focuses on music of the 20th and 21st centuries and has a repertoire of nearly 500 works by 200 composers, including 170 premieres.
Joseph V. Melillo, a key sculptor in the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s enlightened programming profile, has joined Columbia Artists in the new position of international artistic advisor. He will help the artist management firm “develop bold new opportunities for producing live performance events, international touring, co-productions and artistic collaboration,” according to Columbia.
Chicago’s MacArthur Foundation, home of the “genius grant,” has a new president—John Palfrey. An educator, author, and scholar with a focus on digital technology, Palfrey, 46, will succeed Julia Stasch, in the job since 2014. In making the announcement, MacArthur Board Chairman Dan Huttenlocher praised Palfrey as having “demonstrated a commitment to rigorous thinking, disruption, and creative solutions often made possible by technology, accessibility of information, and diversity and inclusion . . . all institutional values central to MacArthur’s identity and work.”
Christopher M. Powell, director of artistic initiatives for the Glimmerglass Festival, is to be executive director of the Pittsburgh Festival Opera as of March 12. PFO has a summer season of four or five operas. Prior to his four years with Glimmerglass, where he oversaw the production of Breaking Glass: Hyper-linking Opera and Issues, Powell was for 14 years music administrator of Pittsburgh Opera, where he acted as producer of Co-Opera 2015, a Carnegie-Mellon University project that created a one-night performance of five new one-act operas with livestream technology.
Arts Council of Indianapolis (ACI) has selected Julie Goodman as president and CEO; she began her tenure on March 4, 2019. Ms. Goodman has more than two decades of arts management, nonprofit, philanthropic, and corporate experience. Most recently, she served as senior vice president of marketing communications for Strada Education Network in Indianapolis.
Newark Symphony Hall, operated by Newark Performing Arts Corporation (NPAC), has selected Taneshia Nash Laird as president and CEO; she began her tenure on November 1, 2018. Ms. Laird is a seasoned fundraiser and leader with decades of experience in the nonprofit, government, and private sectors. Most recently, she served as executive director of the Arts Council of Princeton, notably as the first woman of color in this role.
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity (Banff Centre) has selected Sarah Nelems as vice president of development, she will begin her tenure on April 1, 2019. Ms. Nelems is a Canadian development expert dedicated to initiating transformative change through fundraising and philanthropy. Most recently, she served as CEO at Habitat for Humanity in Okagawan, BC, where she provided leadership on nationally led culture change and growth strategy.
February 2019
Jonathan Stafford, 38, is to be artistic director of New York City Ballet and School of America Ballet, and Wendy Whelan, 51, is to be associate artistic director. Both have long histories with both institutions, as alumni of the school and as principal dancers. Stafford has been leading the interim artistic team, with Justin Peck, Craig Hall, and Rebecca Krohn, since 2017, as well as serving as ballet master after retiring from the stage in 2014.
Composer Daniel Kellogg is to succeed founding director of Young Concert Artists, Susan Wadsworth, in July. She will step down after a 58-year tenure to become Creative Consultant and help plan YCA’s 60th anniversary. “Daniel Kellogg’s enthusiasm and energy will enable the organization to continue to thrive and meet the challenges of the 21st century, while maintaining the high musical standards for which the organization is known,” said Wadsworth in her comments.
Maggey Oplinger is to be general director of the Florentine Opera, the Milwaukee, WI, company’s seventh in its 85-year history. She starts March 1, succeeding William Florescu. Oplinger comes from the Milwaukee Symphony, where she was director of community partnerships and director of shared experiences. Over her four years in the job, she is credited with doubling volunteer participation to 800 and increasing the profitability of fundraising events some 20 percent. She has also worked in sales and holds a graduate degree in nonprofit business administration.
Joining the Boston Symphony Orchestra as senior publicist is Matthew Erikson, who comes to Boston after serving as publications editor for the San Francisco Opera; before that he was the company’s communication manager. He started in Boston January 7.
Julie Goetz, former communications manager of the Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD), is the new director of communications at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. She succeeds Liza Prijatel Thors, who left in August. RAD is “a $100 million grant-making agency,” where Goetz oversaw communications and marketing.
The MacDowell Colony has chosen Philip Himberg as its next executive director, succeeding Cheryl Young, who is retiring after 30 years. Himberg, who starts June 1, comes to the 118-year-old artists’ colony from the Sundance Institute, where for the past 23 years he has been artistic director of the theater program. In comments, MacDowell Chairman Michael Chabon noted Himberg’s passion and deep knowledge of the arts as well as his “holistic and collaborative approach to managing multiple projects.” In 1907 composer Edward MacDowell and his wife, Marian MacDowell, a pianist, founded the MacDowell Colony as a haven for artists, composers, and writers.
Robert Massey, recent CEO of the Jacksonville Symphony, is to be the new CEO of the Louisville Orchestra as of next month. He succeeds Andrew Kipe, who left in August to be director of concert and ensemble operations for the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. During his three-year tenure in Jacksonville, Massey is credited with balancing the books and working with the musicians to reach a “transformative” five-year contract in 2017 that added seven musicians, made all musicians full-time, and expanded the season.
UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music—launched in 2007 and established by UC Regents in 2016 as the 12th professional school at UCLA—has named its inaugural dean. She is Eileen Strempel, voice professor and senior VP for academic affairs at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She will start in July and succeeds Judith Smith, former executive director and founding dean of the school.
WQXR, New York City’s only locally based all-classical-music radio station, has brought Jacqui Cheng on board as the station’s first ever editor-in-chief, music. Cheng will report to Shannon Connolly, senior VP and GM, music, at New York Public Radio, and be responsible for launching editorial and digital content strategies designed to attract new, more diverse audiences. Cheng, a violinist for more than three decades, previously served as editor-in-chief of Wirecutter and as editor-at-large at Ars Technica. In her new position she will define editorial style and standards for a team of digital producers, editors, and writers, and develop stories exploring the place of classical music in contemporary culture.
Henry Timms—president and CEO of New York’s 92nd Street Y, co-author of international best-seller New Power—How Power Works in Our Hyper-connected World and How to Make it Work for You—is to be the next president of Lincoln Center. He starts in May, becoming Lincoln Center’s third new president in as many years. Lincoln Center Board Chair Katherine Farley characterized him as “a trailblazing leader,” combining “collegiality, digital savvy, and transformational thinking…. Henry’s signature style is collaboration, complemented by innovation, ingenuity and enthusiasm.”
The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity has appointed the Gryphon Trio to direct its classical music summer programs as of 2019-20. The Trio’s tenure begins at the close of the 2019 summer season, at which time it succeeds Claire Chase and Steven Schick, who complete their three-year term as co-artistic directors. The Trio—violinist Annalee Patipatanakoon, cellist Roman Borys, and pianist James Parker—has been together for 30 years.
The Canadian Museums Association (CMA) has selected Dr. Vanda Vitali as executive director; she will begin her tenure on March 1, 2019. Dr. Vitali most recently served as the chief information officer at the International Center for Innovation and Transfer of Technology in Jiaxing, China.
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) has expanded the role of General Manager Kate Kammeyer to also include serving as artistic administrator, and has promoted several other LACO staff members as well. Assuming growing roles are LACO employees Taylor Lockwood, promoted to operations manager; Brandon Faber advanced to assistant director of events and sponsorships; Dina-Marie Weineck boosted to executive assistant & Board Liaison; and Alana Miles, elevated to advancement associate.
Miami City Ballet (MCB) has announced the appointment of Elena Quevedo, PhD as the its new chief development officer. She assumed her post on January 22. Quevedo brings to the ballet company more than 17 years of development and fundraising experience, including former roles with New York City Ballet, The MacDowell Colony, The Hawthorne Foundation and, most recently, as senior vice president of advancement for The New Jewish Home, Inc.
January 2019
Bass-baritone Peter Oundjian is to be the next music director of the Colorado Music Festival. He comes to the post after having served as artistic advisor last summer, an experience that he apparently found favorable. Oundjian is the former longtime music director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, now conductor emeritus.
Bass-baritone Alan Held, a onetime a regular on the stages of The Metropolitan Opera, The Vienna State Opera, The Paris Opera, and others of kind, is the new artistic director of the Wichita Grand Opera. Held is director of opera studies and an associate professor of voice at Wichita State University. He also gives annual master classes at Yale University and is a guest master teacher at The Miami Music Festival Wagner Institute. Held will be responsible for planning the company’s future seasons.
David O’Dell, recent CEO of the Amarillo Opera in Texas, has been named general director of the Charlottesville Opera, formerly known as Ashville Lawn Opera. He succeeds Michelle Krisel, general director from 2010-14 and artistic director from 2015-17. The company recently honored its 40th anniversary. O’Dell is from St. Louis, MO, and started his career on the opera stage.
Hannover’s triennial Joseph Joachim International Violin Competition has put new leadership in place as it looks to its next competition in 2021. Violinists Antje Weithaas and Oliver Wille will serve as co-artistic directors, succeeding founding Artistic Director Krzysztof Wegrzyn. Weithaas, a winner of the first Joachim competition in 1991, is artistic director of the Camerata Bern and a noted soloist. She is on the faculty of the Hanns Eisler Conservatory of Music in Berlin. Oliver Wille is a founding member of the Kuss String Quartet and currently is on the chamber music teaching faculty at the Hannover University of Music. He is the artistic director of the Kammermusikgemeinde, also in Hannover.
Chicago-based WFMT, which specializes in classical content, has a new VP and general manager. He is George Preston, current general manager of Classical KCME, part of Cheyenne Mountain Public Broadcast House, Inc. Preston is no stranger to WFMT, having hosted and produced the internationally syndicated Lyric Opera of Chicago broadcasts and served as afternoon drive host from 2009-2013. Prior to that, he was host and music director for WNYC. In his new job he will oversee virtually everything, from fundraising to programming, production, operations, and syndication activities.
Ashley Magnus has been named general director of the Chicago Opera Theater, a promotion from the post of general manager of strategy and development. The company’s new executive chief holds an MBA from the University of Utah and participated in the 2013 Opera America Leadership Intensive. She began her career as production coordinator for opera with Utah Symphony | Utah Opera.
Víctor Garcia de Gomar will leave Barcelona’s Palau de la Música to become artistic director of the Gran Teatre del Liceu. He succeeds Christina Scheppelmann at the start of the 2019/20 with a four-year contract and an annual salary of €120,000. Key to his selection was his strong record at the Palau de la Música, where, since assuming his role in 2011, he has built a reputation for “rich, creative and innovative” programming, comments El Mundo.
Ireland’s Wexford Festival Opera has named Rosetta Cucchi as its new artistic director. As artistic director of Parma’s Arturo Toscanini Foundation she put the orchestra on the map, with less traditional repertoire choices, ambitious tours, and by appointing the British conductor Alpesh Chauhan as music director. She has said she will honor the festival’s traditions while doing something fresh.
Olivier Descotes has succeeded Lorella Megani as general director of the Rossini Opera Festival for the two-year period 2019-20. Descotes, 42, has been special advisor to the Greek Minister of Culture and Sports since 2016. He is a former director of the French Ministry of Culture and Communication (2002) and was Vivendi Universal’s president and CEO from 2003 to 2005. Thereafter he served as cultural attaché at the French Embassy in Italy and secretary general of the Nuovi Mecenati Foundation (2005-09). He was subsequently appointed director of the Institut Français of Milan (2009-11), and then of the Institut Français of Athens, and counselor for cultural cooperation and action at the French Embassy in Greece (2011-15).
The Orchestre national de France announced Friday the selection of a new general manager (délégué général). Johannes Neubert, 49, will start on September 1. The orchestra, founded in 1934, is the oldest of the two orchestras of Radio France. Neubert has worked for the English National Opera, the Austrian Musical Youth (Jeunesse) in Vienna, and as personal assistant to Christoph Lieben-Seutter at the Wiener Konzerthaus. His career continued as artistic director of the Tonkünstler Orchestra of Lower Austria between 2002 and 2010 and, from 2005 to 2010, he was managing director of the Grafenegg Festival, which he co-founded.
Jeremy Geffen, senior director and artistic advisor at Carnegie Hall, is to become executive and artistic director of Cal Performances at UC Berkeley as of April 1. He succeeds Matías Tarnopolsky, who left last summer to become president and CEO of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Geffen, 44, will report directly to UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol T. Christ. He is charged with overseeing all programs of Cal Performances and Student Musical Activities (SMA), including commissions and collaborations within the university and with national and international arts groups. Cal Performances has an annual budget of about $15 million.
Brooklyn-based American Opera Projects (AOP) has promoted Matt Gray to the position of general director, succeeding Charles Jarden, who steps aside after 16 years to serve as director of strategic partnerships, a new post. Gray has been serving as producing director since 2008, having started at the 30-year-old company as an office manager in 2003 and worked his way up the ladder. Succeeding him is Mila Henry, as artistic director—the company’s first since Steven Osgood held the position from 2002-2008. Henry started as an intern at AOP in 2010 and went on to a free-lance career as conductor, pianist, and vocal coach while continuing to work with AOP on selected projects.
Jennifer Teisinger, former executive director of the Bravo! Vail Music Festival, is to be the new executive director of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra (SDSO). She takes the helm in February, in time to gear up for the orchestra’s centennial in 2022. Teisinger has a bachelor’s degree in music from the University of North Texas, Denton, and a master’s degree in music from the Rice University Shepherd School of Music in Houston, both in oboe performance.
The Conductors Guild has elected Julius Williams to succeed John Farrer as president. Williams, artistic director and conductor of the Berklee Contemporary Symphony Orchestra and professor of composition at Berklee College in Boston, is the Guild’s first African-American president. Williams is also music director of New Jersey’s Trilogy: An Opera Company and a cover conductor for the Boston Pops. He is a former music director of the Washington (D.C.) Symphony.
The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) has a new chief financial officer in Steven Rosenzweig; he succeeds James Garrone who is retiring after 15 years of service. Rosenzweig arrives after filling the same function at the city’s Jewish Community Center, as well as being COO, where he is credited with a financial turnaround. He is also an adjunct professor at Washington University Brown School of Social Work, where he teaches financial concepts to graduate students.
Jeffrey Duncan, former senior manager at BMG publishing and a publishing consultant to estates, artists, and law firms, is the new executive VP in charge of west coast operations for Music Sales Corp. He is based out of the company’s Santa Monica, CA, office. In his comments, Duncan points out that Music Sales has a catalog of over 400,000 works, from Dion’s “Runaround Sue” to Barber’s Adagio for Strings. Tomas Wise, Music Sales Corp. CEO, noted the new hire’s experience “in music publishing and rights acquisition” saying it would help “to grow the business.”
The Santa Fe Symphony and Chorus has hired Daniel Crupi, 29, to succeed Gregory W. Heltman as executive director. Crupi, who starts in March, has been COO of the Greensboro (NC) Symphony Orchestra since 2016. Previously, he spent three years as the orchestra’s director of development and PR. He holds an MM from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a bachelor’s degree in music from the University of Notre Dame.
David Schillhammer, credited with “saving” the Orlando Symphony from extinction during his 15-year tenure there, is to be the new executive director of the Brevard (FL) Philharmonic, currently in its 65th season. A native of Burlington, VT, Schillhammer graduated from the Eastman School of Music with a degree in bassoon performance; previously jobs have been with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and the San Antonio Symphony and San Pedro Playhouse, both in Texas.
Ignacio Barrón Viela is the new executive director of the Billings (MT) Symphony Orchestra and Chorale. A July participant in the League of American Orchestras’ management seminar and a recent MBA recipient from USC, he is a former cellist and general manager of the Heinrich Heine Orchestra in Dusseldorf. The Spanish-born Viela succeds Darren Rich, now executive director for the Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra. Billings Symphony performs about seven concerts a season.
The The Met has chosen Thomas Lausmann to succeed John Fisher, but in the position of director of music administration (last occupied by Fisher himself, before he was assistant GM.) Lausmann is the current head of music at the Vienna State Opera and starts at the Met next season.
The Globe Theatre has selected Jaime Boldt as executive director following an international executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group Canada (ACG). She will begin her tenure on February 1, 2019. Ms. Boldt most recently served as acting CEO of the John Howard Society of Saskatchewan (JHSS). In this role, she implemented the annual strategic plan, developed sustainable programming, and oversaw the finances and operations of four provincial branches in Regina, Moose Jaw, Saskatoon, and Prince Albert.
The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts has appointed Jessica Novak as its new director of marketing, effective Thursday, February 7. With over 14 years of success working in the performing and visual arts, Novak brings extensive experience to the McKnight Center, including tenures in leadership with the Tulsa Ballet, Multi Arts Center (now Prairie Arts Center), and Stillwater Arts Festival, plus the Paul Taylor American Modern Dance in New York City.
The Chamber Music Northwest has selected pianist Gloria Chien and violinist Soovin Kim as its next artistic directors. Chein and Kim are currently co-artistic directors of the Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival, founded by Soovin in 2008. Gloria is also the artistic director of the String Theory chamber music series in Chattanooga, TN—which she founded in 2009—and has been director of the Chamber Music Institute of the Music@Menlo Festival since 2010. They will succeed David Shifrin who will leave the organization after its 2020 summer festival.
December 2018
The The Center for the Arts of Jackson Hole, WY, whose programming ranges across all genres and disciplines, has named David J. Rothman to the newly established post of president and CEO. He starts January 7. Rothman is the current program director/poetry concentration in the graduate creative writing program at Western State Colorado University; he is also the editor of THINK: A Journal of Poetry, Criticism, and Reviews.
Marc Beaudoin is a tenor in the 160-voice Washington Chorus. As of February 4, he is also the executive director. Beaudoin announced earlier in the month that he was leaving the Maryland Symphony Orchestra after just 16 months as executive director. In his brief time there, he is said to have accomplished a “significant financial turnaround,” commissioned new works, increased earned and contributed income, and helped the orchestra make its first recording, with guitarist Sharon Isbin.
Composer/conductor Tan Dun will assume the newly created position of dean of the Bard College Conservatory of Music next July. Dun, whose composing and conducting accolades include Grammy awards, Oscars, and the Grawemeyer, holds a masters degree in composition from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, with which Bard has partnered to form the new U.S.-China Institute. His doctorate in musical arts is from Columbia University.
Alistair Mackie, London Philharmonia’s interim managing director and joint principal trumpet, is to be the new CEO of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO), starting in April. Mackie’s 23-year relationship with the Philharmonia has included three terms as chairman, during one of which he hired Esa-Pekka Salonen as principal conductor and artistic advisor. As interim managing director, he is credited with developing a strategic plan in the wake of his predecessor’s retirement, and making digital communication a priority for the orchestra.
The The Chicago Symphony Orchestra has hired Ryan Lewis, VP of marketing for Opera Philadelphia as its new VP of sales and marketing. Lewis has been with Opera Philadelphia for six years, during which time the company has undergone a rebranding and a notable increase in profile. He was also involved in the creation of the annual “O” festivals. In Chicago he’ll be part of senior management, overseeing marketing, communications and design, digital content, web technologies, ticketing, and patron services.
The The Florida Orchestra has chosen the CEO of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra as its next president and CEO. Mark Cantrell, a onetime airline pilot and sled-dog racer, is to succeed Michael Pastreich, who left in July. A onetime bass trombonist with the Boston Pops, Boston Ballet, and Boston Lyric Opera, among others, Cantrell in Wisconsin is credited with increasing community involvement, fundraising, and audience size, as well as erasing the orchestra’s debt.
Benedikt Fohr is to be chief executive of the Hong Kong Philharmonic as of April 1, succeeding Michael MacLeod who is retiring after eight years. Fohr, 55, has been CEO of the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern (DRP) for 12 years. Previously, he was general director of the Luxembourg Philharmonic, secretary general of the Camerata Salzburg, and managing director of the Ensemble Recherche Freiburg. He is also artistic director of Luxembourg’s Festival International Echternach.
Nick Adams, executive director of the Longwood Symphony Orchestra, Boston’s much admired “Doctor’s Orchestra,” is to be the new executive director of the city’s 55-year-old Cantata Singers. He starts in January, succeeding Jennifer Ritvo Hughes, the new executive director of the Boston Baroque.
The The Whitney Museum’s top fundraiser and deputy director has been recruited by the Juilliard School to be its new VP and chief advancement officer. The School describes Alexandra Wheeler, who started December 10th, as “a key member of the leadership team” who will work with the board of trustees to “guide the school’s philanthropy and membership programs and alumni relations.”
The The Association of California Symphony Orchestras (ACSO) has promoted Membership and Development Manager Sarah Weber to succeed Mitch Menchaca as executive director. He announced in October that he would be leaving to become executive director of arts and culture for the City of Phoenix, AZ. Weber starts January 1. In the two years she has worked with ACSO, Weber is credited with growing membership, raising funds, and contributing to programming initiatives. With an MA in history and museum studies from Arizona State University, Weber previously worked at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix and the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles in creating education departments.
The The San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM) has named Jonas Wright as dean and chief academic officer. He has been serving as interim since the departure in of Provost and Dean Kate Sheeran, now executive director of Manhattan’s Kaufman Music Center. Previously, Wright was for six years the school’s registrar and associate dean for academic affairs, posts that he filled to significant effect, including transitioning the school to online registration and grading and consolidating academic support.
Arna Einarsdóttir, managing director of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra (ISO), is to be the new managing director of Canada’s National Arts Center Orchestra as of next spring. She succeeds Christopher Deacon, in the job for 22 years until last June, when he was promoted to president and CEO of the Center. Einarsdóttir has been in the top job at the Iceland Symphony Orchestra since 20013 and is credited with turning the orchestra’s finances around to the extent of posting a surplus every year since 2014.
The Bard College has scored a notable coup, with the appointment of Stephanie Blythe as the new artistic director of its Vocal Arts Program (VAP). Starting in July 2019 the renowned mezzo-soprano will succeed Dawn Upshaw, VAP’s director since she founded the program in 2006. Blythe brings an extraordinary range of experience and talent to her new position. Her repertoire reaches from Handel to Wagner, from German lieder to contemporary and classic American song. She has graced stages around the world and has sung a dizzying number of iconic roles in opera, including Carmen, Dalila, Giulio Cesare, Fricka and Waltraute in Wagner’s Ring, and Mistress Quickly in Verdi’s Falstaff.
November 2018
The The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (RWCMD) has tapped John Fisher, assistant general manager for music administration at the Metropolitan Opera, to be the first artistic director of its new David Seligman Opera School. Fisher, says RWCMD President Carlo Rizzi, “is one of the leading figures in the world of vocal coaching and vocal expertise…. and is greatly respected throughout the world.”
Martin Sher, VP and general manager of the North Carolina Symphony, is to be the new senior VP for artistic planning and programs at the New World Symphony in Miami Beach. He succeeds Douglas Merilatt, in the job for 20 years until his retirement last August. Sher starts on January 1. At North Carolina, Sher, a trained violist, oversaw artistic planning, operations, and education. At New World, he’ll supervise a staff of 20 and work directly with founding Artistic Director Michael Tilson Thomas on all productions, including the Wallcasts, late night performances, and other non-traditional formats.
Mary Tuuk, board member of the Grand Rapids Symphony since 2012, is to succeed Peter Perez, 78, who in August announced his intent to retire at the end of this year. Tuuk will resign from the board and from her position as chief compliance officer and senior vice president with Meijer Inc., a grocery-store chain. She holds business and law degrees from Indiana University and has studied music.
Johann Zietsman, a former CEO of ISPA (International Society for the Performing Arts), is to be the new president and CEO of the Arsht Center in Miami. He takes over in February, succeeding John Richard, who is retiring after ten years and after righting a near sinking ship after its opening 12 years ago. Zietsman is the current CEO and president of the Arts Commons in Calgary, Alberta. His ten years there have been described as “transformative,” removing a deficit of $900,000 and, at the latest reckoning, creating a surplus of over $1.3 million.
The The Kennedy Center has added a new position: VP and Artistic Director of Social Impact. Starting January 1, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, whom the Center rightly describes as a “multi-hypenate artist” will assume the role, serving as part of the senior leadership team and helping to shape everything from programming to audience development.
The San Antonio Symphony has named Corey Cowart, current executive director of the Amarillo (TX) Symphony, as executive director, effective January 1, 2019. He steps into the role as Michael Kaiser and his deputies of the DeVos Institute of Arts Management conclude a six month period of getting the organization on an even keel. Among his responsibilities, as stated in the orchestra’s press release: “Strengthening the potency of the Symphony’s board of directors, expanding upon the current fundraising model, and enhancing marketing strategy on an institutional and programmatic level.”
Nikolaus Bachler, artistic director of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich since 2008, will take much the same responsibilities and title of the Salzburg Easter Festival, as of July 2020. He succeeds Peter Ruzicka, whose contract expires on June 30 of that year.
Cori Ellison, renowned “opera whisperer,” has been named by the Santa Fe Opera as its first full-time dramaturg. She’ll be applying her skills to new work as well as advising on community engagement programs. She’ll also continue her affiliations with Juilliard’s Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts, where she is on the faculty, and with American Lyric Theater’s Composer Librettist Development Program and the Ravinia Steans Music Institute’s Program for Singers. Ellison remains based in New York, and will spend summers in New Mexico.
Sara Mohr-Pietsch, a BBC Radio 3 host and producer, is to succeed Joanna MacGregor OBE as artistic director of the Dartington International Summer School and Festival at the end of the 2019 edition. Mohn-Pietsch, presenter of live from Wigmore Hall concerts as well as BBC Proms and concerts from the Tate Modern, has been a participant in the annual Dartington event herself.
Meg Booth, director of dance programming at the Kennedy Center, is to be CEO of Houston’s Society for the Performing Arts (SPA), effective December 1. She succeeds Leslie Nelson who has been serving as interim since June Christensen retired last June. Nelson remains the company’s CFO. SPA Board Chair Theresa Einhorn called her “a dynamic and talented leader in both the U.S. and international performing arts communities,” citing her “artistic vision, her marketing savvy and her curation and programming expertise, along with strong management skills.”
The Long Wharf Theatre has selected Jacob G. Padrón as artistic director, following an executive search process. He will begin his tenure on February 1, 2019. Mr. Padrón combines extensive industry experience¬—posts at The Public Theater, Steppenwolf Theatre, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival—with a vision for what is possible and what is next.
Greg Evans has been named CelloBello‘s inaugural executive director. CelloBello is a newly launched educational and social media website specifically for cellists. Among many other roles, Greg served as Chamber Music America’s membership director from December 2003 to June 2006.
October 2018
The The Edinburgh International Festival has a new executive director, Francesca Hegyi, recent executive director of Hull 2017 UK City of Culture, said to have mounted 2,800 events across 365 days and created over 800 jobs. She is credited with securing the funding for that event, which added more than £300 million to the local economy. Small wonder she was awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honors list 2018. She starts in February, returning to a city in which she has worked and studied in the past.
Vanessa Rose, a self-defined “emerging composers consultant,” is to be the new president and CEO of the St. Paul, MN-based American Composers Forum (ACF). She succeeds John Nuechterlein, who is retiring on December 31 after 15 very productive years in the job. Rose has been a board member of ACF for the last six months. Her current professional activities include working on the American Composers Orchestra’s EarShot program and on violinist Jennifer Koh’s Arco Collaborative, a commissioning foundation.
Jared Oaks has assumed the role of music director of Utah’s Ballet West, having started 11 years ago as the company’s rehearsal pianist, while working on his master’s degree in choral conducting at Brigham Young University. He simultaneously served as assistant conductor to the late Terence Kern, the company’s longtime music director. Oaks starts as full-time music director when he opens Ballet West’s 55th season conducting Balanchine’s Jewels, November 2-10.
Lacey Huszcza, longtime associate executive director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, is to be the executive director of the Las Vegas Philharmonic, as of December 1. She has been in her current job for 13 years, serving for a time as interim managing director. Huszcza will be working with Jeri Crawford, who has been assuming chief executive duties in recent years.
Jennifer Kallend will leave the Curtis Institute of Music after 13 years, most recently as the managing director of communications, to join the Colburn School as VP of communications. Both schools provide free tuition to full-time students; Colburn is in the midst of a massive expansion, both of its campus and its curriculum. Other news at Colburn includes the promotion of Nate Zeisler, director of community engagement since 2010, to the position of dean for community initiatives. He will oversee the school’s new Center for Innovation and Community Impact.
The Carnegie Hall publicity associate Michael Tomcza will make a foray into the pop world, joining the year-old Sony Music Entertainment label RED MUSIC as in-house pop publicist. Among the artists he mentioned that he’ll be working with: Jewel, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, lovelytheband, and The Shadowboxers. He’s been at Carnegie for five years.
Jennifer Ritvo Hughes, executive director of Boston’s Cantata Singers, is to take the same position with the Boston Baroque, as of November 26. She succeeds Miguel Rodriguez, in the job for six years and now moving into the non-profit realm.
Jennifer Rivera is the new executive director and CEO of Long Beach Opera. Rivera, a onetime mezzo-soprano soloist, has been with the company since 2017 in the position of director of development and major gifts officer. According to the LBO, since arriving she has raised over $100,000, launched a successful $1.5 million campaign, and created the Community Conversation Initiative, designed to bring speakers and performers together for free programs throughout Long Beach.
The Pacific Chorale has hired Andrew Brown, the chief operating officer of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, as its new president and CEO. The job description for his position indicates it involves fund raising (75 percent); administrative duties (15 percent); and budget responsibilities (10 percent). He starts in December.
The The Washington National Opera has hired the Los Angeles Opera’s Artistic Administrator Samuel Gelber as its new director of artistic planning and promoted staff member Stefanie Mercier to director of artistic and production operations. Becca Kitelinger has been named chief development officer.
September 2018
Sean Michael Gross is to join London-based artist management firm Askonas Holt Ltd. as global head of strategy and innovation, a newly created position that puts him on the six-member board of directors and sees him reporting directly to Chief Executive Donagh Collins. Askonas Holt is one of the largest agencies in the world, with a staff of 75 and a roster of 240 artists.
The Philharmonic Society of Orange County has named Tommy Phillips as its new president and artistic director beginning Oct. 1. The 34-year-old San Diego native has a bachelor’s degree in music performance from UC Santa Barbara and a master’s degree in trombone performance and arts administration from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory.
Toronto’s Luminato Festival has tapped Naomi Campbell as its new artistic director, succeeding Josephine Ridge after just two years. Campbell has worked at Luminato since 2011, starting as company manager (2011) and successively becoming the company’s first-ever director of artistic development (2013) and the deputy artistic director (2017). She has produced some of the festival’s biggest offerings, including The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic and Apocalypsis, and helped develop Luminato’s 10-year anniversary celebration.
Bramwell Tovey is to be artistic advisor to the Rhode Island Philharmonic and Music School, effective this season through 2021. He leads the orchestra in his new capacity for the first time in concerts on October 19 and 20. The British-born maestro is the new head of orchestral activities at Boston University; Providence is but a stone’s throw from Boston.
The Heifetz International Music Institute, named for its founding Artistic Director Daniel (no relation to Jascha) Heifetz, has chosen violinist Nicholas Kitchen to succeed Heifetz, who becomes artistic director emeritus. The changeover is effective as of October 1. Kitchen is founder, with his wife, cellist Yeesun Kim, of the Borromeo String Quartet, in residence at the New England Conservatory and at the Heifetz Institute, which recently concluded its annual six-week summer program for young string players. The 2019 Heifetz Institute, on the campus of Mary Baldwin University, is scheduled for June 23 – August 10, 2019.
The City of Boston has a new chief of arts and culture in Kara Elliott-Ortega, a professional city planner with an interest in music. She has been serving as interim since the departure of Julie Burros at the end of June. In her job, Elliott-Ortega, who has a Masters in City Planning from MIT, will oversee the staff of the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture, the Boston Art Commission, Boston Cultural Council, and the Strand Theater.
Sandra Gajic, former director of Vancouver (CA) Civic Theaters, has been appointed president and CEO of the Overture Center for the Arts of Madison, WI. The Center is home to the Madison symphony, opera, and ballet, as well as the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, touring shows, and more. Opened in 2004, thanks largely to $205 million in funds from local philanthropist Jerry Frautschi, the Center houses five performance spaces, from small to large.
Aidan Lang is to leave Seattle Opera, its general director of just four years, to the Welsh National Opera (WNO). He will succeed Artistic Director David Pountney next July.
Susan Cook is the new dean of the Colburn School’s Community School of Performing Arts. The former dean of the Royal Conservatory School at Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music, she succeeds Robert McAllister, who retired at the end of the school year after ten years in the job. Cook, a onetime saxophone teacher, holds a Master of Music from Northwestern University and served on the faculties of DePaul University and the Merit School of Music before joining the Royal Conservatory.
Also new to Colburn is Annie Wickert, as director of advancement. She is the previous director of partnerships and external relations at Stanford University’s Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society. Prior to that she held similar posts at Music@Menlo, among other organizations.
Music educator and composer Derrick Spiva, Jr. , has been appointed the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s first artist educator. He is contracted for three years from this season. Spiva has been hired to enhance the impact of LACO’s education and community outreach programs, to re-shape and host LACO’s long-running Meet the Music concerts for schoolchildren, and help create substantive curriculum materials and activities presented by teaching staff in conjunction with the program. He will also assist with the Los Angeles Orchestra Fellowship, a partnership between LACO, the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, and USC Thornton School of Music that provides mentorship, training, and experience to early-career musicians from underrepresented communities.
August 2018
Dominic Domingo, grandson of Plácido Domingo, has been appointed director of administration at San Diego Opera, which has also announced that composer Daniel Catán’s widow Andrea Puente-Catán will become a Major Gifts Officer in charge of Hispanic Affairs. Domingo takes up the job in September. He will act as assistant to the general director of the company and take charge of contracting principal artists and conductors. He was previously assistant company manager for the Los Angeles Opera and associate producer for opera recitals at The Broad Stage in Los Angeles. He will continue in his role as associate producer for the Operalia Competition. Puente-Catán, a producer and lecturer, has worked in fundraising for ten years for the New York City Opera, LA Opera, and Gotham Opera and other companies.
Former general director and CEO of Dallas Opera Keith Cerny is to become president and CEO of Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, effective January 11, 2019. After his seven years in Dallas he became general director and CEO at Calgary Opera in January 2018. The seat he fills in Fort Worth has been empty since former President and CEO Amy Atkins resigned in 2017.
Soprano Mary Jane Johnson has been named new general and artist director at Amarillo Opera. She currently serves on the music faculty at Amarillo College as artistic professor and will continue that position part-time. Johnson said she would like to bring people back to the opera and see more local talent involved in the productions, adding that her main focus is re-energizing Amarillo to love opera.
Booking agent and artist manager Theresa Vibberts is to take the newly formed position of vice president, North America, at CAMI Music. Since 2016 she has been national director of booking & artist manager, guiding CAMI Music’s roster of artists, booking national tours, producing promotional assets and helping to build the careers of artists and ensembles in jazz, world music, classical music and more. She will continue in her role directing CAMI’s domestic booking efforts and serving as an artist manager. In the new position she will lead the development of CAMI Music’s North American business strategy.
Opus 3 Artists has promoted three staff members in its North American office. Ben Maimin is now chief revenue officer, a step up from his latest promotion, in 2015, to VP and national booking director. His latest job is newly created and sees him reporting to Opus 3 CEO David Foster, overseeing revenue generation, new business development, and the marketing and booking departments. Sarah Pelch moves up from West Coast classical booking agent to VP, classical booking, overseeing engagements for soloists, chamber and choral music, and contemporary projects. Sarah Davis, with the company since 2016 as Southeast booking agent, has been appointed VP-director of attractions booking, overseeing attractions and orchestras. She remains the contact for Southeast as well.
Bahia Ramos, recent national director of arts for the Miami-based John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, is to be the new director of arts for the Wallace Foundation as of September 6. She succeeds Daniel Windham, who is retiring after a decade with the organization. In her new job, Ramos will oversee arts and arts education staff and programs, including interdisciplinary initiatives. Wallace funding to this area is substantial, especially with Building Audiences for Sustainability, which today allots $52 million in multi-layered funding and technical support to some 25 performing arts organizations.
Strathmore, the Maryland complex that includes a 2,000-seat concert hall, a cabaret venue, and an historic mansion, has promoted its president since 2011, Monica Jeffries Hazangeles, to president and CEO. In the latter position, she will succeed founding CEO Eliot Pfanstiehl, who retires this month after nearly four decades at the helm.
California’s five-year-old Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts has promoted Rachel Fine, managing director since 2015, to executive director and chief executive officer. The former executive director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) and the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, to name a few past positions, she is credited with much of the Center’s rise in profile. Also announced was the appointment of Elise Yen as CFO and director of administration at Wallis Annenberg. Yen previously held a similar position with the New Roads School in Santa Monica, CA.
New York City Center’s Encores! Off-Center series has promoted director Anne Kauffmann to artistic director. She succeeds Jeanine Tesori, who founded the series in 2013 with the mission of reviving, in semi-staged and abridged versions, musicals that pushed creative boundaries when they were first produced.
Stephen Langridge, artistic director opera/drama at the Gothenburg Opera for the last five years, is to take the new position of artistic director at Glyndebourne, leaving Gothenburg in late spring 2019 to return his homeland. In the new post, Langridge will oversee all matters artistic, working alongside Managing Director Sarah Hopwood, who looks after business and financial matters. Both report to Executive Chairman Gus Christie, acting interim artistic director.
San Diego Opera (SDO) and the San Diego State University (SDSU) School of Music and Dance have announced a shared appointment: Alan E. Hicks, whose stage directing credits range from Michigan Opera Theater to New York City Opera, is to be the director of opera theater at SDSU, a full-time, faculty position. At the same time he will serve as assistant director for SDO’s mainstage spring productions. In other San Diego Opera news, the company has named a new CFO, one Jeannie Posner, who reports directly to the board of directors, rather than to the general director. She succeeds Michael Lowry.
Larry Alan Smith is back as dean at the Hartt School at the University of Hartford. He (re)starts his tenure as of August 16. Smith returns to the post he held from 1990 to 1997. He has remained affiliated with the school ever since, having seen a number of his successors come and go. Smith, composer, conductor, pianist, is professor of music composition and curator of the School’s Richard P. Garmany Chamber Music Series. He holds a DMA from Juilliard, where he has been on the faculty, and has also served as dean of the School of Music at the North Carolina School of the Arts and president of the School of American Ballet in New York City.
Oberlin Conservatory of Music Dean Andrea Kalyn is to be the next president of the New England Conservatory, starting in January. She arrives on the heels of the 150th anniversary of NEC, which lays claim to being the oldest independent school of music in the U.S. Kalyn will be the 17th president and the first woman in the job; she succeeds Provost and Dean Tom Novak, who has been serving as interim during the three-year search for a successor to Tony Woodcock, in the job eight years.
Bass Matthew Rose will be working for the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program as artistic consultant, starting next fall. He joins the program’s new Director Sophie Joyce and will provide master classes, group coaching, and one-on-one sessions. Also new at the Met is Michael Solomon as senior press manager; he succeeds Michelle Zelman, who left about seven months ago. Solomon arrives from the Austin Opera, where he was director of audience experience; before that he was senior press representative at the Kennedy Center for nearly seven years.
July 2018
Former San Antonio Symphony interim executive director Karina Bharne, credited with stabilizing that orchestra’s operational issues, is to be the new executive director of Symphony Tacoma (WA) as of September. Tacoma is entering its 70th season. Bhame holds a BFA in trombone performance and an MA in arts management from Carnegie Mellon University.
Kimberly Dimond, former director of symphonic programs for the Midland (MI) Center of the Arts, is the new executive director of the Carmel (IN) Symphony Orchestra. Prior to her time in Midland, Dimond was corporate relations manager for the Detroit Symphony. She has degrees in public relations, French horn, and arts administration.
Greg Weber is stepping down as general director and CEO of the Tulsa Opera “to pursue personal interests.” He has been in the job for four years. Chief Administrative Officer Ken McConnell, also a four-year staffer, will serve as interim.
The Tateuchi Center in Bellevue, WA, slated to break ground next fall and open in 2021, has appointed Ray Cullom as CEO. The former senior VP for Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment will oversee the construction of the $195 million facility, whch encompasses two spaces, a 2,000-seat concert hall and a smaller black box theater. Cullom claims 20 years of experience in non-profit arts groups; he has been with Nederlander for three years. Prior to that he oversaw the construction of the Zorlu Center for the Performing Arts in Istanbul, functioning as its executive director.
Susan Danis, general director and CEO of the Florida Grand Opera, is to be the next president and CEO of California’s La Jolla Music Society, starting October 1. She succeeds Kristin Lancino, except that Lancino also functioned as artistic director. Danis’s new job will involve running the new Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center (The Conrad), a 49,000-square foot-facility with a 513-seat concert hall, set to open in April 2019.
The International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) has named a new executive director whose background reflects the group’s evolution into a broader sphere of influence and activity. As of September 1, Rebecca Sigel, former manager of social innovation for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, is to succeed current executive director William McDaniel, a pianist and founding member of the group. Sigel, whose background includes being a business planning consultant for the National Park Service, holds a B.A. in music from Brown University and a master’s in public policy from the Goldman School UC Berkeley, where her thesis focused on Racial Equity in Artist Compensation and Support.
The University of Michigan School of Music, Theater, & Dance has a new dean, effective October 1. David A. Gier, professor and director of the University of Iowa School of Music, is to succeed Aaron Dworkin, who stepped down last August. Gier is a UM alumnus, having earned his Bachelor of Music there in 1983, with high distinction. He went on to earn master’s and doctorate degrees at the Yale University School of Music. Gier is a professional trombonist, a member of the Iowa Brass Quartet, and principal of the Quad City Symphony.
Jane Chu has been hired by PBS as an arts adviser. Chu was President Barrack Obama’s choice to run the National Endowment for the Arts, a post she held from 2014 until her resignation in June. Having travelled to all 50 states during her tenure, visiting arts groups large and small, Chu will help the broadcaster identify new and representational developments in the field. Her fund-raising prowess is also an asset, as realized during her eight-year tenure as CEO of the $413 million Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, MO, of which she oversaw the planning, funding, construction, and opening in 2011.
The Boston Symphony Orchestra’s dazzling new $30 million, 30,000-square foot Tanglewood Learning Institute (TLI), slated to open next year on the BSO’s sprawling summer campus, has a new director. She is Sue Elliott, most recently of Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music. Her official title at the BSO: the Judith and Stewart Colton Director of the Tanglewood Learning Institute. Her charge is delivering on the BSO’s plans for the four-building facility as a center of onsite and distance learning, for Tanglewood students and patrons during the summer, and during the year, in its climate-controlled venues, for use by the BSO and the surrounding community, including local arts groups.
Michael M. Kaiser, the Mr. Fix-it of the performing arts, is to serve as interim executive director of the San Antonio Symphony through the end of the year. By that time, goes the plan, the orchestra will have appointed a permanent executive director and be well on the path to fiscal health—historically a much eluded state for this orchestra.
Lukas Krohn-Grimberghe, founder and CEO of U.K.-based Grammofy, a classical music streaming service that closed down and then re-launched under Spotify, is to join WQXR as of August 13. He will keep his current job, but relocate to New York to be WQXR’s director of music products, a new position, from which he will oversee the “design, development, and distribution of WQXR’s digital products,” according to a statement from the station.
Jennifer Boomgarden, executive director of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra (SDSO), is to be the new president and CEO of the Omaha Symphony as of September 4. She will succeed David Hyslop, who has been serving as interim since James Johnson left in April to become CEO of the Indianapolis Symphony. She is credited with bringing financial stability to the SDSO, retiring its debt, introducing new community initiatives, and, with Music Director Delta David Gier, updating the programming.
Southbank Sinfonia has just named William Norris managing director. He succeeds James Murphy, new chief executive of the Royal Philharmonic Society. Norris was with Tafelmusik for three years, during which time he is credited with the appointment of Elisa Citterio as music director; increasing the orchestra’s appeal to audiences under 35 with the creation of the multi-genre Haus Musik series; establishing a chamber series; and offering free pre-concert talks to ticketholders. The orchestra for the last two seasons has had surplus budgets and received its largest touring grant ever from the Canada Council.
June 2018
Tanya Bannister, entrepreneur and onetime concert pianist, is to be the new president of Concert Artists Guild, effective July 1. She succeeds Richard S. Weinert, who exits after 18 years in the job. Bannister is a 2003 CAG competition winner and in addition to concertizing, is a founding co-artist director of Alpenkammermusik, an annual two-week chamber music festival for musicians of all levels in the south of Austria. She also founded an organization called RoadMaps, a grass-roots cooperative that brings together artists and scholars for several days a year to concentrate on a particular topic. The most recent edition, in 2017, focused on Syria.
Wang Ning, vice mayor of Beijing, cultural advocate, former Olympic bureaucrat, is the new president of the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA). He succeeds founding President Chen Ping, who is retiring after running the biggest performing arts complex in mainland China for more than a decade. Zhang Yi, a conductor long associated with China National Ballet, is the new president of China National Symphony Orchestra (CNSO); he succeeds the retiring Guan Xia, a composer who has been at the helm of CNSO since 2004.
The Taiwan Philharmonic, a.k.a. the National Symphony Orchestra (Music Director Lü Shao-chia), has appointed Kuo Wen-chen as chief executive. Kuo previously worked for the Taiwan National Performing Arts Center and the Taishin Bank Culture and Arts Foundation. She was also deputy director of Taipei Symphony. Kuo succeeds Joyce Chiou, with the orchestra since 2006, who has relocated to Taichung, the second largest city in Taiwan, to be artistic and executive director of the National Taichung Theater.
Nathan Medd, managing director of English theater at the National Arts Center in Ottawa for the last five years, is to become managing director of performing arts at the Banff Center for Arts and Creativity. He arrives in Alberta on August 27 and reports to Janice Price, CEO of the Banff Center. His job will be presiding over all educational programs and residencies at the 85-year-old center, including theater, dance, opera, classical, jazz, and contemporary music.
The Music Academy of the West (MAW) has created the position of director of innovation and program development. First to fill it, as of August 20, will be Kevin Kwan Loucks, a professional pianist and chamber musician with experience in arts administration. According to MAW President and CEO Scott Reed, the new hire will “help us increase our programmatic offerings” beyond the summer activities, as well as administrate MAW’s alumni awards programs. He’ll also oversee a community choral program, set to launch in fall, working in conjunction with artistic operations.
Kate Sheeran, provost and dean of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music since 2015, is to become executive director of Manhattan’s Kaufman Music Center in August. She succeeds Lydia Kontos, who announced her intent to retire last fall. Prior to San Francisco, Sheeran served as assistant dean at Mannes School of Music at The New School; she holds a BM in horn and an MM from Yale University.
The Miami City Ballet has appointed Tania Castroverde Moskalenko to be its next executive director. She arrives on August 7 and will work in conjunction with Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez. Castroverde Moskalenko, who immigrated 30 years ago to Miami as a political refugee from Cuba, succeeds Michael Tiknis, who stepped in as interim after Michael Scolamiero left in the fall to take the helm of Ballet West. Castroverde Moskalenko is the current CEO of Chicago’s Auditorium Theater, whose finances and programming she is credited with improving on a vast scale.
Yaron Kohlberg, a professional pianist currently based in China, is to succeed Pierre van der Westhuizen as president and CEO of the Cleveland International Piano Competition. Van der Westhuizen succeeded Daniel Gustin as director of The Irving S. Gilmore International Keyboard Festival and Awards. Born in Israel, Kohlberg won second prize in the 2007 Cleveland Competition and has a thriving career as a pianist; he speaks six languages.
Seattle Symphony has named current RSNO chief Krishna Thiagarajan to succeed Simon Woods. Thiagarajan starts September 1. Prior to joining RSNO in 2015, Thiagarajan was executive director for two years of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, where he is credited with stabilizing the group’s finances. Before that he served as president of New Jersey’s Symphony in C ¬and director of artistic operations for the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.
Christopher Deacon, longtime managing director of the National Arts Center Orchestra, has risen in rank to president and CEO of the center, whose bilingual stages also present theater, dance, and a wide array of various entertainments. Deacon, 59, succeeds Peter Herndorf, who exited two weeks ago after 18 years in the job. Deacon himself has been with the orchestra for 22 years; his appointment represents the first time the NAC has promoted one of its own to the top job.
Sophie Joyce, former English National Opera director of casting and director of its young artist program, is to succeed Michael Heaston as director of the Met Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. Joyce will report to Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin and to Diane Zola, incoming assistant general manager, artistic.
Emma Griffin, professor of opera stage direction at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, is to be the managing artistic director of the Mannes Opera. She succeeds Joseph Colaneri who resigned as artistic director in June after 20 years in the post. Griffin will oversee all artistic and administrative matters of the Mannes Opera, which traces its origins back 80 years. As an associate professor of music, she’ll also guide the curriculum for teaching the artform’s various components, as well as move the school further into the realm of musical theater.
Lea Slusher is to be VP for artistic administration and audience development at the San Diego Symphony, starting August 1. Slusher will report directly to orchestra President and CEO Martha Gilmer. Slusher is the current director of artistic projects for Carnegie Hall, where she has been employed since 1994.
The New York Philharmonic has named Gary A. Padmore to be its director of education and community engagement, reporting to External Affairs Vice President Adam Crane. Padmore has held a similar position with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s for the last three years. Prior to that he was associate director of programs at Midori & Friends, which provides music instruction and enrichment programming to New York City public schools. He’s also been education director with the (late) Brooklyn Philharmonic.
Stanley E. Romanstein has been announced as the new dean of the University of Cincinnati’s Conservatory of Music, his alma mater. Romanstein, 62, holds the title of professor of practice/music and the arts at the newly opened Georgia State University’s Creative Media Institute. He is also a consultant with BLJackson Associates.
British writer, violinist, and broadcaster Clemency Burton-Hill is to become the first creative director, music & arts for classical radio station WQXR in September. As the host of BBC Radio 3’s Breakfast Show, Burton-Hill has earned a place as one of the U.K.’s most important arts and music broadcasters. She has also presented live concerts such as the Last Night of the Proms, a weekly broadcast from Wigmore Hall, the New Generation Artists strand, and hosted the Royal Opera House’s live global broadcasts.
Cal Performances UC Berkeley has appointed the vice chair of its board of trustees, S. Shariq Yosufzai, to take over on as interim chief. Helping him out will be Rob Bailis, who moves from his current status as associate director to interim artistic director of the presenting series. Yosufzai, who is also president of the board of the Berkeley Symphony and on the executive committee of the San Francisco Opera, retired in 2018 after 43 years with the Chevron Corporation, most recently as VP of global diversity.
Diane Zola, director of artistic administration at the Houston Grand Opera, is to succeed the late Robert Rattray as assistant general manager, artistic, at the Metropolitan Opera, starting in July. Mr. Rattray died in January after suffering a stroke. Zola will be working directly with General Manager Peter Gelb and Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, in overseeing all matters artistic, including planning, scheduling, and casting its more than 200 performances; managing all music and artistic staff members; scheduling rehearsals, performances, and auditions; and working with all artists and their representatives.
Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center (WHBPAC) has selected Gram Slaton as executive director. Beginning his tenure on July 16, 2018, he will be responsible for overseeing the programming, administration, fundraising, strategic planning, and overall operation of WHBPAC.
Allyson Fleck has been named executive director of Midsummer’s Music. Fleck has played viola with the festival since 2006 and has served as its assistant artistic director since 2014. She succeeds Russ Warren who will continue working with Midsummer’s Music on marketing materials.
Da Camera‘s board of directors has announced a new leadership structure effective July 1. Toni Capra has been named to the newly created role of executive director. Sarah Rothenberg, who has held the dual position of artistic and general director since 2011, will remain artistic director.
The board of directors of Chamber Music Sedona has named cellist Nicholas Canellakis the organization’s new artistic director. Canellakis has served as co-artistic director for the organization’s Sedona Winter Music Festival since 2014 and is currently an artist with Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. He succeeds Bert Harclerode.
The Network for New Music has named composer and guitarist Thomas Schuttenhelm its new artistic director. He succeeds the organization’s co-founder Linda Reichert who steps down after 33 years with the organization.
Maria Mathieson, has been named the new director of the Peabody Preparatory following a national search. As director, she will lead the continued growth of the community school for the performing arts, overseeing all aspects of operations and instruction for about 2,000 students. Mathieson comes to Peabody from Levine Music in Washington, D.C., where she has served as head of music education since 2011. Her tenure at Peabody begins on July 16, 2018.
May 2018
Amy Seiwert is the new artistic director of the Sacramento Ballet. A company member for eight years in the 1990s, Seiwert replaces co-artistic directors Ron Cunningham and Carinne Binda, a husband-and-wife team in the position for 30 years. She starts July 1.
James Ross, director of Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra—USA and of the Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès in Spain, is to be the new music director of the Alexandria (VA) Symphony Orchestra. He starts next fall, launching the symphony’s 75th-anniversary season. A firm believer in shaking up the U.S. orchestral landscape, Ross has appeared on numerous podiums as a guest and is known for some path-breaking collaborations with the likes of choreographer MacArthur Fellow Liz Lerman, designer-director Doug Fitch, and video artist Tim McLoraine.
Scotland’s Edinburgh International Festival (August 3-27) has announced that Aidan Oliver, current director of music at St. Margaret’s Church, Westminster Abbey, is to direct its Festival Chorus. He starts next fall, succeeding Christopher Bell. Oliver is the founder of the Philharmonia Voices, the professional choir of the Philharmonia Orchestra, and has worked with the BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Singers, Huddersfield Choral Society, and the Chorus of English National Opera.
Daniel Hyde, organist and director of music at St. Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue, is to become director of music at Kings College, Cambridge, whose choir is among the highest profile in the world. In addition to training, touring, and recording with the group, he will oversee choral and organ scholars, the latter of which he was himself in 2006. He’ll also work with the dean in his oversight of all music activities in the chapel. Hyde takes over in October 2019, succeeding Stephen Cleobury, who announced in February that he would be retiring in September 2019 after 37 years.
Choreographer Paul Taylor, 87, has named a successor. He is Michael Novak, 35, a “much admired” member of the Paul Taylor Dance Company. As of July 1, Novak becomes artistic director-designate of the Paul Taylor Dance Foundation, which includes the Paul Taylor Dance Company and Paul Taylor American Modern Dance, Taylor 2, the Taylor archives, and the Taylor School.
Mieko Hatano is to be the new executive director of the Oakland Symphony starting June 4 and succeeding Christine Kelly, a marketing and development consultant who took over as interim when Steven Payne resigned last year. Hatano has been executive director of Music in the Mountains in Nevada City, CA, and before that of the Augusta (GA) Symphony. She holds a DMA and Master of Music from USC Los Angeles and a BM from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
The Bravo! Vail Music Festival has named another new executive director: Caitlin Murray, its onetime VP of development, is to succeed Jennifer Teisinger, in the job just two years. Murray, current director of leadership gifts for Colorado Public Radio, starts her new job in September, after the upcoming festival, which runs June 21-August 2.
The Curtis Institute of Music has announced not one but two individuals to run its voice and opera program starting in 2019-20: Curtis alumnus Eric Owens and his onetime collaborator, pianist and longtime vocal coach Danielle Orlando, will succeed Miakel Eliasen when he exits at the end of next season after 30 years. The two will join Eliasen for 2019-20 auditions and be responsible for that season’s artistic and educational programming.
San Diego Opera’s loss will be Minnesota Opera’s gain when Priti Gandhi joins the latter company in the newly created position of chief artistic officer in July. A native of Mumbai, India, Gandhi was a key member of a team that revitalized the San Diego company after its near-death experience in 2014. Working closely with current General Director David Bennett, she has assisted with casting and artistic budgeting, and oversees all artistic contracting and management.
April 2018
The Toronto Symphony has appointed Matthew Loden to be its new CEO. Loden has been serving as interim co-president with Ryan Fleur of the Philadelphia Orchestra since January; previously he was that orchestra’s executive VP for institutional advancement. One of Loden’s key tasks, apart from righting the TSO’s $23 million annual budget, will be to find a music director. He starts in Toronto in July.
Kasper Holten, director of opera at the Royal Opera House from 2011-2017, has returned to his previous place of employ, the Royal Danish Theater. He is to become its general manager, overseeing all activity including opera, theater, and dance. Previously he was artistic director of opera. The Royal Danish has been in search of a new director since January, when Morten Hesseldahl left.
Pianist and chamber music guru Wu Han is to serve as artistic advisor to Wolf Trap’s “Chamber Music at the Barns,” an October-May series at the Wolf Trap Foundation in Vienna, VA. She will hold the post for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons and occasionally perform in the rustic, 380-seat venue. The upcoming programs will be announced in August.
Lorna Aizlewood is the new COO of HarrisonParrott, effective immediately. The former COO and general counsel of IMG Artists will be based in HP’s London office. She reports directly to Executive Chairman Jasper Parrott. Aizlewood left IMG Artists in December of 2016 after two years in the job; prior to that she had her own law firm and, before that, had been VP of legal and business affairs for EMI Classics from 2006, deputy head of rights at BBC Worldwide, and a partner in a London firm that specialized in media and entertainment law.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra Executive VP for Institutional Advancement and COO Michelle Miller Burns is to be the Minnesota Orchestra’s president and CEO as of September 1. She will succeed Kevin Smith, who will retire August 31. Burn’s initial contract is for five years.
Alicia Graf Mack, former dancer with Dance Theater of Harlem and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, has been named director of the Juilliard Dance Division. She starts July 1, succeeding Lawrence (“Larry”) Rhodes. Mack, who has danced with the likes of Beyonce and Alicia Keys, graduated magna cum laude with honors in history from Columbia University and holds an MA in nonprofit management from Washington University. She is a recipient of the Columbia University Medal of Excellence.
The Atlanta Symphony has a new general manager and a new VP of development. The new GM is Sameed Afghani, former manager of audio media and operations for the Chicago Symphony. He is a trumpet player with a master’s degree in conducting from the University of Florida. The new VP of development, which the orchestra says is a new position, is Grace Sipusic, former director of individual support and Miami fundraising for the Cleveland Orchestra. She holds a master’s degree in history from Cleveland State University.
John Grew, artistic director and cofounder of the Canadian International Organ Competition (CIOC) is to be succeeded by Jean-Willy Kunz, organist-in-residence of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (its first, in fact) and organ professor at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal. Grew will continue on the CIOC board of directors and hold the title artistic director emeritus.
Andrew Jorgensen, director of artistic planning and operations at the Washington National Opera (WNO), is to be the new general director of the Opera Theater of Saint Louis (OTSL). He succeeds Timothy O’Leary, who leaves in July to be general director of WNO; Jorgensen has been serving as the D.C. Company’s interim executive director.
The Royal Philharmonic Society has appointed James Murphy, current managing director of Southbank Sinfonia, to succeed Rosemary Johnson as chief executive. “James comes to the Royal Philharmonic Society with impeccable musical, charity, and fundraising credentials,” commented RPS Chairman John Gilhooly, “and his experience of working with young music professionals and commitment to quality music making for the widest possible audience chimes with the RPS’s own long-standing work in these areas.”
Filling the void left at the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra by Adam Crane’s departure for the New York Philharmonic will be not one but two individuals, both insiders. Crane oversaw external affairs and education, so St. Louis has split the difference and promoted individuals to run each of those areas separately. They’ve even split his title, Senior Vice President, into Senior Director and, simply, Vice President. Maureen Byrne takes the former title, to oversee education and community partnerships, while Viki Boutwell moves up to the post of VP of communications.
The Dallas Opera has announced that Ian Derrer, current general director of the Kentucky Opera, is to become its general director and CEO as of July. Derrer was the company’s artistic administrator from 2014 to 2016 and is impeccably steeped in the artform. He also interned for the company as a voice performance major at Southern Methodist University; he served as an assistant to stage director John Copley.
The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) has selected Angela Elster as vice president of the VSO School of Music & Community Programs, following an international executive search process. She began the newly created position on March 26, 2018 on a part-time basis and will assume her full-time duties on June 3, 2018.
Concert Artists Guild has announced the appointment of pianist Tanya Bannister as president effective July 1, 2018. She succeeds Richard S. Weinert who is stepping down after 18 years leading the organization. Born in Hong Kong, Ms. Bannister holds degrees from the Royal Academy of Music in London, Yale University, where she studied with Claude Frank, and New York’s Mannes School of Music, where she received an Artist Diploma as one of a handful of pianists selected to study with Richard Goode. In addition to mastering the traditional repertoire, she has a deep affinity for contemporary music and has premiered numerous works written for her, including three commissioned by CAG.
Chamber Music America has hired Geysa Castro as its new membership manager. Castro trained and danced professionally in both New York and her native Brazil, and worked with artists as a partner at the Brazilian culture and exchange company, Ginga P. Culture Business.
March 2018
Susan Madden is to leave the post of VP of development at the New York Philharmonic and be replaced, as of April 9, by Marita Altman, who holds the same post at Opera Philadelphia. Altman has ten years of experience raising money for the Metropolitan Opera, most recently as director of major gifts. She beings the job on April 9.
Julian Wachner, director of music and the arts at Trinity Wall Street and a widely recognized Baroque specialist, has been appointed artistic director of the biennial Grand Rapids Bach Festival. The Festival, founded in 1997, has been since 2013 an affiliate of the Grand Rapids Symphony, whose Music Director Laureate Keith Lockington has been serving as its artistic overseer.
Matías Tarnopolsky, head of Cal Performances at UC Berkeley since 2009, is to be the new CEO of the Philadelphia Orchestra, starting in August. He moves from a relatively small-budget organization (about $15 million) to a large-budget one with a recent history of financial troubles. His appointment is for five years. His track record at Cal Performances has been as stellar for forming new alliances with established ensembles as it has for new and innovative programming.
David Hyslop, godfather of American orchestras, has just added another interim CEO position to his long list. He is to serve in the position for the Omaha Symphony as it goes through its search for a successor to James M. Johnson, recently named CEO of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Hyslop recently served for five months as senior advisor to the Houston Symphony executive committee; prior to that he was for three months interim CEO of the Fort Worth Symphony, interim managing director of Dallas Summer Musicals, and of the Sun Valley Summer and Stockton (CA) symphonies.
Chad Smith has added another job to his current one, as COOof the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He is to succeed Thomas W. Morris as artistic director of the Ojai Festival, thereby becoming music programmer supreme of the El Ay area. He starts his initial, three-year tenure with Ojai with the 2020 festival, of which Matthias Pintscher has already been announced as music director.
Trey Devey, president of the Interlochen Center for the Arts, has made two key hires, both women: Camille Colatosti, founding dean of the Berklee College of Music Graduate Studies program, is to serve as provost; Katharine Laidlaw, chief marketing officer at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) will serve as VP of strategic communications and engagement. Both are new positions.
The Juilliard School has hired Obie-award winning stage director and Yale School of Drama professor Evan Yionoulis as its Richard Rodgers Director of Drama starting with the 2018-19 season. Yionoulis has been on the Yale faculty for the past 20 years and was Lloyd Richards Professor and Chair of Acting from 1998 to 2003. The Obie-award winner succeeds James Houghton, who headed the Juilliard Drama Division from 2006 until his death from cancer in 2016.
English National Opera has announced that television guru Stuart Murphy is to succeed Cressida Pollock as chief executive. Murphy, former director of Sky Entertainment Channels, takes over on April 3, joining artistic and music directors Daniel Kramer and Martyn Brabbins to form the ENO leadership team. Murphy has overseen all entertainment channels at Sky since 2013, including Sky 1, Sky Living, Sky Arts, and Sky Atlantic. Under his tenure Sky won its first Emmy Awards and Oscar nominations as well as multiple British Comedy Awards and Royal Television Society Awards.
The Fischoff National Chamber Music Association President Peter Holland announced the appointment of Carmen Creel as its executive director. Ms. Creel will begin her new post on July 1, 2018. Carmen Creel joins the Fischoff from Union Bands (Union High School: Tulsa, Oklahoma), where she has served as a private clarinet instructor and chamber music coach, since 2016. Prior to her position with Union Bands, Ms. Creel served as the Director, Principal Gift Recognition at the University of Chicago, and spent a decade as arts administrator with Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT) in San Francisco, and at the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida.
Pilchuck Glass School has selected Christopher (Chris) Taylor as executive director, following an executive search. He will begin his tenure on April 9, 2018. Since 2011, Mr. Taylor has served as president of The Clay Studio in Philadelphia, where he was responsible for significant organizational growth, audience expansion efforts, and unprecedented fundraising successes.
Camerata Pacifica has selected Dr. Amy Williams to serve as its first managing director, effective March 1. Dr. Williams previously served as director of artistic administration and education for the Santa Barbara Symphony.
The Jazz Institute of Chicago has announced the appointment of Heather Ireland Robinson as executive director, effective March 1. She succeeds Lauren Deutsch who stepped down after 21 years of leadership to take on the new role of director of artistic collaborations. Ireland Robinson brings a wealth of nonprofit experience as well as knowledge of Chicago’s jazz scene and the Jazz Institute, in particular, having worked as its Education and Community Coordinator from 2002-04. Ireland Robinson helped develop the foundation for what has become the Jazz Links Education and Artist Development programs which connect teachers and students to Chicago’s jazz legacy.
February 2018
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra has hired Omaha Symphony President and CEO James M. Johnson to succeed Gary Ginstling as CEO. Johnson’s new bosses point to his major successes in Omaha, including increased attendance from a film series he introduced, budget surpluses, endowment growth, and a “ground-breaking” contract agreement with musicians.
The performing arts center at the World Trade Center is beginning to take shape. Last year, Ronald Perelman gave $75 million for its naming rights; last week, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced a signed agreement with the Port Authority for a 99-year-lease on the complex. It is estimated to cost about $363 million, $295 of which has already been raised, according to its principals. Within a day of the Cuomo announcement, the Center named Bill Rauch as artistic director, a position he currently holds with The Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF). He arrives in New York after OSF’s season in 2019.
Martin Wittenberg, 39, has joined Columbia Artists as an artist representative and tour specialist under R. Douglas Sheldon who, together with Senior VP Stefana Atlas, runs the Sheldon-Atlas office. Wittenberg, a native of Germany, was for 15 years a professional trombonist, playing in Leipzig’s Gewandhaus as well as the Boston Modern Orchestra Project.
David Robertson is to be the new director of conducting studies, distinguished visiting faculty, at the Juilliard School, starting next fall. He is currently in his final year as music director of the St. Louis Symphony and his fifth at the artistic helm of the Sydney Symphony.
Santa Fe Opera has promoted its director of external affairs, Robert K. Meya, to the position of general director. The appointment of a businessman to the helm has necessitated a new leadership model, with the company now adding the position of artistic director, a post that will be taken up by Alexander Neef, who will continue as the Canadian Opera Company’s general director as well. Harry Bicket, Santa Fe’s chief conductor since 2013, moves to the position of music director.
Israeli pianist Inon Barnatan is to succeed Cho-Liang (Jimmy) Lin as music director of La Jolla Music Society’s SummerFest, effective in 2019, the festival’s first season at the The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, currently under construction. In addition to overseeing all programming and artistic personnel, Barnatan will audition and bring conservatory students and pre-formed string quartets and piano trios to participate in La Jolla Music Society’s Fellowship Artist Program.
David Binder, performing arts producer best known of late for bringing Hedwig and the Angry Inch to Broadway, is to be artistic director of The Brooklyn Academy of Music, effective in January of 2019. Binder, 50, is a Los Angeles native who has been in New York since 1990, producing an array of festivals, benefits, award shows, etc. His first exposure to BAM was John Adams’s The Death of Klinghoffer; he’s been a disciple of the Fort Greene aesthetic ever since.
Washington Performing Arts, D.C.’s other major music and dance presenter, has announced two new hires: Lorenzo Evans, as director of finance and COO, effective March 5, and Nicholas Alexander Brown, in the new position of director of special productions and initiatives, starting February 20.
Evans, former director of finance and administration at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland, from which he holds an MBA, will oversee all matters non-artistic, including finance, HR, and technology. Brown, who identifies as a conductor and “Honduran-American arts producer,” will help put together new productions and city-wide collaborations. A former principal horn with the Army Band while serving in the National Guard, he arrives from the Library of Congress’s office of special events and public programs.
Evans, former director of finance and administration at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland, from which he holds an MBA, will oversee all matters non-artistic, including finance, HR, and technology. Brown, who identifies as a conductor and “Honduran-American arts producer,” will help put together new productions and city-wide collaborations. A former principal horn with the Army Band while serving in the National Guard, he arrives from the Library of Congress’s office of special events and public programs.
The Alabama Symphony Orchestra, the only full-time, professional symphonic ensemble in the state according to the Birmingham Business Journal, has promoted Cheryle Caplinger, its interim executive director to the position permanently. Caplinger, previously the orchestra’s VP of marketing and communications, moved into the position on an interim basis six months ago when then chief exec Curt Long was named president and CEO of the Rochester (NY) Philharmonic.
The Highland Center for the Arts (HCA) has selected Annie Houston as executive director, following an executive search process. She began her tenure on January 22, 2018. A Vermont native, Ms. Houston most recently served as program officer at Boston’s Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Lacey Huszcza and Kate Kammeyer, two Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) senior staff members, have been promoted to key new positions, further expanding and strengthening the Orchestra’s leadership structure, according to LACO Executive Director Scott Harrison. Huszcza was named associate executive director, and Kammeyer was promoted to general manager. New to LACO’s staff is Julia Paras, appointed director of advancement and leadership giving. Assuming growing roles in new full-time posts are previously part-time LACO employees Marika Suzuki, who has become a full-time marketing assistant, and Alana Miles, who takes on a full-time role as marketing & events assistant.
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center has selected Dion Brown as president, following an executive search process. He will began his tenure on February 26, 2018. Mr. Brown brings a wealth of museum, management, and branding experience to the Freedom Center, serving most recently as the founding executive director of the National Blues Museum in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Trustees of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation have elected Elizabeth Alexander to be the Foundation’s next president, effective March 2018. Over the course of a distinguished academic and artistic career, she has developed a number of complex, multi-arts and multi-disciplinary teams, departments and partnerships, and dedicated herself consistently to creating, building and sustaining highly successful institutions.
Music for All has named Sarah Loughery controller of the organization, based in its downtown Indianapolis headquarters. As controller, Loughery is responsible for the oversight and management of all finance and accounting functions, ensuring proper procedures and systems are in place to support effective planning, program implementation, audits, and internal controls that directly support Music for All’s programming.
Music for All has promoted Emily Ambriz to marketing coordinator; her responsibilities include email and social media campaigns; web, digital, and print, design; and marketing projects.
Music for All has welcomed Conlon Griesmer to its Events team as an event coordinator. Griesmer is responsible for assisting with the planning of all events, coordinating the volunteer program, managing vendor relations, event supplies and materials, and serves as the liaison for the “SWAG Team” of volunteers at the Music for All Summer Symposium.
January 2018
The L2 Artists, named for husband and wife Jeffrey and Jessica Larson (he was formerly with CAMI), has hired a new artist manager and a managerial assistant. Filling the former role is Aaron Grant, formerly with Opus 3 Artists and recent assistant director of artistic operations at Music Academy of the West. Ricky McWain takes the latter position; he is a onetime operations and production manager at Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra and current artistic personnel manager at the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.
Rebekah Heller will move from being the bassoonist and director of individual giving for the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) to being the bassoonist and co-artistic director. Her appointment is in keeping with ICE’s model, which is to rotate artistic directors every few years to keep the group’s outlook and music-making fresh and innovative.
The Sony Music Entertainment has promoted Sarah Thwaites, its marketing manager in the UK, to head Sony Masterworks UK, which comprises Masterworks, Sony Classical, OKeh, Portrait, deutsche harmonia mundi, and Masterworks Broadway. She succeeds Liam Toner, who moves to Sony Masterworks International, where he’ll be responsible for new product development with global appeal.
John Magnum, president and artistic director of the Philharmonic Society of Orange County, is to be the new executive director & CEO of the Houston Symphony, effective April 16. He succeeds Mark C. Hanson, who left in July to succeed Brent Assink as executive director of the San Francisco Symphony. Prior to Orange County, Mangum was director of artistic planning with the San Francisco Symphony from 2011-2014; before that, he was in artistic administration with the New York Philharmonic, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and Los Angeles Philharmonic, where he started as program annotator and designer in 2002.
Nate Bachhuber is to be director of artistic planning and administration for the Cincinnati Symphony and its annual choral partner, the Cincinnati May Festival. In the former context he’ll work with Music Director Louis Langrée, in the latter, under Principal Conductor Juanjo Mena. The Wisconsin native holds Bachelor of Vocal Performance and Master of Opera degrees from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. His starts in Ohio March 1.
Gretchen Nielsen, VP of Education Initiatives at the Los Angeles Philharmonic, is to be the new executive director of NPR’s From the Top, the popular showcase for young musicians hosted by Christopher O’Riley. Nielsen, credited with the launch and nurturing of YOLA (Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles), comes into what is being described as a new position at NPR, succeeding Co-Founders/CEOs Gerald Slavet and Jennifer Hurley-Wales, who announced their intent to step aside in 2016.
Jonathan Bradley has been appointed executive director at The Crossing. Most recently, as chief marketing and financial officer at Primephonic, Jonathan was responsible for launching and developing the marketing strategy, partnerships and US operations for an all-classical HD music streaming service.
December 2024
The Mellon Foundation has appointed a new program director for arts and culture to succeed Emil J. Kang. Deana Haggag, a program officer, has been with the Foundation since 2021, and will oversee all the arts and culture grant-making. According to the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation has an endowment of $7.9 billion and is the largest private source of arts, culture, and humanities funding in the United States. Grants can range up to $7 million and sometimes more.
Amanda Robie has been promoted from managing director to executive director of Opera Saratoga, a position that sees her working closely with Mary Birnbaum, general and artistic director. A resident of Saratoga Springs, Robie has sung professionally as a mezzo soprano, including Opera Saratoga; other administrative experience includes stints with the Boston Opera Collaborative, Fort Worth Opera, and Boston Lyric Opera.
Kerttu Piirto, longtime executive director and producer of the Helsinki Baroque Orchestra, and formerly of the Orchester Wiener Akademie, starts as executive director of Finland’s Time of Music Festival as of January 1. Time of Music is one of the country’s oldest contemporary music festivals, holding many partnerships within the EU’s Creative Europe networks. Johan Tallgren serves as artistic director.
The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia has named Spanish-born violinist Francisco Fullana to the newly created post of artistic advisor, with immediate effect. His appointment comes just two months after David Hayes arrived as music director. Fullana is scheduled to lead a week of works by Glass, Piazzolla, and Vivaldi in March. Fullana is active as a soloist on the European festival circuit and with Stateside orchestras such as the Indianapolis and Phoenix symphonies.
On Jan. 1, 2025, Robert Suttman will succeed Sara Cutler as president of Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians. Suttman, who ran unopposed, is a trombonist who has played in 95 Broadway pit bands, most recently on the tour of Beetlejuice, and is longtime trombonist of the Big Apple Circus. The largest local union of professional musicians in the world, 802 is the greater New York chapter of AFM, whose membership includes professional musicians from the New York Philharmonic to Broadway pit bands to string quartets to bars, arenas, recording studios, and TV shows. “I am honored to lead this powerful union,” Suttman said of his election.
The Chicago Sinfonietta has announced an interim CEO effective January 1. She is Wendy Lewis, founder and CEO of an LLC bearing her name that specializes in DEI. Lewis, on the Sinfonietta’s board of directors, is also executive producer of the documentary Beyond Their Years, The Incredible Legacies of Herb Carnegie and Buck O’Neil and onetime global chief DEI officer and VP of community engagement for McDonald’s. She held similar roles with Major League Baseball.
The College of Fine Arts at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) has announced a new head of the school of music in Milton Rubén Laufer, starting July 1 and reporting into CFA Dean Mary Ellen Poole. Laufer succeeds Jonathan Bailey Howard, who took over in August of 2022 and about one year later moved on to become dean of the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic has announced that the orchestra’s next chief philanthropy officer is Mitch Bassion, currently in that position with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts Philly, and in fact instrumental in facilitating that merger in 2021. In his current position, Bassion presides over a staff of 28 and is credited with overseeing over $220 million in funds raised. Previously he has worked in senior posts with Washington Performing Arts, Los Angeles Conservancy, Los Angeles Opera, Seattle Opera, and Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Terry D. Loftis, who joined the Dallas Symphony Orchestra two years ago as chief advancement officer, is to be the next president and CEO of the New Jersey Symphony. He is succeeding Gabriel van Aalst, who left in September to become president and CEO of Dayton Live, the performing arts presenter that serves Ohio’s Miami Valley. Loftis starts in March; Board Co-chair Craig Silliman has been serving as interim. In his brief stint in Dallas, Loftis, 57, is credited with securing a $10 million endowment gift, among other fund-raising accomplishments; he also oversaw marketing, special events, and analytics. Previously he was president and executive director of TACA (The Arts Community Alliance) in Dallas, of which he is a native.
Dickon Stainer, chairman of Universal Music Group’s Global Classics & Jazz (GCJ) division, has announced two major personnel moves. Clemens Trautmann, president of Deutsche Grammophon for the past nine years, will immediately assume the additional responsibility for New Business Strategy, Global Classics. Going forward, his remit calls for him to strengthen UMG’s market dominance in the classical genre by promoting collaboration among the company’s many labels and artist rosters. Natasha Baldwin immediately fills the newly created position of president, Global Classics, Jazz & Screen. As executive vice president of Classics & Screen since 2021, she has overseen Universal Music Publishing Group’s global classical and screen composer businesses. She will continue that work while also assuming responsibility for GCJ’s classical and jazz record labels, including Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Blue Note, Verve, Hyperion, and ECM.
November 2024
Netia Jones is to become associate director of The Royal Opera, a newly created position designed to lead opera programming in the Linbury Theater. She will be responsible for commissioning and creating projects for the Linbury as well as working with Oliver Mears, the company’s director, to oversee artistic output, especially with regard to new works. She will also take the lead in advocating for the role the Royal Opera and Linbury Theater will play as a leading source of research and development for the opera ecosystem.
Olivier Leymarie, managing director of the Ensemble intercontemporain, is to become the deputy general director of the Festival d’Aix en Provence as of January 29, 2025. He succeeds François Vienne, who left in March 2024 and becomes the storied event’s second in command to General Director Pierre Audi. Leymarie will have no artistic responsibilities; his remit is strictly administrative, financial, and institutional.
The Wyoming Symphony Orchestra, currently in its 75th-anniversary season, has appointed Melissa MacDonald to succeed Rebecca Herbert as executive director. The orchestra, comprised of professional musicians and performing about six concerts annually, also recently announced the departure of its Music Director Christopher Dragon at the end of the current season. The Australian conductor is the new music director of the Greensboro (NC) Symphony.
The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) has named Dame Shirley Bassey to a three-year term as the institution’s president. She succeeds HM King Charles, who held the position while Prince of Wales. The position is an honorary one in which the incumbent supports the College’s position as Wales’s national conservatory and promotes it as a training ground for those interested in the creative arts of music and dance. Bassey has been an RWCMD Fellow and a supporter of the college since underwriting a singing scholarship in her name. In 2016 the school named the Dame Shirley Bassey Studio in recognition of her generosity.
In Spring 2025, Andrew Moore will become artistic director of the Royal College of Music (RCM). He will succeed Stephen Johns, who steps down after 14 years. Moore will arrive in London from Scotland’s capital city, where he has been head of music for the Edinburgh International Festival for over a decade. In his role with the festival, he oversaw a broad range of programming while developing relationships with major international orchestras and artists. Prior to Edinburgh, Moore held positions with the Melbourne Symphony, the Academy of Ancient Music, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and Royal Northern Sinfonia.
Beat Fehlmann is to succeed Drazen Domjanic as artistic and managing director of the Liechtenstein Music Academy upon the latter’s retirement on Sept. 1, 2025. Domjanic has been in the post for 15 years, and will serve as an adviser to his successor as well as a member of the organization’s board of trustees. Fehlmann’s new responsibilities include managing both the Music Academy and its Esperanza Ensemble. He comes to his new post from the German State Philharmonic Orchestra of Rhineland-Palatinate, where he is artistic director. Earlier positions include artistic director of the Southwest German Philharmonic in Konstanz as well as stints at the Graubünden Chamber Philharmonic and the Philharmonie of Nations.
Welz Kauffman has left The Old Town School of Folk Music, citing personal family reasons. Troy Anderson, currently senior director of education, succeeds Kauffman, who had joined the organization following a national search. CEO of the Ravinia Festival from 2000 through 2020, Kauffman was most recently head of the Tucson Festival of Books before returning to Chicago.Anderson joined Old Town School in July 2023, after more than ten years as executive director of the Chicago Center for Music Education. Previous posts include leadership roles at the West Loop-based Merit School of Music and the David Adler Music and Arts Center.
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra has tapped Elena Dubinets to be its new artistic director as of May 1, 2025. She succeeds Ulrike Niehoff, in the post since January 2021, and will join Managing Director Dominik Winterling and Director of Operations David Bazen to comprise the orchestra’s Managing Board. More than two years ago, in June 2022, the Royal Concertgebouw signed Klaus Mäkelä to become its chief conductor as of 2027. Dubinets, named one of Musical America’s Professionals of the Year in 2018, is currently the artistic director of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and has previously held top artistic positions at the Atlanta and Seattle symphony orchestras.
The Boston Philharmonic has named Derek Beckvold as its new managing director. He succeeds Elisabeth Christensen, a 12-year veteran of the orchestra who was instrumental in creating the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (BPYO). Beckvold has worked with the organization for nearly eight years, first as education and community engagement manager and more recently as development officer. A multi-talented administrator, educator, performer, composer, and conductor, the new managing director concertized extensively across five continents after receiving a degree from New England Conservatory. Beckvold will work with Music Director Benjamin Zander, who founded the organization in 1979, to oversee both the Boston Philharmonic and the Youth Orchestra.
Scottish Ensemble, the Glasgow-based collective, has appointed James Hardie as its new chief executive, effective January of 2025. He follows Catherine Ferrell, who has been serving in an interim capacity since the departure of Jenny Jamison, who joined the National Center for Music in Edinburgh after five years at the helm of the Ensemble. Hardie, born and raised in Edinburgh, is currently executive director of The Marian Consort and music programmer at the Norfolk & Norwich Festival. During his six-year tenure, he has expanded the Consort’s reputation and reach, with debuts at the BBC Proms, Ravenna Festival, Miller Theatre New York, and Bunka Kaikan Recital Hall Tokyo.
October 2024
Limor Tomer, general manager of Live Arts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the last 13 years, is to be the new VP of programming and production at Orange County’s Segerstrom Center for the Arts as of January 2025. Casey Reitz, the Center’s president and CEO, praised Tomer as a “dynamo” whose “extraordinary blend of talents as an artist, programmer, educator and producer brings precisely the vision and expertise we need to propel the Center forward.” Tomer essentially revolutionized performance programming at the Museum, curating events for the 700-seat auditorium as well as its galleries and public spaces, including the Cloisters.
Blake-Anthony Johnson, who has brought the Chicago Sinfonietta to national prominence during his five years as president and CEO, is stepping down to be CEO of the 50-year-old New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation (NOJHF). He exits Chicago, where he also co-chairs the City’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) Advisory Council, on January 1, 2025. In New Orleans, Johnson will be succeeding Don Marshall, who is retiring after two decades in the role; the two will work together during the initial transition. NOJHF is the umbrella organization to the Jazz Fest, Heritage School of Music, Jazz and Heritage Archive, WWOZ radio station, and the Wein Center.
The Cincinnati May Festival, in its second year of a new business model that appoints a new director every season, has announced Renée Fleming for that position as of its next edition, the weekends of May 16 and 22. Fleming, whose exit from the opera stage can hardly be classified as “retirement,” has collaborated with Director of Choruses Matthew Swanson (who was announced as Robert Porco’s successor last year) in choosing repertoire for the festival. She’ll perform two concerts on the festival’s second weekend.
Michael Shinn has been named as executive director of the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, a position he initially assumed in August of 2023 as interim. He moves into the job as Berklee awaits the arrival of its new president in January, Jim Lucchese. Shinn, who served for six years as dean of music before taking the interim role, is credited by Berklee with an impressive number of achievements as interim, such as hiring 30 new faculty members including a dean of theater, growing the dance division, raising $4 million, and linking the Conservatory more closely with Berklee.
Clément Joubert has been chosen as the new executive director of the Festival de Lanaudière, Canada’s largest classical music festival. He succeeds Xavier Roy, who stepped down this past August after four years in the position. Joubert will work closely with Festival Artistic Director Renaud Loranger to organize and present the four-week event, held each summer in the Lanaudière region of Quebec. Offerings include symphonic music and opera in concert, recitals, and dance, all featuring some of the world’s most recognizable artists as well as local performers. The 2025 season will be the Festival’s 47th since its founding in 1978.
Announced as the new artistic director of the Taipei Music Academy & Festival (TMAF) as of August 2025, David Chan is well on his way to winning the sweepstakes for busiest concert musician of the year. Additional to this new gig, a three-year commitment, he is concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera, principal conductor of Washington, DC’s, Apollo Orchestra, head of the orchestral performance program at the Manhattan School of Music, Juilliard faculty member, and director of the Credo Music Chamber Music Festival at Oberlin.
The Cathedral Choral Society (CCS) has appointed an interim executive director to succeed Christopher Eanes, who is on his way out to take over as president and CEO of Chorus America, a trade organization representing the country’s professional and volunteer choral ensembles. She is Catherine Ort-Mabry, a soprano with over 25 years in CCS whose professional background includes marketing and consulting for non-profits, most recently the American Society for Microbiology (ASM).
David Pratt, former CEO/executive director of the Austin Symphony Orchestra, has taken the job of executive director of the Classical Tahoe Music Festival & Institute, an annual summer event that offers four weeks of orchestra, chamber music, and jazz concerts on the Lake Tahoe campus of the University of Nevada. Classical Tahoe Orchestra musicians—many of whom are members of major U.S. orchestras, including those of Philadelphia and the Metropolitan Opera—serve as mentors to students enrolled in the Academy. CT Fellows, as they are known, are from underrepresented populations and receive lessons, audition training, and the opportunity to perform with the orchestra.
Violinist Randall Goosby will be the 2025 MAC (Multi Cultural Awareness Council) Music Innovator at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO). He succeeds British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason to fill the one-year appointment, which offers a high-visibility platform for Black classical musicians who demonstrate both artistic excellence and a passion for community. Over the course of his residency, Goosby will offer master classes with students from the CSO’s Nouveau Program and the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestras as well as other educational and community engagement programs. Calling his selection “a special honor,” the violinist added, “No matter where I go, or what I play, building community and sharing the transformative power of music with young people is at the center of what I do.”
Music in the Mountains, the three-plus week festival located in Durango, Colorado, has named violinist Vadim Gluzman as its next artistic director, beginning with the 2025 season. He succeeds Gregory Hustis, who retired in 2022 after 15 years in the position. Hustis was also the principal horn player in the Festival’s orchestra from 1988 to 2013. Gluzman’s new responsibilities will include curating the Festival’s programs, ranging from symphonic and chamber music to Pops and world music as well as family-friendly events; attracting top-tier musicians; and ensuring the Festival’s continuing reputation for cultural and social excellence.
Dickon Stainer has been named chairman and CEO of Universal Music UK, succeeding David Joseph, who announced last week he was stepping down after almost 17 years. Stainer has over three decades of broad experience with the domestic and international music industry and for the past decade has been president and CEO of Universal Music Group’s (UMG) Global Classics and Jazz divisions. Going forward Stainer will have responsibility for the overall management and strategic direction of Universal Music UK while remaining as chairman of UMG’s Global Classics and Jazz divisions. Additional direct reports include the Island EMI Label Group, Polydor Label Group, Decca Records, the recently formed Audience and Media Division, and Abbey Road Studios.
September 2024
San Francisco Ballet, the oldest ballet company in the U.S., has chosen Vancouver Cultural Tourism Deputy GM Branislav Henselmann as its next executive director. He starts in November, succeeding Arturo Jacobus, interim for the last two years and retired CEO of the Atlanta Ballet. Jacobus succeeded Danielle St. Germain-Gordon, in the job for two years, who succeeded Kelly Tweeddale, who exited in 2021, also after two years in the job. Artistic Director Tamara Rojo arrived in 2022, after the 40-year reign of Helgi Tomasson. Prior to his current job, Henselmann was executive director of Ballet BC.
As it enters its 25th-anniversary season, the Concord (MA) Chamber Music Society (CCMS) announced new leadership, effective at the end of 2024-25. Succeeding founder Wendy Putnam, a violinist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, are violinist Daniel Chong and violist Jessica Bodner, founding members of the 20-year-old Parker Quartet. They will serve as co-artistic directors. In comments, the two expressed eagerness to grow the “vibrant community” of CCMS by “expanding our reach through performances at non-traditional venues, deepening our community and educational engagements with partners throughout Greater Boston, and working towards establishing a dedicated concert venue for CCMS.”
The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival has announced that Jim Griffith will be its next executive director, effective October 1, 2024. Griffith will succeed Amy Lam, who has been in post as interim executive director since June. As founder, president, and CEO of the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center in Fort Myers, Florida, he transformed a former abandoned federal building into a state-of-the-art, 30,000-square-foot venue, secured a 99-year lease, and raised $14 million in capital campaign funds.
Maryland Opera has announced the appointment of Jason Buckwalter as the company’s first general director. Buckwalter first came to Baltimore in 2004 where he studied at Peabody Conservatory. He earned his Master’s degree and Graduate Performance Diploma in Vocal Performance, graduating in 2008. “To me, the future of opera is in education and outreach, seeking a way to connect with our community. Maryland Opera maintains a strong outreach program visiting schools, head start centers, senior centers, and other venues as well as making education a part of our mainstage productions. This artform is for everyone and connects us all on a deeply human level. I look forward to fostering new audiences to ensure the future of opera.”
New York City Opera has announced the appointment of Constantine Orbelian as the company’s new executive director and music director. Orbelian is a respected, four-time Grammy-nominated conductor who has toured and recorded with some of the world’s greatest singers, including Renee Fleming, Sondra Radvanovsky, and Lawrence Brownlee. He is especially well known for his long and fruitful partnership in recital and on disc with the late Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky.
Jonathan Bradley has been named as the new executive director of Voices of Ascension, the New York City-based professional chorus with a mission to share the transformative power of choral music through performances, commissions, and community engagement. Bradley joins from Philadelphia-based choir The Crossing where he led the company as executive director over five seasons. Bradley has an fine track record, credited with sustainably doubling The Crossing’s production output and budget and overseeing 12 album releases, 24 commissioned world premieres, and two international choral-theater projects. During his tenure the ensemble won three Grammy Awards and nine nominations.
The Metropolitan Opera has promoted Michael Heaston to the position of deputy general manager. A respected pianist and music director as well as an experienced administrator, he had previously held the position of assistant general manager and artistic administrator. In his new role, Heaston will oversee all artistic planning, casting, performing groups, and activities of the artistic department. Previously at the Met, Heaston was executive director of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program from 2016 until 2018. He also served as score consultant for seven seasons of the award-winning Live in HD series and has been a frequent judge for the company’s Laffont Competition.
August 2024
Brent Assink, executive director of the San Francisco Symphony for 18 years before stepping down in 2017, is to be interim president and CEO of the Minnesota Orchestra as of Sept. 9. Assink is based in Pasadena, where he most recently served as executive director of The Fuller Foundation and chief of philanthropy for the Fuller Theological Seminary. He will split his time between California and Minnesota, the latter of which is hardly unfamiliar territory: Prior to SFS he served for five years as president of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (1994-1999), where he is credited with stabilizing the orchestra’s finances.
Scott Freck is to be the new VP of artistic operations and general manager of the Charlotte Symphony, which lays claim to being “the oldest operating symphony orchestra in the Carolinas.” Freck succeeds Michael Reichman, in the job 16 months. Freck, who has been consulting since stepping down as longtime Eugene (OR) Symphony executive director last year, will report to Charlotte President and CEO David Fisk and work with the orchestra’s incoming Music Director Kwamé Ryan.
Kari Welch, an actress, director, and choreographer in regional theater, has been appointed executive director of Eugene Opera. She is known for her marketing and fundraising efforts in the community. Eugene Opera offers two professional performances of two operas each this season, Verdi’s Rigoletto and Nico Muhly’s Dark Sisters. Andrew Bisantz serves as the artistic director and conductor.
Composer/conductor/performer Adam Scime is to succeed Faye Perkins as executive director of the Niagara (ON) Symphony Orchestra. Scime holds a DMA from the University of Toronto and joins the orchestra September 2. “The NSO is a treasure of the beautiful and musically rich Niagara Region, which I know well from my roots in Hamilton and Toronto,” said Scime. Bradley Thachuk is the orchestra’s music director.
The Royal Swedish Opera has selected Tobias Theorell as the company’s new artistic director. He follows Michael Cavanagh, who passed away earlier this year after joining the company in 2021. Theorell will assume his new responsibilities in early 2025. Ellen Lamm, who has been serving as interim, will return to her position as artistic director of the Young Opera.
Conductor and composer Mohamed Saad Basha has been named principal conductor and artistic director of the Cairo Opera Orchestra. He succeeds Ahmed El-Saedi. A graduate of the Cairo Conservatory, the 52-year-old Basha began his career as a percussionist in the orchestra he will now lead.
Lee Anne Myslewski has been elected to serve as the new board chair of OPERA America through June 30, 2025, completing the term of Susan G. Marineau following her resignation due to health reasons. Myslewski, OPERA America’s vice chair since 2022, has worked at Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts since 2006 and is currently its VP of opera and classical programming. She is a former opera singer as well as a seasoned administrator. In addition, two staff members have been promoted. Jamelah Rimawi, who joined the organization in 2018, is to be the new chief programs officer. Going forward her responsibilities will include supporting the development of new work, the career advancement of artists, and professional development for artistic personnel at opera companies. Rimawi will also oversee live and digital events, including the annual conference, and ensure that programs align with the organization’s strategic priorities and commitment to gender parity, racial equity, social justice, and access. A staff member since 2021, Megan Carpenter is the new senior manager of government affairs and civic practice. Carpenter was key to the launch of Opera RESPECTS, the organization’s anti-harassment training program, and the establishment of the new LGBTQIA+ Opera Network. Carpenter will lead OPERA America’s advocacy efforts and liaise with members on pertinent legislative and regulatory issues.
The Nashville Symphony has hired Jeff vom Saal as its chief operating officer (COO), effective in September. Vom Saal was for eight years the executive director of the Spokane (WA) Symphony, the most recent of a number of management positions held over a two-decade period at such regional orchestras as the Marin (CA) Symphony and the Fargo-Moorhead (ND) Symphony. In Nashville he succeeds Tonya Robles who left last December. In Spokane, Vom Saal is credited with doubling the budget, which is currently slightly smaller than Nashville’s, to $21 million. The Spokane Symphony owns and operates the city’s historic Fox Theater, home base to the orchestra and performance venue for a number of other presenters. The Fox claims annual attendance of 85,000.
Elizabeth S. Condic, chief financial officer of the Houston Symphony, will move into the post of interim executive director and CEO of the orchestra as of October, as John Mangum makes his exit to become general director, president, and CEO of the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Condic, who holds a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Houston, Clear Lake, has been with the orchestra since 2017. She is credited with helping to steer the orchestra back to fiscal health following the floods of Hurricane Harvey and the pandemic shutdown; she was deeply involved in formulating the symphony’s current strategic plan and is characterized as a “team player.
Mariko Silver, president and CEO of the Henry Luce Foundation, is to be the 12th president and CEO of Lincoln Center, effective September 23. The 46-year-old daughter of a Jewish father and Japanese-American mother is the first woman of color to hold the role. She succeeds Henry Timms, who announced his intended exit in February. Lincoln Center describes the Luce Foundation as “a private, independent philanthropy that works to deepen knowledge and understanding in pursuit of a more democratic and just world by nurturing knowledge communities and institutions, fostering dialogue across divides, enriching public discourse, amplifying diverse voices, and investing in leadership development.”
David Francis is to be the new chief executive of the Three Choirs Festival, an annual event first held in 1715 that rotates among the cathedral cities of Hereford, Worcester, and Gloucester. He succeeds Alexis Paterson, in the position since 2016, who leaves after this summer’s festival in Worcester. Francis, currently CEO of Wollongong Conservatorium of Music in Australia, earned degrees at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and has held positions in England with the BBC Symphony Chorus, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Arts Council England, and Dartington Hall Trust. He also played a major role in developing the PRS Foundation, one of the U.K.’s major funders of new music in all genres, and served as its first manager.
The musical instrument sellers’ trade organization, National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), has selected Julia Rubio as the new executive director of the NAMM Foundation. She succeeds Mary Luehrsen, who is retiring after 22 years, and will report directly to John Mlynczak, NAMM’s president and CEO as well as president of the NAMM Foundation. Rubio began her career as a public-school orchestra teacher in Ohio, and arrives at NAMM from the Merakey Foundation, the nation’s largest behavioral health nonprofit, where she has been executive director since 2019. Previous positions include executive directorships with performing arts, cultural, and educational nonprofits and foundations.
July 2024
William Gibbons will become the new dean of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) as of August 1. He succeeds Mary Simoni, professor of performing arts technology, dean since 2011. Gibbons joins RPI from SUNY Potsdam, where he has been dean of the Crane School of Music. He was previously associate dean of the College of Fine Arts at Texas Christian University, where he oversaw undergraduate and graduate programs in art, dance, design, fashion, music, and theater.
The Colburn School’s Music Academy has named Margaret Batjer as its new director. The American violinist has been a member of the Academy’s faculty since 2015, and will now join the Conservatory faculty, meanwhile resigning in 2026 from her professorship at USC Thornton School of Music. Her new responsibilities will involve shaping the artistic vision and program development for the Academy, which trains high-level pre-college musicians. Batjer will also continue to lead the Academy Virtuosi, a student ensemble.
The Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University is expanding its audio engineering and sound production degree track—in place since 1982—with a “music creation” track to form a new BS in Music Production degree. It will be in place as of fall of 2025. Students can specialize in either audio engineering or creation and production. To address both the musical and commercial sides of songwriting, the school has hired widely published songwriter, Nashville sideman, author, and educator Andy West as associate professor of music in music production, creation and production, effective Aug. 1.
Welz Kauffman, who led the Ravinia Festival for almost two decades before his departure in 2020, is returning to Chicago. On Sept. 30, he will begin his tenure as executive director and CEO of the Old Town School of Folk Music. He succeeds Jim Newcomb, who stepped down at the end of 2023 after five years in the position. Kauffman brings to his new responsibilities a range of experience. During his tenure at Ravinia, he is credited with substantially growing revenues and donor lists, improving the festival grounds’ infrastructure and visitor amenities, and rejuvenating and expanding educational programs. He diversified the festival’s musical offerings across more than 150 annual performances that included a longstanding collaboration with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and commissioned numerous original works.
Berklee College of Music has hired Jim Lucchese, a former top executive at Spotify, as its next president. Trained as a lawyer, the Boston-based businessman boasts a successful 20-year track record in connecting music and technology. He has not worked in academia but has served as an advisor to the College. He starts in January, succeeding an interim team of Provost David Bogen, serving as president, and Senior VP of Student Enrollment and Engagement Betsy Newman, as senior VP.
Jonathan Manners, who has been responsible for the artistic leadership of the BBC Singers since 2016, will add the top executive position of director to his remit. He succeeds Paul Hughes, who stepped down after 23 years in 2022. Since joining the group eight years ago, Manners has promoted the work of female and culturally diverse composers, partnered with a wide range of artists, and expanded the ensemble’s repertoire to include a range of musical genres. In 2024 the Singers won the Ensemble Category of the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards.
Thomas Kernan, associate professor of music history and associate dean of Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts, is to be the inaugural assistant dean of artistic operations for Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Kernan assumes the new position on August 15, after a decade at Roosevelt, where he has been managing the college’s Music Conservatory, Theater Conservatory, and Interdisciplinary Conservatory. He is a recipient of the school’s highest honor for teaching, the Provost’s Award for Innovative Curricular Design.
Two years ago, Texas A&M University established a School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts and named Tim McLaughlin, an expert in environmental design and visualization sciences, as its interim dean. Yesterday, McLaughlin, the founding head of the school’s Department of Visualization, was appointed to the role permanently, becoming the inaugural recipient of the Ray Rothrock ’77 Endowed Dean’s Chair.
Sir Keir Starmer, the U.K.’s new prime minister, has named Lisa Nandy as Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport. The 44-year-old Labor MP from Wigan was the shadow cabinet minister for international development prior to the Labor Party’s smashing victory in the recent general election. Nandy succeeds Conservative Lucy Frazer, who lost her seat in Parliament. Among Nandy’s first orders of business will be a review of the TV licensing fee, which funds much of the BBC’s activities through an annual charge of £169.50 per household. The fee was recently raised by £10.50 following a two-year freeze. A review initiated by the Tory government is currently underway, the results of which, due next fall, will now be examined in light of the new Labor government’s commitment to make culture and the arts more accessible and to invest in the creative industry as part of its industrial strategy.
Florian Wiegand, concert manager of the Salzburg Festival since 2012, has been announced by the mayor of Munich as the next Intendant of the Munich Philharmoniker in September 2025. He succeeds Paul Müller, who departs after 16 years. Beginning next fall he will be a frequent visitor to Munich in order to familiarize himself with the orchestra. He will assume his responsibilities a year before the arrival of recently designated successor to Chief Conductor Valeri Gergiev, Lahav Shani.
Christoph Müller is to be the new Intendant and artistic director of Settimane Musicali Ascona, which this season runs from August 31 to October 8 in Ticino, Switzerland. He starts in the fall of 2025, arriving after 24 years in a similar position with the Gstaad Menuhin Festival, which Daniel Hope takes over in November 2025. Müller succeeds Francesco Piemontesi and is charged with repositioning the event.
Sarah Cole, an expert in literary modernism, has been promoted from interim to dean of Columbia University’s School of the Arts, encompassing the departments of film, theater, visual and sound Arts, and writing. She has been serving as interim since September, stepping into the post held by Carol Becker for 16 years. Cole had been dean of the Humanities when she took the interim role; she has been with the school since 2018 as Parr Professor of English and Comparative Literature. Prior to becoming humanities dean—with leadership connections to Columbia College, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the School of General Studies, the School of the Arts, Barnard College, and the Office of the Provost—she was chair of the department of English and comparative literature.
June 2024
Michelle Miller Burns, president and CEO of the Minnesota Orchestra, is to take the same position with the Dallas Symphony as of September 23. She succeeds Kim Noltemy, who was announced in May as the new president and CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic as of July. Prior to her six-year stint in Minnesota, Burns was COO of the Dallas Symphony, where she started as VP of Development in 2015 and quickly worked her way to executive VP for institutional advancement and COO from 2017-18.
New York’s Diller-Quaile School of Music, est. 1920, has announced that Jennifer Patten will succeed Kirsten Morgan as executive director. Patten, who starts August 12, has for two years been director of strategic initiatives and special projects at The New School and is a former member of the Dean’s Council at Mannes. Previously she served as head of the Martha Graham School for seven years and director of curriculum integration at Trinity Academy of Performing Arts in Providence, RI.
Genevieve Twomey has left her position as VP and general manager of the National Symphony Orchestra to become executive director of the Westport, CT-based Meadowmount School of Music, a summer program for young string players founded in 1944 by Ivan Galamian. Twomey is a native of Australia who holds advanced degrees from the Peabody Conservatory. She trained as a cellist under Stephen Kates, an alumnus of Meadowmount. She served in management positions with a number of orchestras before her six-year stint with the NSO, including the Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Kitchener-Waterloo symphonies. In her new job she works with Artistic Director Janet Sung.
Daniel Hope is to become the Intendant and artistic director of Gstaad Menuhin Festival and Academy as of November 1, 2025. He succeeds Christoph Müller, in the position for 24 years. A violinist of international distinction, Hope is currently music director of both the Zurich Chamber Orchestra and New Century Chamber Orchestra. For the past two decades, he has spent increasing amounts of his time directing and curating music festivals and concert series, including the Savannah Music Festival, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, and the Philharmonie Essen. He also serves as artistic director of the Frauenkirche Dresden and president of the Beethoven House in Bonn.
Opera Carolina has turned to the Charlotte business community for its new general director. Dr. Shanté Williams will join the company on July 1, succeeding James Meena, who has held the dual titles of general and artistic director since 2000. He will continue to serve in the latter role and as principal conductor, while Williams oversees the business aspect of the company. Williams’s background features major accomplishments in medicine and in business. Having earned a Ph.D. in Integrated Biomedical Science, with a specialty in Neuro-Oncology and Pharmacology, from The Ohio State University, she has been recognized for discovering innovative chemotherapy treatments for high-grade invasive brain tumors.
Intermusica management has moved Nathan Morrison from the position of associate director of vocal & opera to head of vocal & opera, a title that also lands him on the board of directors. Morrison, who joined the firm in 2022 from rival company Askonas Holt, where he was a senior manager, will take over from the current vocal & opera head at Intermusica Julia Maynard (who was instrumental in hiring Morrison), in the job since 2006. She will remain with the company as a director; she also relinquishes her title of deputy executive director.
Suzanne Wilson will succeed Tony Beadle as president and CEO of Rockport (MA) Music as of July 1; she arrives after time in London with family, having previously served a brief term at the helm of the Phoenix Symphony and, before that, seven years at the Midori Foundation. She will oversee both content and operations at the Shalin Liu Performance Center, where the Rockport Chamber Music Festival (from which Rockport Music evolved) is currently underway. Barry Shiffman remains artistic director of classical music.
Amy Lam, founder and principal of the Lamling Consulting Group, is to serve as interim executive director of the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, which this year runs from July 14 to August 19. David Kitto, named to the post last fall, has had to resign due to health issues relating to Santa Fe’s high altitude. A search for his full-time successor is ongoing.
Juilliard‘s new VP of public affairs will be Mary Caraccioli a former television journalist hired by Lincoln Center in 2015 to be public relations chief. Caraccioli’s most recent post was chief communications and engagement officer for the Central Park Conservancy. She has an MBA from Drexel University and a BA in English from the University of Pittsburgh.
The Canadian Opera Company (COC) announced that David C. Ferguson has been appointed as Interim General Director, effective immediately.
Emily Fritz-Endres is to be the next executive director of the Albany Symphony Orchestra as of August. She succeeds David Hyslop, who has been serving as interim since January, three months after the departure of Anna Kuwabara. Fritz-Endes is a recent Atlanta Symphony executive management fellow and earned her MBA from Columbia University last year. Previously she was with the Boston Symphony Orchestra for eight years as director of board administration. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Carlton College. Albany Symphony Music Director David Alan Miller called her “a rising star in the orchestral world.”
Steve Wogaman, president and artistic director of Chamber Music Detroit, is to succeed Shawn Puller as executive director of the Garth Newel Music Center (GNMC) in Hot Springs, VA. Wogaman, who will continue as AD in Detroit remotely, is a pianist and chamber musician who trained at the Eastman School of Music and holds a DM from Indiana’s Jacobs School of Music where he studied under Menahem Pressler. A former chief executive of the Canton (OH) and Allentown (PA) symphony orchestras, he is credited with developing the CameraMusic webcasting platform during the pandemic, collaborating with 70 peer organizations and said to have reached more than 200,000 listeners worldwide.
The Flagstaff (AZ) Symphony Orchestra, now in its 74th season, has a new executive director as of this month. She is Michelle Wachter, a pianist and associate teaching professor of class piano at Northern Arizona University (NAU). She holds a DMA in piano pedagogy and a master’s degree in piano performance from the University of South Carolina. Wachter succeeds Stephanie Stallings, in the job two years. The orchestra performs about a dozen pops and classical concerts per season and is comprised of a core of professional musicians.
Symphony Tacoma, a professional orchestra that offers about ten concerts a season, has named Jenni Warren as its next executive director. She succeeds William (Bill) Ryberg, who has served as interim since January, following Karina Bharne’s departure. Bharne is now chief executive at the Orlando Philharmonic. Warren’s experience includes the top administrative post at the Fairbanks (AK) Symphony.
San Francisco Symphony Chief Artistic Officer Phillippa Cole will join Opus 3 Artists in November as senior vice president and manager, with a remit to create her own roster of artists at the firm. Cole has a long history in artist management, having served for 12 years at Askonas Holt, a relatively recent partner firm of Opus 3. She appears to have joined the San Francisco Symphony when Salonen did, in 2019, after one year as associate director of artistic planning for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, where she programmed the Hollywood Bowl Classical concerts and the Green Umbrella contemporary series.
Jonah Nigh, senior VP of development and alumni engagement at the New School, is to succeed Alexandra Wheeler as VP and chief advancement officer at the Juilliard School, reporting to President Damian Woetzel. Nigh previously worked in development at the Jewish Museum. Nigh’s experience in development includes jobs with Lincoln Center, Columbia University, and Opera America. A baker, stand-up comic, and Boston marathoner, he holds a BA in vocal performance from Lawrence University and an MM from the New England Conservatory.
Amy Iwano, a former executive director of UChicago Presents and current vice chair of New Music USA, is to be the next president and CEO of the Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra (HSO). She succeeds Dave Moss who left last December after three years in the job and is now chief executive of the Eugene (OR) Symphony. Iwano, whose most recent position was executive director of Performance Santa Fe, has worked with a range of arts groups in a range of jobs, including operations and fund raising. She holds a BA from Pomona College and attended Case Western University and the Goethe Institut in Berlin. The HSO has just completed its first full season under Music Director Dane Lam’s music directorship. In comments, Iwano called the Orchestra, “A jewel in the cultural landscape of O’ahu.”
Chamber Music San Francisco has chosen Jeanette Wong to succeed its founder and longtime chief Daniel Levenstein as executive director. Levenstein steps down at the end of June after 19 years in the job. Wong has been with SFJazz for the last seven years, most recently as associate director of artistic programming. Previously she was executive assistant to the COO of the San Francisco Symphony and worked for the League of American Orchestras in New York. She holds a BM in music theory and composition from New York University.
May 2024
Florida Grand Opera has promoted its interim general director to the post permanently. Maria Todaro arrived last October taking over from Susan Danis. Having directed some 23 productions for opera companies such as those in Minnesota, Atlanta, and Honolulu, Todaro, a onetime professional mezzo-soprano, is the product of an opera-singing family, including parents Jose Todaro and Maria-Helena de Oliveira, and grandmother Helena de Oliveira.
Sheryl Kennedy Haydel is the new dean of the College of Music and Media at Loyala University. She comes to the post after serving as interim for the last year, succeeding Kern Maass. The College of Music and Media was formerly known as the College of Music and Fine Arts, a name change that came about in 2019. Haydel arrived at Loyola in 2021 as an associate professor and director of the School of Communication and Design, a position overseeing filmmaking, journalism, advertising, PR, and the like.
Jenny Mollica has been promoted to chief executive of the English National Opera, having served as interim for the past year. She has been with the company since 2020, initially as director of strategy and engagement, a post in which she is credited with establishing new partnerships—including those with Greater Manchester, where the ENO will soon have a presence—and growing the ENO’s social impact in general.
Montreal Symphony Orchestra has named Mélanie La Couture, president and CEO of the Montreal Heart Institute, to be its next CEO, effective in July. She succeeds Madeleine Careau, who announced earlier this year that she would be stepping down at the end of June. In commenting on the appointment, the orchestra noted La Couture’s management and fund-raising experience, as well as her “well-articulated vision” for the orchestra’s future.
The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University has selected Miguel Harth-Bedoya as its next resident director of orchestras and professor of conducting. After spending the 2024-25 school year as designate, he will assume his full responsibilities beginning the fall of 2025. Harth-Bedoya succeeds Larry Rachleff, who led the Shepherd School orchestras for more than 30 years before his death in 2022.
Violinist Annie Fullard, current chair of chamber music at the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University, is to be the next director of chamber music at the Peabody Institute. A founding member of the Cavani String Quartet, she will succeed cellist Michael Kannen, in the job 20 years, next fall. Kannen remains on the faculty. Prior to the McDuffie Center, Fullard was co-director of the orchestral program at Cleveland State University. She also served as coordinator of string chamber music at The University of Michigan and, with Cavania, quartet in residence at Cleveland Institute of Music.
The Guildhall School of Music & Drama will merge its vocal and opera studies areas into one Vocal Arts department come September 2024. Soprano Sarah Tynan has been announced as its new head as of next September 2024. She has an active performance career, having recently starred in productions by the ENO and the Royal Opera, and is a private voice teacher of the Royal College of Music.
On May 22 Angela Dixon is to became the new chair of the Royal Philharmonic Society succeeding 14-year incumbent Sir John Gilhooly, artistic and executive director of Wigmore Hall. Dixon, currently CEO at Saffron Hall, studied music at the University of London and worked in various positions at Barbican Center for 15 years before assuming her current post in 2014. She also manages performance engagements for composer/conductor Thomas Adès.
The Merola Opera Program has hired Sean Waugh, consultant and onetime artistic planning manager for the San Francisco Opera (SFO), as its new executive director. He succeeds Jean Kellogg, who stepped down last January after 12 years in the job. Waugh only the second individual to hold the position, will be working with SFO Artistic Director Carrie-Ann Matheson and General Manager Markus Beam. Waugh’s most recent job was a near two-year stint as director of artistic strategy & innovation at the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale. He was with SFO for 11 years, initially as assistant to the director of artistic administration.
April 2024
Credo Music, which marks its 25th anniversary this summer, has named Met Orchestra concertmaster David Chan as director of its annual chamber music festival at Oberlin Conservatory, effective in 2025. Chan, in addition to his 24 years with the Met, is also a conductor and heads the Manhattan School of Music’s (MSM) Orchestral Performance graduate program.
Orchestra Victoria has tapped Jessica Gethin to assume the orchestra’s lead artistic role. As artistic adviser, she will work with management on musician recruitment and performance, collaborate with key artistic personnel from Orchestra Victoria’s performance partners such as Opera Australia (OA) and The Australian Ballet (TAB), and offer expert guidance to uphold performance standards as a pit orchestra for other performance partners.
The Bavarian-Japanese violinist Midori Seiler will begin a three-year term as artistic director of the Cologne-based zamus: early music festival in 2025. She succeeds cellist Ira Givol, in the position since 2020. The festival annually presents a series of special concerts and events—enacted music performances, conversation concerts, children’s events, and improvisation sessions—that feature both young and seasoned artists.
Opera Philadelphia has named Anthony Roth Costanzo as its next general director and president. Costanzo is a star countertenor, but he is also an entrepreneur, a witty and versatile MC, and an easy inhabitant of a variety of stage guises, from Egyptian king to cabaret artist. Costanzo was the primary impetus and host for the New York Philharmonic’s clever BandWagon concerts during the pandemic. Constanzo’s official start date is June 1.
As of June 1, Nicholas Tzavaras will become senior director of artistic planning and educational programs at the Brevard Music Center (BMC) in North Carolina. As a member of senior management, the BMC’s new hire will be responsible for education, concert performances, and student recruitment and enrollment. A native of New York City, Tzavaras earned music degrees in cello performance from the New England Conservatory and the State University of New York at Stony Brook as well as an MBA from Montclair State University.
Nathan Lutz, director of operations and education at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra for the last seven years, has been named as the new executive director of the Carmel Bach Festival. Lutz reports having been responsible for a $10 million budget in Dallas. Previously he was assistant personnel manager at the Cincinnati Symphony and a double bass fellow at the New World Symphony. The Festival opens its 87th edition on July 13 and runs through July 27. Grete Peterson is principal conductor and artistic director.
Music@Menlo has tapped John Robinson to succeed Edward P. Sweeney as its next executive director. Sweeney, in the job 18 years, is credited with increasing the festival’s budget from $1.3 million to $2.5 million. Robinson is the current director of leadership gifts at the Asia Foundation in San Francisco and is a former executive director of the Santa Barbara Symphony.
Kaufman Music Center Executive Director Kate Sheeran has been tapped to succeed Jamal Rossi as dean of the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester. Sheeran, an Eastman grad, class of 2002, starts July 15 and will be the first woman to take the job. During her five-plus-year tenure at Kaufman, Sheeran is credited with expanding the partnerships within the community, doubling the endowment, and raising the Center’s profile, not least through a series of pop-up concerts titled “Musical Storefronts” during the pandemic.
The Verve Label Group (VLG) has promoted Joseph Oerke to executive vice president of Decca Records US. He has been with the company for 16 years, and in his most recent position as senior vice president, marketing and artist strategy, helped the label ascend to the leading industry position in the U.S., with a weekly average of 47 percent of the classical albums chart. His success led to his being named Billboard’s Executive of the Week, a first for a classical music executive.
Berkshire Choral International announced that Anthony Trecek-King, current resident choral conductor of Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society will be its new artistic director. Trecek-King holds a B.M. in Cello from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, an M.M. in Orchestral Conducting from Florida State, and a D.M.A. in Choral Conducting from Boston University.
Neil Constable OBE is to be clerk and CEO of The Musicians’ Company as of November. He succeeds Hugh Lloyd, in the position for ten years, and will work closely with The Hon. Richard Lyttelton, master of The Musicians’ Company, a charitable organization that distributes scholarships and awards worth over £250,000 annually to early career musicians. Awardees are invited to join the Company’s Young Artists’ Program and participate in performance and outreach opportunities.
The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) has selected Peter Jutras to become its new dean. Currently professor of piano and piano pedagogy and director of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music (HHSM) at the University of Georgia, where has held several teaching and leadership positions over the past 18 years, Jutras assumes his new duties as of Aug. 1, 2024, pending board approval.
Andrew Comben will assume the position of chief executive officer at Britten Pears Arts in September 2024. He succeeds Roger Wright, who has been in the position for ten years. Comben comes to his new post from Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival, where he has been CEO since 2008. While there, he created the festival’s annual guest director model, expanded engagement initiatives, and oversaw the restoration and redevelopment of the Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre venues.
Choral Arts Society of Washington, D.C., its 60th anniversary coming in 2025, has announced Marie Bucoy-Calavan as its next artistic director as of next season. She succeeds Jace Kaholokula Saplan who left after 18 months in the job. Saplan is associate professor and director of choral activities at Arizona State University.
March 2024
The Annapolis Symphony has tapped a former neurosurgeon and university president to be its next CEO, as of April 1. Ralph Kuncl comes to the position with an impressive track record as a fund raiser, most notably as president, now emeritus, of the University of Redlands in California, where he is credited with overseeing a successful $200 million campaign and securing the University’s largest-ever gift of $35 million. With choral singing as one of his avocations, he took a special interest in elevating the quality of the Redlands Conservatory and the affiliated Redland Symphony. An endowed scholarship to the Conservatory was created in his honor.
The Pacific Chorale has named Rhett M. Del Campo as president and CEO as of May 1. He succeeds Andrew Brown, who left last fall after five years to take the same position with the Pasadena Symphony. A onetime professional percussionist, Del Campo comes to the Chorale from chief-executive positions at iSing Silicon Valley, a choral education program for K-12 girls, and Seraphic Fire, a professional vocal ensemble based in Miami, to which he helped bring a national profile.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, who took office on Jan. 1, has tapped Valerie Gay to be the city’s new arts and culture czar. City arts leaders greeted the appointment as well as the mayor’s apparent intention to elevate the incumbent to a cabinet-level position with great enthusiasm. “We believe that the arts and culture sector now has several champions embedded within the administration,” said Patricia Wilson Aden, president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. “No one could better bring all of the qualities that we are looking for in our next arts and culture leader.”
Barry Hughson, executive director of the National Ballet of Canada for the last decade, is to take the same post at the American Ballet Theatre as of July 1. ABT, annual budget of $45 million, is said to be the third largest ballet company in North America; NBC is smaller, though on the upswing. Hughson’s experience at the executive helm also includes four years running the Boston Ballet preceded by two at the Atlanta Ballet. He started his career as a dancer with the Washington Ballet at the Kennedy Center. In comments, he said he was honored “to help navigate post-pandemic challenges [and] pursue opportunities for growth.”
The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO), which prides itself on being the only full-time professional orchestra in the state, has tapped Stephanie Lobato as its first managing director, charged with increasing revenue streams and nurturing relationships with new and longtime patrons. She joins the LSO from the Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra (HSO), where during her four-year tenure as director of advancement she is credited with increasing subscribers, doubling the donor base, and revitalizing the HSO’s corporate giving program. Lobato also initiated the revival of outdoor summer concerts, built audiences for a new symphony series, and introduced the orchestra’s first music director to the community.
The Seattle-based Music of Remembrance (MOR) has tapped Lorri Staal as its first executive director. A legal professional and experienced corporate litigator, Staal joined the staff on Feb. 26. She previously presided over operations at JND Legal Administration, and before that over client services at EPIQ, a global provider of legal administration services. A longtime human rights advocate, Staal has engaged in volunteer work with several organizations aligned with MOR’s mission, including as pro bono in-house counsel to the Seattle Symphony.
The BBC Concert Orchestra has tapped Matthew Swann to succeed Andrew Connolly, who stepped down in 2020 after 20 years, as director, effective on March 27. Swann arrives at the BBC with more than 20 years of leadership experience, including nine as CEO of City of London Sinfonia as well as roles at the Roundhouse in Camden and Orchestras Live. He is a co-founder of Your Turn Collective, a support organization for classical music creators from under-represented backgrounds.
At the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO), Sarah Bardwell follows James Williams as managing director ahead of the 2024-25 season. Bardwell joins the RPO from Britten Pears Arts, where she has been the executive director of the charity behind Snape Maltings, The Red House, and the Aldeburgh Festival. In her previous position as CEO of the Britten Pears Foundation, she led the merger with Snape Maltings that created Britten Pears Arts. Bardwell was also a key player in the recently completed £3 million transformation of London’s Handel House Museum into the Handel Hendrix House.
As of July 2024, Eric Melear will become the new artistic director of the London-based National Opera Studio. He succeeds David Sulkin OBE, in the position for six years. Melear will partner with Executive Director Nicholas Simpson in a new joint leadership structure for the organization. Melear has championed the development young singers and pianists at both the Houston Grand Opera and Wolf Trap Opera, and is a frequent guest coach in the U.K., Italy, and the U.S. He has guest conducted at the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival and at numerous U.S. opera houses, including Houston Grand Opera, Arizona Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, and Des Moines Metro Opera.
The Walton Arts Center welcomes Carlos Vicente as its new vice president of marketing and sales. Vicente will be responsible for marketing, public relations, ticketing and box office for Walton Arts Center, the state’s busiest arts presenter, and its outdoor amphitheater, the Walmart AMP. Vicente, originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, comes to Northwest Arkansas from Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he served as vice president of marketing and communications for the Grand Rapids Symphony since 2021. Before that, Vicente was director of marketing and communications at the Sarasota Opera in Sarasota, Florida.
February 2024
Central City Opera (CCO) has named Stage Director Alison Moritz as its new artistic director. A noted freelance director, Moritz has staged productions for the major opera companies of Cincinnati, Kansas City, Wolf Trap, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C., where she workshopped and directed Missy Mazzoli’s Proving Up. She was interim managing artistic director of opera at Peabody Conservatory in 2021-22 and has taught and directed at conservatories, such as Juilliard and the Shepherd School at Rice University, and worked with young artists programs from Santa Fe to Glimmerglass.
Paolo Arcà, artistic director of La Scala decades ago (1997-2003), is to take the post at Opera di Roma. Arcà will work in conjunction with Intendant Francesco Giambrone and Music Director Michele Mariotti. Also a noted composer and pianist, he has occupied artistic leadership positions at Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Carlo Felice di Genoa, Teatro Regio, and the Green Festival of Parma.
Hervé Boissière, founder and managing director of medici.tv, is to turn his attentions “exclusively” to the Verbier Festival as its new co-CEO, effective April 15. He will codirect the esteemed 30-year-old event together with its founder, Martin T:son Engstroem, 71. Boissière arrives just a few weeks before Câline Yamakawa, who has worked at the Verbier Festival Foundation for 18 years, the last six as COO, departs.
Daniela Nardi, a recorded solo vocalist whose career has encompassed marketing, producing, fundraising, and administrative leadership, is to be the new executive director of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, founded in 1894 and one of the most highly regarded choruses in the country. Nardi, who succeeds Anna Katjár, was recently interim executive director of Tafelmusik and is said to have revitalized 918 Bathurst Centre for Arts, Culture, Media, and Education as its executive and artistic director. Her new ensemble is a core of 24 professional vocalists that can expand to 100 with auditioned volunteers.
The North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, a professional ensemble of musicians from Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and Arkansas, has hired a new executive director. The new administrative boss is one Brooke Bullock Burleson, 26, who teaches piano and dance locally and has worked in marketing, fund raising, and digital media. She holds degrees in journalism and political science from the University of Southern Mississippi. Burleson succeeds Lisa Martin.
Music Academy (of the West) has appointed Nate Bachhuber as chief artistic officer as of February 26. Bachhuber was most recently an artistic advisor at the St. Louis Symphony for seven months; before that he was with the Cincinnati Symphony for five years as VP of artistic planning, the Los Angeles Philharmonic as artistic administrator for two years, and Carnegie Hall for two, largely in marketing and PR. He holds an MM in opera from Curtis.
At Toronto’s Luminato Festival, Olivia Ansell, an accomplished arts leader, director, and performance artist who is current director of the Sydney Festival, will succeed Naomi Campbell as artistic director, who stepped aside in 2023 after five years. Ansell is not scheduled to arrive until 2025. Ansell previously served as head of contemporary performance at the Sydney Opera House and has been in her current position since 2020. She has received high marks for steering the festival through the pandemic and exceeding attendance projections when live performances resumed.
The Colburn School promoted Nate Zeisler, interim provost, to the full position, succeeding Adrian Daly, who died in August. Zeisler has been at the school for 13 years, teaching career development and community engagement courses. While serving as interim provost, he was also VP of partnerships and planning. In his new post, assumed last month, he is chief academic officer for the Conservatory of Music, Community School of Performing Arts, Music Academy, and Trudl Zipper Dance Institute—a total of over 2,000 students, plus faculty and staff. Prior to Colburn, he was assistant professor of bassoon and entrepreneurship at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, and began his career as an elementary school music teacher.
The Chattanooga Symphony & Opera (CSO) has selected Susan W. Caminez as its new executive director. She succeeds John Kilkenny, who left after three years to fill the same position at the New York Youth Symphony. Caminez joined the CSO in 2021, progressing from bookkeeper to become the organization’s first director of education and community impact. In that role she reimagined the ensemble’s young people’s concerts and successfully reached out to new audiences with the support of a four-year, $200,000 grant from city government.
The Toledo Opera has tapped two insiders to succeed Executive Director Suzanne Rorick when she steps aside after 13 years on May 31, 2024. James M. Norman and Kevin Bylsma, the new general director and artistic director respectively, have collectively worked for the company for 45 years. Norman, a native of Toledo, first sang in the opera chorus in 1981, and from 1987 until 2000 performed in both chorus and comprimari roles. Eleven years later he served a stage manager for Turandot. Thereafter he was a part-time production manager until 2016, when he was appointed director of production. In the fall of 2019, Rorick named him co-artistic director. Bylsma joined Toledo Opera from Michigan Opera Theater (now Detroit Opera) in 1997 as head of music preparation and musical assistant to James Meena, principal artistic director at the time. In 2003 he became a vocal coach and the coordinator of opera at Bowling Green State University, soon to return to the opera company, where his role has evolved to include principal rehearsal pianist for all mainstage operas, chorus master, co-artistic director, and head of music preparation. Since 2006 he has overseen the longtime partnership between the university and the opera company.
January 2024
Branford Marsalis, the jazz saxophonist and composer whose career includes movie scores, Grammy-winning recordings, and a stint as the leader of The Tonight Show band, is taking on a new job in his hometown of New Orleans. Marsalis has been named as the new artistic director for the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music. The center is named for Branford’s late father, patriarch of a family of accomplished New Orleans musicians that also includes trumpeter and composer Wynton Marsalis, Branford’s brother.
In late March 2024 John Kilkenny will join the New York Youth Symphony (NYYS) as executive director, succeeding Shauna Quill, who was in the position for 12 years. Kilkenny will oversee all aspects of an organization that each season sees more than 260 students between the ages of 10 and 22 take part in orchestra, chamber music, jazz, composition, musical theater, songwriting, and apprentice conducting programs. He will also have responsibility for supervising community outreach, fundraising, artistic programming, and marketing.
The Boston Lyric Opera (BLO) has announced several new appointments to its artistic leadership team, chief among which is Nina Yoshida Nelsen as artistic director. She succeeds Esther Nelson, who until March 2021 held the position of general and artistic director. Nelson was succeeded on an interim basis by Bradley Vernatter, who subsequently advised the board that the two roles should be split. Joining Nelsen as a second newcomer to the BLO is theater director Anne Bogart, who has previously staged several operas with the BLO and now assumes the role of artistic associate. She will contribute to mainstage repertoire planning, particularly as it relates to dramaturgical issues and performance.
The Oregon Bach Festival (OBF) has announced that Jos van Veldhoven, longtime artistic director of the Netherlands Bach Society, and Craig Hella Johnson, in the same post with the Austin-based vocal ensemble Conspirare, are to be the festival’s new artistic partners. As artistic director of the Netherlands Bach Society for more than 35 years, Veldhoven has initiated hundreds of performances and recordings of Bach’s work. Craig Hella Johnson will devote his energies to improving the OBF’s educational offerings, sharpening its vocal performances, and promoting the inclusion of contemporary choral music as part of the festival offerings.
Librettist/producer Lila Palmer is to be general and artistic director of the New Orleans Opera Association (NOOA), effective in May, about one year after predecessor Clare Burovac announced her exit after three years. A onetime mezzo-soprano, Palmer has overseen arts programming for heritage spaces including the Museum of London and heard her librettos performed at Edinburgh Fringe, Gran Teatro del Liceu, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and Glimmerglass, among others. She will continue her work as a librettist, citing Mark Adamo and Rene Orth among collaborators.
Betsey Perlmutter, a multi-discipline producer who helped establish the New York Philharmonic “Art of the Score” series, has been officially named vice president of Schirmer Theatrical. Established in 2015, Schirmer Theatrical self-defines as specializing in “non-traditional symphonic and film concerts“ and boasts some 150 packages, using mostly music from its vast composer catalogs. Schirmer puts these packages together for symphony orchestras and other presenters.
December 2023
Francesco Ventriglia is to become artistic director of the Alberta Ballet, which performs its mainstage season in Calgary and Francesco Ventriglia is to become artistic director of the Alberta Ballet, which performs its mainstage season in Calgary and Edmonton. Assuming his new post in January 2024, the former dancer with the La Scala Ballet succeeds Christopher Anderson, who has filled the position since July 2022.Edmonton. Assuming his new post in January 2024, the former dancer with the La Scala Ballet succeeds Christopher Anderson, who has filled the position since July 2022.
Opéra de Lille will welcome a new director when Barbara Eckle arrives on July 1, 2025 to succeed Caroline Sonrier, in the position since 2003. Eckle was dramaturg at the Ruhrtriennale International Festival of Arts from 2020 to 2023, and before that at the Staatsoper de Stuttgart from 2018 to 2020.
Kristin Lavin has been appointed associate dean of external relations at Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University, a position that oversees development, alumni relations, and marketing and communications. Lavin is the former senior director for stewardship and donor engagement at the University.
The University of Kansas has named Paul Popiel as the next dean of its School of Music. He has served as interim dean since last January and has been a professor of music since 2010. Popiel, a conductor, was previously director of bands at the School from 2010 to 2022. He succeeds Robert Walzel, who had been in the job from 2010.
Christopher Marks, professor at the Glenn Korff School of Music since 2006 at the University of Nebraska (UN), where he is also associate dean of the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, takes over as associate vice chancellor for faculty affairs at UN-Lincoln as of Jan. 8.
Susan Miller Kotses, current VP of education and community engagement at the Pacific Symphony, is to become executive director of the Los Angeles Chlldren’s Chorus (LACC) as of February 8. She succeeds Kurt Swanson, an area arts consultant who has been serving as interim since July. Kotses, a former professional singer with advanced degrees in voice performance from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music and arts management from Carnegie Mellon University, has an impressive track record at Pacific Symphony where her efforts reached “60,000 constituents, engaging 1,000 volunteers, and training and deploying 50 teaching artists and content creators.”
Cincinnati May Festival has promoted Associate Director of Choruses Matthew Swanson to director. He succeeds Robert Porco who retires at the end of the next festival. Swanson joined the 130-member May Festival Chorus as a tenor in 2011 and worked his way up. Currently he oversees the May Festival Youth Chorus. In his new job, which starts in June, he’ll be responsible for preparing the May Festival Chorus for its own annual concerts in May 2024 as well as those with the CSO and the Cincinnati Pops. The Festival’s origins date to 1873; it is a volunteer ensemble.
The Pacific Chorale has named its Director of Artistic Production Alex Nelson to the new position of VP of artistic production and operations, effective immediately. Nelson has been with the 200-voice group for six seasons. The new post adds to his current duties day-to-day operations and delivering on the Chorale’s fiscal goals and strategies. He’ll also assist Artistic Director Robert Istad.
As of March 2024, Sir Nicholas Kenyon will become Chair of Trustees at Arcangelo, the internationally acclaimed period performance ensemble. He succeeds Rosalyn Wilkinson, in the position since 2014. Kenyon has served as controller of BBC Radio 3 (1992-98), director of the BBC Proms (1996-2007) and managing director of the Barbican Center (2007-2021). Currently chief opera critic of The Telegraph, he has in the past been a critic for the New Yorker, The Times (London), and The Observer.
The Borletti-Buitoni Trust has announced that Toby Smith is to be its new chief executive. He succeeds the retiring Susan Rivers, who has run the organization since its founding in 2002. The Milan-based trust provides financial support through annual awards, first made in 2003, to help classical instrumentalists, ensembles, and singers in their early 20s and 30s further develop international careers. Smith’s extensive experience as an arts administrator includes a nine-year stint as director of performance and programming at the Royal Northern College of Music and as festival director of the Salisbury International Arts Festival. Most recently he served as associate director of the Greenwich + Docklands International Festival and Global Streets. He also earned a degree in music from the University of York and in 1995 co-founded the Early Opera Company, which specializes in Baroque vocal music.
Kristen Linfante, executive director and artistic director for Chamber Music Pittsburgh, is to assume the former post with The Knights as of next month. She’ll be working with the group’s founding Artistic Directors Colin and Eric Jacobsen and succeeding Bridget Mundy, with the Knights for five years. Linfante’s previous position was general manager and director of artistic operations and touring for Apollo’s Fire Baroque Orchestra, an ensemble with which she performed.
The Eugene (OR) Symphony has chosen Dave Moss, recent president and CEO of the Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra (HSO), to be its next executive director, effective in January. He succeeds Scott Freck, who left last June after 11 years in the job. Prior to Hawai’i, where he is credited with balancing the orchestra’s check book against the odds of the pandemic, Moss was executive director of Chicago’s Haymarket Opera.
Bodo Busse, the current general intendant of Germany’s Staatstheater Saarbrücken, is to take on the same post at Staatsoper Hannover as of 2025-26, succeeding American Laura Berman.
Aaron Doty, current VP and general manager of the Grand Rapids Symphony, is to be the new president and CEO of the Reno (NV) Philharmonic. His appointment caps a search that began last summer, with David Hyslop serving as interim. Doty’s past positions include orchestra personnel & operations manager for the Washington National Opera; he has been in his current position for four years and holds an MM in conducting from Ohio University.
The Welsh National Opera has tapped Christopher Barron to be interim general director in early January 2024. He follows Aidan Lang, who is retiring at the end of this year after four years in the position. Barron has considerable high-level experience as an arts administrator. Among his postings: an early role as general manager of the Edinburgh International Festival, chief executive of Birmingham Royal Ballet and of Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet, and artistic director and chief executive of the Brighton Festival and Dome.
November 2023
Stanford Live, the multi-genre performing arts presenter at Stanford University, has named Iris Nemani, chief programming officer of Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre, as its next director. She arrives in April and succeeds Chris Lorway, who was also from Toronto; Lorway left last April to become president and CEO of the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Part of Nermani’s remit will be to collaborate with the university’s department of music. She arrives as a member of the senior arts leadership team under Deborah Cullinan, Stanford’s vice president for the arts and acting director of Stanford Live.
The Music School of Delaware, an accredited community institution serving its home state and nearby environs, will have a new president and CEO as it enters its centennial year in 2024. He is Stephen Beaudoin, an energetic music executive on the rise in the Washington, D.C., area. Beaudoin, who sits on the board of the Beaudoin Family Foundation, arrives in Delaware after just over a year as executive director of New Jersey’s South Orange Performing Arts Center.
Christopher White, head of music at Deutsche Oper Berlin since 2016, is to be the next head of opera at the Royal Academy of Music, his alma mater. He starts next September, succeeding Brenda Hurley who is moving to the role of visiting professor after four years in the job. White has been working under her as head of the vocal faculty, opera, at the Academy for the last year.
Aviel Cahn arrives at the new intendant of Deutsche Oper Berlin in 2026-27 (and Runnicles exits as music director), he leaves his current post as general manager of the Grand Théâtre de Genève where his successor is to be Alain Perroux, a former dramaturge at Genève who served as director of artistic administration and dramaturge at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence from 2009 to 2020. Perroux is a former music critic for the Journal de Genève and for Le Temps.
Tom Philpott, acting co-director of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, as well as director of planning for that organization, is to move to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in March as its director of artistic planning and partnerships. The post is a new one, created in the wake of Managing Director James Williams’s departure next summer to be director of the Royal College of Music.
Prague Summer Nights: Young Artists Music Festival, which is produced by Classical Movements and its CEO Neeta Helms, has named Derek Maselhoff to be its next director, while renewing the contract of Artistic Director John Nardolillo. Maselhoff is Classical Next’s operations manager; previously he was director of artistic planning for the National Youth Orchestra of China.
Helen Wallace is to be the new head of music at London’s Barbican Centre, effective in February of 2024. She succeeds Will Gompertz, who this past August announced he would leave the Barbican after a three-year tenure to become director of the Sir John Soane’s Museum this January. Wallace is currently the artistic and executive director at Kings Place, where she first assumed an advisory role in 2009. She became director of programming in 2018, and rose to her current post in 2020.
Sean Michael Gross, who has headed up Warner Classics in the U.K. since 2021, has added North America to his portfolio and will now split his time between London and the U.S. He will continue to report to Alain Lanceron, president, Warner Classics and Erato. During the past two years in London, Gross has been credited with growing the Warner label’s market share, introducing emerging artists such as Abel Selaocoe, Fatma Said and RIOPY, and leading the successful campaign to make the Official Classical Charts more inclusive.
As of January 2024, Sarah Meyers is to be the new artistic director at On Site Opera, where she will succeed Eric Einhorn, who co-founded the New York City-based company in 2012. Meyers brings extensive experience as a director of traditional opera and site-specific projects as well as the developer of new works. She has been a member of the directing staff at the Metropolitan Opera for more than a decade and has also worked at a number of regional companies as well as at On Site.
October 2023
Paul Wiancko, newly arrived cellist of the Kronos Quartet, has been chosen to succeed the late Geoff Nuttall as director of the chamber music series at the Spoleto Festival USA. Spoleto General Director & CEO Mena Mark Hanna said the new man will be “an engine of ingenuity for Spoleto,” noting that he would be exploring the new and usual and “subverting our expectations of what is western and non-western, canonic and not canonic, new and old.”
Edwaard Liang is to be the new artistic director of the Washington Ballet. Liang comes to the D.C. Company after a decade as artistic director of BalletMet in Columbus, Ohio, where he nearly doubled the organization’s budget and choreographed 21 works. A native of Taiwan who was raised in California, the 48-year-old Liang danced with the New York City Ballet and Nederlands Dans Theater and has created ballets for the San Francisco Ballet, New York City Ballet, Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet, and Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet. Since 2008 he has also choreographed five works for his new company.
Alessandra Ferri will become the new director of the Vienna State Ballet in September of 2025, succeeding Martin Schläpfer, in the position since the 2020/21 season. A Milanese native, the 60-year-old Ferri was principal dancer at the Royal Ballet and the American Ballet Theater, and remains prima ballerina assoluta at La Scala. During her career, she has made guest appearances with all the major international companies and directed the dance programming of the Spoleto Festival from 2008 to 2014.
Succeeding Paul Helfrich as executive director of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra is Karina Bharne, currently in that job with Symphony Tacoma in Washington. Prior to her five years in Tacoma, Bharne served as interim executive director of the San Antonio Symphony, part of Michael Kaiser’s team to put that orchestra, now defunct, on solid footing.
Brenna Corner, a freelance opera director currently based in Atlanta, has been appointed artistic director at Pacific Opera Victoria. She succeeds Founding Artistic Director Timothy Vernon, 75, who retired in June after 23 years. Corner’s directing credits range from Glimmerglass and the Washington National Opera to the Vancouver, Calgary, and Israeli operas, and from standard repertoire to new work.
At Arabella Arts, founded three years ago by Stefana Atlas and Samantha Scully, Guiomar Blanco arrives in the new position of head of European strategy and artist manager. Characterized as a “manager, pianist, and musicologist with 20 years of international experience,” Blanco formerly headed Music Management GB; her CV also includes stints at Spanish agencies Agencia Camera and Conciertos Augusto.
At Alliance Artist Management, Andrew Pudvah, former West Coast booking manager at IMG Artists, has joined the firm’s booking team. He boasts 25 years in the field, 14 of them with National Geographic, where he is credited with expanding its live speakers series considerably.
The Oslo Philharmonic has selected Knut Skansen as its new managing director as of Jan.1, 2024. He succeeds Ingrid Røynesdal, who became director of the National Museum on Oct. 1. Skansen, who has a degree in literature, joins the Philharmonic from the Deichman Library in Oslo, Norway’s largest cultural institution. He has been at the library for almost two decades, during which time he oversaw the construction of the new library in the Bjørvika neighborhood of the nation’s capital city.
Brian Speck, former director of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, has joined the Metropolitan Opera as artistic administrator. He succeeds Paul Hopper, who moved last May from associate artistic administrator at the Met to senior director of artistic planning at the LA Opera. At the Met, Speck works with Michael Heaston, assistant general manager, artistic, on casting and planning with a focus on small roles and covers.
Colin Michael Brush is the new director of the Sarah and Ernest Butler Houston Grand Opera Studio. He succeeds Brian Speck, in the position since 2015, and comes to Houston from ADA Artists/UIA Talent in Berlin, where he managed a roster of artists performing in European and other international markets. As director of the studio, Brush will oversee the artistic development of the program’s emerging artists while also identifying and recruiting future candidates from within the U.S. and around the world for HGO seasons.
Amy Cassello, associate director of the Brooklyn Academy of Music since 2020, is to serve as its artistic director on an interim basis, following the exit of David Binder in July. Binder will remain as advisor until 2024. Cassello arrived at BAM in 2012, as associate producer of the Next Wave Festival and has been on the rise at the company ever since.
Central City Opera, which came close to losing its entire summer season due to thorny AGMA negotiations, has named Scott Finlay as its new president and CEO. He succeeds Pamela Pantos, who exited rather suddenly in July. Finlay has been serving as one of the two interims in the time since. Previously he was the company’s VP of development, a post he came to not long after Pantos’s arrival, in June 2022.
Sue Elliott is to be general director and CEO of the Calgary Opera as of November 20, 2023. She succeeds Heather Kitchen, who is retiring after five years in the job and 40 in arts administration. Elliott arrives to the 50-year-old opera troupe after serving as chief audience officer at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA. Prior to that she was the inaugural director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Linde Center/Tanglewood Learning Center.
September 2023
Scott Altman, current president and CEO of the Cincinnati Ballet, onetime opera singer and opera company executive, is to be the new president and CEO of the Los Angeles Master Chorale as of January 2. He succeeds Jean Davidson, who exited in March. Commenting on Altman’s appointment, Master Chorale Artistic Director Grant Gershon said the new man’s vision was “fully aligned with my own” and pointed to the Chorale as “ramping up for a major expansion of all our activities.”
Alfrelynn Roberts has joined the Portland (OR) Opera as director of artistic planning and operations; she comes to Portland from Fort Worth Opera, where she was associate artistic director & chorus master from 2018-2023. Roberts succeeds Priti Gandhi, in the job from 2021 until she was named associate director of the Met Opera Laffont Competition in September 2023. Roberts reports to Portland General Director Sue Dixon. Damien Geter is listed on the company website as interim music director and artistic advisor.
The Southwest Florida Symphony (SWFS), located in Fort Myers, has named Raniero Tazzi as its new artistic and operations director. Entering its 63rd season the 70-member ensemble is led by music director Radu Paponiu and offers a 5-concert masterwork series as well as three pop concerts. In his new role, Tazzi will oversee concert and event production, as well as auditions. “Raniero is the perfect fit for our team,” said Amy Ginsburg, executive director of the SWFS, citing “his diverse experience and community familiarity.
Priti Gandhi is the new associate director of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition. She succeeds Brady Walsh, who left the job in August. Gandhi comes to the Met after serving as artistic director of the Portland Opera for just two years. Previously she was chief artistic officer of the Minnesota Opera and, before that of the San Diego Opera, where she made her debut as a soprano, then mezzo soprano in 1996 and then returned seven years later as artistic administrator. Gandhi has sung with Los Angeles Opera, Seattle Opera, Theatre du Chatelet, the Royal Opera House, New York City Opera, and San Francisco Opera, among others, and appeared with orchestras from the New York Philharmonic to the Philadelphia Orchestra. She has also been a writer, publishing a weekly behind the scenes in opera column for The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Jenny Wong is the San Francisco Symphony Chorus director as of the 2023-24 season, also the ensemble’s 50th. She is the fourth person to take the job, joining an impressive lineage: Louis Magor (1974–1982), Vance George (1983–2007), and Ragnar Bohlin (2007–2021), who resigned in protest of the orchestra’s vaccination mandate. Margaret Hillis served as interim during the 1982–83 season. Also associate artistic director of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Wong, a native of Hong Kong, has conducted choruses for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, the Industry, Long Beach Opera, and more. She holds a DMA and an MM from the University of Southern California and a BA in voice performance from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Violinist Abi Fayette has succeeded cellist Jim Wilson as artistic director of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. She is also a recent member of the Catalyst Quartet, succeeding Jessie Montgomery. The 29-year-old artist holds a bachelor’s degree from the Curtis Institute, where she was concertmaster of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, and a master’s degree from the New England Conservatory. She has been a member of Orpheus since 2020; her sister, 31-year-old cellist Madeline Fayette, has also joined the orchestra.
On Sept. 1, Sarah Cole became Interim Dean of the School of the Arts at Columbia University, succeeding Carol Becker, who was in the role for 16 years. Cole will step aside from her current post as the Dean of Humanities for the duration of her interim assignment. She is also the Parr Professor of English and Comparative Literature. A scholar of literary modernism, Cole has co-founded the NYNJ Modernism Seminar and founded Columbia’s Humanities War and Peace and Climate Humanities initiatives. Her teaching ranges across the 19th and 20th centuries, and includes topics such as war and violence, the body and sexuality, Irish literature, and the works of Woolf, Eliot, Wells, Joyce, and others.
The Boston Baroque, approaching is 50th-anniversary season in 2023-24, has appointed Sarah Radcliffe-Marrs as its next executive director, as of November 1st. She succeeds Jennifer Ritvo Hughes, who in July was appointed CEO of the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic. Radcliffe-Marrs was most recently executive director of Blue Heron, a Boston-area vocal ensemble specializing in Renaissance and medieval vocal music. Previously, she held roles in the artistic and concert operations departments at the Boston Symphony Orchestra and at the Celebrity Series of Boston. A native of the U.K., she earned undergraduate and master’s degrees in music and musicology from the University of Oxford, subsequently working for the Royal College of Music, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and the BBC Proms & Radio 3. She moved to the U.S. in 2012.
In Maine, Renia Shterenberg is the new administrative chief of the Bangor Symphony and the Bangor Symphony Youth Orchestras, succeeding Sarah S. P. McCarthy. A former violinist, Shterenberg is the recent general manager of the Britt Festival Orchestra in Jacksonville, OR, and onetime executive director of the Olmos Ensemble chamber-music group in San Antonio, TX. Lucas Richman is music director and conductor of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra.
The Concours musical international de Montréal (CMIM) has chosen a leadership team from within to succeed Christiane LeBlanc, who announced her retirement last February and left in May. She had served as both executive and artistic director since 2012. In her stead, Chantal Poulin becomes executive director and Shira Gilbert artistic director. The two women have been critical players in the last three editions of the Concours and have collaborated in the post since LeBlanc’s departure. Poulin is the longer tenured of the duo, joining the CMIM in 2019 and fulfilling successive roles in communications, logistics, and production before becoming part of the general management team in August 2021. Previous to joining Concours, she was a consultant, best known for her management of 360-degree projects and large-scale events. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in History, followed by a Master of Arts, at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Gilbert arrived at the CMIM in the fall of 2022 after working as a communications consultant with numerous musicians and presenters. During a stint as publicity manager for Universal Classics Group (Deutsche Grammophon and Decca), Gilbert worked closely with such prestigious artists as Renée Fleming, Cecilia Bartoli, Hilary Hahn, Lang Lang, and Anna Netrebko.
The Monterey Jazz Festival has announced that composer and musician Darin Atwater is to succeed Tim Jackson as artistic director. Jackson is retiring after leading the world’s longest continuously running jazz festival for 32 years. A Washington, DC, native, Atwater studied at Morgan State University and Peabody Conservatory before embarking on a more than 20-year career that has included roles as an artistic director, composer, conductor, pianist, vocalist, and cultural advocate.
David J. Kitto, executive director of the National Theater Foundation in Washington, D.C., is to be the new executive director of the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival as of October 30. He succeeds Steven Ovitsky, who last fall announced his intention to retire at the end of the current season, on August 31. He has been in the job for 20 years. In his current job since 2019, Kitto oversees all operations, educational programs, fundraising, marketing, and capital planning. Previously he served as the interim president of The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center / La Jolla Music Society (2018-19), senior VP of marketing and sales at the Kennedy Center (2001-2017), where he worked with an annual operating budget of over $200 million, and director of marketing and ticket operations at Carnegie Hall (1983 to 2000). He holds a BA in Music and an M.A. in Arts Administration, both from the University of Michigan.
The San Francisco Opera has appointed Georgi Kelly as chief philanthropy officer effective October 2, where she succeeds Lisa Bury, who left the company last spring. Kelly joins the SFO from KQED, the San Francisco-based NPR and PBS member station, where she first came to work in 2001 and rose, by 2016, to become VP of development. In her capacity she oversaw the $135 million Campaign 21 as well as all fundraising activities for the $105-million public media organization.
Susan Avila joined the Los Angeles Music Center as senior VP of advancement in September. She follows Valentine Gelman, in the position since 2016. Avila served most recently at the California College of the Arts (CCA) in San Francisco, first as VP of advancement from 2000 to 2008 and then as senior VP from 2008 to 2023. Other previous postings included the director of development at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
August 2023
David Hyslop is the new interim president and CEO of the Reno (NV) Philharmonic. Hyslop’s most recent post was at the helm of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. He has held CEO positions with the Oregon Symphony (1972-1978), the St. Louis Symphony (1978-1991), and the Minnesota Orchestra (1991-2003). Since then, he has served interim CEO for the Omaha, Dallas, Louisville, Stockton, and South Dakota symphonies, the Orlando and Oklahoma City philharmonics, the Sun Valley Summer Symphony, and Dallas Summer Musicals.
Santa Barbara chamber music group Camerata Pacifica announced that its new executive director, in the job since June 1, is Ana Papakhian. Papakhian’s most recent position was at the Music Academy (of the West), where she served as chief marketing and communications officer; previously she was director of communications for The Cleveland Orchestra and the Indianapolis Symphony.
The Moab Music Festival has a new executive director in Amy Weiser, most recently city manager for Moab. She joins founders Artistic Director/violist Leslie Tomkins and Music Director/pianist Michael Barrett in oversight of the 31-year-old event, which this season runs through September 15 and hosts 23 performances in a wide variety of outdoor and historic venues.
Patty Isacson Sabee, current executive director of Planet Word in Washington, D.C., former CEO of the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, is to succeed Wayne S. Brown as president and CEO of the Detroit Opera. Isacson Sabee previously worked in a number of capacities for the Seattle Symphony and is married to one of its players. She is a graduate of Grinnell College in Iowa.
New York’s Juilliard School has announced the appointment of a new assistant dean and director of chamber music. Merry Peckham, a cellist, educator, and experienced arts administrator will take up the role at the beginning of January 2024. Peckham is currently associate director and director of the chamber music workshop for the Perlman Music Program as well as chair of chamber music at the New England Conservatory.
The Ulster Orchestra has added the position of artistic director and deputy chief executive with the appointment of Patrick McCarthy, Ulster’s former principal trumpet and head of artistic planning. He will report to CEO Auveen Sands, the former corporate banker who was promoted from COO to the top job about one year ago.
British countertenor Andrew Watts is to succeed Ivan van Kalmthout as general director of the International Vocal Competition (IVC) ‘s-Hertogenbosch, effective September 1. Celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2024, the competition this year focuses on LiedDuo, with the live rounds scheduled to run October 10-15; baritone Bo Skovhus is chairman of the international jury. Past laureates range from Elly Ameling to Thomas Hampson to Pretty Yende.
Timo H. Buckow is the new artistic director of the annual Rheingau Musik Festival in Oestrich-Winkel, Germany. His arrival in fact is a return; he started his professional career in 2006 in the artistic administration department of the festival. Buckow has been working his way up the ladder ever since, with occasional forays elsewhere—including Pro Arte Frankfurt and Wiesbaden Musik.
Ottavio Dantone is to be the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music’s next music director and succeeds Alessandro De Marchi, artistic director of the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music, whose 47th edition, focusing on Vivaldi concluded at the end of August. De Marchi recently was presented with the Ring of Honor of the City of Innsbruck by the Mayor for his many years of service. Current Operations Director Mag. Eva-Maria Sens will take over as artistic director.
Shauna Quill, current executive director of the New York Youth Symphony (NYSS), is to succeed Scott Reed as president and CEO of the Music Academy, formerly known as the Music Academy of the West. Quill’s 12 years at the helm of NYYS included introducing new programs for NYC teenage students; forming partnerships with Interlochen, Harlem School of the Arts, and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, among others; and expanding the orchestra’s repertoire. She has also raised its profile considerably, including performances on CBS Sunday Morning, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and CNN.
Carlo Fuortes, who resigned as head of the Italian public broadcaster RAI last May, is in at Teatro San Carlo in Naples as general manager. Prior to his RAI job, Fuortes was superintendent of the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma.
Isaac Thompson, managing director of the New York Philharmonic, is to be the next president and CEO of the Oregon Symphony, moving from No. 2 at the former to No. 1 in Oregon. He starts in October. Thompson’s accomplishments in New York are impressive: playing a key role in planning both Van Zweden’s inaugural season as well as the orchestra’s initial season in the new David Geffen Hall. He’s also responsible for the NY Phil Bandwagon, a big hit during the pandemic, as well as a variety of other community-in reach projects and the Nightcap contemporary music series.
Overture Center for the Arts has selected Jenie Dahlmann as chief marketing and communications officer, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on July 5, 2023. Dahlmann most recently served as the director of marketing & engagement at the Younes & Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts in Northridge, CA, where she was responsible for securing $2.5M in earned revenue and $500k in contributed revenue.
The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance (DPAA) has chosen Brandon Ragland as Dayton Ballet’s artistic director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on August 1, 2023. Ragland, a seasoned ballet professional with over 15 years of experience, joins Dayton from the esteemed Louisville Ballet. During his tenure there, he excelled as a principal dancer, skillfully managed the Louisville Ballet School’s pre-professional program, and contributed his creative prowess as a resident choreographer.
The Young People’s Chorus of New York City announced the appointment of Michael Fraccaro as chair of its board of directors, which he joined in 2018. Mr. Fraccaro currently serves as the chief people officer (CPO) for Mastercard, where his proven ability to grow organizations through innovative approaches aligns with YPC’s vision to strengthen and expand its impact among youth and throughout the chorus industry.
Jensen Artists announced the appointment of Gina Meola to the role of vice president of artist management and booking. Effective immediately, Meola will be promoted from director of artist bookings to her new role. Having joined Jensen Artists in 2015 as the agency’s first booking agent, Meola has, for the last eight years, worked to shape the careers of Jesen Artists’ artists and ensembles, all with a dedication to bringing classical music to the widest possible audience.
July 2023
West Virginia’s Wheeling Symphony Orchestra (WSO) has hired Sonja Thoms as its new executive director. Thoms has been VP of operations for the Nashville Symphony since 2015. She holds an MM in oboe performance from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University and has performed with Lucerne Academy Orchestra, the New World Symphony, and Alarm Will Sound, among others. In 2019, she launched OrchestraCareers.com, a mentoring/job hunting website.
San Diego Opera has a new chief development director in Llewellyn Crain, who comes to the organization from the city’s Old Globe theatre, where she has been director of philanthropy since 2016. Across her seven-year tenure there, she is credited with increasing the donor pool by 200 percent and the annual fund by over 40 percent and helping to restore the organization’s finances, post-pandemic. In her new job, she’ll have many of the same duties, as well as overseeing special events. She’ll report to General Director David Bennett and becomes part of the senior staff.
The Louisville Youth Orchestra (LYO), now in its 65th year, has announced the appointment of Matthew Vanover as executive director. He arrives from a similar position at the Immanuel School of Music at Immanuel Church in Louisville. LYO currently serves some 250 students who play in various ensembles, from chamber to full orchestra, and train under a staff of 15.
The Shed has hired the CEO of the Boston Ballet, Meredith Hodges, for the same role. The move is necessitated by Alex Poots’s decision in January to focus solely on matters artistic rather than attempting to continue as both CEO and artistic director. Poots will report to Hodges, also known as Max. Hodges, a Harvard MBA, has a pretty stunning track record. In Boston, she increased the endowment from $14 million to $36 million during her nine-year tenure; the 60-year-old company’s attendance record in 2022-23, of 170,000, was its second highest on record.
Ballet Hispánico, which self-defines as the largest Latinx/Latine/Hispanic cultural organization in the U.S., comprised of a dance company, school, and community-partnership hub, has created the new position of chief managing director and named Patrick Muhlen as its first appointee. He will report to Artistic Director & Chief Executive Officer Eduardo Vilaro, taking on all of the “executive office” functions. Muhlen, a lawyer with a BA from the University of Sydney, is the previous managing director of the Washington Ballet and chief development officer of the San Diego Opera. He has also worked in development for the Los Angeles and Houston Grand operas and, prior to moving to the U.S., held assorted financial directorships in the government of New South Wales.
The San Antonio Philharmonic, the new iteration of the defunct San Antonio Symphony, has named onetime local city council member and architect Roberto Treviño as its first ever executive director. He will move from his position on the Philharmonic board of directors to the administrative post. The orchestra describes him as a creative problem solver with a commitment to the arts, borne out in his former chairmanship of the City Council Arts and Culture Committee. The orchestra plans two performances each of ten programs in its first full, 2023-24 season.
Jennifer Ritvo Hughes exits as executive director of the Boston Baroque for the last four years to become CEO of the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic, a key fund-raising post for the Israeli orchestra of the same name. She succeeds Danielle Ames Spivak, in the job for 12 years. At Boston Baroque, Hughes was responsible for managing education, strategic planning, finances, operations and development. Previously she was executive director of the Boston-based Cantata Singers for over six years and, before that, director of publicity and coordination for the arts at Wellesley College, a position from which she ran the school’s concert series. She holds a BA from Wellesley and a BM from Brandeis University.
The Greeley (CO) Philharmonic Orchestra has moved Ben Barnhart, its acting executive director since February, to the position permanently. He succeeds Nick Kenney, who left in January for a job in financial planning. The GPO is a fully professional regional ensemble, said to be in business for over a century. Barnhart is a fund-raising executive and has worked with the county humane society, Iowa State University, the University of Northern Colorado, and the American Red Cross.
June 2023
As of October 1, 2023, Philip Setzer, violinist in the soon-to-retire Emerson String Quartet, takes the post of The Manchester (VT) Music Festival’s artistic director, with pianist Jenny Lin taking over from Betsy Bleakie as executive director. In addition to his work with the Emerson, Setzer is the Distinguished Professor of Violin and Chamber Music at SUNY Stony Brook and Visiting Faculty of the Cleveland Institute of Music. The festival he is about to take over boasts a teaching element at its core. Jenny Lin is a Steinway artist with some 50 recordings to her credit. She is on the faculty of the Mannes School at the New School.
The Los Angeles Children’s Chorus has brought Kurt J. Swanson on board as interim executive director. Swanson, over the last 30 years, has served on the business side of the Skylight Comic Opera, DanceCircus, and the Steppenwolf Theater, among others. Lately he has taken a particular interest in interim work, serving as interim general manager of The Broad Stage in Santa Monica and interim COO of The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, where he led the senior staff during a time of transition to a new CEO.
The Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra (SYSO) has named Andrew Krus as its next executive director, effective in August. Krus is a former SYSO board member whose experience includes 17 years as director of performing and visual arts at the Lakeside School in Seattle. His tenure there included capital campaigns for the renovation of two theaters and the launch of an orchestral education program. Krus succeeds Kathleen Allen, who left last fall after 12 years with the organization. SYSO is not affiliated with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra.
Sarah Curran, an arts consultant who has been acting as executive director of the University of Chicago’s presenting series, has moved into the position permanently. She succeeds Amy Iwano, who exited UChicago Presents (UCP) in 2021 to become executive and artistic director of Performance Santa Fe. Curran is identified as having broad experience across all the performing arts, the visual arts, and film. She is the former director of the Center for the Arts at Wesleyan University, where she simultaneously served as managing director of the Institute for Curatorial Practice in Performance (ICPP. For the eight previous years, Curran was with Stanford Arts as the director of programming and partnerships.
Jessica Zweig will succeed Co-founder Stanford Thompson as executive director of Play on Philly (POP), which brings music instruction to thousands of Philadelphia school children. She has been with the 13-year-old organization since 2016 and has played a key role in bringing the El Sistema-based program into the national limelight. She starts July 17.
Ravinia Steans Music Institute (RSMI), now in its 35th year as the educational arm of the famed summer festival, has appointed Midori to be artistic director of its piano and strings program, which runs June 23-July 24, 2024. She succeeds Miriam Fried, currently in her final season after having started in the job in 1994. Midori will oversee coaching and visiting faculty for a program geared to practice and performance by ensembles comprised of young string players and pianists. Part of her remit is recruitment.
The Florida Orchestra (TFO), which prides itself on being the largest orchestra in the state, has named the Spanish industrialist-cum-orchestra manager Ignacio Barrón Viela as its next CEO. Barrón Viela has been CEO of the Reno (NV) Philharmonic for the last nine months. Previously he served in the same capacity at the Billings (MT) Philharmonic, annual budget $2 million, for four years. TFO reports that he “doubled the symphony’s net worth and endowment” while there.
SFJAZZ has appointed Terence Blanchard to the newly created position of executive artistic director. The seven-time Grammy Winner and two-time Academy Award Nominee will oversee the organization’s artistic programming and creative direction, expand its digital platform, and further develop community engagement and educational offerings. A renowned composer, bandleader, and trumpet player, Blanchard has been a genre-stretching artist for more than 40 years whose work includes not only performing but writing film scores, crafting television series soundscapes, and, lately, conceiving grand operas. He has also taught at, among others, the Berklee Institute of Music, The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, and is Chair of Jazz Studies at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.
The Los Angeles–based experimental opera producer The Industry has selected Tim Griffin as its next executive director. He succeeds Cordelia Istel, who has served in an interim capacity. A former editor-in-chief of Artforum and onetime director of the Kitchen, Griffin was most recently a visiting professor in the art history and English departments at Ohio State University in Columbus. He remains a contributing editor of Artforum.
Michelle Williams, head of casting for the English National Opera since 2016, is to be the new director of artistic administration for the Garsington Opera as of next September. She succeeds Laura Canning, the new general director and CEO of Opera North. Williams, who studied singing at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, was previously with the Scottish Opera, most recently as head of casting. In comments, Artistic Director Douglas Boyd noted her “broad experience and skills” as essential in casting and developing young artists.
The Apollo, the iconic Harlem performing arts center dedicated to Black arts and culture, has tapped Michelle Ebanks as its next president and CEO. Recently in the same position with Essence Communications, she succeeds Jonelle Procope, whose tenure of more than two decades proved transformative for the 109-year-old institution. Ebanks brings to her new position an impressive record of achievement in print and electronic media. Beginning her career as corporate business manager for Condé Nast’s 13 titles, she then joined Time Inc., initially as the general manager and financial director for Money magazine. As vice president in Time Inc.’s corporate division, she led the acquisition of Essence and then assumed the position of CEO of Essence Communications.
Scott Guzielek has been named to lead The Academy of Vocal Arts; he has been the organization’s VP and general manager since 2019. He starts July 1, precisely four years after he first arrived from the Palm Beach Opera, where he was artistic director. Guzielek is credited with helping to guide AVA students through Covid-19 and increasing contributed and earned income. He holds a BA in vocal performance from the State University of New York College at Geneseo and an MA in arts management from American University.
Riley Nicholson will be the next executive director of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. Nicholson is the current executive director of the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA). Accomplishments during Nicholson’s three years at SoNA include forming a strategic plan, prioritizing DEI and community in-reach efforts, and increasing educational activity. Nicholson holds a master’s degree in composition from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and BA degrees in psychology and percussion from the University of Memphis.
Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music has hired Jonathan Bailey Holland as dean, starting in September and succeeding Toni-Marie Montgomery, who exits at summer’s end after 20 years in the job. Holland is the current head of the Carnegie Mellon University School of Music, a job he has held for less than one year. Holland’s works have been performed by the Cincinnati, Dallas, Detroit, and National symphonies, as well as contemporary ensembles such as Eighth Blackbird and Roomful of Teeth. Holland holds a Ph.D. in music from Harvard University and a BM from the Curtis Institute of Music, where his teachers included Ned Rorem, a Bienen alumnus. He is a native of Flint, MI.
The College of Fine Arts at The University of Texas at Austin has named Cuban and Latin American music scholar and administrator Susan Thomas as director of the Butler School of Music, effective July 1. Thomas joins the Butler School from the University of Colorado Boulder. She will hold the Florence Thelma Hall Centennial Chair in Music. Thomas received significant grant funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission for which she is leading research projects related to the music cultures of southern Colorado and photoplay music for silent film. While directing the AMRC, she also founded the journal, Americas: A Hemispheric Music Journal, for which she serves as editor-in-chief. Prior to coming to Boulder in 2018, she held a joint appointment in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music and the Institute for Women’s Studies at the University of Georgia.
May 2023
Sebastian Nordmann, director of the Konzerthaus and Konzerthaus Orchestra Berlin, is to be the next executive and artistic director of the Lucerne Festival, succeeding Michael Haefliger, who last fall said he would step down after 26 years at the end of 2025. Nordman, 52, starts on January 1, 2026, and will relocate to Lucerne. Nordmann has been with the Konzerthaus since 2009; previously he was artistic and executive director of the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and served as a consultant with the Boston Group in Berlin. In 2008 he is was appointed professor of Cultural Management at the Rostock University of Music and Theatre; he holds degrees in musicology and modern history gained in Heidelberg and Berlin.
The American Pianists Association (APA) has hired Chris Williams, executive VP of Concert Artists Guild of five years, to be its next CEO. He starts in July, relocating to Indianapolis and succeeding Peter Mraz, who resigned in July 2022; Joanne Bennett, who has been serving as interim, will return to her post as general manager. Prior to his appointment at CAG, Williams, 38, was for two years with Judson Management Group as vice president; before that he was with Frank Solomon Associates for six years as an artist manager. He holds an MM in viola from Yale, and a BM in viola from the University of North Texas.
Los Angeles Philharmonic has named its COO Daniel Song as interim CEO, effective immediately. The current CEO, Chad Smith, is to take that position with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and so will now move in LA to an advisement position. Song was previously LA Phil’s VP of Philharmonic and production for four years. Before that he was VP and general manager at the Aspen Music Festival and before that was with the LA Phil for eight years in development and artistic planning. He holds a BM from the University of Miami.
The Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, a broad musical education program that has impacted thousands of students across Southern California since its 1986 founding, has named Fred Meads to be its new associate artistic director. Meads, music director of the Princeton Boychoir, education director for the Westrick Music Academy, both in New Jersey, will conduct LACC’s Preparatory Choir and Intermediate Choir—two of the organization’s progressively advanced seven ensembles—and oversee LACC’s musicianship program. Meads will start on August 1, succeeding the retiring Mandy Brigham.
The American Youth Symphony (AYS) has appointed one of its former musicians to be its next executive director. She is Isabel Thiroux, who moved from the AYS viola section in 2007 to become an administrative assistant and then gradually worked her way up the ladder. She most recently had been serving as interim executive director, in the wake of Tara Aesquivel’s departure last June. In comments, Music Director Carlos Izcaray called her “an absolute pleasure to work with.” AYS was founded in 1964 by conductor Mehli Mehta.
Chad Smith, chief executive of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, is to be the next CEO of the Boston Symphony Orchestra; he will succeed his former colleague, Gail Samuel. Save for a brief stint with the New York Philharmonic, in 2006, Smith has been with the LA Phil since 2002 and in the top job for the last four years. As such, he has overseen an annual budget in excess of $150 million, including the Philharmonic, the Hollywood Bowl, Disney Hall, et. al. The BSO’s is in the neighborhood of $110 million, including Tanglewood.
Lawrence (Larry) Edelson, founding artistic and general director of the American Lyric Theater (ALT), has been announced as the new general director of the Chicago Opera Theater as of July 1. He will now run both organizations. In Chicago, Edelson succeeds Ashley Magnus, who announced her departure earlier this year; he arrives as COT prepares to launch its 50th-anniversary season. Meaghan Stainback Smallwood has served as interim general director; she will return to her previous position as COT’s director of development on September 1.
Courtney Beck, executive director of the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale, is to move to the same position with Alonzo King LINES Ballet, also based in the Bay Area. She takes the post held since 2019 by company co-founder (with King) and Creative Director Robert Rosenwasser, who will now focus more on creative matters. Rosenwasser had taken over on an interim basis from Karim Eric Baer, who left in 2017. Beck’s long tenure at PBO saw an increase in budget, programming, and audience reach. Prior to serving as the organization’s top executive, she oversaw its fundraising.
Toronto early music enterprise Tafelmusik has appointed Glenn Hodgins , current president and CEO of the Canadian Music Center, as its next executive director, as of June 21. Hodgins, who started his career over three decades ago as Tafelmusik’s touring and operations director, succeeds Carol Kehoe, who exited last June after four years in the job. Hodgins’s nine years at the CMC have led to major advances in fund raising, streaming, publishing, recording, and diversity work. “I am thrilled to return to Tafelmusik, where my career in arts administration began,” he said, noting the uniqueness of being a new leader of an organization “along with [having] a deep understanding of its past.”
Washington National Opera has made some staffing adjustments in artistic planning and production. Samuel Gelber has been promoted from director of artistic planning, a post he assumed in 2018 after working in the same capacity with the Los Angeles Opera, to director of artistic planning and operations. New to the company will be Chelsea Antrim Dennis, who arrives in August as director a production, a job she previously held with the Santa Fe Opera. The two are essentially dividing up the responsibilities previously overseen by Paul Horpedahl, a seasoned consultant in the area. Horpedahl has held the title of “temporary” director of artistic and production operations at WNO since last fall.
Ben Hartley, CEO and founder of Orama Consulting, whose clientele include “Fortune 500 and not-for-profit clients in luxury, media, lifestyle, and culture industries,” is to be the new executive director of Silkroad. He succeeds Kathy Fletcher, who served for three years in the job and has remained involved in a consulting capacity. Hartley’s most recent position was executive director of Manhattan’s 125-year-old National Arts Club, where he is credited with a new strategic plan, renovating the building, and creating arts programming “with a stronger focus on diversity and inclusiveness.”
The York Symphony Orchestra (PA) has named Anthony Wise as its new executive director, effective May 7. As the ensemble’s operations and personnel manager since 2021, Wise succeeds Michael Reichman, now the VP of artistic operations and general manager of the Charlotte (NC) Symphony Orchestra. Wise will be partnering with Lawrence Golan, the orchestra’s music director, to lead the 90-year-old ensemble of professional musicians that offers about ten classical and pops concerts annually on a budget of $1.1 million.
Keith Elder is to become the new president and CEO of the Grand Rapids Symphony as of July 1, 2023. He succeeds Mary Tuuk Kuras, who retired in December 2022; Chuck Frayer has been serving as interim. Elder joins the Grand Rapids ensemble from Oklahoma, where he has been the top man at the Tulsa Symphony for four years. Previous postings include senior management positions at the Aspen Music Festival and School, Eastman School of Music, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops, and directing jazz and popular music concerts at Tanglewood Music Center.
Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra (CYSO), which serves some 10,000 young musicians annually, both at its own facilities and in schools, has named a new executive director in Jennie Oh Brown. She succeeds Susan Lappe, who left in November after five years in the job to become VP of development for the Harris Theatre for Music and Dance. Brown most recently was artistic director with Epiphany Center for the Arts, a landmark venue for which she produced both concerts and educational programs. Before that she was executive and artistic director of Ear Taxi Festival in 2021; founder, director, and faculty member of Credo Flute; and taught at Wheaton College and Elmhurst University. She is on the board of Chamber Music of America.
April 2023
Jenny Mollica will assume the post of interim chief executive of the English National Opera (ENO) next September, succeeding Stuart Murphy, who announced plans to leave last fall. Director of strategy and engagement since 2020, Mollica has been leading the company’s transition and business planning in response to Arts Council England’s mandate that it establish a primary locus of activity outside London, developing new digital programs and strategic partnerships that last year increased and enhanced the engagement with communities throughout the U.K.
John Kieser, longtime executive VP and provost for the New World Symphony, current director of partnerships for Idagio, will relocate en famille from Germany to Calgary to become president and CEO of Honens, a triennial piano competition and summer festival. He arrives in July, succeeding Neil Edwards, now CEO of Peggy’s Cove for Arts and Culture in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Marketing and Communications Director Amanda Smith has been serving as interim since November. Pianist Jon Kimura Parker remains artistic director.
Piper Gunnarson, executive director of On Site Opera since 2017, has been promoted to the post of general director and CEO, effective May 1. She moves into the top administrative position, soon to be vacated by co-founder and Artistic Director Eric Einhorn. He’ll remain with the company through 2023, with the search for a new artistic director underway. Gunnarson is credited with increasing the staff to seven and more than doubling the budget. Board size and character has also grown, with DEI a particular priority. In comments, Einhorn noted her “vision, leadership, and dedication to our mission.”
The Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) has appointed stage director J.J. Hudson as interim artistic director of its Opera Theater. He will start next fall, stepping in for Dean Southern, now the school’s dean and VP of academic and student affairs. Hudson comes to Cleveland from Georgia State University in Atlanta, where he has been Professor of Practice in Opera since fall 2021. Before that, he served as a guest director with a number of professional and conservatory opera companies. He recently staged Dialogues of the Carmelites at CIM.
Stanford Thompson, founder and former executive director of Philly Pops, is to be the first executive director of Equity Arc, a new membership organization formerly known as the National Instrumentalist Mentoring & Advancement Network (NIMAN), which self-defines as “a national coalition that works to align, promote, and develop equitable opportunities for musicians of color.” NIMAN had its first convention last month in Cincinnati.
Laura Canning, director of artistic administration at Garsington Opera, is to be the new general director and CEO of Opera North, succeeding Richard Mantle, who is retiring after 29 years in the job. Canning has been with Garsington—a two-month summer festival on the Wormsley Estate in Buckinghamshire, U.K.—for ten years. Previously, she was artistic administrator at Welsh National Opera until 2008, and with the Houston Grand Opera as director of the Opera Studio young artist training program.
The Saint Louis Symphony has hired Paul Pietrowski as its new COO, effective 10 April 2023; Pietrowski most recently was orchestra, production, and operations manager of the Cincinnati Symphony for six years. He held a similar position with the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, and before that taught music in Virginia and North Carolina. He holds an MM in trombone performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
The Pacific Opera Project (POP) has a new executive director in Katherine Powers, founding director of vocal arts at California School of the Arts. She is also a vocal coach and singer who has performed with POP in the past. She’ll oversee all administrative aspects, working alongside founder and Artistic Director Josh Shaw. “I’ve been performing with POP since its second season and have watched them grow from an irreverent start-up to a genuine culture-maker in Los Angeles,” Katherine said, citing the company’s “unique mix of ransacked classics, rediscovered gems, and provocative new works,” as well as its educational programs.”
Brad Cohen, a native of Sydney, is to be the next general director of the New Zealand Opera (NZO). The former artistic director of the West Australian Opera, he is an active guest conductor of opera and symphonic repertoire, as well as a music editor and publisher. In New Zealand, he succeeds Thomas de Mallet Burgess, in the job for five years before being named artistic director of opera at the Finnish National Opera and Ballet as of August 2023.
Alessio Vlad has added the Regio Theater of Parma to his long list of artistic directorships. Effective immediately, he will hold the post for the next three years, working with the new house Superintendent Luciano Messi. Vlad has been artistic director of the Rome Opera (2010 to 2022), the Ravello Festival (2020), Donizetti Theater of Bergamo (1999), Carlo Felice Theater in Genoa (1999 to 2001), Theater of the Muses of Ancona (2004 to 2014), San Carlo Theater in Naples (2006 to 2007). He served as a consultant to the Spoleto Festival of the Two Worlds (2008 to 2020) and to the Royal Opera House of Oman (2011) and is the current artistic director of the Marche Opera Network.
March 2023
Emma Stenning is to be the new chief executive of The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) as of April 3, 2023. She succeeds Stephen Maddock, who leaves after almost 24 years to become principal at the Royal Birmingham Conservatory. Her arrival coincides with that of Kazuki Yamada, the CBSO’s new chief conductor and artistic advisor. Her most recent post has been as executive director of Toronto’s Soulpepper Theater. Her impressive credentials also include roles as chief executive of Bristol Old Vic, executive director of Battersea Arts Center, head of theater at Arts Council England, and cultural program advisor for the London Organizing Committee for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Henry Filloux-Bennett has been announced of the new executive director of Opera North, effective in May. He succeeds David Collins, in the role since October of 2021. Filloux-Bennett Henry is the current executive director and deputy CEO of HOME arts center in Manchester. Among his other past administrative jobs, he served as a producer and general manager for the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Filloux-Bennett is an author and playwright whose credits include What a Carve Up!, chosen as one of the Guardian’s Top 10 theater shows in 2020. A year later he adapted Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, which has been subsequently viewed in over 70 countries.
Camerata Zürich has announced violinist Esther Hoppe as its next artistic director, succeeding Igor Karsko, as of the 2025-26 season. A soloist, chamber musician, and professor of violin at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, the Swiss violinist is the former first concertmaster of the Munich Chamber Orchestra and prize winner of the International Mozart Competition in Salzburg. With the Tecchler Trio, she has won the German Music Competition, the Prix Credit Suisse, and first prize at the ARD competition in Munich.
Seattle Opera has announced two new appointments starting this month. Marissa Betz-Zall becomes the company’s new chief financial officer (CFO), with Angela Gist as chief operations officer (COO). The new appointees take over from Jane Repensek, who had served as both COO and CFO since 2017. Betz-Zall started work with Seattle Opera in 2013 as a senior accountant and later as a controller. As associate director of finance from 2019 to 2021, she helped steer the company through the pandemic, securing over $11 million in relief funding. In 2021, she left the company to work as CFO client consultant for the remote finance platform RADAR Nonprofit Solutions, where she oversaw the onboarding of multiple new organizations, including Seattle Opera. Returning now as CFO, she will oversee a $25 million budget and be responsible for new funding strategies and ensuring the company’s financial health. Angela Gist joined Seattle Opera in 2021 as director of human resources. As one of the company’s COVID site monitors, over the last two years she was part of a response team that ensured that a not a single performance was cancelled as a result of COVID. Before joining Seattle Opera, she was artistic director of Vashon Center for the Arts and managing director of Freehold Theatre. As COO, she will work with the board to chart the company’s future and oversee the company’s facilities, IT, and HR departments.
Robert van Leer, most recently VP of artistic planning at the Kennedy Center, is to be the new executive director and CEO of California’s Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performng Arts as of April 1. He succeeds Rachel Fine, who left in August and is now heading up the Yale Schwarzman Center. Van Leer’s accomplishments at the Kennedy Center, where he oversaw a $90 million budget, include the launch in 2019 of REACH, the indoor/outdoor space geared to community and new-artist interaction, and the introduction of hip hop and social impact programming.
The Colorado Symphony Orchestra (CSO), which celebrates its centennial during the 2023-24 season, has announced that as of May 8, Mark Cantrell will be the ensemble’s new chief executive officer. He succeeds Jerome H. Kern, who retired as CEO and board chairman in September of 2021. For the past 18 months, Coreen Miller, the CSO’s chief financial officer and chief operating officer, has served in an interim capacity. Cantrell is coming to Colorado from the Florida Orchestra, where he has been president and CEO. He had previously headed up the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. Earlier positions included administrative jobs with several Boston music organizations, teaching positions at Boston University and the University of Massachusetts, and performing as a bass trombonist.
Julie Kent, artistic director of the Washington Ballet since 2016, will join the Houston Ballet as its first-ever co-artistic director next July, sharing the pivotal role with the current Stanton Welch. A 30-year member of the American Ballet Theater, and as such the longest serving ballerina in ABT’s history, Kent, 53, has danced in more than 100 ballets by some of the most noted choreographers in history. In Washington, she is credited with 27 commissions and with bringing not only new but modern classics to the repertoire.
Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival (CCCMF), founded in 1979 by pianist Samuel Sanders, announced the appointment of Ray Salva as its new executive director. A seasoned non-profit professional and year-round resident of Osterville, he assumes the position from long-time Executive Director Elaine Lipton, who has been serving most recently in an emeritus role. With more than 20 years of experience working in the performing arts, museum, and social advocacy sectors, Salva has held leadership roles with organizations ranging from Boston’s Handel & Haydn Society to New York City’s American Museum of Natural History. Prior to joining the Festival, he served as the sole development officer for Cape Cod’s largest arts organization, Cape Symphony.
The Guthrie Theater (Guthrie) has selected Tracy Brigden as senior artistic producer, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on October 31, 2022. Brigden arrived at the Guthrie having accumulated over 20 years of experience as a dynamic artistic leader and artist in Broadway, off-Broadway, and regional theaters. Previously, Brigden served as artistic director at City Theatre Company. During her 16-year tenure, she developed and expanded upon the theatrical offerings and programs that have elevated the company to its respected place as a major incubator for innovative plays and musicals.
February 2023
MacDowell, one of the oldest artist residency programs in the U.S., has tapped Chiwoniso Kaitano as its new executive director, the organization announced Friday. Kaitano joins MacDowell with a mandate to “intensify outreach to traditionally underrepresented artistic voices,” among other charges, a release said. Kaitano is the former executive director of Girl Be Heard, a nongovernmental organization that uses theater and the performing arts to advocate for social change. Originally from Zimbabwe, she also serves on the boards of several arts organizations.
Finnish violist Lilli Maijala, head of the viola faculty at her alma mater the Sibelius Academy, has added the Zurich University of the Arts to her CV, where she will start in fall as professor of viola. Maijala is a specialist in contemporary repertoire and performs in an experimental-quartet lab with violinists Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Pekka Kuusisto, and cellist Pieter Wispelwey. She is also a member of the Valo Quartet.
Flutist/composer Valerie Coleman will join the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music (MSM) next fall; she will teach flute, composition, and chamber music.
Violist Lech Antonio Uszynsk arrives on the faculty of The Royal Conservatoire The Hague next September. A member of the Stradivari Quartet since 2010 and an international soloist, he has a recordings catalog that includes Steve Reich’s quartets Different Trains and Triple Quartet for Warner Classics, chamber music versions of Mahler Symphonies Nos. 1 and 4, and a solo album, Progetto Gibson, for Sony Classical.
The University of Arkansas’ Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences has appointed bassoonist Lia Uribe as chair of its department of music, which offers a BM degree in vocal and instrumental performance as well as conducting, composing, music education, music history, and jazz.
Opéra de Lausanne has appointed Claude Cortese, current artistic director at Opéra national du Rhin in Strasbourg, to be its next director as of July 1, 2024. He succeeds Eric Vigié, who will have been in the job 20 years. A musician by training, Cortese, 51, first came to Opéra de Lausanne at age 19, as a stage manager. Later he was production manager at the Grand Théâtre de Genève. Before his current, Strasbourg job, Cortese was artistic director of the Opéra national de Lorraine in Nancy, and before that Angers Nantes Opéra.
Paolo Petrocelli resigned after three years as founding director general of the Stauffer Academy in Cremona to become the new head of the Dubai Opera House, a multi-genre presenter. He started the job in the United Arab Emirates in February. Petrocelli is former associate director at MG Artists and Advisor for International Development and Special Projects at Royal Opera House Muscat in Oman. He has also served as assistant to the superintendent for international development and external relations of Fondazione Teatro dell’Opera di Roma and Director of International Projects at Oregon Music Festival.
The Robert McDuffie Center for Strings in Mercer University’s Townsend School of Music in Macon, GA, is welcoming back two cellists as new members of its faculty. Next autumn, Sihao He, who received an undergraduate degree from the Center in 2015 before continuing his studies at Northwestern’s Bienen School of Music, will join the faculty as distinguished artist and lead cello teacher. Joining Sihao on the faculty will be his mentor, Hans Jørgen Jensen. “I am coming back because I really love the Center, but also because I want to support Sihao He,” Jensen said. “Sihao and I have worked together for many years…. [He] is an incredible cellist and teacher.”
Alexander Brose has been selected to succeed Peter Simon as president & CEO of Canada’s Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) in August of 2024. As of next fall, he’ll serve as president designate until with Simon retires at the end of the school year. Brose was the inaugural executive director and CEO of the Tianjin Juilliard School until the end of the last school year. His skills as a Mandarin speaker, student of Asian studies, and onetime professional vocalist helped him establish a footprint for Juilliard in China. Prior to his five-year term there he was VP for development at the Aspen Music Festival and School in Colorado and, before that, a senior manager at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Oregon Ballet Theater, approaching its 35th anniversary and including a school with an enrollment of over 300, has named choreographer Danielle (Dani) Rowe as its next artistic director, effective presently. She succeeds Peter Franc, who has been serving as interim since 2021. The company also has a new executive director in Shane Jewell, who came on board in January after serving as general manager of the New York City-based Gibney Company, a contemporary ensemble.
Flutist Tara Helen O’Connor, a highly credentialled performer and pedagogue, has been appointed visiting associate professor, adjunct, at the Yale School of Music, effective next fall. A contemporary music champion, she has premiered hundreds of works, is a member of the Windscape woodwind quintet and the Bach Aria Group, and has played as a substitute in the New York Philharmonic, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.
Violist Paul Laraia, a member of the Catalyst Quartet and artist-in-residence of Chamber Music Northwest, has joined the faculty as an associate professor at the Boston Conservatory of Music at Berklee. Laraia is a first-prize winner of the 2019 Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition and the 2011 Sphinx Competition and has performed as a soloist with a number of U.S. orchestras.
South Korean pianist HieYon Choi has joined the Peabody Conservatory faculty, arriving from her tenured position as chair of the piano department at Seoul National University. Known for her two complete cycles of Beethoven sonatas, performed internationally, plus a cycle of his complete chamber works with piano, she has recorded works by Liszt, Debussy, Beethoven, and Chopin, and given lectures and master classes Stateside and in Europe.
German soprano Juliane Banse is to succeed Susan Bullock as head professor of the “Alfredo Kraus” Fundación Ramón Areces Voice Chair at Madrid’s Reina Sofia School of Music as of the 2023-2024 academic year. With an unusually wide range of repertoire, from the Marschallin to Donna Elvira, Banse comes to Madrid after several years teaching at the Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf and the University Mozarteum Salzburg.
Last fall, tubist Aaron Tindall joined the brass faculty of the Colburn School. He is particularly active in the state of Florida, serving as principal tubist of the Naples Philharmonic, Sarasota Orchestra, and associate professor of tuba and euphonium at the Frost School of Music, University of Miami.
Theater and opera director Mary Birnbaum is to be the new general and artistic director of Opera Saratoga, whose origins date back some 60 years (it was previously known as Lake George Opera). She succeeds Larry Edelson, who announced in May that he would be exiting at the close of last summer’s season. Birnbaum teaches acting for singers at the Juilliard School, serving as dramatic advisor to the MM and diploma programs at the Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts. She will continue her work there as she adds Opera Saratoga to her portfolio.
Aviel Cahn, general director of the Grand Théâtre de Genève, has been named intendant of Deutsche Oper Berlin as of August, 2026. He succeeds Dietmar Schwarz, whose contract expires one year prior. Cahn, VP of Opera Europa for three years, up until last June, has been with Geneva since 2019. Prior to that he was for ten years intendant of Belgium Opera Ballet Vlaanderen; he’s also served as managing director of the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, director of opera for Stadttheater Bern, and held positions with the Finnish National Opera and the China National Symphony Orchestra. He holds a doctor of law from Zurich University.
Clare Fox Hillard, music director and conductor of the Albany (GA) Symphony Orchestra, is the new president of the International Conductors Guild. Elected for a two-year term during the ICG’s recent three-day conference in Valencia, Spain, he succeeds Julius P. Williams. Hillard, a native of Grand Rapids, MI, made his podium debut at 18 and went on to earn masters and doctoral degrees from the University of Iowa. He received additional training from notable conductors such as Leonard Slatkin, Pierre Boulez, Maurice Abravanel, and Jorge Mester.
Olivier Py is to be the new artistic director of Paris’s Théâtre du Châtelet. Py, former director of the Avignon Festival, is something of a cultural hero, and news of his appointment had been deemed “a sure promise of audacity, joy, surprises and impertinence,” by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo. In addition to heading the Festival d’Avignon from 2014 to 2022, Py is a playwright, director of opera and plays, author, actor, and singer. Quite understandably, Châtelet Board Chair Xavier Couture called him a “major figure in the performing arts.”
The Washington Chorus has announced that Anthony Salvi-Exner its new executive director. He previously sang with The Washington Chorus and was a board member before his appointment as interim executive director in August 2022. He brings 30 years of executive leadership experience working in a variety of organizations, having held several CEO positions, including most recently at VMD Corp, a professional services company.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG announced that Heran Sereke-Brhan, Ph.D. has joined the firm as vice president, practice leader to support the Strategic Planning & Community Engagement service area. Based in ACG’s Washington, DC, location, Sereke-Brhan brings to the firm vast expertise in change management, community development, strategic visioning, and grant-making programs within the arts and culture and government sectors.
Pratt Fine Arts Center has selected Jessica Borusky as executive director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). They began their tenure on January 13, 2023. Borusky arrives to the visual arts organization as a cultural leader whose practice is grounded in community building and equitable, accessible art education.
An experienced leader in arts advocacy, operations, and education, Shannon Kelly joins the Virginia Symphony Orchestra as vice president of development and operations following her tenure as senior director of government affairs at the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. In this role, Kelly delivered an increase in local, state, and federal public funding to support the Foundation’s programs, including the Institute for Early Learning through the Arts and Wolf Trap Opera.
January 2023
The Boston Symphony Orchestra has named Ed Gazouleas as interim director of the Tanglewood Music Center. Gazouleas is the current provost of the Curtis Institute and was for 24 years a member of the BSO viola section. He was active in key roles such as chairing the orchestra’s artistic advisory committee, and serving on the search committee that chose Andris Nelsons as music director. He’s been on the TMC faculty for 18 seasons, as well as the faculties of a number of other conservatories, including Jacobs School of Music at IU, New England Conservatory, and, of course, the Curtis Institute, of which he is an alumnus.
The Pittsburgh Ballet Theater (PBT) has hired Adam McKinney, 46, as its new artistic director as of March 15. McKinney, currently an associate professor of dance at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, attended the Milwaukee Ballet School and Butler University before dancing with the Milwaukee Ballet for five years. He appeared as well in New York with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet. He has also taught at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater School.
Soprano Melody Moore is to be the new artistic administrator of the San Diego Opera, reporting to General Director David Bennett and succeeding not one but two individuals: Dominic Domingo, now a senior agent at Askonas Holt, and Jordanna Rose, current director of artistic operations for Opera Colorado. Moore will continue her singing career alongside her new post. At San Diego Opera, she will be working with Joan Foster, director of production and artistic administration.
Peter Kjome, who exited his post as president and CEO of the Baltimore Symphony a year ago, has been hired by the Phoenix Symphony for the same position, effective February 1. He succeeds Suzanne Wilson, in the job two years. Formerly in marketing and strategic planning at 3M, Kjome holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and is an alumnus of the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Sam Jackson will leave his current position as executive VP of Global Classics & Jazz at Universal Music Group to become the new controller of BBC Radio 3, a position from which he will oversee the network as well as the BBC Proms, which his new employer defines as “the world’s biggest classical music festival.” Prior to UMG, Jackson was for 15 years with Global, said to be Europe’s largest radio company.
Opera Omaha has appointed Allison Swenson, development director at Santa Fe Opera, as its next general director. She succeeds Roger Weitz, who announced his intention to move on last May. Swenson, 37, has been with Santa Fe since 2013; at one time she was assistant to former General Director Charles MacKay, who gives her a tremendous vote of confidence in a recent article in the Omaha World Herald. Swenson was among 40 individuals who applied for the job. She starts in mid-February.
Juan José Escalante, executive director of the National Dance Institute (NDI), a noted arts-education program, is the new executive director of the Miami City Ballet as of February 6. He succeeds Tania Castroverde Moskalenko, who left in 2022 after four years in the job. He will work with Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez, overseeing all matters administrative with a focus on expanding the company, one of the country’s most prestigious, as well as its school. Also mentioned in his remit are “a digital transformation of the organization, both internally and on our stages,” as well increased community-engagement activity and touring.
KMFA Classical, an independent public classical radio station in Austin, TX, has appointed George Preston as its new CEO. Preston arrives after serving for the last three years as VP of radio and GM of WFMT, Chicago, a high-profile classical outlet for which he initially hosted and produced the internationally syndicated Lyric Opera of Chicago broadcasts. Also on his CV is host and music director at WNYC, New York City’s primary NPR station, a tenure at Boson’s WBUR, and an impressive opera career singing such roles as Papageno in The Magic Flute and leads in The Marriage of Figaro, Kiss Me Kate, and The Music Man.
The Royal Albert Hall has appointed James Ainscough as its new chief executive officer, effective in the late spring of 2023. He succeeds Craig Hassall, who stepped down on December 16, 2022 to become president and chief executive of Playhouse Square in Cleveland, OH. Dan Freeman, the Hall’s chief operating officer, will continue to act as Interim CEO until Ainscough arrives. The appointment reunites Ainscough with an institution he served from January 2008 to December 2017, first as director of finance and administration and then as chief operating officer. Since leaving RAH, he served as CEO of Help Musicians, a charity for both working and retired professional musicians of all genres.
Jean Davidson, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Master Chorale since 2015, is to succeed Gary Ginstling as executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra, effective April 1. At the 58-year-old Master Chorale, she grew the budget by 50 percent from 2015-2019; her fund-raising prowess came into view most recently when she secured the Chorale’s largest gift ever: $2.55 million in unrestricted funds from the Perenchio Foundation as part of a successful pandemic recovery effort.
Chris Lorway, executive and artistic director of Stanford Live, California University’s presenting series (200 performances/four venues), is to be the next president and CEO of the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, effective in April. He succeeds Janice Price, who announced in July 2019 that she would not be renewing her contract when it expires in March of 2023. Lorway, 49, is a native of Cape Breton, off Nova Scotia, and is a Canadian citizen. Prior to Stanford Live, he was for two years director of programming and marketing at The Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall—home to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
The New York City Ballet has hired Alexei Ratmansky as artist in residence—a new position for this company—beginning in August, just two months after he leaves ABT. With an initial contract of five years, he is committed to create at least one new work a year, with the first planned to make its debut during the winter portion of NYCB’s 2023-24, 75th-anniversary season.
Atlanta Ballet has selected Juliana Han Witt as chief advancement officer, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on June 26, 2022. Prior to joining Atlanta Ballet, Witt held senior roles in various renowned cultural institutions including The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Metropolitan Opera, and National Dance Institute.
The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO) has selected Michael Reichman as vice president of artistic operations and general manager, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on January 9, 2023. Prior to joining the CSO, Reichman served as executive director for the York Symphony Orchestra (YSO) in York, PA.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Hywel W. Sims has joined the firm as senior vice president to expand the Planning and Capacity Building area of the firm. Based in ACG’s New Orleans location, Sims brings 30 years of expertise in the U.S., U.K., and Australia in leading and building support for organizations, including during times of financial challenges, contractions, and growth, as well as in responding community needs in the arts and social service sectors.
December 2022
Arts Access, an editorial partnership between KERA and The Dallas Morning News, has hired multimedia journalist Samantha Guzman as its editor.. Launched in October, the new community journalism effort has embraced the mission of providing “arts, music and culture coverage in North Texas through the lens of equity and access.” Guzman, daughter of immigrants from the Dominican Republic, grew up in Grand Prairie, TX, and received degrees in photojournalism and journalism from the University of North Texas. She has worked previously at KERA, the Dallas affiliate of NPR and PBS, as associate producer for a midday talk show, and is currently executive editor of a community journal specializing in visual storytelling at Austin PBS.
Brooklyn’s much-heralded new music venue National Sawdust has announced a new managing director in Ana De Archuleta, who has for the last year been director of artistic operations. In turn, Kim Chan, deputy director and head of external affairs, is now senior director, and senior producer Alexander Barnes steps up to director of artistic operations and artistic administrator.
The Charlotte Symphony, founded in 1932, now with 62 full-time professional musicians, has announced its new VP of artistic operations and general manager, reporting to President and CEO David Fisk. He is Michael Reichman, who has been serving as executive director of the York (PA) Symphony for seven years. Reichman holds an MM of music in conducting from the New England Conservatory and is a professional musician, having this past year played second flute for the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra’s transatlantic partnership with the Bayerische Philharmonie. He simultaneously served as Denver’s general manager.
City of London Sinfonia (CLS), now its 51st season, has a new CEO arriving in April 2023. She is Rowan Rutter, known primarily for her work as a theater producer and administrator. She arrives after serving as executive director and joint chief executive at HighTide, which specializes in mounting new work. She succeeds Elaine Baines, the orchestra’s COO who has been serving as interim.
Anastasia Tsioulcas, a staff cultural correspondent for NPR, joined The New York Times’s freelance classical music reviewing staff November 2022. She remains fulltime at NPR as well. Previously, Tsioulcas, originally from Boston, was editor of Sony Music Entertainment’s online magazine Ariama and a freelance journalist for a number of music outlets, including Billboard and Gramophone. She was on staff at BMG Music for four years, working in classical music, jazz, and world music. Tsioulcas holds a BA in Comparative Religion from Barnard College.
The Virginia Symphony Orchestra (VSO) has a new president and CEO in Andrea F. Warren, in the job since early December. She succeeds Karen M. Philion, who announced in April that she would be leaving after over a decade in the job. Warren, the first black woman to lead a professional American orchestra, arrives with significant experience in education administration. Her most recent position was executive director of the Governor’s School for the Arts in Norfolk, VA, which offers after-school programs in the performing and visual arts. She also served as principal of Norfolk’s Plaza Middle School and assistant principal of Bayside High/Middle School.
Opera and music theater director Jo Davies is to be the new artistic director of Opera Australia, effective in November of 2023 and succeeding Lyndon Terracini, who was in the job 13 years before opting out of a contract renewal. He left prematurely in October. Davies, whose experience ranges from operas at Covent Garden to musicals at the Barbican, will relocate to Sydney in fall of 2023. The remit of Allan’s new hire is to focus on native talent and “reflect the Australian community and spirit.”
Violinist Curtis Stewart, also a composer and genre-bending improvisor, is to succeed composer Derek Bermel as artistic director of the American Composers Orchestra. A graduate of the Eastman School with a degree in mathematics, Stewart has a wide-ranging career, and is well-regarded among the new music intelligentsia. Performance activity ranges from glittery onstage miked appearances with orchestra to teaching chamber music at the Juilliard School and the Perlman Music Program to performing on the New York Philharmonic “Bandwagon” series.
Glenn Briffa has been installed as CFO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, having served as interim since July, when he succeeded Karen Sturges. Briffa will oversee the financial, information technology, and office administration functions of the largest-budget orchestra in the United States, currently reported at $148 million. He arrives to the job after two years as a finance consultant to small and medium sizes businesses. Prior to that he was CFO of a number of New York City-based firms, including We’re Magnetic LLC, MediaLink, TBA Global, Bono’s (RED), and, from 2003-10, Viacom Music Group. Briffa lives in New Jersey and holds a BS in finance and economics from NYU and an MBA in finance from Pace University.
The League of American Orchestras has appointed Andrew Clark, recent director of finance for Philadelphia’s Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence, as VP, finance and administration. He succeeds Marc Martin, now with the Dance Theater of Harlem. Clark will oversee the League’s finances, human resources, and information technology.
Lee Bynum, VP of impact at Minnesota Opera for two years, is to be the chief of education for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) as of February 1. The description of his role by LCPA is nonspecific, other than to say he “will build upon the organization’s storied history and re-imagine the role of education at Lincoln Center.” In Minnesota, Bynum was in charge of community learning, education, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Prior to that, he was at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation as associate director of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship program, administering DEI grants to colleges and universities. Bynum holds graduate and undergraduate degrees in history and education from Columbia University and was his alma mater’s assistant director of the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race. He also spent a year as a visiting scholar at Caritas Francis Hsu College in Hong Kong.
Violinist and new-music champion Jennifer Koh is the new artistic director of the Kennedy Center’s Fortas Chamber Music Concerts. The appointment is effective immediately into spring of 2026, with her first fully programmed season in 2024-25. In welcoming her, KenCen President Deborah Rutter expressed confidence that Koh would build on Kalichstein’s legacy, while at the same time “push us forward in her artistic vision.”
Erik Finley, vice president and general manager of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra since 2017, is to move to the position of vice president of artistic planning for the Minnesota Orchestra, a post in which he’ll be leading the artistic and digital teams, working with Music Director Designate Thomas Søndergård. He starts January 30, 2023, reporting to President and CEO Michelle Miller Burns.
November 2022
Fort Worth Opera announced that its new general director would be soprano Angela Turner Wilson, who will hold the additional title of artistic director. With stage credits including the New York City, D.C., and Portland opera companies, along with Fort Worth, Wilson, 51, is associate professor of professional practice in voice at Texas Christian University and chair of the vocal arts division. Wilson holds an MM in Vocal Performance from the New England Conservatory. She starts December 12.
Sheri Notaro has joined the Minnesota Orchestra as its first vice president of people and culture. Her charge—to provide “strategic direction and tactical support” for human resources and lead anti-racism initiatives. Although new to the orchestra world, Notaro is a seasoned pro when it comes to diversity work. She served the Institute of Social Research at the University of Michigan as senior leader and previously held positions in human resources and diversity and inclusion programs.
Sarah Caggiano, recent executive director of continuing and expanded education at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), has joined the New England Conservatory with a mandate to expand its Preparatory School (NEC Prep) offerings as well as its adult education, summer, and other non-degree-granting programs. The school cites part of her job as creating partnerships and operations on and off campus and expanding enrollment. She takes the title of executive director of expanded education.
As of this month, Graham Parker moves from being interim executive director of the Louisville Orchestra to the position of chief executive. The former president of Decca Records U.S. at Universal Music Group, in which capacity he connected with Teddy Abrams, the LO’s music director of nine years, Parker first joined the Kentucky outfit one year ago as interim. Parker has wasted no time in furthering Abrams’s goal of making the orchestra central to life in Louisville and beyond, first by implementing the Creators Corps program that brings composers to reside in town and create new work for their environs.
Awadagin Pratt joins the San Francisco Conservatory of Music as professor of piano in July and will accept students into his studio as of the fall. Currently professor of piano and artist-in-residence at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, Pratt is an acclaimed performer and onetime artistic director of the Cincinnati World Piano Competition, a post he now holds with the annual Art of the Piano festival.
The New England Conservatory (NEC) announced that alumnus Minsoo Sohn would be joining the piano faculty as of next fall. A highly accomplished performer, he recently proved his prowess as a teacher when South Korean pianist Yunchan Lim took first prize at the 2022 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, making him the youngest winner in the competition’s history. Minsoo Sohn, himself the top winner of 2006 Honens International Piano Competition, has been on the faculty at the Korean National University of Arts since 2015, prior to which he taught at Michigan State University.
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, the now nearly 40-year-old organization credited with creating the city’s 14-block “cultural district” as a means of socio-economic revitalization, has announced a new president and CEO, the first person of color to hold the post. She is Kendra Whitlock Ingram, who currently holds the same title at the Marcus Performing Arts Center in Milwaukee, WI. In Pittsburgh, she succeeds the retiring. J. Kevin McMahon and starts in February.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Jeff Erbach has joined the firm as associate vice president to support executive search and leadership transitions, as well as the planning and capacity building areas of the firm. Based in ACG’s Calgary location, Erbach brings to the company more than 30 years of expertise in cultural diplomacy, change management, and arts education focused on inclusion, diversity, equity, and access.
Oregon Ballet Theatre has selected Shane Jewell as executive director following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He will begin his tenure on January 9, 2023. Jewell has over 20 years’ experience in performing arts administration. Most recently, Jewell served as general manager for Gibney Company, a new contemporary dance establishment based in New York City. Jewell led the company through a dynamic period of transformation, developing infrastructure necessary for domestic and international touring, building strategic partnerships, and advancing entrepreneurial initiatives.
October 2022
The Johnstown( PA) Symphony has a new executive director in Erin Codey, in the job on an interim basis since July. Codey, who has taught visual and performing arts for the last ten years, holds an undergraduate degree in media production from Quinnipiac University and a master’s degree in art education. She will be working with Music Director James Blachly and succeeds Jessica Satava, now executive director of the Greenville (SC) Symphony.
The San Diego Master Chorale has appointed Jan Rogers as the first full-time executive director in its 61-year history. The 100-member group, of high-level volunteers and paid professionals, performs under Music Director John K. Russell. The new hire arrives after serving as a consultant for choruses since leaving the top executive post at the Phoenix (AZ) Chorale in 2021.
José Martinez, former director of the National Dance Company of Spain and Étoile dancer of the Ballet de l’Opéra de Paris, is to be the next director of the Paris Opera Ballet. He starts in December, succeeding Aurélie Dupont who left in July. Martinez joined the Ballet de the Paris Opera in 1988 before being named Étoile in 1997; he left in 2011 to run the Spanish company; after eight years in that job he turned to free-lance teaching and choreography. Apart from two of his ballets set to premiere in Bordeaux and Stockholm in 2023, he will now turn his efforts exclusively to the Paris Opera Ballet.
Baptiste Charroing, current director of production at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, has been appointed director general designate of the theater, set to succeed Michel Franck in 2025, now in his third term in the job. Carroing, a violist by training, has been with TCE since 2020, and served in various capacities beforehand, including artist management and recording.
Cristiano Sandri, director of programming for the Verdi Festival and the Teatro Regio di Parma, is to become artistic director of the Teatro Regio di Torino next January. He succeeds Sebastian F. Schwarz, who arrived in 2019. Sandri has been an artist manager and worked in casting for Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.
Opera Europa has selected Karen Stone to become the new director of the Brussels-based service organization as of Jan 1, 2023. She succeeds Nicholas Payne, in the position for 19 years. Stone, who recently retired after 13 years as Intendantin at Theater Magdeburg, has previously been general director at The Dallas Opera, Generalintendantin at Oper Graz, and opera director at Oper Köln. She has also held various positions in theaters in Germany and the U.K. and enjoyed an international career as a stage director.
La Musica International Chamber Music Festival, in Sarasota, FL, has selected Wu Han as its new artistic director. She succeeds Bruno Giuranna, who co-founded the festival 37 years ago. In announcing the appointment, the festival’s board president, Bruce Lehman, noted: “We chose Wu Han because of the breadth of her reputation, her commitment to engaging younger musicians and audiences, and her sheer love of the chamber music canon.”
Ji Su Jung has joined the timpani and percussion faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music. She arrives at Curtis from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, where she will continue on the faculty as a lecturer. She graduated from Peabody and holds an MM from the Yale School of Music, where she studied under Robert van Sice, her new Curtis colleague.
New on the Eastman School of Music full-time faculty is saxophonist/composer Christine Jensen, as assistant professor of jazz and contemporary media. In the midst of a thriving international career as a soloist and composer, she is the founding artistic director and conductor of the Canadian National Jazz Orchestra, as well as the past artistic director of Orchestre National Jazz de Montreal.
The Penn State College of Arts and Architecture has hired double bassist Patricia Weitzel as assistant teaching professor. A member of the Columbus Symphony, she was previously lecturer of double bass at Columbus State and has served on the faculties of Augustana College, Central College, Grinnell College, St. Ambrose University, and Drake University.
Both the opera and ballet of the Finish National Opera are getting new artistic directors. Javier Torres López arrived at the National Ballet in that capacity on August 1, 2022, and Thomas de Mallet Burgess is slated to succeed Lilli Paasikivi (in the job since 2013) at the artistic helm of the National Opera in August of 2023. Both men report to General Director Gita Kadambi. Torres has been a noted free-lance choreographer and teacher for 30 years and danced with the company from 1991 to 2008. Burgess, general director at New Zealand Opera since 2018, enjoys an international reputation as an expert in performing arts training and education and places special importance on diversity and inclusion.
The Association of British Orchestras (ABO) has tapped Judith Webster as its new chief executive, beginning Nov. 14. She succeeds Mark Pemberton, who stepped down on Sept. 30 after 15 years in post. The ABO serves the U.K.’s professional orchestras, youth ensembles, and the wider classical music industry by offering advice, support, intelligence, and information to the industry.
Violinist Colin Jacobsen, co-founder of the Knights and Brooklyn Rider, is to succeed Anne-Marie McDermott as artistic director of the Santa Fe Pro Musica. Santa Fe Pro Musica, which specializes in the Baroque, presents orchestral and chamber concerts. Jacobsen begins his new role with at the Bach Festival in December. A graduate of the Juilliard School and the Royal Conservatory of the Hague, Jacobsen has performed internationally and participated in residencies at New York’s 92nd St. Y, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Hollywood Bowl.
Swallow Hill Music has selected Aengus Finnan as president and CEO following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on October 1, 2022. With a distinguished international career of more than 20 years in music and performing arts, Aengus Finnan most recently served as executive director at Folk Alliance International (FAI). During his tenure, Finnan doubled the institution’s annual budget, increased its global reach from 9 to 46 countries, and cultivated vital partnerships with several renowned organizations, including UNESCO, Recording Academy, International Rescue Committee, and Smithsonian.
Intermusica welcomed Isabella Gage in the newly created position of senior artist manager & manager to The King’s Singers. She joins Intermusica from IMG Artists, where she held the position of vice president in its Vocal Division, working with such artists as Alice Coote, John Chest, Clive Bayley and Sara Fulgoni.
September 2022
French conductor Stéphane Denève will succeed Michael Tilson Thomas as artistic director of the New World Symphony as of the 2022-23 season. MTT, who cofounded NWS with Ted and Lin Arison 35 years ago, will stay connected to his ground-breaking project as its artistic director laureate. Denève, who has been guest conducting at NWS since 2006, is the current music director of the St. Louis Symphony and starts as principal guest conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic in 2023.
The Boston Lyric Opera has named Bradley Vernatter as its general director and CEO, following his two years acting as GD and artistic director. The latter position has been spun off, at Vernatter’s suggestion, to be a dedicated one reporting to Vernatter and working on artistic planning with Music Director David Angus. Vernatter, previously BLO’s COO, is credited with not only keeping things on track during the pandemic, but with developing new initiatives such as the streaming platform, operabox.tv, whose productions included an animated film of Philip Glass’s The Fall of the House of Usher, an adaptation of Ana Sokolovic’s Svadba, and the miniseries desert in.
Following his year-long stint as interim, Matthew Spivey has been named CEO of the San Francisco Symphony, an organization he joined in 2015 as director of artistic planning under now laureate Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas. He was made official today after a year guiding Esa-Pekka Salonen’s first full season as SFS music director. The orchestra’s accomplishments during Spivey’s interim tenure include the release of two digital projects led by Salonen: Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale, a collaboration with British director, designer, and video artist Netia Jones; and Ligeti: Paradigms, another collaboration merging the composer’s music with media artist Refik Anadol, Dolby Labs, and SFS “collaborative partner” Carol Reiley.
The Ulster Orchestra has appointed Auveen Sands as its first female chief executive. She will assume the position, which has been held by Richard Wigley for more than six years, in October. Sands joined the orchestra as head of finance and operations in January 2014, after a career of more than 15 years in corporate banking. She played a key role in keeping the ensemble afloat after severe public funding cuts threatened its continuation and has worked closely with Wigley on strategic issues.
Pianist William Ransom is to succeed Christopher Rex as artistic director of the Amelia Island (GA) Chamber Music Festival. Rex, who founded the event in 2001, died last March, having retired from the Atlanta Symphony in 2018 after 39 years as principal cello of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Amelia Island offers about a dozen events annually, in various venues. Running it will become one of Ransom’s many hats, which also include being founder and artistic director of the Emory Chamber Music Society in Atlanta, artistic director of the Highlands-Cashiers (NC) Chamber Music Festival, and Professor of Piano at Emory University. He and Rex were close Atlanta colleagues.
Boston University Tanglewood Institute (BUTI), the Lenox, MA, summer program for young musicians ages 14 to 20 founded in 1954 that links the BU College of Fine Arts with Tanglewood and the BSO, has a new executive director in Nicole Wendl. Also a noted violinist, Wendl has served as program manager of Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival in Burlington, Vermont, and co-founder and -director of the Lumino Festival in Falls Village, Connecticut.
At the Oregon Symphony, Clement So has succeeded Charles Calmer as VP for programming. So arrives from the San Diego Symphony, where he was VP for artistic planning for five years. Before that he was artistic administrator of New York’s 92nd Street Y for over 10 years. In Oregon he’ll work with Music Director David Danzmayr, who succeeded Carlos Kalmar as music director last season. So will report to President and CEO Scott Showalter. Calmer has retired.
Unitey Kull has joined the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra as VP of marketing and audience experience; she succeeds David Nischwitz, who left earlier in the year for a similar position with Drury Hotels, also in St. Louis. Kull comes to the SLSO from a similar position at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (CAM) where she is credited with nearly doubling visitor-ship over the last ten years. Before that she was executive director of the Manhattan New Music Project, a nonprofit performing and arts-education organization. She holds an MBA from George Washington University.
The Boise Philharmonic, which prides itself on being Idaho’s oldest performing arts organization, has a new executive director in New Zealand native Tim Young. He arrives from a stint as a consultant, having stepped down last January as executive director of the Reno (NV) Philharmonic, a job he held for 19 years. The Reno Phil, where he is credited with expanding programming and financial resources, says it is the largest performing arts organization in the state.
Michael S. Rosenberg, recent managing director of McCarter Theater Center in Princeton (NJ), longtime managing director of La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, CA, is to be the new president and CEO of New York’s City Center. He succeeds Arlene Shuler, who announced her intention to retire last December, after nearly 20 years in the job.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Flora Stamatiades has joined the firm as associate vice president to expand the Leadership Transitions practice area. Based in ACG’s New York location, she brings more than 30 years of expertise in consensus building, strategic planning, organizational changes, and business negotiations.
Intermusica today announced the appointment of two new members to its Vocal & Opera team. Nathan Morrison will join the Vocal & Opera department as associate director. With degrees in both music and law, Morrison trained as a singer before forging his career at Askonas Holt, where he rose through the company to senior manager. Nicholas Moloney joined as senior artist manager. An accomplished pianist, Moloney worked closely with singers and creative teams as artistic administrator of English Touring Opera, where he helped to build and develop the company’s future strategy. Following this, he moved to the UK Government’s Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), where he was integral in delivering COVID-19 recovery programs for the live events sector.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Dat Ngo has joined the firm as associate vice president to support the Executive Search and IDEAS practice areas. Based in ACG’s Washington, DC, location, Ngo brings over 20 years of experience in arts education, program planning, strategic visioning, diversity training, executive coaching, and community engagement.
Grand Performances has selected Rafael González as president and CEO, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on August 2, 2022. A well-versed leader in the nonprofit, government, and philanthropic sectors, González previously held a position as Director of Community Outreach and Engagement for the Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission. While there, González implemented effective outreach strategies to ensure healthy and stable community development.
August 2022
The Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) has named Sonja Kostich as its new executive director, effective in mid-October 2022 after board approval. She succeeds Cora Cahan, the organization’s president and CEO from October 2019. As BAC’s administrative head, Kostich will work alongside Baryshnikov to oversee all aspects of an organization that since it was founded in 2005 has become a gathering place for artists from all disciplines.
The Los Angeles Ballet, now in its 17th season, has selected Melissa Barak as the company’s new artistic director. An accomplished ballet dancer and choreographer, she succeeds Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary, the founding co-artistic directors. Barak is returning to the company for which she was a leading dancer from 2006 to 2011. Barak has created new works for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Richmond Ballet, Dayton Ballet, American Repertory Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Los Angeles Ballet, and Barak Ballet, a Los Angeles based contemporary ballet company she founded in 2013.
Washington National Opera has chosen Christopher Cano to be the next director of the Cafritz Young Artists (CYA) and American Opera Initiative (AOI). He starts in September, succeeding Robert Ainsley, in the job since 2016. In the latter capacity, Ainsley succeeds Francesca Zambello, also artistic director of the Washington National Opera, essentially replacing his former boss at WNO, since Zambello had long run both. Cano now reports to her as well as WNO General Director Timothy O’Leary.
Danni Gee, longtime dance curator for Central Park’s free outdoor festival SummerStage, has been named director of programming for the Joyce Theater, New York’s core dance venue and presenter of small/visiting troupes. Gee is a former member of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and onetime member of Philadanco, with which she danced on the Joyce stage as a young artist.
Craig Hassall, CEO of London’s Royal Albert Hall since 2017, has announced his resignation, effective at the end of 2022. He is leaving to assume the role of president and chief executive of Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio. In assuming his new position, Hassall replaces retiring CEO Gina Vernaci, a 39-year veteran of the organization. Playhouse Square, which celebrates its centennial this year, is the second largest theater district in the U.S. It includes seven resident companies, 11 venues, and the largest touring Broadway season ticket base in North America.
The Reno (NV) Philharmonic has hired Ignacio Barrón Viela, executive director of the Billings (MT) Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, to be its next president and CEO, effective October 26. A native of Spain, he succeeds Tim Young, who retired last November after 19 years in the job. Viela’s four year in Billings yielded the orchestra’s two largest single gifts in its 72-year history. He is also credited with doubling the annual budget to close to $2 million and strengthening the orchestra’s connection to the community. He studied industrial engineering and business and is an accomplished cellist.
The Abilene (TX) Philharmonic has a new executive director as of August 15 in Gerard Gibbs, a Baroque and Classical oboe player who has performed in a number of period and regular orchestras. During his time in the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra in Alberta, he co-founded the Fort MacLeod International Chamber Music Festival with violist Rivka Golani and led a full range of performing arts programs of the Empress Theater.
Jazz trumpeter and pedagogue Ingrid Jensen has been named dean of the Manhattan School of Music’s (MSM) Jazz Arts division, a position she moves into with immediate effect. Jensen has been serving as interim dean of the program since Associate Dean and Director of Jazz Arts Stefon Harris exited in July 2020. Jensen, who has her own band and is a frequent sideman on recordings, joined the faculty in 2018.
Seth Abramson, a jazz guitarist/band leader turned label executive turned presenter/producer, is to be the first director of the Gilmore International Piano Festival’s jazz awards, established in February with an $8 million grant from Gilmore Board President and local brewery owner Larry J. Bell. The new award mirrors the Gilmore Artist Award (won by Igor Levit, in 2018), in that its nomination comes from a panel of anonymous industry insiders, whom Abramson is now charged with assembling and directing. Like the Gilmore Artist Award, the Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Award brings its recipient $300,000—$50,000 cash plus $250,000 over four years for furthering their artistry and career. The first award is scheduled to be made in 2026. Abramson starts September 1.
Jen Luzzo has been hired by the Kennedy Center to oversee classical music public relations. Previously in a related position with the New York Philharmonic, she arrived at the KenCen in early August and has a portfolio that includes the Washington National Opera (WNO), the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), the Fortas Chamber Music series, all music education activities—of which there are many—and initiatives that explore the intersection of music and wellness.
The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University appointed Bob Halbruner as associate dean for external relations effective September 6, 2022. In this role, Halbruner will be a member of the senior leadership team reporting directly to Dean Fred Bronstein and will provide overall strategic leadership to advance the Development, Alumni Relations, and Marketing and Communications programs for the Peabody Institute.
The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts (the Hobby Center) has selected Mark Folkes as president & CEO, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on August 22, 2022. An accomplished leader with executive experience in the nonprofit sector, Folkes most recently held positions as chief advancement officer and chief growth officer at the Greater Houston Community Foundation, one of Houston’s most impactful philanthropic organizations. While there, Folkes provided leadership for the Advancement and Donor Relations team, advancing the Foundation in its mission to maximize charitable resources for local communities.
Trinity Repertory Company (Trinity Rep) has selected Kate Liberman as executive director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She will begin her tenure on September 6, 2022. Liberman is joining Trinity Rep from Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival in New York, where she has worked since 2015 and has been serving as the managing director. She brings with her a history of fiscal acumen, organizational excellence, and community engagement.
Choral Arts has selected Dr. Jace Kaholokula Saplan as artistic director beginning June 10, 2022, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). A fierce advocate of the classical and choral arts, Dr. Saplan joins the Choral Arts with experience and leadership as an artist, educator, and community leader. Dr. Saplan has most recently served as co-director of choral activities and associate professor of music learning & teaching and choral conducting at Arizona State University.
The City of Richardson has selected Ally Haynes-Hamblen as executive director for the Eisemann Center, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She will begin her tenure on September 19, 2022. Prior to joining the Eisemann Center, Haynes-Hamblen served as director for the City of Las Vegas Office of Cultural Affairs, where she established the Office of Cultural Affairs’ pioneering grant program for the arts in Las Vegas, expanded the city’s repertoire of annual festivals, and initiated an impactful artist-in-residence program, fostering the growth of local creative communities.
Birdfoot Music Festival has named Rebecca Crenshaw its new executive director. She succeeds founding executive director Tracey Sherry, who retired this summer. Rebecca is currently Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra’s Community and Engagement Manager, where she directed and managed the orchestra’s Music for Life program. She is an alum of the Global Leaders Program, an executive graduate degree focused on social entrepreneurship and impact innovation, and previously worked within the New Orleans public schools, founding two string orchestra programs at Crocker Arts and Technology and then Homer Plessy Community School.
July 2022
The Nashville Symphony has a new COO in Tonya McBride Robles, who arrives in September having served a similar function with the Baltimore Symphony, where she was involved with the five-year musicians’ contract that brought the BSO back to life in 2020. Previously she served as executive director of the Annapolis Symphony and worked with a number of other classical organizations, having by now acquired 20 years in the business. In Nashville, she will report to longtime President and CEO Alan Valentine and be responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations across all aspects: artistic programming, education and community engagement programming, orchestra operations, marketing and communications.
The 70,000-square-foot Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, which opened nine years ago in Beverly Hills as a community arts and education facility, has named Manuel “Manny” Prieto as its next director of education. The recent executive director of the Los Angeles Music and Art School (LAMusArt), he starts his new job in September with responsibility for overseeing the Wallis’s education and outreach programs, which fall under the rubric “GRoW@.” His appointment was announced by the Center’s Executive Director and CEO Rachel Fine. Prieto succeeds Mark Slavkin, who created the department seven years ago and is now retiring.
The Melbourne-based Victorian Opera has named Stuart Maunder AM (Member of the Order of Australia) as its next artistic director. He will succeed composer-conductor Richard Mills AM at the conclusion of 2023. Maunder began his career in stage management at the then Australian Opera, and went on to senior management roles at Opera Australia (1999-2008); as general director of New Zealand Opera (2014-2018); and most recently as artistic director of State Opera South Australia. During his tenure at State Opera, Maunder has championed Australian repertoire and the development of the next generation of Australian artists while also presenting a broad repertoire designed to reach the widest possible audience.
James Thomas, creative director of the Manchester Camerata, is to be the next director of the Royal Northern Sinfonia (RNS) & Classical Program. RNS is the U.K.’s only full-time chamber orchestra and is resident at Sage Gateshead, an international performing arts center serving primarily the north and northeast of England. Thomas, a native of Wales, is a professional bassoonist turned administrator; his five-year tenure with the Manchester Camerata has been marked by new artistic partnerships, a more well-developed programming profile under Music Director Gábor Takács-Nagy, touring, recording, and advances in the organization’s digital realm.
Beth Morrison Projects has a new executive director in Brooklyn-based Sam Linden, previously with TDC, a consulting firm that specializes in arts and culture. He succeeds Jecca Barry, with BMP since 2013, who has left to pursue her own projects. Linden was previously associate director of marketing and communications at Yale Repertory Theater. He has a BA in music from Harvard College, and an MFA and MBA from Yale’s School of Drama and Management, respectively.
Ontario Arts Council, responsible for funding the likes of the Canadian Opera Company, the Toronto Symphony, Tafelmusik, plus the region’s numerous lower profile outfits, has hired Michael Murray as its new CEO, starting August 29. Murray was for six years the executive director of the Toronto Musician’s Association, Local 149 of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM); he most recently served as director of ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists Performers’ Rights Society), Canada’s largest performers’ rights organization.
The Houston Chamber Choir (HCC), founded in 1995 by Artistic Director Robert Simpson, has named its first executive director in Brian Miller, most recently the chorus manager for the Houston Symphony. The HCC, winner of a 2020 Grammy award for its Duruflé recording, is a fully professional ensemble with about a five-concert season; the symphonic group is all-volunteer. At HCC Miller will oversee non-artistic operations, from marketing to finance and points between. A former director of Texas high school choral programs, Miller has sung professionally with the Houston Men’s Choir and holds an MM in choral conducting and a BM in music education.
David Tompkins is the Boston Lyric Opera’s new COO, having arrived last May to fill a position previously occupied by Bradley Vernatter, now the BLO’s acting artistic director. Vernatter took over when longtime General and Artistic Director Esther Nelson stepped down at the end of last season. Tompkins comes to the job from the Woodman Museum where he served for four years as executive director, overseeing concert and lecture series, fund raising, and all administrative functions. He’s also held executive posts with the ballet companies of Boston, Portland (OR,) and Arizona and with the Sundance Film Festival. He holds a BS in technical theater from Kansas State University.
The Greenville (SC) Symphony has named Jessica Satava as its next executive director; she arrives having held the same position for three years at the Johnstown (PA) Symphony Orchestra. She also worked for many years in operations at the Peabody Institute, from which she holds an MM in voice and opera, and served as orchestra manager at the Aspen Music Festival and School. In Greenville, she succeeds Julianne Fish, who left in December after four years in the job.
The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc. hired Geoffrey Cohen in May to serve as associate marketing VP, reporting to Crystal Brewe, chief marketing and audience experience officer of the newly merged organization. Cohen previously worked with the Philadelphia Orchestra for nearly ten years.
Andrew Nethsingha, director of music at St. John’s College, University of Cambridge, is to be the next organist and master of choristers at Westminster Abbey—in effect the Abbey’s director of music. He succeeds James O’Donnell, who has been appointed as Professor at the Yale School of Music and Yale Institute of Sacred Music as of January 2023. O’Donnell will remain at Westminster until then. Nethsingha, a graduate and onetime organ scholar of St. John’s College, was appointed its director of music in 2007; previously he was director of music at Gloucester Cathedral and before that held positions at cathedrals in Wells and Truro. He has also been artistic director of the Three Choirs Festival.
Big Apple Performing Arts, the umbrella organization of the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus (NYCGMC) and the Youth Pride Chorus, has installed new, permanent leadership in John D. Carrion as executive director, and John J.Atorino as artistic director. The former has been in the post on an interim basis since October, coming to the group from London, where he worked for New York University as assistant director of the Global Housing Administration. His affiliation with GMC dates to 2011 when he joined the London iteration, becoming the group’s chair for four years, until 2017. He has a BA in Metropolitan Studies and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from NYU. Atorino is an arranger and conductor who comes to NYCGMC from the Portland GMC, where he was artistic director. He also served for a time as assistant conductor of NYCGMC and worked with Samuel French/Concord music publishers. He holds an MME from New York University, where he led the men’s glee club and mixed a cappella choir.
Kate Kammeyer is the new executive director of the Berkeley (CA) Symphony succeeding Jim Tibbs, who is retiring after three years in the job. Kammeyer is the former senior VP and general manager of the Rochester Philharmonic, as well as its interim artistic administrator. Prior to that, she was orchestra manager of the Philadelphia Orchestra, assistant dean of artistic planning at the Longy School of Music, and general manager and artistic administrator with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. She holds a BM from the University of Iowa, an MM from the Hartt School, and an artist diploma from SUNY Purchase, all in oboe performance. The orchestra recently completed its 50th-anniversary season. Joseph Young is music director.
The Detroit Symphony has named Jessica Slais to a newly created position—creative director of popular and special programming. She starts August 1, with responsibility for planning and producing the Pops and Young People’s Family Concerts as well as special events and community concerts at Orchestra Hall and in metro Detroit. She’ll work under Senior Director of Artistic Planning Jessica Ruiz and along with Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik, Music Director Jader Bignamini, and Jazz Creative Director Chair Terence Blanchard.
Patrick O’Herron is the new VP of marketing and communications at the Toronto Symphony. He comes from the Buffalo Philharmonic, where he held the same post for four years. He is succeeding Katie Sejba, TSO VP of marketing, and Sally Szuster, TSO VP of communications, both of whom left in January. Sejba is now with the Nashville Symphony, Szuster with Victoria College at the University of Toronto. Prior to Buffalo O’Herron worked in marketing and communications for Americans for the Arts, and before that with Brookfield real estate’s arts and events division.
The Straz Center Board of Trustees today has announced the appointment of Greg Holland as president and CEO of the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts beginning September 1st. An arts executive, theater administrator, revenue builder and dealmaker with more than 25 years of experience, Holland is currently the president of Brown-Holland Entertainment which provides business development services for Nederlander Worldwide. Additionally, Holland is the chief operating officer for Lighthouse Immersive which aims to cultivate community and creativity through large-scale events and exhibitions of all art forms.
June 2022
The Enescu Festival & Competition has named Cristian Macelaru as its new artistic director. (The total value of the prizes is 120,000 euros, along with concert appearances.) “One of the first things we will add is a series of concerts for children through which we present and introduce to art and culture….It is something missing in today’s society, and I want this focus to be brought back through the Festival.” He also wants to expand cultural diversity and “challenge the public” with 20th and 21st-century works rare to Romanians.
The Townsend School of Music at Mercer University, in Macon, GA, has named Gary Gerber as its new dean effective July 1. He succeeds the retiring C. David Keith, in the job since 2013. Gerber, who specializes in choral conducting, has been dean of the School of Fine Arts at Ouachita Baptist University (OBU) in Arkadelphia, AK, since 2015. He also served as chair of the division of music.
Seattle’s Cornish College of the Arts has named Kel Dylla as the first executive director of its new School for Creative Arts. Dylla is the previous executive director of the Kirkland Arts Center and the VP of education and community engagement at the Seattle Symphony. She was also the director of audience engagement at the Pacific Symphony in Orange County and is a Juilliard-trained violist.
Pace University has named Jesse Carlo as its program head for musical theater. His CV includes helping develop the undergraduate curriculum at Columbia College Chicago for performing arts studies in acting, musical theater, and theater. Before that he was assistant professor of arts and Humanities at Miami Dade College for six years.
As of November, 2022, Gary Ginstling current CEO of the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), is to become the New York Philharmonic’s executive director, transitioning to the post of president and CEO on July 1, 2023, as Borda exits—sort of: At the Board’s request, she will take the position of executive advisor to the president and board of directors, starting July 1, 2023. Ginstling, responsible for launching Gianandrea Noseda’s hugely successful tenure as music director of the NSO and keeping him there through 2027, is a smart, experienced orchestra administrator and trained musician who is highly regarded and well liked by his colleagues in the field.
The Seattle Opera has selected Dennis Robinson, Jr., as its next director of programs and partnerships. He succeeds Alejandra Valarino Boyer, in the position since late 2018. Robinson has extensive experience as a theater administrator, most recently as manager of artistic administration at Palm Beach Opera. His previous postings included director of education and accessibility at City Theater Company in Pittsburgh and manager of community programs and accessibility at Pittsburgh Ballet Theater. Among his successful ventures in Pittsburgh were a series of collaborations with organizations such as the Children’s Museum, Carnegie Science Center, Pittsburgh Symphony, and the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.
Seb Lovell-Huckle, executive director of the Birmingham (UK) Contemporary Music Group, is to take the same post with the English Symphony Orchestra as of August 8. He succeeds Peter Sheeran; ESO Board Chair Jonathan Godfrey has been serving in the interim. The ESO traces its origins to 1976, when William Boughton brought together a group of former members of the Midlands Radio Orchestra to form the Vivaldi Chamber Orchestra. That subsequently became the English String Orchestra, which specialized in English music, made over fifty recordings, and toured regularly in Europe. “ESO” has since broadened its repertoire, thus keeping the acronym but changing its format.
The Great Lakes (MI) Center for the Arts, a five-year-old multi-genre presenter in northern Michigan, has appointed Marie Klopf as its chief executive, as of July 9. She succeeds Jill O’Neill, in the job since the Center’s founding in 2014 and opening in 2018. Michael M. Kaiser is the artistic director of the Center and chair of the Washington, D.C.-based DeVos Institute, which assisted in the search for O’Neill’s successor.
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) has announced the appointment of Patrick O’Herron as its new vice president of marketing & communications after a search led by Arts Consulting Group. O’Herron comes to the TSO from the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) where he served as vice president, marketing & communications for four years. Prior to the BPO, Patrick held leadership roles in marketing and communications for the national arts service organization Americans for the Arts, and for the largest privately funded arts program in the world, Arts Brookfield, the arts and events initiative of global real estate corporation Brookfield Properties.
Washington Performing Arts has hired Lauren Beyea as its director of marketing, communications & creative media. Beyea officially joined Washington Performing Arts as part of the seven-member senior management team on June 27, 2022, after 13 seasons at Ford’s Theatre. At Washington Performing Arts, Beyea will steward a team of internal staff and external consultants, focusing on audience development and engagement, earned revenue growth, and institutional promotion and storytelling across all platforms.
May 2022
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra has named Gaetan Le Divelec to be VP of artistic planning. Perhaps as much as the concertmaster, it’s a job central to any orchestra’s artistic standing and its ability to negotiate guest artist contracts advantageously. Le Divelec was Nathalie Stutzmann’s (the Orchestra’s new music director) artist manager at the powerful, London-based Askonas Holt.
The Ojai Music Festival’s music director for the 2023 edition will be composer, singer, fiddle and banjo player Rhiannon Giddens. Giddens, not coincidentally the artistic director of Silkroad, will bring with her a hand-picked roster (see below), as well as witness the west coast premiere of her first opera, Omar, which receives its world premiere this weekend at the Spoleto Festival USA.
Robert Ainsley, director of the Cafritz Young Artists Program and the American Opera Initiative at the Washington National Opera (WNO), is to be the next artistic and general director of the Glimmerglass Festival. Ainsley, credited with commissioning and workshopping numerous opera samplings for WNO’s American Opera Initiative, was previously associate music director at Portland Opera, head of music staff and chorus master at Minnesota Opera and Opera Theater of Saint Louis, and a guest chorus master at English National Opera, among other credits.
Celebrity Series of Boston has appointed Nicole Taney as its new artistic director. She takes over later in the summer. Taney, director of artistic planning and operations for the Spoleto Festival USA, has been with Spoleto for eight years; previously she was director of producing and touring for Bill T Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company; company manager for New York City Ballet; general manager of Trisha Brown Dance Company; and worked in corporate sponsorship for Carnegie Hall.
The Berkeley Symphony has hired Kate Kammeyer, recent senior VP and general manager of the Rochester Philharmonic, to succeed Jim Tibbs as executive director. Tibbs is retiring after three years in the job. Prior to her year at Rochester, she was for ten months assistant dean of artistic planning for the Longy School in Boston; she has also worked with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, Carnegie Hall, the Aspen Music Festival, and Interlochen.
Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen, Minister for Culture for North Rhine-Westphalia, has announced that beginning November 1, 2023, Ivo van Hove will become artistic director of the Ruhrtriennale for a three-year term. Van Hove will succeed the current artistic director Barbara Frey, who has programmed the festival’s next two seasons. Hove has been artistic director of the Internationaal Theater Amsterdam (ITA), the Netherlands’ largest theater company, since 2001. He was also artistic director of the Holland Festival, one of the longest-standing Dutch music and theater festivals, from 1998 to 2004.
On July 1 J. T. Kane will be joining the Manhattan School of Music (MSM) as dean of the newly created Instrumental Studies and Orchestral Performance Division. Kane is currently VP for musician advancement and dean of orchestra at the New World Symphony. In his new position, Kane will oversee the creation of a cohesive pedagogical and performance framework for the MSM’s largest division, which includes more than 80 faculty and approximately 350 students.
Symphony San Jose, formerly Symphony Silicon Valley, formerly San Jose Symphony, has named Robert Massey as its general director. His title of general director, rather than CEO, accounts for Symphony San Jose’s business model, which does not include a music director, leaving Massey to make artistic as well as executive decisions. The professional orchestra performs two concerts each of seven classical programs annually, plus additional special events, and is based at the city’s newly restored California Theater in downtown San Jose.
Susan Jaffe, for 22 years a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre, has been named to succeed Kevin McKenzie as the company’s artistic director. Jaffe, most recently in the same post with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, starts at the end of the current season, stepping into a position that McKenzie has held with distinction for 30 years. Following her retirement in 2002, she taught in the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School and took on the aforementioned roles within the company. In 2012, she was appointed Dean of Dance at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) in Winston-Salem, NC. Over her eight-year tenure, she implemented the ABT National Training Curriculum, established the Choreographic Institute of UNCSA, and proved an effective fundraiser, bringing in $3.5 million in scholarships and other student aid.
Jonathan Bailey Holland, recent chair of composition, contemporary music and core studies at Boston Conservatory at Berklee, has been appointed as head of the Carnegie Mellon University School of Music, as of August 1. In the Boston Conservatory job since 2016, when it merged with Berklee, Holland, 48, holds a bachelor’s degree in composition from the Curtis Institute and a Ph.D. from Harvard University. He joined Berklee College of Music in 2000 as assistant professor of composition; during his tenure, he worked with the Educational Testing Service in Ewing, N.J. to design music theory examinations and professional development programs. Other achievements include establishing a low-residency MFA track in music composition at Vermont State University.
Yarmila Alfonzetti is to take over as chief executive of the Queensland Symphony as of July 11. She succeeds board member Valmay Hill, who has been serving as executive director since Craig Whitehead exited in 2021 to take over at the Sydney Symphony. Alfonzetti has been executive director of State Opera South Australia since 2018, having managed the hiring of the company’s new artistic director, Stuart Maunder. Prior to that Alfonzetti was CEO for Sydney Youth Orchestras, head of external relations for Sydney Conservatorium, and head of classical music at Sydney Opera House.
London’s Philharmonia Orchestra has hired Thorben Dittes, current director of the Royal Northern Sinfonia (RSN) in Gateshead, to be its manager beginning in August. He has held the Royal Northern Sinfonia post since 2014, along with the presidency of the Lakeland Sinfonia. Philharmonia COO Kate Collis has been serving as interim.
April 2022
The Cleveland Orchestra’s previous Director of Artistic Planning Ilya Gidalevich has been promoted to VP, Artistic Planning, charged with overseeing the orchestra’s artistic planning and chorus departments. Prior to Cleveland he was an artist manager with Opus 3. Joining the department as artistic administrator under Gidalevich is Michael Gandlmayr, the previous artistic administrator of the Seattle Symphony and formerly in the external affairs department at the St. Louis Symphony.
Steven Melendez is to succeed company founder Diana Byer as artistic director of the New York Theater Ballet, a troupe he joined as an apprentice in 2006 and, after winning the Rudolf Nureyev International Ballet Competition in Budapest, Hungary, studying at the School of American Ballet, summering with the major companies of San Francisco and Houston, was promoted to principal. Melendez has been a featured soloist with major international dance ensembles and performed the world premieres of works by Pam Tanowitz and Richard Alston, among others.
James O’Donnell, an internationally recognized concert organist, choral conductor, and liturgical musician, is joining the faculty of the Yale Institute of Sacred Music and the Yale School of Music in January 2023. He succeeds Thomas Murray as professor to graduate organ majors and other students in sacred music, and will also direct a new professional liturgical vocal ensemble.
In autumn, Richard Davidson-Houston will become the new managing director of Glyndebourne. As managing director, he will work closely with Stephen Langridge, the institution’s artistic director. Davidson-Houston has been director of audience development and media for the last two years. His experience in media is extensive and includes past senior positions with Channel 4 and Microsoft.
Philippe Tondre and Katherine Needleman, principal oboists for the orchestras of Philadelphia and Baltimore, respectively, will succeed Richard Woodhams on the Curtis Institute faculty roster. The appointment of two oboists to head the program, which usually has five students, represents a change in approach by Curtis, which has been moving toward requiring all students to train with more than one major teacher. The new faculty also represent two different schools of playing. Tondre’s is the European sound, while Needleman, who studied with Woodhams at Curtis, is part of an American pedagogical tradition that extends back several generations.
Rachel Saltz, dance editor at The New York Times since 2015, is to add classical music to her purview. In the latter category, she succeeds Zachary Woolfe, who was recently promoted from classical music editor to classical music critic, succeeding chief classical critic Anthony Tommasini, who retired. Saltz started at the Times in 2003 as a copy editor on the sports desk and moved to culture a year later.
John Thiessen is to be the executive director of New York’s Gotham Early Music Scene (GEMS) starting in September. The former orchestra manager for Trinity Baroque, he will succeed Gene Murrow, founding executive director of GEMS. Murrow launched the group in 2007 and plans to retire and become board president. Thiessen, who plays natural trumpet, is GEMS’s current director of education and concert production.
Writer and director Robin Norton-Hale, artistic director of OperaUpClose, which she founded in 2009, is to be the new general director of the English Touring Opera. She starts in July, having devoted most of her efforts in recent years to OperaUpClose, also a touring company, though a more experimental one.
Symphony New Hampshire, coming up on its centennial season in 2022-23, has a new executive director in Deanna Hoying. She has been serving as interim since the departure in August of Marc Thayer, now with Elgin Symphony Orchestra.
George E. Lewis, a professor of music at Columbia University and an outspoken advocate for the inclusion of Black artists in experimental music, is to be the new artistic director of the International Contemporary Ensemble. A trombonist who is perhaps best known for his work in electronics, Lewis has been a frequent collaborator with ICE and a board member since 2018. “George’s impact on this ensemble is almost immeasurable,” noted a fellow board member. “His voice and his vision have been quietly shaping the musical direction of our collective.”
The J. Paul Getty Trust has chosen New York University Provost Katherine E. Fleming as its new president and CEO. She follows James Cuno, who will retire this summer after more than a decade in the position. Fleming, whose academic credentials include undergraduate and master’s degrees in religion and a doctorate in history, has been provost at NYU since 2016. Her responsibilities at the Trust, which employs 1,400 people, include oversight of the J. Paul Getty Museum, the grant-issuing Getty Foundation, the Getty Research Institute, and the Getty Conservation Institute. At the top of her agenda, she says, will be the threat the growing environmental degradation poses to the world’s artistic and cultural heritages.
Mark C. Hanson, who resigned as CEO of the San Francisco Symphony not long after Esa-Pekka Salonen took over as music director, is the new CEO of the Baltimore Symphony. He started April 21 and succeeds Peter Kjome, whose contract expired in January and whose five-year tenure was marked by strikes, lock-outs, and the Orchestra’s near financial collapse. He is charged with finding a successor to Marin Alsop. James Conlon is serving as the orchestra’s artistic advisor in the interim.
Zachary Woolfe is moving from the position of classical music editor to classical music critic of The New York Times. He succeeds Anthony Tommasini, who retired last year. Woolfe started at the Times as a freelance critic in 2011; he has been in the staff editorial position since 2015. He has long held the reputation as one of the Times’s finest arts critics, and has a particular interest in new music and opera. Previously he worked at a publishing house and studied literature at Princeton University.
The League of American Orchestras has appointed Caen Thomason-Redus as its VP of inclusion and learning, one of several leadership shifts at the organization. Thomason-Redus is the senior director of community & learning at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, in which he served as an orchestral fellow. He’s also been a flute professor at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and development director of the Sphinx Organization. He will start at the League presently and remain in Michigan.
Fontana Chamber Arts, dedicated to the presentation of traditional and non-traditional chamber music performances, community outreach and collaboration with other arts presenters, has named Bradley Wong, former director of the School of Music at Western Michigan University, as its director. Wong will join Fontana on May 1, 2022.
The Young People’s Chorus of New York City (YPC) announced the appointment of Elizabeth Núñez as creative director. An acclaimed conductor, clinician, speaker, and soloist, Núñez has been with YPC since 2004 and played a significant role in fostering the choir’s key programs as well as providing vision for new initiatives. In her new role, Núñez will lead YPC’s creative programming efforts.
Charlotte Ballet has selected Alejandro Cerrudo as artistic director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He will begin his tenure on May 1, 2022. A nationally and internationally renowned artist and choreographer, Cerrudo joins Charlotte Ballet following his most recent appointment as resident choreographer at Seattle’s Pacific Northwest Ballet.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG), provider of hands-on management consulting services to the arts and culture industry, announced that Trinity Villanueva has joined the firm as associate vice president in Washington, DC. She will be an active member of the leadership transitions team. Prior to joining ACG, Villanueva led the nonprofit organization Public Art Reston as executive director, shining light on community inclusion and equitable public art processes.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG announced that Kim Davis has joined the firm as vice president. Based in Chicago, Davis brings more than 25 years of experience in arts and culture education, management, and leadership in nonprofit organizations and municipal agencies. Prior to joining ACG’s Leadership Transitions team, Davis served as the senior director of education at Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, the largest community arts school in the United States.
New York City mayor Eric Adams has named Laurie Cumbo commissioner of cultural affairs. Cumbo previously served as majority leader in the New York City Council, representing the city’s 35th district.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG announced that Andy Fife has joined the firm as vice president to expand the leadership transitions area. Based in Seattle, Fife is an expert in strategy, leadership, and governance. He brings 25 years of experience in founding and leading nonprofits and public programs in the arts and creative sector with an extensive background in executive leadership transitions and organizational design, finance, strategy, and governance.
Washington Performing Arts has announced the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors: Joseph May and Kerrien Suarez. Having previously served on the Junior Board, Dr. May and Ms. Suarez have been engaged advocates for Washington Performing Arts’s mission, amplifying their support for its wide-ranging programs.
March 2022
The Madison (WI) Symphony Orchestra (MSO has appointed Robert A. Reed as its new executive director, starting full time on June 6, 2022. He succeeds Rick Mackie, who retired last June. Reed arrives after six years in the same position with the Plano (TX) Symphony, capping some 30 years working with orchestras in a variety of jobs.
The San Francisco Ballet has selected Danielle St. Germain-Gordon, interim executive director for the last nine months, to assume the position on a permanent basis. She succeeds Kelly Tweeddale, in the role for less than two years. St. Germain-Gordon will partner with Artistic Director Tamara Rojo, when she arrives later this year, the first new person in that post in nearly four decades. Before joining the SF Ballet in 2018 as chief development officer, Germain-Gordon was director of development at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis and at Washington, DC’s, Shakespeare Theater Company; chief development officer at Arena Stage; and VP of institutional advancement at the American Association of Museums. St. Germain-Gordon is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
Patrick Chamberlain, VP of artistic planning at the New Jersey Symphony, is to be the next VP of artistic administration for the Aspen Music Festival and School. He succeeds Asadour Santourian, newly named as VP of the Boston Symphony’s Tanglewood Music Center & Learning. Chamberlain will report to Aspen President and CEO Alan Fletcher, working with Music Director Robert Spano, Aspen Opera Theater and VocalARTS Co-Artistic Directors Patrick Summers and Renée Fleming, and the artist-faculty. He is a former artist liaison at Aspen.
Violinist Nicola Benedetti is to be the next director of the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF), becoming the first woman and the first Scot to lead the 75-year-old late summer celebration of music, theater, opera, and dance. The 34-year-old, Ayrshire-born musician first came into the public eye when, at 16, she was crowned BBC Young Musician of the Year. Now she has become is one of Scotland’s most visible performing artists as well as an outspoken advocate for music education throughout the U.K. Benedetti has worked closely with Sistema Scotland for several years, has established her own foundation, and offered free online music lessons during the pandemic.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Ernest A. Figueroa has joined the firm as associate vice president. Figueroa brings 30 years of experience and has worked as an arts administrator, live event producer, director, performer, and playwright within in professional theater, educational theater, film, television, radio broadcasting, and arts event management. Based in Los Angeles, Figueroa joins ACG’s leadership transitions team, providing additional support in the areas of facilities and program planning, strategy, and capacity building.
February 2022
Kate Rockett, who for six years has been director of artists and repertoire and executive producer for the Pentatone label, is to be the new general director of the Amsterdam-based Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century. Trained as a trombonist at the Royal Academy of Music, she moved into management about ten years ago after touring internationally with the likes of the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, The Gabrieli Consort, and Concerto Köln, among others. At the 40-year-old Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, she succeeds Sieuwert Verster.
The Metropolitan Opera has brought veteran and versatile New York Times reporter Daniel J. (Dan) Wakin on board as its senior director of communications, reporting to Met Assistant General Manager for Marketing and Communications Gillian Brierley. Wakin has been at the Times for 22 years, most recently as an editor at the Obituaries desk, but several promotions before that he was the newspaper’s first officially designated arts and culture reporter.The Met has declined to say what his duties will be; he certainly knows the place well, having done his fair share of stories about it over the years.
Colorado’s Central City Opera, which prides itself on being the country’s fifth oldest professional opera company, has appointed a new president and CEO in Pamela Pantos, current development director of the Boston Children’s Chorus, a job she has had for five months. Before that, until May 2020, she was artistic director of the Newport Music Festival for three years.
Gina Duncan, who left the Brooklyn Academy of Music in September 2020 to become producing director at the Sundance Institute, is returning to BAM as its new president. Duncan, 41, takes on responsibility for a $50 million operating budget; The New York Times reports she has never held the top job at an arts institution. During her 18 months at Sundance, Duncan produced the Film Festival online and in-person and managed the institute’s year-round operations.
Claire Spencer, CEO of Arts Center Melbourne (ACM), is to become the first-ever CEO of the Barbican Center, which claims to be the largest performing arts and conference center in Europe. She succeeds Nicholas Kenyon, who stepped down last September after nearly 14 years in the post of managing director. Prior to her current post, which she’ll exit in April before starting in London next May, Spencer was with the Sydney Opera House for ten years, the last of which she was CEO.
Recent hires at the Banff Center for Arts and Creativity have filled three key leadership positions: director of indigenous leadership, dean of arts and leadership, and director of dance training programming. Simon Ross, a hereditary member of the Nlaka’pamux Nation in British Columbia, fills the first post. The program, which is celebrating its 50th year, trains leaders how to develop, implement, and measure the success of strategic plans. Participants also learn the skills and knowledge needed to run effective organizations and build economically sustainable communities. Mark Wold is the new dean of arts and leadership; with more than two decades experience in arts and leadership at the Center, Wold has developed and implemented programs in music, visual, and literary arts, and supported the growth of year-round indigenous arts programming. The Center’s third new hire is Alejandro Ronceira as director of dance training programming. A native of Bogota, Columbia, Ronceira trained in both classical ballet and modern dance in Columbia, the Soviet Union, and New York before moving to Canada in 1984.
The Las Vegas Philharmonic has tapped Alice Sauro as its interim executive director, effective February 1. She succeeds Anne Berquist, who was recently dismissed “based on her performance in the role,” according to the orchestra. Sauro, who served for seven years as executive director of the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera (SPO) before moving to Las Vegas two years ago, will be providing artistic and administrative counsel in her new post.
Marcus Performing Arts Center has selected Katie Dillow as vice president of finance and administration, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). Dillow began her tenure on December 13, 2021. In addition, Marcus Center has selected Ken Harris to be vice president of venue operations, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). Harris began his tenure on November 8, 2021.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Todd M. Ahrens has joined the firm as vice president to expand the revenue enhancement area. Ahrens has 30 years of nonprofit experience in the arts, museums, and education sectors, including 15 years in senior-level management positions.
Green Lake Festival of Music has named violist, chamber music coach, and performer Elizabeth Oakes program director of its Chamber Music Institute. Oakes brings with her decades of experience as a string quartet and chamber music performer, an arts entrepreneur, and a chamber music coach and presenter.
January 2022
Col. Larry H. Lang, commander and conductor of the U.S. Air Force band from 2012-19, is to be the Amarillo (TX) Symphony’s executive director as of March, 2022. He succeeds David Hyslop, who’s been serving as interim since September of 2021. Lang arrives after nearly three years in the same post as executive director of the Flagstaff (AZ) Symphony. Moving to Amarillo, he says, brings him closer to his grandchildren. Lang has spent 29 years in the USAF, serving in various capacities, from combat to conducting.
Approaching its centennial season next year, the San Francisco Opera has added the position of chief operating officer (COO) to its ranks, a post that reports directly to General Director Matthew Shilvock in the role of “strategic partner.” She is Theresa Von Klug, arriving as of February 28 after seven years as General Manager of the Berkeley Repertory Theater. Among her areas of oversight in San Francisco are music operations (including orchestra, chorus and dance corps), patron operations, and the company’s archives.
The Chattanooga Symphony and Opera (CSO), which presents about 20 pops, symphonic, and chamber concerts a season, has named John Kilkenny to succeed Samantha Teter as executive director, starting March 1. He’s been at George Mason University since 2008 and has been serving as artistic and executive director of the Sewanee Summer Music Festival at the University of the South in Sewanee, TN. In the job since 2018, he is credited with expanding programing and enrollment, as well as successfully raising the festival’s profile and its funding base.
John Batchelder, a solo violist and member of the Julius Quartet, is the new executive director of the Dallas Chamber Music Society, succeeding Mary Anna Salo. Batchelder’s administrative experience includes working with a nonprofit music education program and serving for one year as creative director and artist-in-residence at EMERGE Coalition Inc., a contemporary, cross-genre arts program. The DCMS presents five concerts a season, mostly by touring groups.
New York Public Radio (NYPR) has a number of new staff members, including Kristina Newman-Scott, who earlier in January 2022 became executive director of The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space, a new position. NYPR is the umbrella corporation housing the aforementioned, along with WNYC, WQXR, Gothamist, WNYC Studios, and New Jersey Public Radio. Newman-Scott stepped down in August after three years as president of BRIC, a Brooklyn-based contemporary arts and media center. In her new job, she’ll oversee the programming and public visibility of NYPR’s street-level live-performance and studio space, which in the past has hosted everything from press conferences to lectures to performances and celebrity interviews.
Des Moines Metro Opera (DMMO) has named Allen Perriello, recent head of music at Minnesota Opera, as director of artistic administration, a new position succeeding the previous one of artistic administrator, held by Samuel Carroll, in the job from 2015-21. Perriello, also recent director of the young artist program at Glimmerglass, returns to DMMO after having served on its music staff from 2011-16. He starts next month, as the company launches its 50th-anniversary season in March.
Pensacola Opera, which in this its 39th season performs two performances each of The Magic Flute and the Barber of Seville, will realign its staff as of August 2022, when Jerome Shannon retires after 20 years as artistic director. Cody Martin, with the company since 2017 as conductor and overseer of resident artist and community education programs, will move up to the post of music director. Corey McKern, a baritone with experience on a number of opera stages in the southern U.S., is to be artistic director. Chandra McKern becomes general director, having previously held the post of executive director. She first joined the company in 2015. Shannon, meanwhile, is to be titled principal guest conductor.
Mezzo-soprano Leanne Pettit Clement, former director of Louisiana’s Opéra Louisiane, is the general director of Charlottesville Opera as of January 1. Charlottesville’s next summer season includes The Sound of Music and The Merry Widow.
On Jan. 11 the San Francisco Ballet appointed Tamara Rojo as its first new artistic director in nearly 40 years and the first woman to lead the company. She follows Helgi Tomasson, in the position for 37 years, and will join the company at the end of 2022. Rojo will be coming to San Francisco from the English National Ballet, where she has been artistic director and lead principal for nine-and-a-half years. Her tenure has been characterized by a creative program balance between new and contemporary choreography and a commitment to re-contextualizing classics to directly address pertinent social issues. She also led a successful £36mn ($49.3mn) capital campaign to create a new company headquarters.
The board of the Orlando Ballet named Jorden Morris as the company’s new artistic director. Morris has worked with the company since August 2020 as guest artistic director, and is widely credited for productions of Moulin Rouge—The Ballet and Peter Pan and his enhancements to the company’s annual The Nutcracker; his new production of The Great Gatsby will close the season in April 2022. Morris began his career at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, where he danced for 11 years, and has held leadership positions at Boston Ballet, Edmonton Citie Ballet, and The School of Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
Mark Williams, chief artistic and operations officer of the Cleveland Orchestra, is to be the new CEO of the Toronto Symphony as of April 2022. He succeeds Matthew Loden, who took over as dean of Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music in October after running the TSO for three years. Prior to joining Cleveland in 2013, Williams, 42, was artistic administrator of the San Francisco Symphony. With a BM in horn performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music, he began his career at IMG artists.
In St. Louis, Orchestra President and CEO Marie-Hélène Bernard introduced Yolanda “Yoli” Alovor, Ph.D., as the institution’s first VP of external affairs and equity, diversity, and inclusion. A St. Louis native, Alovor will oversee the SLSO’s ongoing work toward, equity, diversity, and inclusion as well as the alignment of its external affairs and communications with the orchestra’s strategic plan and EDI framework.
In Los Angeles Shelby D. Boagni has been named senior VP of people & culture at the Music Center, the nation’s third largest performing arts center. With the aim of championing an inclusive culture across the organization, she will be charged with overseeing the recruitment, development, motivation, and retention of a team that prioritizes diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. Most recently vice president of human resources for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Boagni’s more than 25 years of experience also include executive-level positions with industry-leading companies including IHOP; The Home Depot; Mars, Inc.; McDonald’s Corporation; and The Walt Disney Company. A native Angeleno, Boagni has a B.A. from Howard University and a Senior Certified Professional Certification (SHRM-SCP) from the Society for Human Resources Management.
With the new post of vice president of the Tanglewood Music Center & Learning, Asadour Santourian will oversee the BSO’s training, education, and community programs, including new partnerships and collaborations. (Ellen Highstein, who has planned most of 2022, will return next summer to run TMC and direct the 2022 Festival of Contemporary Music.) Santourian arrives from the Aspen Music Festival and School, where he has been VP for artistic administration and artistic advisor for 18 years.
Also new at the Boston Symphony as of this month is Maureen Flores, in the position of chief development officer. Flores has been with Bentley University since 2014 and, since 2017, has been its VP for advancement. Previous higher education advancement posts have included Fordham and Harvard universities and the University of Cincinnati.
Tino Gagliardi has won a three-year term as president and executive director of the NYC Musicians’ Union Local 802, the largest local union of professional musicians in the world. His election, which was unopposed, represents a fourth time around for Gagliardi, who served in the same capacity from 2010 to 2018.
December 2021
Acclaimed heldentenor Stuart Skelton is to be the new chairman of opera at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music as of January 3. He succeeds Marie-France Lefebvre, in the job two years; she plans to remain on the faculty as professor of opera. Skelton, a CCM alumnus (MM Voice 1995) and active performer and recording artist, has been on the faculty since August.
The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in Palm Beach has tapped Phillip Bergmann as artistic advisor for classical music. His responsibilities will include the “Regional Arts Classical Concert Series,” entering its 47th season; the “Young Artists Series;” and the “Beyond the Stage” series of pre-concert talks. Bergmann studied opera and vocal performance at Carnegie Mellon University before working as a booking agent in New York for Columbia Artists Management, Inc. (CAMI) and Opus 3 Artists. He relocated to South Florida in 2016 to head music and film programming at The Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach, where he served for four years.
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) has appointed Craig Whitehead as interim CEO, effective immediately, in the wake of Emma Dunch’s resignation on Dec. 10. Whitehead has considerable experience at senior executive levels in the Australian arts community, serving as CEO of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra (2019-21), the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (2008-18), and West Australian Opera (2006-08) and as General Manager of Brisbane’s La Boite Theater Company.
The Cardiff-based Streetwise Opera has named Martin Constantine as artistic director, beginning in January. His appointment results from an organizational overhaul that has combined two co-executive director positions into that of a CEO and elevated a part-time artistic director to fulltime status. For nearly 20 years Streetwise Opera has engaged world-class artists in collaborations with people affected by homelessness; it currently operates singing and creative workshops in London, Manchester, and Nottingham.
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) has looked within to find the successor to Anne Parsons; it is current VP and General Manager Erik Rönmark, who has been with the orchestra since 2005 and who can comfortably call Parsons his mentor. He takes over in March, as Parsons remains in the job through November 2022 in the post of president emeritus, a position to which she was named in perpetuity by the board last year. Among a host of accomplishments, he is credited with heading the search committee that found Jader Bignamini, and was also involved in launching the Live from Orchestra Hall webcasts in 2011, making it the first orchestra in the U.S. to stream its concerts live and enabling the DSO to stream prerecorded full orchestra performances during the pandemic long before other groups could get their acts together.
The Monteux School and Music Festival, the six-week conductor-intensive founded by legendary maestro Pierre Monteux in 1943, has a new executive director in Stan Renard, an alumnus of the school. Renard succeeds Marc C. Thayer, in the job three-plus years before being named CEO of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra in Illinois last July. Renard takes over in the 2022 season, which next summer runs from June 19 to July 22 and is currently accepting applications from candidates 18 and up. Described by Monteux as a “violinist, violist, arts manager, orchestra conductor, and founder and arranger of the Bohemian Quartet,” Renard is currently visiting associate professor and coordinator of arts management and entrepreneurship at the University of Oklahoma.
The Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, which celebrated its 75th-anniversary in the 2019-20 season, has named Jenny Mann as its next president and executive director. Mann is associate professor of bassoon and music management at the University of Alabama, where she also serves as coordinator for the arts administration degree. She authored the widely adopted textbook Teaching Woodwinds: Bassoon and has recorded three albums with the Cavell Trio. She holds a BA in music education from Baylor University and master’s and doctorate degrees in music from the University of Texas at Austin.
November 2021
Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Flórez is to be the next artistic director of the Rossini Opera Festival, an annual summer event dedicated to its namesake. He was recommended by his predecessor in the position, Ernesto Palacio, also a Peruvian tenor, who has held the job since 2019. Flórez, 48, has been a regular at the 42-year-old event, which takes credit as the site of his professional debut in 1996, appearing in Matilde di Shabran. Since then, Flórez has sung in 15 operas and 11 concerts at the Festival.
The Supervisory Board of the Salzburg Festival has appointed Kristina Hammer as the new president of the Salzburg Festival. She succeeds Helga Rabl-Stadler, who held the position for 27 years. Hammer’s selection from among six finalists, said the Board, was a “conscious step taken… to further internationalize the Salzburg Festival.” Among those capabilities that recommended Hammer were “her successful career… her long-term connection with the Salzburg Festival, and her cultural track record as a board member of the Friends of the Zurich Opera.” Hammer, who studied law in Mainz and earned a doctorate degree summa cum laude in European business law at the Vienna University, has been owner of the strategic brand consultancy HammerSolutions in Zurich for more than ten years. For the previous 15 years she held international management positions in Germany, England, and Austria.
The general manager of Beyoncé’s media company has just been named CEO and executive director of the American Ballet Theatre. Janet Rollé succeeds Kara Medoff Barnett, who resigned in July. Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie has also announced his intention to retire, at the end of 2022. Rollé starts January 3. She has been the overseer of Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment since 2016, managing a broad spectrum of activity from media and film to business development and artist management. Previously she was executive VP and chief marketer at CNN Worldwide, with a staff of 110, and before that executive VP of BET Networks.
Edmonton Opera has hired an artistic director known for his bold programming ideas, Joel Ivany, founding director of Against the Grain Theatre (AtG), whose moniker defines its mission of presenting off-beat updates of operas in unusual venues. Ivany, 41, succeeds Tim Yakimec, who left earlier this year after eight seasons. In addition to his new post, Ivany will remain artistic director of AtG as well as director of opera at the Banff Centre.
Charlotte Smith, editor of The Strad, is to succeed Oliver Condy as the editor of BBC Music magazine in January. Smith has been editor of The Strad since 2017; she initially served as the magazine’s online editor and has also worked for Gramophone. She holds a bachelor’s degree in violin performance from London’s Royal College of Music and a master’s in English from Cambridge University.
John Roloff is the new COO of the Kansas City Symphony. He arrives from the Milwaukee Symphony, where, as VP of orchestra and facility operations, he functioned as executive producer for MSO’s live and media activities, including a nationally syndicated radio series and, during the pandemic, the launch of MSO Live, the orchestra’s streaming platform. He also guided the metamorphosis of the Warner Grand Theater into the Bradley Symphony Center and oversaw the transition of operations to the new facility after it opened in January 2021. Roloff holds an MBA from the University of Iowa and is an alumnus of the League’s Emerging Leaders Program.
Washington Performing Arts, D.C.’s other major presenter, has named Eric James to the post of CFO. James currently holds the same position with the National Education Association (NEA) Foundation and starts at the venerable producing group in January. James, with over two decades of experience in finance and the arts, holds a master’s degree in administration from Trinity Washington University and a bachelor’s in business from Washington and Lee University.
The Little Orchestra Society (L.O.S.) has promoted its director of education and recent associate director to the top administrative post. Now executive director, Anthony C. Ball, succeeds Joanne Bernstein-Cohen, who died in August at the age of 73. She had been with the L.O.S. for 34 years. In conjunction with David Alan Miller, appointed the orchestra’s artistic advisor in 2019, Ball will oversee the youth-purposed professional orchestra’s upcoming 75th anniversary season.
David McCormick, an early music scholar, educator, and Baroque violinist, is to succeed Karin Brookes as the executive director of Early Music America (EMA). Brookes, in the job four years, is the new administrative director at the Juilliard School. McCormick, a founding member of New York-based medieval ensemble Alkemie, has been artistic director of the Early Music Access Project, as well as executive director of Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival and Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival, both in Virginia.
Robert Neu, an opera and music theater director, is to be the new VP of artistic planning for the Utah Symphony | Utah Opera. The organization cites his past consultancies and affiliations with the major orchestras of Colorado, Minnesota, and Cincinnati. By his own accounting, Neu has directed more than 100 opera and music theater productions over the past two decades, served as artistic director of Minnesota’s Skylark Opera Theater, co-founder of Angels & Demons Entertainment, and a lecturer at the University of Minnesota.
Graham Parker is to serve as interim executive director of the Louisville Orchestra. He steps into the vacancy left by Robert Massey, who left in May 2020 after one year in the job. Previously Parker, a musician by training, was senior VP of New York Public Radio, serving as general manager of New York’s classical music mainstay WQXR. Before that he was executive director of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and held various positions with the Brooklyn Philharmonic, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and the New York Philharmonic. In Louisville his tasks will include the search for his permanent replacement.
October 2021
The San Francisco Opera has engaged Lisa Bury as its chief philanthropy officer, reporting to General Director Matthew Shilvock and overseeing the department responsible for the annual fund, institutional and major gifts, grants, corporate sponsorships, planned giving, endowment and capital campaigns. She arrives December 8 after two years in a similar post with the Dallas Opera and, before that on an interim basis, the Boston Symphony and other classical organizations, including 14 years with the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
The Britt Festival Orchestra (BFO), which is coming up on the 60th anniversary of its annual Britt Music & Arts Festival next summer, has named Renia Shterenberg, a former violinist in the orchestra, as its new general manager. The southern Oregon Festival’s music director is Teddy Abrams, Musical America’s 2022 Conductor of the Year. Shterenberg, who played with the BFO from 2004-11 before switching to arts administration, arrives from San Antonio, TX, where she served as executive director of the Olmos Ensemble, an emerging chamber group.
The London Mozart Players (LMP), founded in 1949 by Harry Blech, has a new executive director in the wings. His name is Flynn Le Brocq and he starts in January. Le Brocq has held executive leadership roles at the Southwell Music Festival and the Oxford Bach Soloists, and was a company manager at Nevill Holt Opera. His recent startup projects have included the Stay at Home Choir and music concierge service Haus Musik. Flynn trained as a singer at the University of Edinburgh.
Welz Kauffman, who resigned two years ago after 20 years at the helm of the Ravinia Festival, has resurfaced in Tucson, AZ, where he has become the first-ever fulltime managing director of True Concord Voices & Orchestra, a professional ensemble that performs about 10 programs annually, each in multiple venues and all available for streaming thereafter.
olorado’s Central City Opera has come up with a new five-year strategic plan that moves Pelham “Pat” Pearce, Jr., its general/artistic director sporting 25 years with the company, to the position of artistic director and senior VP. A new post of CEO has been added, designed to oversee all administrative and operations.
Camerata Pacifica, a 30-year-old chamber ensemble based in Santa Barbara, CA, has named former Jacksonville Symphony VP and General Manager Roger Wight as executive director. He succeeds Amy Williams, who left the position of managing director last fall and is now executive director of the Savannah Philharmonic. Camerata Pacifica is a traveling operation, with subscription series in four Southern Californian cities: Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Marino, and Los Angeles. The group’s “Nightingale Channel,” a collaboration with UCLA Health, offers digital programming to hospitals and retirement communities.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Mario Garcia Durham has joined the firm as vice president based in Washington, DC. A respected policy strategist known for his diplomatic approach and ability to bring people together, he brings more than 30 years of experience guiding community-based, regional, and national arts and service organizations. His areas of expertise include board relations and leadership, strategy, organizational management, resource optimization, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Dámaso Rodríguez has joined the firm as vice president within the Planning & Capacity Building area. Based in Portland, OR, he has worked as a producer, director, educator, and arts administrator at theaters and universities, bringing more than 20 years of experience as an arts leader at both start-up organizations and venerable institutions across the United States.
The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts has selected Christopher Harrington as president and CEO, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He will began his tenure on November 1, 2021. Mr. Harrington has held several positions at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, where he has worked since 2012. Most recently serving as senior director of jazz and @The Max, he was responsible for marketing and programming local, national, and international talent, ensuring a sustainable business model to attract and retain new audiences. Mr. Harrington also increased the symphony’s presentations sevenfold, grew ticket revenue by more than 300 percent, and led the rebranding and launch of its venue The Cube.
Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival has named Elizabeth Chang its new artistic director. Chang, professor of violin at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has been a member of the festival’s faculty since 2007. She succeeds founder Kevin Lawrence.
United Arts of Central Florida has selected Jennifer Clark Evins as president and CEO, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on June 21, 2021. For more than a decade, Ms. Evins held various leadership roles at Chapman Cultural Center, a South Carolina arts agency that provides major funding and support for local arts and culture organizations. Most recently serving as the president and CEO, she oversaw facility operations, marketing, cultural tourism, arts education, grant-making, public art, and advocacy. She also facilitated equity, diversity, and inclusion training for the cultural sector and expanded cultural facilities to include affordable studios and co-workspaces for artists to collaborate, teach, and hone their skills.
September 2021
The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance has named Patricia Wilson Aden as its new president and CEO as of January 2022. She will succeed Priscilla M. Luce, who has been in the role since the previous leader, Maud Lyon, retired on July 31, 2020. Aden, current president and CEO of the Blues Foundation in Memphis, TN, is no stranger to the Philadelphia arts scene, having been president and CEO of the city’s African American Museum for eight years. She also held positions as president of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia and director of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s mid-Atlantic regional office.
The Portland (OR) Opera has named an interim music director in composer Damien Geter whose works fuse various styles and bear titles such as An African American Requiem, The Justice Symphony, and Neo-Soul. Geter has been Portland Opera’s co-artistic advisor since July 2020 and artistic advisor for the social justice focused Resonance Ensemble; he is also a singer and actor and holds a master’s degree in conducting from Indiana State University.
As of Sept. 1, 2022, dramaturg, curator, and theater manager Matthias Pees will become the new director of Berliner Festspiele. He succeeds Thomas Oberender, in the position since 2012 and leaving at his own request. The 51-year-old Pees, a native of Georgsmarienhütte, brings an impressive résumé to his new assignment. He has served as both artistic and managing director of the international production house Künstlerhaus Mousonturm in Frankfurt/Main (2013–22), leading dramaturg at Wiener Festwochen (2010–13), founder and co-managing director of the international production agency prod.art.br. in São Paulo (2004–10), program dramaturg at Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen (2003–04), theater dramaturg at schauspielhannover (2000–03) and at Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz (1995–2000). He has also worked as an arts journalist and theater critic.
Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) has named Natasha Baldwin to the newly created position of Executive VP, Classics and Screen. The London-based Baldwin will be responsible for leading the company’s global classical and screen composer businesses, and will be a direct report to Jody Gerson, UMPG chairman and CEO, and Marc Cimino, UMPG COO. She is following Jim Kendrick, who is retiring after ten years leading UMPG Classical.
Toledo Opera has named not one but two artistic directors to succeed James Meena, who left as general director and principal conductor last year to take the same post with Opera Carolina, in Charlotte, NC. Toledo’s James Norman, employed by the company since 2012, has been promoted from director of artistic administration and production to co-artistic director with Kevin Bylsma, a voice coach and longtime lecturer in opera at Bowling Green State University. Bylsma has been with Toledo Opera on and off since 1997, originally as a rehearsal pianist and chorus preparer. Both will be working with Executive Director Suzanne Rorick and all three will be involved with season planning. Music preparation will fall mostly to Bylsma, production to Norman, and together the duo will make casting, design, and direction decisions.
Debra Lew Harder, a classical music host and producer for Temple University’s WRTI-FM in Philadelphia, as well as a concert pianist and a medical doctor, is to be the new host of the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts, starting when the season opens on September 27. She succeeds Mary Jo Heath, who retired in May after five years in the job. The Met cites its broadcasts as the “longest running classical music program in American radio,” dating back to 1931. Lew Harder is the fifth host, preceded by Heath, Margaret Juntwait, Peter Allen, and Milton Cross.
Sean Michael Gross is to be the new director of Warner Classics U.K., reporting to Alain Landeron, president of Warner Classics and Erato, based in Paris. Gross succeeds Patrick Lemanski, who left last year and is now consulting for Naïve records. Gross’s most recent position was director of global strategy and innovation at London-based Askonas Holt artist management, a position for which he relocated from New York in 2018. He stepped down from AH last January as the pandemic swept through the business and crippled artists and their managers’ income.
The Public Theater of San Antonio has selected Claudia de Vasco as executive artistic director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on September 13, 2021. Most recently, Ms. de Vasco served as the head of cultural integration for BrickHouse Talent Agency in Los Angeles. While there, she identified hurdles for diversity within Hollywood and devised practical solutions to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in the industry and agency. Ms. de Vasco also designed and launched a ground-breaking agency division by ideating with other entertainment industry change-makers.
Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach has named Ahmad Mayes its new executive director. Mayes previously served as director of education and community engagement with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. While there, he oversaw a wide range of field leading programs including Concerts for Young People, school and community partnerships, musician training, and nation-wide DE&I collaborations as director of education and community engagement.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has selected Francesca Harper as artistic director of Ailey II, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on September 7, 2021. Ms. Harper has choreographed works for both of the Ailey professional companies, Dance Theater of Harlem, Hubbard Street II, and La Bale Da Cidade, among others. She has also choreographed works commissioned by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and her own company, The Francesca Harper Project. Ms. Harper has been a principal dancer with Frankfurt Ballet and a featured performer in Broadway shows. Sought after for her expertise and experience as a consultant for major film and stage productions, Ms. Harper is currently engaged as executive producer with Sony Pictures on a series in development.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Menon Dwarka has joined the firm as senior vice president to lead and expand ACG’s services to Canadian organizations. Based in Toronto and New York, his expertise is focused on supporting opportunities for more diverse management teams, boards of directors, programming, and accessible cultural facilities that better serve the changing demographics of North America.
Breckenridge Creative Arts (BCA), a multidisciplinary nonprofit organization responsible for the successful management of a series of programs, properties, and partnerships that collectively animate and populate a cultural corridor in the heart of downtown Breckenridge, announces today that Tamara Nuzzaci Park has been named president and chief executive officer. Park was appointed acting president in May 2021 and served as the executive director of Breckenridge Music (Breck Music) for the past six years.
August 2021
Li Xincao, chief conductor of the China National Symphony Orchestra (CNSO) since 2018 and its vice president since 2019, has been named the orchestra’s president by the Ministry of Culture & Tourism. He fills a post vacated by Zhang Yi who resigned in April 2019. Li Xincao studied in Vienna and returned to China in 1999. At 50, he is the youngest among the five conductors working closely with the orchestra, including Tan Dun (artistic advisor), Chen Xieyang (emeritus conductor), Shao En (principal guest), Muhai Tang (honorary conductor).
Marc Stevens is to succeed Paul Dornian as president and CEO of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra in September. Dornian is retiring after six years in the job. Stevens arrives after seven years at the National Arts Center (NAC) in Ottawa, where he was the NAC Orchestra’s general manager and, for a time, acting managing director, and led the orchestra on a number of tours of North America and Europe.
Tom West, former chief advancement officer of the Los Angeles-based American Film Institute, is the new executive director of the Atlanta Ballet. He succeeds Arturo Jacobus, who retired at the end of last season, leaving the company in fiscal health after 12 years in the job. West’s fund-raising proclivity has been demonstrated with 10 years at the AFI, nearly four years as VP of development for the Segerstrom Center for the Arts (at the time known as the Orange County Performing Arts Center), and 10 years as VP of development at the Kennedy Center. He holds degrees in theater and arts administration. he starts full time in Atlanta at the end of September.
Michael Heaston, a former executive director of the Lindemann program and current artistic administrator for the Metropolitan Opera, has been named as Diane Zola’s replacement, and will oversee all matters artistic, including planning, scheduling, and casting; managing music and artistic staff; scheduling rehearsals, performances, and auditions; and working with all artists and their representatives. Melissa Wegner, current overseer of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions—renamed in May “the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition”—is to add the executive directorship of the Lindeman Young Artist Development Program to her duties.
As of September 1, Kevin Kwan Loucks, an Orange-county based chamber musician and entrepreneur, is the new CEO of Chamber Music America. He succeeds Margaret Loi, who announced her retirement last November. Loucks’s wide-ranging background includes co-founding Chamber Music OC, a performance and outreach organization coming up on its 10th anniversary in 2022; program development for the Music Academy of the West; fund-raising for the Philharmonic Society of Orange County; performing as pianist and founding member of the still-extant Trio Céleste; and serving as a teaching assistant for the Emerson String Quartet at SUNY Stony Brook.
Mark Ball will become artistic director of the Southbank Center, the U.K.’s largest arts center, in January 2022. Currently the creative director at Manchester International Festival, Ball will be responsible for developing an expansive artistic strategy to foster a nationwide reach and enhance the organization’s digital offerings. Prior to his current position at Manchester, Ball served as artistic director and chief executive of the London International Festival of Theater, head of events and exhibitions at the Royal Shakespeare Company, and founding artistic director of Fierce, an edgy, Birmingham-based theater company.
Opera Parallèle, San Francisco’s vital source of new and contemporary opera since 2007, has a new senior executive team, organized under and announced by its Founder and Artistic Director Nicole Paiement, who recently added general director to her title. Ruth Nott, creator and director of San Francisco Opera’s (SFO) education and community programs from 2008 to 2019, is to be Opera Parallèle’s (OP) managing director after having recently served as its interim COO. Her work with the SFO earned a Yale Distinguished Music Education Partnership Award for its focus on collaboration, professional development, and arts integration. Another SFO alumna, Aileen Tat, is to be Opera Parallèle’s new development director, having been leadership giving officer at SFO as well as a founding member of the company’s Diversity, Equity and Community Committee.
Opera Australia (OA) has named a new CEO, the first woman to occupy the job, and a highly credentialed one at that. Fiona Allan, born in Australia but living in the U.K. since 2004 when she was appointed artistic director of the Wales Millennium Center, will move into the top OA executive job at the end of 2021. She succeeds Rory Jeffes, who announced in February that he would step down. He’ll remain CEO until Allan’s arrival.
London native Suzy Klein, a veteran of the BBC for over two decades, is to become the broadcaster’s head of Arts and Classical Music in October. Her position has been newly created to ensure that arts and classical music commissioning is fully integrated into BBC content. Klein graduated with first-class honors in Music from the University of Oxford in 1996, and received a postgraduate diploma in broadcast journalism from City University London. After beginning her career as a presenter on radio and TV with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, she returned to the U.K. and began at the BBC, first at Radio 4 before moving to television as a director and producer.
The 92nd Street Y has appointed a successor to Hanna Arie-Gaifman, who announced in January that she would step down after 21 years as director of the Tisch Center for the Arts. The new candidate, Amy Lam, will hold a slightly different title: Vice President of Tisch Music. Perhaps that is to better describe her remit, which, like many these days, stretches beyond classical music on both sides of the footlights and emphasizes diversity. Lam was most recently artistic director of Boston’s multi-discipline Celebrity Series, where for 25 years she booked some 60 events annually, from classical music to jazz, pop, and world music. She is also credited with expanding the programming to include theater, lectures, and multi-discipline performances. She starts at the Y in November. Arie-Gaifman, meanwhile, takes the title of director emerita and will oversee a new classical music festival scheduled for summer 2022.
Bill Chandler, who started his career as a violinist in the Houston Symphony after earning his master’s degree from Rice University, is to be the new chief executive of the BBC Concert Orchestra. He succeeds Andrew Connolly, who stepped down after 20 years in the post last December. Chandler arrives with 30 years working, in one capacity or another, in orchestras. Most recently, he was director of concerts and engagement for the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO), an organization with which has been affiliated for over 26 years, the first 20 of which he served as associate leader (akin to associate concertmaster).
After a year as associate artistic director of the Public Theater, Shanta Thake is to take the top artistic position at Lincoln Center, overseeing its various series and festivals. The position has been vacant since Jane Moss departed in 2020. In its announcement however, Lincoln Center emphasizes her title, “Chief Artistic Officer,” as a new one, in alignment with the organization’s official “Commitment to Change,” which declares “Black Lives Matter” and its plan to “change the status quo.” Thake starts September 1. Prior to her current post, she was senior director of artistic programs at the Public Theater and director of Joe’s Pub, from 2007. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in theater from Indiana University at Bloomington.
Seattle Chamber Music Society has named John Holloway its new executive director, effective September 6. Holloway has served as managing director of the Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival in Greenville, NC, since 2014. In addition to greatly expanding both its season and its supporting budget, he created and developed Winter Workshop.
Ocean County College has selected Shannon Mayers as executive and artistic director of the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for Arts (Grunin Center), following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on July 12, 2021. Ms. Mayers’s career spans more than 25 years in the arts, including extensive management and curatorial experience in both professional and academic settings. Most recently, she served as executive director at Keene State College’s Redfern Arts Center, where she commissioned 13 projects, presenting many regional and world premieres.
Stages Houston has selected Katie Maltais as managing director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on August 1, 2021. A veteran performing arts executive, Ms. Maltais most recently served as managing director at Curious Theatre Company in Denver, CO. In this role, she earned an industry reputation for forging rapid growth and instigating institutional change, specifically in areas of patron loyalty and community building. Ms. Maltais also created The Loyalty Target, a new model for arts administration that has been adopted by arts organizations in both the United States and United Kingdom.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Delilah Norris has joined the firm’s Executive Search practice area as vice president. Based in ACG’s Chicago and Dallas locations, she brings nearly 30 years of comprehensive management, leadership, and innovative human resources experience spanning the arts and culture, nonprofit, private, and K-12 public education sectors. Her areas of expertise include the full complement of the employee life cycle, employee relations, conflict resolution, mediation, change management, employee benefits, and employee coaching, as well as belonging, inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility (BIDEA) strategy and initiatives.
July 2021
With the August 6 arrival of Early Music America Executive Director Karin Brookes to succeed Benjamin Sosland, now at the New England Conservatory, Juilliard has a new head of its Historical Performance Program. It also has a new Music Division Director, a new Prep School Dean, a new Provost, and quite a number of open positions. Brookes arrives after four years at the helm of Early Music America. Prior to EMA, Brookes was with Early Music Seattle, where she served as director of development; before that she worked with Northwest Boychoir and Pacific MusicWorks.
The Cleveland Institute of Music has named Scott Harrison executive VP and provost—a new position at CIM. Harrison is a familiar name among executives in orchestra circles, including the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and, most recently, the Louisiana Philharmonic, where he was interim ED. He starts his CIM job in August. Harrison’s portfolio includes overseeing academic and student affairs, pre-college programs, recruitment, and artistic programming for the Cleveland community.
Emmanuel Hondré is to be the next general director of the Opéra National de Bordeaux, effective as of August 2022 and succeeding Marc Minkowski as his term expires. Hondré has been director of the Concerts and Shows department of the Philharmonie de Paris since 2014, where he is responsible for an annual season of 500 concerts. He is also a lecturer and gives master classes on music management and cultural politics at schools ranging from the National Conservatory of Music of Paris to the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory of Saint Petersburg and the Shanghai School of Art and Culture.
Portland Opera has announced that Priti Gandhi will be the company’s new artistic director. Gandhi arrives from Minnesota Opera where she was chief artistic officer. Her responsibilities will overlap with those of PO’s former Director of Artistic Operations Clare Burovac, who left the Oregon-based company for New Orleans Opera in September 2020.
The American Pianists Association (APA) has named Peter Mraz, former VP of the Arts Consulting Group (ACG), to succeed Dr. Joel Harrison, who announced last September that he would step down in June of 2021. He starts August 1. Harrison will stay on as a consultant as Mraz adjusts to the job. Mraz, 44, is highly credentialed, having earned a diploma in piano performance from Kosice Conservatory in his native Slovakia (and winning two piano competitions), a business degree at the City University of Seattle, and a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School.
Mena Mark Hanna is to be general director of the Spoleto Festival as of next October, succeeding Nigel Redden, who announced last fall that he would step down after 35 years in the job. Hanna, the son of Egyptian immigrants, is the founding dean and professor of musicology and composition at Daniel Barenboim’s Barenboim-Said Akademie in Berlin. Prior to starting in that position, in 2014, he spent three years with the Houston Grand Opera and was a lecturer at the Shepard School of Music at Rice University. In an earlier position, he served as assistant to David Foster, President and CEO of Opus3 Artists.
The Dayton (OH) Performing Arts Alliance (DPAA), formed from the 2012 merger of the Dayton Philharmonic, Dayton Ballet, and Dayton Opera, has a new president and CEO in Patrick J. Nugent. He succeeds interim CEO Patricia McDonald, who took over in February 2020 when longtime CEO Paul Helfrich left to become executive director of the Orlando (FL) Philharmonic.
Marc Thayer is leaving his post as executive director of Symphony New Hampshire, and of the Monteux School and Music Festival, to be CEO of the Elgin (IL) Symphony Orchestra, a professional ensemble founded in 1950 with a budget of about $2.2 million. He succeeds Erik Malmquist, in the job 18 months before leaving to become casting director for the 2021-22 season at Munich’s Bayerische Staatsoper. Thayer, a violinist, has led New Hampshire five years, and before that worked with the St. Louis and New World symphonies. He holds a Master’s Degree in violin performance from the Eastman School.
Nicole Belmont, a media strategist, ensemble soprano singer, and co-founder of New York group Choral Chameleon, is to be the new executive director of the Phoenix (AZ) Chorale, a 28-voice professional ensemble. She succeeds Jen Rogers who left in January after 15 years.
Performance Santa Fe, a presenter of high-profile classical music artists, along with dance and other disciplines, has named Amy Iwano as its executive director. She steps into the new role in September, succeeding Chad Hilligus, who left last month after two years to become CEO at The Gallo Center for the Arts in Modesto, CA. Iwano is the executive director of the University of Chicago Presents and is credited with expanding the 77-year-old series beyond classical music to include jazz and world music, artist residencies, and multidisciplinary festivals. Prior to that she was executive director of the Chicago Chamber Musicians and of the Japan America Symphony of Los Angeles, which she took on its first concert tour to Japan.
Kevin Bitterman, director of institutional advancement and partnerships at New York’s Theater Communications Group (TCI, is to be next executive director of the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts, effective August 16 and succeeding Corey Madden, who exited one year ago. The privately funded Institute is designed to link University of North Carolina School of the Arts and its students and faculty to the local community, and vice versa, providing material and financial resources toward artistic innovation, and in turn strengthening the creative economy in North Carolina and the Southeast.
San Francisco Ballet has selected Jennie Scholick as director of education and training, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on May 10, 2021. Ms. Scholick’s career has spanned arts management, scholarship, and teaching, both in higher education and performing arts organizations. She has held various roles at SF Ballet since joining the organization in 2017, including associate director of audience engagement, associate director of audience development, and, most recently, interim director of education and training. While at SF Ballet, Ms. Scholick launched and curated the organization’s public programming, adult education, and audience development initiatives.
Meadowmount School of Music announced the appointment of Mark Hayman as executive director. Mark Hayman is a musician and seasoned arts executive with over 30 years of experience in the music world focused on emerging artists. As former executive director of the renowned nonprofit artist management Young Concert Artists, he developed and promoted the careers of extraordinary young musicians for decades alongside founder Susan Wadsworth.
The Kalamazoo Civic Theatre has selected Laura Zervic as executive director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on July 1, 2021. Ms. Zervic has practiced marketing and advertising law for more than 20 years for such companies as Chobani, Kellogg Company, two prestigious law firms in Chicago, and BISSELL Homecare, Inc. In addition to her work as an attorney, she has remained highly engaged with and dedicated to her community and to the arts, serving as a trustee and treasurer of the Gull Lake Community Schools Board of Education and president of the Gull Lake Community Schools Fine Arts Foundation, among other public service distinctions.
Formerly American Traditions Vocal Collection’s artistic director, Mikki Sodergren will now serve as both executive and artistic director. Prior to and during her tenure with the ATVCollection, Ms. Sodergren has continued her career as a sought-after vocal soloist in both classical and popular music fields. She has sung with the Jacksonville Symphony, the Savannah Philharmonic, and the Washington Bach Consort, among others.
Global Arts Live has selected Connie C. Chin as executive director following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on July 26, 2021. Ms. Chin will succeed founder and current Executive Director Maure Aronson, who will transition to director of artistic programs in a new co-leadership structure. For the past five years, Ms. Chin served as president of the Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library, where she strengthened the organization’s financial position, fundraising, partnerships, curatorial work, and orientation to social and racial justice goals.
Composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate has been named a Cultural Ambassador for the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs. Tate, whose appointment is part of American Music Abroad’s 2021-22 season, will deliver performances, workshops, lectures, and more in a month long virtual tour. He is a CMA-commissioned composer.
The Broadway League has selected Gennean Scott as director of equity, diversity, and inclusion, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on July 6, 2021. For the past 20 years, Ms. Scott has been committed to fostering inclusion and equity by implementing various racial and social justice initiatives in community organizations and professionally in the nonprofit and education sectors. Ms. Scott most recently served as vice president of human capital and inclusion at Omaha Performing Arts, where she led and created equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives and programs.
June 2021
Stefano Pace, current superintendent of the Fondazione Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi, in Trieste, is to be the new general and artistic director for the Royal Opera of Wallonia-Liège as of October 2021. He succeeds the late Stefano Mazzonis di Pralafera, who died unexpectedly last February. Liège will begin his five-year term in October 2021. Applicants to the job were required to have at least 10 years of experience in classical music in management and / or artistic management.
Yuval Sharon, founder and artistic director of The Industry and recent artistic director of the Michigan Opera Theater, is getting some help. Sonic artist Ash Fure and interdisciplinary artist Malik Gaines are joining The Industry as co-equal artistic directors for an initial term of three years. Fure, an associate professor of music at Dartmouth College and 2016 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in music, utilizes sonic art to create immersive listening experiences in unusual places. Gaines, for 20 years a Los Angelino and now an associate professor of performance studies at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, co-founded the musical performance art group My Barbarian in 2000.
Louisa Proske, co-founder and co-artistic director of Heartbeat Opera, will step down to become associate artistic director of Oper Halle; she will, at the same time stay connected to the bold, eight-year-old New York based company with the title of resident director. As she exits, her co-founder and co-artistic director Ethan Heard moves up to become the sole artistic director. At the same time, Black activist and bass-baritone Derrell Acon has been appointed associate director, starting July 1; he’ll remain chief impact officer at Long Beach Opera, which has simultaneously promoted him as its own associate director.
The Las Vegas Philharmonic has a new executive director, Anne Berquist, as of May 3, coming to the city from Grand Rapids, MI, where she served for the last year as a consultant and, prior to that, COO to a startup called Aid the Neway International_SignArt. At one time she was executive director of Opera Grand Rapids and president & CEO of Ann Arbor School for the Performing Arts.
The World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC) has elected a new president in Peter Paul Kainrath, artistic director of the Ferrucio Busoni Piano Competition and CEO of Klangforum Wien. He will serve a three-year term, succeeding Didier Schnohrk of the Geneva Competition, who served two terms in the job.
The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), located in Winston-Salem—one of UNC’s 17 statewide campuses—is undergoing major changes, as witnessed by the arrival of new deans at three of its five genre-specific schools. Saxton Rose will continue to oversee all of the School of Music operations, performances, and its 265 students, 47 faculty and 11 staff members. UNCSA named dancer, choreographer, and educator Endalyn Taylor as the new dean of the School of Dance effective August 1. She arrives after six years at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, where she teaches ballet and musical theater as an associate professor. Independent filmmaker and educator Deborah LaVine will take over in July as dean of the School of Filmmaking, which in 2020 was ranked among the Top 10 film schools in the country. She arrives from the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), where she was program director of the graduate-level film directing program.
The Louisiana Philharmonic, which self-defines as “the only full-time collaboratively governed and operated orchestra in the United States,” has named Philadelphia native Anwar Nasir to be its next executive director. Nasir is the current chief revenue & advancement officer for the Omaha Symphony, where he has worked for two years. The orchestra, whose pre-pandemic budget was $5.5 million, will return to its annual, 36-week schedule of live performances next October. Normally, it employs 67 musicians and has an administrative staff of 17. Carlos Miguel Prieto is its music director.
Mhiran Faraday is the new executive director of the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival. She comes to the position after three years as manager of the Banff International Chamber Music Competition (BISQC). In addition to the Banff competition, Faraday served as program director for the Center’s music department, operations director for Symphony Nova Scotia, and executive director for Debut Atlantic. She holds a BA in Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology from Dalhousie University.
Carlos Miguel Prieto, Musical America’s 2019 Conductor of the Year, is to serve as artistic advisor to the North Carolina Symphony (NCS) as it continues its search for a successor to Welshman Grant Llewellyn, who exited in spring of 2020 after 16 seasons. The 58-year-old Llewellyn now holds the title of music director laureate; he is the music director of Orchestre Symphonique de Bretagne in France.
Terell M. Johnson, former community engagement director for the New World Symphony, is to be the next executive director of the Chicago Philharmonic, a three-decade-old ensemble that has gone through various iterations since its founding.
The Winnipeg (CA) Symphony also has a new executive director. Angela Birdsell is described as an arts management consultant, with Ottawa Live Arts Community, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, and the Saint John Theater Company among her clients. She succeeds Trudy Schroeder, in the job for 13 seasons.
Cristina Rocca is to return to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as VP for artistic planning, a post she vacated in October of 2020 after five years to become artistic director of the London Philharmonic. She starts in Chicago on June 28, occupying the only endowed administrative post at the CSO, the Mary L. Gray Chair, reporting to CEO Jeff Alexander, and overseeing the artistic administration staff of eight. She will, once again, work with Music Director Riccardo Muti and be responsible for all programming, including jazz, world, the Symphony Center Presents lineup, and the MusicNOW contemporary series.
Fund for the Arts (The Fund) has selected André Kimo Stone Guess as president & CEO, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on June 30, 2021. A native Louisvillian, Mr. Guess brings more than 20 years of experience in the arts sector, working with arts organizations and individual artists. For more than 14 years, he has also owned and operated management consulting firm, GuessWorks, Inc. During that time, he managed the careers of world-class artists and provided management, consulting, and producing services to arts organizations and nonprofits.
Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival has named Paul Schwendener as its new executive director, effective June 1. He succeeds Elaine Lipton, who is retiring after 15 years in the position. Lipton will continue as executive director emeritus through August.
The International Festival of Arts & Ideas (Festival) has selected Roslyn (Roz) Gilhuly as director of development, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on February 8, 2021. Ms. Gilhuly brings more than 25 years of experience in fundraising, donor stewardship, marketing and communications, public relations, and corporate relationship building to her new role at the Festival. Most recently, she served as Senior Vice President, External Relations at Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, where she oversaw all marketing, development, and membership operations.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG), announced that Nagham Wehbe has joined the firm as associate vice president to support all of ACG’s practice areas with market research, data analysis, financial modeling, survey and interview design, and translation of data for cultural organizations. Based in Los Angeles, she began her tenure on June 1, 2021. As a researcher and strategist, she has utilized qualitative and quantitative data (primary and digital) to identify trends and deliver recommendations to clients. Her areas of expertise include audience engagement trends, brand visibility, and program competitiveness.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Calida N. Jones has joined the firm as vice president to expand the planning and capacity building areas of the firm. Based in Washington, DC, Ms. Jones brings more than 20 years of experience in planning, workshop and curriculum development, project management, and advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and access initiatives. Passionate about intentional and purposeful mentoring and community engagement, her personal mission is to ensure that those with limited resources have access to arts opportunities and activities. She is also committed to correlating the art of teaching to life skills and community building.
May 2021
Katie McGuinness will exit her post as director of artistic planning at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra to join the Dallas Symphony as VP of artistic operations, as of the 2021-22 season. Overseeing a department of 10, she’ll report directly to DSO President and CEO Kim Noltemy, who announced the appointment jointly with Music Director Fabio Luisi. In her new job she’ll be responsible for all classical and pops programming, with, respectively, Luisi and Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik. A professionally trained pianist who counts John O’Conor among her primary teachers, she spent two summers in administration at the Aspen Music Festival and School while working on her doctorate in piano performance at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Ireland.
Larisa Gelman, onetime director of the 92nd Street Y’s Center for Education Outreach, among other nonprofit leadership positions, is the new executive director of Midori & Friends. She succeeds Suzanne Wilson, who left in 2019 after seven years in the job and is now president and CEO of the Phoenix Symphony. Midori & Friends is heading into its 30th anniversary of working with New York City public schools to provide music education and enrichment to students in grades K-12. By its own estimation, it has reached over 300,000 students.
Joshua Barone, a senior staff editor at the New York Times, has been given the title of assistant performing arts editor, a boost to the culture department. Barone, who writes frequently about classical music, holds degrees in journalism and French literature from the University of Missouri. He joined the Times in 2013 after a year at the Financial Times and a variety of internships, including the Wall Street Journal, Esquire magazine, and Standard and Poor’s. Other recent shifts in Times culture include the arrivals in New York of Javier C. Hernández, 36, to cover classical music and dance, with a background in political reporting, and the move in Los Angeles of that town’s longtime Bureau Chief Adam Nagourney, 66, to focus on West Coast arts, in particular California’s. Both were necessitated by Michael Cooper’s promotion from arts reporter to deputy culture chief.
Amanda Gookin is to be the next executive director of Music at the Anthology, or MATA, which supports emerging composers through commissioning, performing, and funding their work. Founded by Philip Glass, Eleonor Sandresky, and Lisa Bielawa in 1996 at a time when getting a hearing for new work was difficult, MATA has since become, by its own account, “the world’s foremost sought-after performance opportunity for young and emerging composers.” Gookin, a cellist, succeeds Loren Loiacono on June 5.
Moving from new music to vintage repertoire, San Francisco’s Merola Opera Program has a new director of advancement as of June 1. Nancy E. Petrisko, director of development at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, UC Davis, takes up the post as Merola moves into a new generation of leadership under Carrie-Ann Matheson, who succeeded Sheri Greenawald as artistic director last January. Petrisko is a former operations manager at San Francisco Opera and has worked with many opera companies and presenters across her career in a range of capacities. She has also taught arts-management courses at the university level and been an independent fund-raising consultant for a number of non-profit arts organizations.
The Juilliard School has named a top Curtis Institute academic as dean and director of its music division. David Serkin Ludwig—whose uncle was Peter Serkin and whose grandfather, pianist Rudolf Serkin, was director of Curtis from 1968-1976—is to take the new job on June 1. He will be responsible for all music performance and academic training in his new position; his three focuses, according to the school are “excellence, creativity, and inclusiveness.”
Interlochen Center for the Arts has selected Enrique Márquez as director of music, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He will begin his tenure on June 1, 2021. Mr. Márquez most recently served as manager of events for the Harvard University Department of Music. In this role, he oversaw Music Department concerts and events and served as the administrator of the Fromm Music Foundation, which has commissioned more than 400 new compositions. Mr. Márquez actively collaborated with music institutions, including Tanglewood, the American Composers Orchestra, the American Academy in Rome, and Sony Classical.
Interlochen Center for the Arts has also named trumpeter Josh Lawrence as its new director of jazz studies, effective August 9. Lawrence, who received a CMA 2017 New Jazz Works grant, succeeds Bill Spears, who is retiring after 34 years at the Center.
April 2021
Olivier Mantei, managing director of the Opéra-Comique, is to be the next director of the Cité de la Musique/Philharmonie de Paris. He starts on November 1, succeeding Laurent Bayle, in the job since 2015. His term, for five years, was announced on April 28 by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and Minister of Culture Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin. In his new role, Mantei will oversee all artistic matters for the Cité de la Musique/Philharmonie, as well as make it “accessible and exemplary in terms of inclusion” and diversity of musical genres and origins.
Enrique Márquez, who produces and books events for Harvard University’s Department of Music and administers the Fromm Music Foundation, has been appointed director of music by Interlochen Center for the Arts. Márquez will oversee music programming, pedagogy, and curricula for Interlochen Arts Academy, Camp, College of Creative Arts, and Interlochen Online. He starts June 1 and reports to Vice Provost of Academic and Artistic Education Jason Hubbard; he’ll also collaborate with Christian Macelaru, artistic director and principal conductor of Interlochen’s World Youth Symphony Orchestra, a summer program.
Violist Geraldine Walther, who exited the Takács Quartet in 2019 after a 15-year run, has been appointed interim director of chamber music at the Colburn School in Los Angeles. She starts next fall and her position is expected to become permanent thereafter.
The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music has named Professor Farzad Amoozegar as the new director of the Iranian Music Program, an appointment made as part of the school’s partnership with the Farhang Foundation, which promotes Iranian art and culture in the community. The Foundation supports much of the program’s activity, which includes connecting UCLA students to international Iranian music and musicians.
Renae Williams Niles, chairman of the board of APAP (Association of Performing Arts Professionals), best known for her work in arts education and dance, will oversee all programming at the Los Angeles Philharmonic, including classical. Her newly created position, which she assumes on June 7, is chief content and engagement officer, reporting directly to CEO Chad Smith.
Alison Friedman, current artistic director of performing arts for Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, is returning Stateside for reasons personal and political; she has been hired as executive and artistic director of Carolina Performing Arts at UNC-Chapel Hill. She starts in October, filling the post vacated in 2019 by Emil Kang, now at the Andrew Mellon Foundation.
Oper Köln has hired Dutch cultural manager Hein Mulders, onetime artistic director of the Nederlandse Opera, current intendant of the Aalto-Musiktheater in Essen (Germany), as its new artistic director, effective in 2022-23.
Elena Dubinets, recent chief artistic officer of the Atlanta Symphony, onetime Musical America Top 30 Mover and Shaper, highly regarded musicologist, author, and lecturer, is to be the London Philharmonic’s artistic director, as of next September. Prior to Atlanta, the Russian-born Dubinets was VP of artistic planning and creative projects for the Seattle Symphony. Over her 15-year tenure, she is credited with widening the orchestra’s repertoire, especially through contemporary work and commissions, and launching its in-house label, which garnered a number of Grammy Awards.
Marc Baylin, who announced his decision to wind down Baylin Artists Management last year just one month before the pandemic struck, has been hired as artistic advisor and programming consultant by the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. The multi-discipline presenter, based at the University of Pennsylvania, is approaching its 50th-anniversary season. It has been active digitally during the shutdown and is now preparing for its next, live moves.
Patrick Castillo, who describes himself as “a composer, performer, writer, and educator,” has been hired by the New York Philharmonic as VP of artistic planning. He has been consulting for the orchestra under his predecessor, Isaac Thompson, who was promoted to managing director in December as one of two key executives under President and CEO Deborah Borda.
The City of Aspen has named Lisa Rigsby Peterson as the executive director of the Wheeler Opera House, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on March 1, 2021. A long-time Colorado resident, Ms. Rigsby Peterson most recently served as the founding executive director of the municipally owned Lone Tree Arts Center. During her decade-long tenure, she brought high-profile performers to Lone Tree, presenting up to 80 performances annually. Her innovative approach to strategic artistic partnerships and programs helped identify unmet needs in the community as well as curate signature programs to serve them.
March 2021
Bronx Arts Ensemble, nearing 50 years of bringing performances and teaching artists into Bronx public schools, has named Judith Insell as its executive director. Insell, a professional violist born and raised in the Bronx, was named artistic director in summer 2020. Insell, a onetime Broadway pit musician, was previously director of music at the Harlem School of the Artsts and assistant director of Instrumental Studies at Mannes College of Music, The New School. She is a member of the avant-garde jazz collective Jump Off This Bridge and the Greenwich (CT) Symphony.
Benjamin Sosland, interim dean and director of the Music Division at the Juilliard School, is to be the next provost and dean of the New England Conservatory, effective July 5. He succeeds Thomas Novak, a 20-year NEC veteran who holds the title of VP and provost. Sosland will oversee all aspects of NEC’s programs including the College, Preparatory School, and School of Continuing Education.
Christine Goerke, who led last October’s Twilight: Gods in the Michigan Opera Theater parking garage, has been named associate artistic director for three years as of April 1. “…she will partner with Yuval Sharon to reposition MOT with a new focus for what opera in Detroit will mean,” said MOT President Wayne Brown. Davóne Tines is MOT’s new artist in residence.
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) has named a chief diversity officer, a newly created position reporting directly to the CEO. An Ohio native and Harvard graduate, Harold Brown will oversee CSO diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) both internally and in the community.
The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) has selected Dr. Carleen Graham to become the School’s inaugural associate dean and director of vocal arts. A distinguished teaching professor emerita of the State University of New York at Potsdam, Graham is currently director of HGOco, Houston Grand Opera’s program connecting the company to its community. She begins her new position on July 1, 2021.
David Pratt, executive director of the Savannah Music Festival (SMF) for slightly more the two years, is to be the new CEO and executive director of the Austin (TX) Symphony Orchestra (ASO). Pratt is credited with balancing the $3.4 million annual budget at SMF and adding new community programs.
The Wheeling (WV) Symphony Orchestra has named Bryan Braunlich, its general manager, to the position of executive director, effective immediately. He succeeds Bruce Wheeler. Braunlich first arrived in 2017 as director of marketing and communications.
Caramoor has appointed Edward J. Lewis III to succeed Jeffrey P. Haydon as president & CEO. Lewis, a onetime violist in the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, has been vice chancellor for advancement at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) for six years, a position from which he is credited with “surpassing all annual and campaign fundraising goals.” He’ll start at Caramoor in May, succeeding interim CEO Nina Curley. Kathy Schuman remains VP and artistic director.
The City of Thousand Oaks has selected Jonathan Serret as cultural affairs director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on November 20, 2020. Mr. Serret most recently worked at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center (BAPAC), serving as technical director for 10 years and as deputy cultural affairs director/general manager since 2017. In addition to providing operational oversight, he implemented the Cultural Affairs Five-Year Strategic Plan and produced the City’s Pop Up Arts and Music Festival.
February 2021
The Los Angeles-based Colburn School, which has grown over the last 70 years from a community music school into a major conservatory, has announced that 26-year-old choreographer and former New York City Ballet dancer Silas Farley is to succeed Jenifer Ringer (also a City Ballet alum) as dean of the Trudl Zipper Dance Institute (TZDI). Concurrently, Darleen Callaghan, former director of Miami City Ballet School, will succeed James Fayette as associate dean. The changeover occurs in June 2021, with the two incumbents becoming visiting artists.
James Darrah, artistic director of Omaha’s annual ONE Festival, is to take the same title with Long Beach Opera, another entity known for bold moves and experimentation. Darrah is well known in new opera circles, having directed the world premieres of Ellen Reid’s Pulitzer Prize-winning opera p r i s m, Missy Mazzoli’s Breaking the Waves and Proving Up, a new production of Philip Glass’s Les enfants terribles and the first West Coast performances of Jennifer Higdon’s Cold Mountain, among others.
John Kieser has been enlisted by the classical music streaming service Idagio as its “director of partnerships,” which will help open industry doors for the company and expand its reach beyond the 30,000 registered users it currently claims.
Gail Samuel, longtime chief overseer of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and its assorted tentacles, is to be the new president and CEO of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She succeeds Mark Volpe, with the orchestra for 23 years, every one of which, it would seem, has seen the storied institution grow and prosper, especially at its Tanglewood location.
David Lomelí, director of artistic administration for the Dallas Opera, is to be the Santa Fe Opera’s chief artistic officer as of May 1. The position is newly created, necessitated by the departure of Artistic Director Alexander Neef, now general director of the Paris Opera, and the retirement of Brad Woolbright as director of artistic administration.
National Endowment for the Arts appointments for the Biden-Harris Administration include the following:
- Ra Joy will become chief of staff and previously served as executive director for CHANGE Illinois, a nonpartisan coalition for government reform, and from 2007 to 2015 as executive director of the statewide arts advocacy organization Arts Alliance Illinois. As a senior staffer for U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky from 2001 to 2007, he specialized in appropriations, community development, education, youth development, and the arts.
- Jennifer Chang will serve as White House liaison and senior advisor to Mr. Joy. Before working on the appointments team with the Biden-Harris transition, she consulted on performing arts and education issues. Chang also spent over a decade working at Google, during which time she also earned a master’s degree in viola performance from The Juilliard School. In 2016, she took a six-month sabbatical to work on the Hillary Clinton campaign.
- Sonia Chala Tower, who has spent more than 25 years working in cultural development and arts policy, will fill the role of director of strategic communications and public affairs. Among her previous positions are arts program officer for a community foundation, a municipal arts director, and vice president of development and special initiatives for Americans for the Arts. Most recently she was the national co-chair for Arts for Biden-Harris. Tower is also a classically trained mezzo-soprano specializing in Byzantine and Russian liturgical music.
- The fourth appointee, Ben Kessler, will become director of congressional Affairs. An intellectual property lawyer, Kessler has worked for the United States Senate Committee on Aging; Invariant Government Relations, a lobbying agency; and the Pew Charitable Trusts working on food safety policy. During the Biden campaign, Kessler managed a team of intellectual property law volunteers reviewing campaign-produced content for copyright, trademark, and right of publicity concerns.
Melissa Ngan, founder of the Chicago-based new music group Fifth House Ensemble, project consultant to the Cleveland Orchestra, among others, is to succeed Edward Yim as president and CEO of the American Composers Orchestra (ACO). Yim has been chief content officer for WQXR since September. Jesse Rosen, recently retired CEO of the League of American Orchestras, has been serving as interim. Fifth House Ensemble has welcomed Alexandra Olsavsky as its new executive director.
Chicago’s Hubbard Street Dance Company has turned to one of its own, former company dancer Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell, as its new artistic director. She replaces Glenn Edgerton, in the position since 2009, and takes over on March 1, 2021.
Arkansas Arts Academy has selected Richard Burrows as CEO, following a national executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on September 14, 2020. Mr. Burrows has worked at the local, state, national, and international levels for more than 40 years. His appointments include K-12 public education, post-secondary institutions, governmental service, agency executive leadership, and community development.
The Grand Rapids Symphony announced that Carlos Vicente is to be vice president of marketing and communications after a nationwide search conducted by the Tom O’Connor Consulting Group. Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Carlos has more than 22 years of experience with performing arts organizations both in the U.S. and abroad. Carlos comes to Grand Rapids from the Sarasota Opera, where he has been the director of Marketing since 2014.
The Flynn has selected Jay Wahl as executive director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on January 1, 2021. Mr. Wahl joins the Flynn after 11 years at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia. As producing artistic director, he served as an international liaison and advocate for the Kimmel Center and the Philadelphia arts community, programming and producing a wide range of performances and spearheading efforts to bring diverse and inspiring artists to the city.
Jennifer Clarke has joined the National Flute Association as its new executive director. Jennifer has extensive experience in leadership and management of non-profit arts institutions, most recently as executive director of Associated Chamber Music Players (ACMP) and the ACMP Foundation.
January 2021
The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) has named Hanif Abdurraqib as guest curator at large. The Ohio-born poet, essayist, and cultural critic will work closely with BAM programming teams to curate musical engagements and conceive longterm projects.
Russell Thomas will serve as the Los Angeles Opera’s next artist-in-residence through the end of the company’s 2023-24 season. He follows composer-conductor Matthew Aucoin, in the position since 2016.
Julia Noulin-Mérat, co-artistic director of Boston’s artist-led Guerilla Opera, is the new general director and CEO of Opera Columbus. She succeeds Peggy Kriha Dye.
Stratford Summer Music (SSM) has hired Kendra Fry as its new general manager, as of April 1. She succeeds Judy Matheson, in the job for seven years. SSM is a six-week, 100-performance event.
The Metropolitan Opera, which has named Marcia Lynn Sells, dean of students at Harvard Law School since 2015, with the title of chief diversity officer. Sells, who holds a law degree from Columbia University and has served as assistant district attorney for New York State, comes on staff in late February with a broad mandate.
Richard Lonsdorf is the new executive director of New Century Chamber Orchestra, having served as interim since August, when Philip Wilder stepped down to become the president and general director of Chanticleer.
Astral Artists, a by-audition management company specializing in emerging classical artists, has named Lourdes Starr-Demers as executive director, succeeding Julia Rubio, who left in October 2019 to join the Merakey Foundation.
The American Federation of Musicians’ Local Los Angeles-area chapter 47, representing some 6,000 musicians, has elected Stephanie O’Keefe to serve as its next president. A professional French horn player, O’Keefe is the first woman to take the top post in the 123-year history of the national union.
The University of Texas at Austin has named alumnus Ramón H. Rivera-Servera as the next dean of the College of Fine Arts. His appointment will begin July 1.
December 2020
As of January 1, New York Philharmonic President and CEO Deborah Borda will delegate the bulk of her internal administrative duties to two key deputies, clearing a path forward for her to be fundraiser in chief. Adam Cox, whom Borda hired last year as COO, is to become executive director and Isaac Thompson, current VP of artistic planning, will move to managing director. Cox, former executive VP of the AT&T Performing Arts Center (AT&TPAC) in Dallas, and known for his skill in operational turnarounds, will handle all business functions. Thompson, whose three years with the orchestra have broadened both its artistic and community impact, will manage artistic, concert, and production functions. Bill Thomas continues to oversee the Geffen Hall project.
The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, a multi-genre presenting venue in West Palm Beach, FL, has chosen Terrence W. Dwyer, former president of California’s Segerstrom Center, to be its next CEO. He starts January 11, succeeding founding CEO Judith Mitchell, who has retired after nearly 30 years. Dwyer, 64, was in his former job for 13 years, overseeing a $60 million budget, a $140 million capital and endowment campaign, and much lauded community projects and partnerships. In a nod to the challenges ahead, he noted in comments that the Kravis Center was “well positioned to respond to the changing needs of its community.”
One of Canada’s renowned early music vocalists, soprano Suzie LeBlanc, has been selected as the next artistic and executive director of Early Music Vancouver. She succeeds Matthew White, who held the position for seven seasons before leaving to become CEO of the Victoria Symphony. LeBlanc begins on Jan. 4, 2021. A native of New Brunswick, LeBlanc is based in Montreal, where she is currently director of Cappella Antica at McGill University. Fifteen years ago, she cofounded the Montreal-based company Le Nouvel Opéra. LeBlanc has been awarded four honorary doctorates for her contributions to music and is a GRAMMY-winning recording artist.
La Jolla Music Society, as of January 4, 2021, will have its fourth new president and CEO in two years. He is Todd Schultz, 54, whose last, year-long job was senior VP of development for the McCallum Theater in Palm Desert, CA. Previously, he served as VP of institutional advancement for San Diego Symphony; he has also worked for San Diego Opera as director of marketing and PR.
Ott Maaten is to be the new director of the Estonian National Opera (Rahvusooper), succeeding Aivar Mäe, who resigned in late August. Maaten, 53, is the current finance and administration director of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theater, where he has overseen the successful completion of several major construction projects. Maaten, a onetime professional musician, starts his new job in January. The National Opera is housed in Tallinn’s Estonia Theater, also home base to the National Ballet, and has both a theater and a concert hall. The possibility of moving to a new facility has been under discussion for the last decade.
Canadian director Michael Cavanagh, who lays claim to staging 150 opera productions in 32 international houses, is to succeed Birgitta Svendén as artistic director of the Royal Swedish Opera, starting in summer of 2021. Svendén, who became the company’s first woman director in 2009, moves to CEO on his arrival and will remain in the post for one year thereafter. Cavanagh has signed a five-year contract. In Sweden, his highest profile productions for the Royal Opera house have been Nixon in China and Aida. He credited Svendén with raising the company’s artistic level as well as its international profile, and said he was “humbled” to be stepping into her shoes.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Geoff Chang has joined the firm as vice president to expand the leadership transitions and capacity building practice areas. Based bi-coastally in San Diego and New York, he brings a rich background of experience within the arts and culture industries, specifically within the dance sector. Mr. Chang most recently served as general manager at the Mark Morris Dance Group in Brooklyn, NY, where he produced performances at many of the world’s leading cultural venues and arts festivals.
November 2020
Perryn Leech is to be the next general director of the Canadian Opera Company, effective March 1. He succeeds Alexander Neef, now the general director of the Paris Opera. The search committee chair commented, “Perryn’s values closely mirror our own, particularly when it comes to breaking down barriers. The committee was struck by his passion for sharing the art form with others and his enthusiasm for bringing more opera out of the Four Seasons Center for the Performing Arts and into our neighborhoods….Perryn stood apart for his vision of a more accessible COC.”
London-based Maestro Arts has named Jordi Martin Mont as its new managing director. He succeeds Rachel van Walsum, who moves to the position of director and artist manager. Martin Mont has been with the company since its founding, with Ms. Van Walsum, in 2011. The agency, whose roster numbers 46, was founded as a multi-discipline enterprise.
Gillian Friedman Fox is to take on the 53rd season of the Newport Music Festival as its executive director. She arrives January 4, 2021 after five years at the Dallas Symphony, most recently as director of contemporary programming initiatives, including the three-week international Soluna Festival and the Women in Classical Music Symposium. Prior to Dallas, Friedman Fox was a booking agent for CAMI Music and, before that, for Unlimited Myles. She holds a BA from the University of Rochester.
The Curtis Institute has appointed alumna Michelle Cann to the inaugural Eleanor Sokoloff Chair in Piano Studies, named in honor of the legendary teacher who passed away in July at age 106, after serving on Curtis’s faculty for 84 years. The position is funded by alumnus William A. Horn, M.D. (Piano ’70) and by the family of the deceased, honoring her desire to see more women on the Curtis faculty. Cann earned an artist’s diploma from the school in 2013, studying with Robert McDonald. Her undergraduate and graduate degrees are from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Her new job is effective immediately and will involve individual lessons as well as chamber coachings—all remote for the nonce.
Lacey Huszcza has exited the Las Vegas Philharmonic (LVP) after two years in the job, to take the same post with the Richmond Symphony, where she is succeeding president and CEO David Fisk, who moved on after 18 years to take the top administrative job at the Charlotte (NC) Symphony. In Las Vegas, Tim Robinson, active locally as a consultant in entertainment, with a master’s degree in classical guitar performance, will serve as interim.
Robert Driver has succeeded Amy Drummond at the St. Louis Symphony as its VP and chief philanthropy officer. Drummond left last June to join EMD Consulting. Driver, a onetime member of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus, was most recently assistant vice chancellor of development at the University of Missouri in Columbus.
Ralph Remington, former actor and regional chief of Actors Equity Los Angeles, has been appointed as the director of cultural affairs for the San Francisco Arts Commission. Currently deputy director for arts and culture in Tempe, AZ, Remington assumes his new role in January. As director, Remington will oversee cultural activities in all aspects of the arts citywide, including special projects, grant-making, and policy-setting. Remington will report to the 15-member Arts Commission, which is appointed by the mayor and responsible for the city’s civic art collection, civic design review, cultural equity grants, seven cultural centers and other funding, public art, and art vendors in the city.
Joe Goetz is to succeed Ryan Lohr as music director of Classical MPR. He arrives November 16 after serving for six years as music director of WFIU, the public radio station associated with Indiana University in Bloomington, IN. Goetz is charged with overseeing Classical MPR’s daily programming and classical selections; he’ll also be involved with APM’s national classical music strategies. At WFIU, Goetz is credited with overseeing “wholesale changes,” including launching nationally syndicated programming and producing broadcasts of Jacobs School of Music concerts. He also produced a weekly music show hosted by soprano Sylvia McNair.
London’s Southbank Center, Europe’s largest arts complex, has hired Toks Dada as head of classical music, succeeding Ben Larpent who left in May to become director of artistic planning at the Philharmonia Orchestra. Dada will be working with Benji Unsal, head of contemporary music, both under Gillian Moore, director of music and performing arts. Dada is classical program manager at Birmingham’s Town Hall Symphony Hall. He’s also guest curator for the three-day Wonderfeel in July, said to be the Netherland’s largest outdoor classical music festival. He’s on the board of Welsh National Opera, an advisor for the U.K.’s PRS for Music foundation, and an ISPA Fellow.
The International Festival of Arts & Ideas has selected Malakhi Eason as director of programming and community impact, following an international executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on November 16, 2020. Mr. Eason brings more than 15 years of arts administration experience to the Festival. Originally from Boston, he most recently served as Programming Manager at Omaha Performing Arts, where he maintained a large network of artist managers, agents, and promoters and curated the Jazz on the Green Series, a six-week summer community concert series with more than 50,000 people in attendance.
SPARC (School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community) has selected Evelyn A. Francis as director of programs, following a national executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She will began her tenure on November 16, 2020. Ms. Francis is an innovative theater artist, educator, and administrator with more than 20 years of experience providing artistic vision, building equitable programming, and working with community-based artists on theatrical shows, fundraisers, concerts, commercials, art exhibits, parades, and festivals. Most recently, she served as producing co-executive director at The Theatre Offensive (TTO) in Boston.
Nicolas Gonzalez has recently joined the Stamford Symphony as manager of community engagement and education. In this newly created role, Nicolas will take the lead in planning and implementing the organization’s strategy to encourage patrons of all ages to participate in, and learn about, all the ways in which an orchestra can serve its community. He will work to ensure that the Stamford Symphony has meaningful and effective engagement within the Stamford and wider Fairfield County communities.
October 2020
Brian Newhouse, who for 27 years served as producer and host for Minnesota Public Radio’s (MPR) live broadcasts from Orchestra Hall will be the Minnesota Orchestra’s associate VP of institutional giving as of November 2. He left MPR in June, having served in a number of positions, the last of which was managing director. Along the way, he created the network’s education program, “Music for Learning,” which has served some 250,000 students and has been adopted by PBS. He also founded the 24-hour “Choral Stream” and MPR’s state-wide “Bring the Sing” program, as well as writing and hosting SymphonyCast, the national weekly broadcast series of live orchestral performances.
The Berklee College of Music has chosen Erica Muhl to serve as the school’s next president, making her the first woman to lead the institution in its 75-year history. Muhl, a composer and conductor, previously led music and arts schools at the University of Southern California, where she spent 30 years. She begins at Berklee in July, replacing Roger Brown, who is stepping down after 17 years as president.
Alexander Busche is to be the new managing director of the Göttingen Symphony Orchestra, as of November 1. He succeeds interim Frank Wiegelmann. Busche, 42, previously worked for Opus 3 in Berlin and before that with Sony Music A&R, also in Berlin. The orchestra simultaneously announced the extension of Artistic Director Nicholas Milton’s contract for five years.
Linda Moxley, VP of marketing and communications for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, is headed to Florida, where she is to be the first-ever executive director of the Sarasota Concert Association, which, heretofore, has been run by a volunteer board of musicians, educators, and business types. Across her 30 years of experience in the field, Moxley has worked with a variety of arts groups including the Baltimore Choral Arts Society and the Atlanta and San Francisco symphonies. She has also had her own consulting firm for marketing, fund-raising, and PR, and served as a trustee on a number of nonprofit boards. She holds a bachelor’s degree in music education and piano from the State University of New York at Fredonia, and a master’s degree in arts management from the University of Cincinnati. SCA’s 76th season gets underway in January.
Miah Im, director of opera studies at Rice University and music director of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, is to be head coach of the Aspen Music Festival and School’s new Opera Theater VocalARTS program. An AMFS alumna, she will assist Co-artistic Directors Renée Fleming and Patrick Summers in the new venture, which, if all goes according to plan, will launch in summer 2021.
Anna Karinsdotter is to be the new artistic and managing director of the 250-year-old Drottningholms Slottsteater as of May 2021 for a five-year period. The former artistic director of Unga på Operan at the Royal Swedish Opera, she will be succeeding Sofi Lerström, who declined to renew her contract after ten years and is expected to exit in April.
September 2020
American Composers Orchestra (ACO has named Lyndsay Werking as its acting president, effective immediately following current President Edward Yim’s departure on September 18. Werking joined ACO as director of development in 2017 and will continue that role concurrently. ACO has engaged executive search firm HC Smith Ltd to fill the position of president permanently.
San Diego Symphony has added two new senior staffers to its ranks: Myra Garcia, as vice president, institutional advancement, and Craig Hall, as vice president, marketing and communications. Garcia, who trained as a soprano, was most recently at the University of La Verne, in La Verne, CA, where she is credited with a successful $125 million capital campaign, among other accomplishments. Hall arrives after 13 years at the New World Symphony (NWS) in Miami Beach, where he worked closely with Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas and for which he launched an impressive media opening of the Frank Gehry designed New World Center.
The board of directors of Virginia Opera has selected Peggy Kriha Dye as the organization’s new general director and CEO, effective Oct. 18, 2020. She succeeds Russell P. Allen, who is retiring after two different stints leading the company for a total of 15 years. Born in Minnesota, Dye earned her BA in Music Education from Saint Cloud State University before pursuing graduate studies at Manhattan School of Music and The Juilliard Opera Center. Dye started an administrative career in 2011 at Opera Columbus, all the while continuing to perform. She rose from directing education and community programming to general and artistic director and CEO in 2017, at which point she retired from the stage.
Yuval Sharon, MacArthur Fellow, darling of the avant-garde, interim artistic advisor of the Long Beach Opera, has just added another feather to his cap: The Michigan Opera Theater has tapped him as artistic director. Sharon, who has signed a five-year agreement with MOT, recently completed a three-year residency at the Los Angeles Philharmonic, where productions included a new War of the Worlds and a staging of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde; he also directed Lohengrin for the Bayreuth Festival last summer and The Magic Flute for the Berlin Staatsoper Unter den Linden.
The Maryland Symphony Orchestra announced that Emily C. Socks has rejoined its administrative staff as director of development. Since 2018, Socks served as a major gift officer for Adventist HealthCare in Gaithersburg, MD. She previously served as director of advancement for the Maryland Symphony Orchestra from 2016 to 2018.
Shea’s Performing Arts Center has selected William Patti as general manager, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on November 4, 2019. An experienced arts educator specializing in acting and directing, Mr. Patti brings more than 10 years of theater management experience to his new role. Most recently, he served as the artistic director of the Highlands Playhouse in NC after two years as theater manager. In this role, Mr. Patti achieved record ticket sales, assisted with the transition into a new facility, enhanced the Children’s Theatre Program, and oversaw all daily summer operations.
August 2020
Megan Van Voorhis, CEO of Arts Cleveland for 17 years, will exit her post to become cultural and creative manager for the City of Sacramento, CA, as of September 1. In her new post, she’ll oversee grants to local artists and organizations as well as arts education, the city’s public art program, and the Sacramento Film Office. In short, she’ll serve as both advocate for and administrator of city-funded arts initiatives.
New Century Chamber Orchestra has named Richard Lonsdorf as interim executive director. He is a seasoned manager with artistic-planning experience in the major orchestras of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York. In comments, Board President Mark Salkind cited his “impressive track record of designing and producing innovative and imaginative projects.” Those include the San Francisco Symphony’s SoundBox series and the NY Philharmonic’s CONTACT! concerts, as well as its performances of Stockhausen’s Gruppen for three orchestras at the Park Avenue Amory.
The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra has promoted its artist-educator, composer Derrick Spiva, Jr. , to the position of artistic advisor. Spiva has been with the orchestra for two years; several of his pieces have been performed by LACO. He will be working with composer-in-residence Ellen Reid and Music Director Jaime Martin on programming and the choice of guest artists; he’ll also continue his work overseeing education and community outreach.
Violist Stephanie Griffin, founding member of the Momenta Quartet, principal of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, is to be executive director of Associated Chamber Music Players (ACMP), the 72-year-old organization that provides coaching and ensemble match-making services for its 2,300 international members.
Carrie-Ann Matheson is to be the new artistic director of the San Francisco Opera Center (SFOC), succeeding Sheri Greenawald, who is set to retire in December. Matheson starts in January 2021, joined by onetime IMG Artists VP and artist manager Markus Beam, who is to take the newly created position of general manager of SFOC. The pair will oversee the Center, as well as the artistic and operations pieces of the Merola Opera Program—a summer training concern that operates independently yet in partnership with SFO—and the company’s Adler Fellows, who are chosen from the Merola grads.
Lori Dimun is the new president and CEO of Chicago’s Harris Theater. She succeeds Patricia Barretto, whose three-year tenure was cut short by her death in March. Dimun joined the Harris Theater in 2011, first as director of operations and since 2017 as COO and general manager. She has been acting president and CEO since March. Her prior postings include a seven-year stint as an events manager at Steppenwolf Theatre Company and two years as a high school theater educator.
Marty Camino is the new executive director of the Center for the Arts in Jackson, WY. He succeeds David Rothman who resigned in March after a year in the job. Camino, who first relocated to Jackson Hole in 2013 to work for the Grand Teton Music Festival, has been COO of the Center since 2018 and has been serving as interim executive director since April. Camino holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from the University of Wyoming and a Master’s degree in Arts Administration from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.
The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) has named Tazewell Thompson as director of opera studies in the school’s Vocal Arts Division. The Harlem native, who assumes his position immediately, is charged with developing a cohesive vision for the Opera Studies program. Thompson is a playwright, librettist, educator, and actor whose work has graced the stages of major opera houses around the world. His more than 150 directing credits include productions at Glimmerglass, New York City Opera, Teatro Real, La Scala, L’Opéra Bastille, and San Francisco Opera. His opera Blue, written with composer Jeanine Tesori, has won several awards and is a centerpiece for this season’s online Mostly Mozart Festival.
Ed Yim, president and CEO of the American Composers Orchestra, is to be the new chief content officer for New York Public Radio’s WQXR as of September 28. His responsibilities are described as overseeing all content including broadcasts, website, podcasts, community events, fund raising, operations, etc. He reports to President and CEO Goli Sheikholeslami. A native of LA, Yim holds an AB in Government from Harvard College and an MBA from Case Western Reserve University.
Tehvon Fowler-Chapman is the new executive director of the Washington Concert Opera, which presents two performances a year. He succeeds Caryn Reeves, who was in the job for four years. Fowler-Chapman, who holds an M.A. in arts administration from Indiana University, has been external affairs manager at Vocal Arts DC and company manager of the Wolf Trap Opera. He was active in the Artist Relief Tree, which helped artists with $250 grants early in the pandemic; he also was involved in the startup of Sphinx’s L.E.A.D. (Leaders in Excellence, Arts, and Diversity) program.
Scott Harrison, former executive director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, is to serve as interim executive director and “senior strategic facilitator” for the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. Board President Dwight McGhee said Harrison had “a plethora of ideas to improve the LPO” and said that the new man’s “leadership style will instill confidence in our community.”
July 2020
Emma Kail, former general manager of the Kansas City Symphony, is to be the new executive director of the Grand Teton Music Festival, as of September 1. Kail is a graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy and studied trumpet at the Jacobs School of Music, earning her Masters’ Degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music; she also holds an artist diploma from the Glenn Gould School in Toronto’s Royal Conservatory, and is a graduate of the League of American Orchestras’ Orchestra Management program. In addition to her nine years in Kansas City, Kail has worked with the Grant Park Music Festival, Omaha Symphony, and served as director of artistic administration at the Alabama Symphony.
Multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, American roots musician Rhiannon Giddens is the new artistic director of Silkroad. Ms. Giddens succeeds the triumvirate of Nicholas Cords, Jeffrey Beecher, and Shane Shanahan, who succeeded founding Artistic Director Yo-Yo Ma in 2000. All three will remain with the group. Giddens has been working with Silkroad since 2016 and recently appeared on its COVID-19-necessitated Home Sessions with frequent collaborator Francesco Turrisi. “In addition to her enormous musical talent, she fosters an immense social consciousness and creates unity through her art,” said Executive Director Kathy Fletcher. “These are goals for which we consistently strive….
Mark Thompson, CEO of The New York Times since 2012, will step down from his post and be succeeded by COO Meredith Kopit Levien, 49, the youngest person to take the top job. She starts Sept. 8. Levien, from Virginia, arrived at The Times in 2013, as head of advertising and quickly worked her way up the ladder, as executive vice president and chief revenue officer in 2015 and then as COO in 2017.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic has named a new chief financial officer, Karen Sturges, a CPA who will oversee the organization’s finances, information technology, and office administrations. She starts August 10, succeeding Alison Snowden, who retired last month. Sturges has spent most of her career in the entertainment business, most recently with Endeavor Content, where she was the senior VP and head of finance. She has also worked for Global Television Distribution at NBCUniversal, WarnerBros Entertainment, and Sony Pictures Entertainment.
David Fisk, executive director of the Richmond Symphony for nearly two decades, is to be the next president and CEO of the Charlotte Symphony, starting August 31. He succeeds Mary Deissler, who left a year ago after three years in the job. The orchestra’s development director has been serving as interim. A onetime member of London’s St. Paul’s Cathedral Boychoir, Fisk holds a music degree from Manchester University and a postgraduate diploma in piano accompaniment from the Royal Northern College of Music. He still performs collaboratively.
Clare Burovac, recent director of artistic operations for Portland Opera, is to take over at the New Orleans Opera in September, in the meantime holding the title of general director-designate. She succeeds Robert Lyall, who moves from general and artistic director to the latter position solely, until the end of the 2020-21 season. He will have been with the company for 23 years. In her 11 years in Portland, Burovac was responsible for artistic planning, education, and community engagement, including “Opera a la Cart,” which took free outdoor performances to the Portland metro area. She is credited with producing two world-premiere recordings and the company’s first bilingual opera, a Spanish/English Barber of Seville, which travelled throughout the region as part of the Portland Opera to Go program. She is said to have elevated the company’s resident artist program and has served as a judge in the Metropolitan Opera Regional Auditions.
Charlottesville Opera has hired Christina Deaton DeMarea, recent CEO of the Chicago Children’s Chorus, which reports serving some 5000 young singers annually. DeMarea, with the CCC for 12 years, succeeds David O’Dell, who left Charlottesville in January after a year in the job. The company, which changed its name from the Ash Lawn Opera three years ago, has been in operation for over forty years, and generally mounts five productions annually. DeMarea, president of the Musician’s Club of Women of Chicago, holds an MM Vocal Performance from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music.
Jeffrey P. Haydon, CEO of the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, is to be the next president of the Ravinia Festival as of September. He succeeds Welz Kauffman, who announced his resignation last October, after 20 years in the job. Prior to his 10-year stint at Caramoor, Haydon, 47, was executive director of the Ojai Festival; he has also held positions at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, and Aspen Music Festival.
Andrés Holder, recent general manager of the Washington Ballet, is the new executive director of the Boston Children’s Chorus, an organization comprising 13 choirs from 110 different Boston-area zip codes. He succeeds Anthony Trecek-King, who held the position of artistic director when he left last January, having been with BCC for 14 years. In comments, BCC Co-chair Claudia Mathis said Holder showed “a deep commitment to building community,” and that his goals aligned with BBC’s for “artistic excellence, cultural equity, and social justice.”
As of July 6, Dana Stone took over as executive director of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra (ICO), which self-defines as a “champion for new music” under Music Director Matthew Kraemer. Stone succeeds Elaine Eckhart, who retired in May. Stone, who maintains a private voice studio, is the former executive director of the Anderson (IN) Symphony Orchestra and also served as administrative director of Union Avenue Opera in St. Louis, MO, and of the St. Louis Women’s Chorale. She holds a BM from DePauw University and an MM from Washington University in St. Louis. ICO is in its 35th season.
JACK Quartet announced the appointment of its first managing director, Julia Bumke, a new work dramaturg and nonprofit strategist who has fostered composers, performers, and playwrights at all stages of their careers. Prior to her work with JACK Quartet, she served as development director with So Percussion, where she focused on Board growth and individual giving strategy. Bumke began her role at JACK Quartet on July 1, 2020. The managing director at JACK position was created with support from the New York State Council on the Arts’ Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) Initiative.
June 2020
The Vermont Symphony Orchestra (VSO), which reports that it is currently offering small-ensemble performances throughout the state, has named a new executive director. She is Elise Brunelle, former managing director of the Cape Town Opera. Brunelle succeeds Ben Cadwallader and has been with Cape Town Opera for 16 years, serving as financial manager and fund raiser prior to her current post, which she assumed in 2018. She is credited with increasing the company’s touring and educational programs, as well as recruiting more regional talent and putting CTO on firm financial footing.
Steven Brosvik was announced as the new CEO of the Utah Symphony | Utah Opera (USUO). He will succeed Paul Meecham, who left suddenly last fall. Former longtime board chair Patricia Richards has been serving as interim. Brosvik takes over in August; he was been with the Nashville Symphony Orhcestra for five years, overseeing all operations, from fund raising to recordings, one of which, Jennifer Higdon’s All Things Majestic, won a Grammy award. He has been especially effective in creating local partnerships, including those with the Nashville Ballet, and in projects promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Sir Lucian Grainge, chairman & CEO of Universal Music Group, has tapped Rebecca Allen to become president of renowned British record label EMI, now rebranded from Virgin EMI; Virgin will fall under the EMI umbrella. “The appointment of Becky Allen,” noted Grainge when announcing the news, “is a testament to our longterm commitment, and our adamance that the EMI name will mean as much to a new generation of artists and fans as it did for mine.” Allen is taking charge at EMI Records after 20 years at Universal Music, the past three as president of Decca.
The Cambridge-based Academy of Ancient Music (AAM) has named a successor to Alexander Van Ingen as chief executive, effective September 1. He is John McMunn, current general manager of the London period instrument and choral ensemble Gabrieli. McMunn is not a newcomer to AAM, having formerly sung in its chorus and been involved in marketing efforts. He has been with Gabrieli, founded in 1982, since 2016 and is credited with expanding its tours into Asia and Australia and developing a trademark choral training called Gabrieli Roar. Previously he as artistic director of the 2016 Cambridge Summer Music Festival.
Long Wharf Theatre has selected King Kenney as director of marketing and communications, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on April 20, 2020. Mr. Kenney has 15 years of experience directing marketing functions as a reputable insider with a unique understanding of how to tell stories that inspire action. He most recently served as marketing director at Duke Performances, Duke University’s professional performing arts presenting organization that offers an eclectic season of more than 100 performances and free public engagements spanning theatre, dance, and classical, jazz, Americana, indie rock, and international music.
Kimball Art Center has selected Aldy Milliken as executive director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He began his tenure on July 1, 2020. A trained artist and educator, Mr. Milliken has 30 years of international experience collaborating with artists, effectively achieving fundraising goals, and developing and implementing strategic plans. Since 2012, he has served as executive director and curator at KMAC Museum in Louisville, KY. In this role, he managed $1.3 million budget and oversaw all programs and operations.
The Phoenix Symphony has selected Kate Francis as chief development officer, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on June 1, 2020. A veteran arts administrator, Ms. Francis has held a variety of arts management and fundraising positions for nearly 20 years. She most recently served as vice president of development at the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis, a privately funded united arts agency.
The International Festival of Arts & Ideas has selected Shelley Quiala as executive director, following an international executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She will begin her tenure on August 1, 2020. Ms. Quiala comes to the Festival from the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts (Ordway) in Saint Paul, MN, where she has worked since 2003. For the past six years, she served as vice president of programming, education, and community engagement at this multifaceted organization.
May 2020
Lisa Richards Toney, a self-described consultant in arts management and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), is to be the new president and CEO of the Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP), effective July 1. She succeeds Mario Garcia Durham. Richards Toney’s last full-time affiliation was with the D.C.-based Abramson Scholarship Foundation, where she served as executive director, the organization’s sole staff member, until 2018. The Foundation’s $3 million annual budget provides financial support and mentoring to selected D.C. high school students in their transitions to college. Prior to that, Richards Toney was deputy director of the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
Brian Cole, interim chancellor of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) since August of 2019, has been appointed to the position permanently. Cole succeeds Lindsay Bierman, who left in 2019 to become CEO of UNC-TV Public Media North Carolina. A onetime assistant conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony and the May Festival, Cole was appointed interim chancellor last year after having served as dean of the UNCSA School of Music for three years. Prior to that he was the founding dean of academic affairs for four years at Berklee College of Music’s campus in Valencia, Spain.
Miah Im, who heads the music staff for the Los Angeles Opera, has joined the Houston Grand Opera as music director of the HGO Studio (its training program). She also joins the general company’s casting committee and will plan the Studio’s recital series. She succeeds Michael Heaston. Im will be working with Brian Speck, the Studio’s director. As a conductor, pianist, and prompter, Miah Im has served on the music staffs of numerous opera companies, including the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Opera Theater of Saint Louis. In Houston, she will also be involved with Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music.
Peter Biggs, a former CEO of the advertising agency BBDO in Melbourne, is the new CEO of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra; he has been serving as interim since December 2019, stepping into the position of Christopher Blake, who retired in February. Apart from the advertising realm, Biggs’s background includes serving on the boards of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the NZSO. He was chair of the Government’s Orchestral Sector Review in 2013 and was at one time the representative to The Prince of Wales’ Charities in New Zealand.
Blake-Anthony Johnson, a cellist and director of community and learning for the Louisville Orchestra, is to be the next CEO of the Chicago Sinfonietta, which self-defines as “the nation’s most diverse orchestra.” He succeeds Jim Hirsch. Johnson took over on June 1. Johnson previously worked with the Cincinnati Symphony and New World Symphony, according to the Sinfonietta. His education includes the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University, Cleveland State University, and the Manhattan School of Music.
Meurig Bowen, head of artistic planning at BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales, is to become chief executive and artistic director of UK chamber orchestra Britten Sinfonia, starting in August. Prior to the BBC, he was for 10 years director of the Cheltenham Music Festival. Sinfonia Board Chair Jerome Booth said Bowen shared the Sinfonia’s “fearless” approach to music making. “He is an experienced and adventurous programmer and a passionate advocate for reaching wider audiences.”
Pianist Anne-Marie McDermott, artistic director of the Bravo! Vail Music Festival, is to serve in the same position at Santa Fe Pro Musica. She moves into the post over the next two years as successor to Music Director Tom O’Connor, who cofounded the organization in 1980 with Carol Redman. The latter will stay on, as conductor of the Pro Musica Baroque Ensemble.
Violinist/conductor Julian Rachlin, 45, is to be the new artistic director of the Herbstgold-Festival in Eisenstadt (Burgenland, Austria), starting in 2021. The current season runs September 9 to 20 and focuses on the Beethoven 250th anniversary, featuring such artists as Nicolas Altstaedt, András Schiff, and Fazil Say. Rachlin will oversee the resident Haydn Philharmonie and the folk and jazz series, as well as introducing some new elements.
The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra has announced that Edgar Herrera is its new executive director, following a six-month search for a successor to Patrick J. Nugent, who left in. Herrera was previously the owner of Group Luzed, a Mexico-based start-up incubator. He has also worked in a development capacity for the Pensacola and Syracuse symphonies.
April 2020
The Lucerne Festival Academy has appointed a new managing director. He is Felix Heri, 34, current managing director of the Basel Sinfonietta; he starts on June 1, succeeding Dominik Deuber and reporting to Lucerne Festival Executive and Artistic Director Michael Haefliger, cofounder of the Academy in 2004 with Pierre Boulez. Heri will also supervise the Academy’s alumni, a large and ever-growing group that traditionally plays a key part in the larger Festival’s activities. Wolfgang Rihm remains artistic director of the Academy; to date, the gap left by Matthias Pintscher’s abrupt exit mid-season in 2018 as the Academy Orchestra’s principal conductor has not been filled.
Charles, “Charlie” Wade is the new VP of marketing for the Philadelphia Orchestra, filling a position that had been vacant for about a year. His predecessor was Janice Hay, now director of marketing & communications for the Depaul University School of Music. Wade has been on staff with Philadelphia since January, having started as a consultant last fall. He joined the Inghilleri Consulting Group (ICG) in July of 2019 when he left the Seattle Symphony after five years as senior VP for marketing and business operations.
German-born arts administrator Florian Riem, interim secretary general of the Geneva-based World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC) since last August, has been given the job, now part-time. He succeeds Benjamin Woodruffe, who left last summer after five years in what was a full-time position; Woodruffe is president of the New York-based Global Foundation for the Performing Arts, which provides career guidance to rising young artists. Riem reports to President Didier Schnorhk, self-described as “the sole executive of the federation.” Riem is CEO of South Korea’s Tongyeong International Music Foundation and of its music festival and competition.
J.C. Barker, a professional clarinetist, is to be the new executive director of the Delaware Symphony Orchestra, which self-defines as “the state’s only professional symphony orchestra.” Barker, who starts May 1, has for 13 years served as general manager and director of artistic administration of the Mobile (AL) Symphony, where was also principal clarinet.
The Evansville (IN) Philharmonic has chosen Indian-American conductor Roger Kalia to be its next music director starting next fall. Kalia holds the same position with the New Hampshire Symphony. Most recently he served as associate conductor of the Pacific (CA) Symphony, where he also was director of its youth orchestra. The conductor’s bio says he is co-founder and music director of the Lake George Music Festival.
Simon Woods, who resigned as CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic last fall, is to be the new president and CEO of the League of American Orchestras effective September 1. Woods, a Brit, is currently the interim chief of the Grand Teton Music Festival and has a wealth of experience running orchestras. He succeeds Jesse Rosen, in the job since 2008 and with the League for 22 years. Prior to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Woods was CEO of the Seattle Symphony, where he is credited with turning its fortunes around.
The College of Fine Arts at The University of Texas at Austin has named Professor Robert Ramirez as chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance. Ramirez, head of the Acting program in the department, has been serving as interim chair since summer 2019. Ramirez, who joined the faculty in the UT Department of Theatre and Dance in 2014 as head of the Acting program, will be the first Latinx chair of the department. Ramirez is a graduate of the Los Angeles Theatre Academy and received his M.F.A. from the Professional Theatre Training Program at the University of Delaware.
Peabody Conservatory welcomes Beth Willer as director of choral studies; she will join the faculty of the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University as associate professor and director of choral studies in the fall 2020 semester. As founder and artistic director of Boston’s Lorelei Ensemble, Willer has championed new music while fulfilling Lorelei Ensemble’s mission to elevate and expand the repertoire for women’s voices, collaborating with established and emerging composers from the U.S. and abroad and leading the ensemble in more than 60 world, U.S., and regional premieres since its founding.
Prescott Park Arts Festival (PPAF) has selected Courtney Perkins as executive director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She will begin her tenure on May 15, 2020. A former attorney, Ms. Perkins dedicated her career to ensuring great art reflects the community it serves. She comes to PPAF from Chicago where she spent nearly 13 years with Chicago Sinfonietta. As the chief operating officer, she worked with the CEO managing a $2.6 million nonprofit orchestra committed to innovation, diversity, equity, and inclusion in classical music.
March 2020
New York Mayor Bill DeBlasio has chosen Gonzalo Casals, who currently leads the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art in SoHo, as the city’s new cultural affairs commissioner. Lohman, who assumes the position on April 13, replaces Tom Finkelpearl, who left the job last October after a five-year tenure. An immigrant from Argentina who identifies as queer, Lohman has led the Leslie-Lohman, an institution devoted to the L.G.B.T.Q. civil rights movement, since 2017. Prior to that, he served as deputy and then interim director at El Museo del Barrio in East Harlem, and as vice president for education and community engagement at Friends of the High Line.
The Philharmonia Orchestra of London has appointed Alexander Van Ingen as its new chief executive, starting in September. Van Ingen is the current chief of the Academy of Ancient Music, a post he has held for three years. Before that he was executive producer for Decca Classics. The orchestra said it would be adding the post of director of artistic planning under Van Ingen.
The Washington Post has a new classical music critic as of March 9. He is Michael Brodeur, a.k.a. Michael Andor Brodeur. The Post describes him as “a writer, critic and editor who has worked most recently at the Boston Globe.” Previously he was music editor and “lead music critic” for the Boston Phoenix and editor of Boston’s Weekly Dig.
David Hallberg, star principal dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet and American Ballet Theater, is to be the new artistic director of the Australian Ballet. He succeeds David McAllister, who exits after two decades at the end of 2020. Hallberg’s last performances as a dancer will be in 2021 with the American Ballet Theater. He starts his new job in January of that year as well.
California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) has named João Ribas as executive director of the Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater (REDCAT), and VP of cultural partnerships, effective June 1. Now in its 17th season, REDCAT is part of the Performing Arts Center in downtown Los Angeles, along with Walt Disney Concert Hall and Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, among other venues. It is operated by CalArts and is known for cutting-edge, multidisciplinary presentations.
UIA Talent announced the expansion of the Classical division with the acquisition of Francesca Condeluci to the newly created position of director of Classical. Ms. Condeluci has spent the past six years in the vocal department at Columbia Artists Management, developing and nurturing the careers of some of the most in-demand artists in the industry. Recognized for her ability to identify great talent, Francesca was a judge at the 2019 inaugural Nicola Martinucci Competition in Lucca, Italy, and will be a guest faculty member at the Potomac Vocal Institute and Drake University.
Courtney R. Rowe joined the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University as associate dean for external relations on March 2. Rowe most recently served as assistant dean for advancement for the University of Colorado Boulder College of Music and Colorado Shakespeare Festival. Prior to her work at CU Boulder, Rowe held programmatic and fundraising positions in Chicago, including at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.
February 2020
Gerald Martin Moore, artistic associate of Carnegie Hall’s SongStudio program and vocal consultant to a number of international opera companies, will join the Yale faculty next fall as director of Yale Opera and coordinator of vocal studies for the School of Music.
David Butcher, chief executive and artistic director of the Britten Sinfonia for over 25 years, is to be the new chief executive of the Hallé orchestra in Manchester as of next September. He succeeds John Summers, who retires in July.
Andrew Norman, Musical America’s 2017 Composer of the Year, is at the moment based in Los Angeles, but not for long. He will be relocating to New York to take on two major appointments next season: To hold the Debs Composer’s Chair at Carnegie Hall and become the newest member of the Juilliard School college composition faculty. Recently he’s been the director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Composer Fellowship Program for high school composers.
Dave Moss, executive director of the Haymarket Opera in Chicago and a former violist with the Chicago Philharmonic and Elgin Symphony, started his new job as executive director of the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra March 1. He succeeds Scott Harrison, interim since November, following the exit of Jonathan Parrish, who left after six years to take the top administrative job with the Maryland Symphony.
Matthew Herren is to be the next executive director of the Harrisburg (PA) Symphony, as of June 15. He arrives at his new post from the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, where he has been executive director since 2014. Moss succeeds Jeff Woodruff who will retire at the end of the current season.
Genevieve Macias, recent executive director of the Foundation for the Long Beach Symphony as well as its VP of development and communications, has stepped into the role of executive director of the Long Beach-based Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra. The group, which serves Long Beach and Los Angeles, was founded in 1993 and performs about a dozen concerts a season. Its music director is Martin Haselböck.
Seattle Opera has hired its first scholar-in-residence, Naomi André. André is a musicologist schooled in the works of Verdi who teaches courses on 19th-century Italian opera as well as on race and gender at the University of Michigan. After a return visit in 2019 to chair Deconstructing Allure, a forum exploring representations of women and ethnic minorities in art that accompanied a production of Carmen, the Seattle Opera created the position to formalize their relationship. Now André not only provides context for the works the company presents to the public but also advises management on issues of race and gender as they impact day-to-day operations.
The Juilliard School has promoted Music Division Director Adam Meyer to the position of provost, succeeding Ara Guzelimian, who announced last year that he would be resigning from the chief academic post. Meyer, who is also deputy dean of the college, starts in his new job July 1. Because the president of the school, Damien Woetzel, has a background in dance rather than music, he has added the new position of dean of the music division to keep the school’s music bona fides strong. A search for candidates will commence soon.
Eugene Rogers, director of choirs and associate professor of conducting at the University of Michigan, is to be the next artistic director of The Washington Chorus (TWC). He starts in July, succeeding Christopher Bell, in the job two years. Rogers, 47, will maintain his academic responsibilities while overseeing TWC. Rogers is the 2017 Sphinx Medal of Excellence award-winner and a 2017 Musical America Mover and Shaper. He joins TWC on the eve of its 60th-anniversary season, in 2020-21.
Raff Wilson is to succeed Elena Dubinets as VP for artistic planning at the Seattle Symphony in April. Wilson served for seven years in a similar capacity for the Hong Kong Philharmonic, from 2010-17, and is credited with bringing Jaap van Zweden in as the orchestra’s music director. His most recent job was at the Sydney Symphony, where he was director of artistic planning. In his new job, Wilson will work with Seattle Music Director Thomas Dausgaard in planning the orchestra’s repertoire. He will also be responsible for all Benaroya Hall programming, including touring ensembles and artists.
Sam Jackson, senior managing editor of Global, Europe’s largest radio company, has been appointed executive VP Global Classics and Jazz for Universal Music Group (UMG). Jackson, whose current portfolio includes Classic FM, which self-defines as “the world’s largest classical radio station,” will report to Global Classics and Jazz President and CEO Dickon Stainer out of the London office. The position is a new one and involves building new audiences. Acknowledging a new “era of fan engagement,” Stainer noted the new man’s “broad and pioneering track record of success in attracting diverse audience sectors to different types of music.”
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Jane V. Hsu has joined the firm as associate vice president to expand ACG’s executive search practice. Based in New York City, Ms. Hsu brings 20 years of experience in museum and nonprofit arts organization leadership. Her areas of expertise include large-scale project management, strategic community partnerships, integrated artist engagement, employee mentoring and evaluation, and equity, diversity, and inclusion education.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that María Muñoz-Blanco has joined the firm as vice president to expand its executive search practice. Ms. Muñoz-Blanco brings more than 25 years of experience in the arts, culture, and public sectors, specifically within arts service, venue management, and grant-making organizations. Her work in the public sector has focused on improving quality of life in diverse communities, expanding programs and services in the arts and parks, and successfully integrating diverse voices from a broad spectrum of creative organizations and artists. Ms. Muñoz-Blanco will be based in ACG’s new location in Raleigh, NC.
The Phoenix Symphony has selected Suzanne Wilson as president and CEO, following an executive search process. She began her tenure on January 21, 2020. A performing arts industry veteran with a focus on education, leadership, and organizational growth, Ms. Wilson joins The Phoenix Symphony after more than seven years as executive director of the Midori Foundation in New York. In this role, she doubled the organization’s operational budget, improved the Charity Navigator rating from one to four stars, increased earned revenue by 50 percent, and added 46 new public school partnerships.
The University of Texas at Austin College of Fine Arts named Bob Bursey to lead Texas Performing Arts beginning Jan. 1, 2020. He comes to Austin from New York, where he served as executive director of the Richard B. Fisher Center for Performing Arts at Bard College. As director, Bursey will oversee a diverse artistic program that features more than 280 performances each year in music, theater, dance and touring Broadway productions. Texas Performing Arts manages venues that range in size from the 244-seat Brockett Theater to 2,900-seat Bass Concert Hall. With a full-time staff of 50, the organization engages with more than 200,000 audience members annually and is the home of educational initiatives that reach students across the university and throughout Central Texas.
Cincinnati Opera has selected Christopher Milligan as The Harry Fath General Director & CEO, following a national executive search proess. He began his tenure on March 2, 2020. An industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience in arts administration and collaborative leadership, Mr. Milligan has been part of Cincinnati Opera since he first joined the organization in 1989 as a production intern. Joining Cincinnati Opera fulltime in 1997 as director of marketing, he was responsible for all marketing and community engagement programs, raised $1.5 million in annual ticket sales, and surpassed 30-year attendance records for 12 productions.
Bard College announced the appointment of Liza Parker as executive director of the Fisher Center, a leading performing arts center and hub for research and education. Previously a member of the senior leadership team at Lincoln Center, most recently as chief operating officer, Parker was responsible for overall strategy and direction, overseeing management of the campus, including Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and the David Rubenstein Atrium. As executive director of the Fisher Center, she will lead senior administration, and manage operations and external relations for the Center’s professional and educational programs. The College also announces the promotion of Gideon Lester to artistic director for the Fisher Center. A curator of contemporary theater, dance, and performance, Lester has been the artistic director for theater and dance at the Fisher Center since 2012, as well as professor of theater and performance and director of the undergraduate Theater and Performance Program at Bard College.
Musiqa, the composer-led chamber music nonprofit, has selected its new executive director. Board President Pamela Horton announced this week that, as of January 13, Anthony Barilla would replace Brian Hodge in this leadership role. Mr. Barilla is a composer, musician and performer who has spent over two decades working in the arts in Houston and Europe. He has written music and songs for theaters, bands and radio programs including “This American Life.”
January 2020
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) found its new president and CEO within its own ranks, elevating Angela Elster from VP of the VSO School of Music & Community Programs to the post left vacant when Kelly Tweeddale left to become the executive director of the San Francisco Ballet. Elster will be responsible for both the orchestra and the school located in downtown Vancouver. Together they comprise the largest arts organization in western Canada. Since joining the VSO in March of 2018, Elster has created the VSO’s inaugural Day of Music celebration, welcoming over 14,000 people to 100 free performances.
The London Philharmonic has announced a restructuring that separates the position of chief executive and artistic director. For the past 17 years, Timothy Walker has held that post; a recent two-year study indicated that it should be split between executive and artistic. David Burke, the orchestra’s general manager and finance director for the past decade, will succeed him in the post of chief executive; as a search for new artistic director gets underway. Burke has been responsible for the LPO’s last three business plans, establishing strategic aims and objectives for all operational areas, and is a keen advocate for increasing diversity and access.
The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) has tapped Peter Biggs as acting chief executive, succeeding Christopher Blake, who retired at the end of 2019. During his interim appointment, Biggs will step aside from his position on the NZSO Board. From 1999 to 2006 he served as chair of the Arts Council of New Zealand, and has also served on the board of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. A former advertising executive, Biggs chaired the panel advising the government on the NZ Orchestral Sector.
Gail Samuel, currently executive director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, was named to the newly created post of president of the Hollywood Bowl, as well as COO of the LA Phil Association, with responsibility for the Bowl and the Ford Theater. Since 2012, she has overseen the Bowl’s programming and operations.
Cellist István Várdai is to be the artistic director of the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra (FLCO), a new concept for an ensemble whose history has seen its leaders either within the group and/or with visiting soloists, a stellar collection that has included Svyatoslav Richter, Isaac Stern, Emmanuel Pahud and, more recently, Martha Argerich. The new arrangement also has the group coming onto the roster of HarrisonParrott.
The Australian Festival of Chamber Music (AFCM) has tapped British violinist Jack Liebeck as its new artistic director. He follows Kathryn Stott, who will step down at the conclusion of the 2020 festival. News of his appointment coincides with the announcement that he is also to become the first Émile Sauret Professor of Violin at London’s Royal Academy of Music. Liebeck also serves as the artistic director of his own Oxford May Music festival, a music, science, and arts event that celebrates culture and human achievements. He is also the AD of Hamburg’s DESY Humboldt Science and Music Series, and of Alpine Classics in Switzerland.
Longtime artist manager Stephen Wright—former joint managing director of Harold Holt, founder & managing director of IMG Artists Europe, and chairman of Wright Music Management—has “transitioned” his firm, its staff, and clients to protégée Alexandra Knight. The result is a new agency, Knight Classical, built with funds from a U.S.-based private equity company and maintaining a connection with Stephen Wright as “a long-term consultant.” Alexandra Knight, 30, studied Music at the University of Oxford, where she focused on “the psychology of musical performance and listening.” She also earned a graduate diploma in law. Her first job in the business was as an assistant artist manager at Harrison/Parrott.
Ballet BC (British Columbia) has chosen one its favorite choreographers to be its next artistic director, taking over in July 2020 in time for the company’s 2020-21 season, its 35th. He is Nederlands Dans Theater alumnus Medhi Walerski, succeeding Artistic Director Emily Molnar, who in turn will take over Walerski’s alma mater at season’s end. Walerski started with the Paris Opera Ballet before moving on as a soloist to NDT. As a choreographer he is known for trying out new directions, such as having the dancers speak, or juggle.
The Atlanta Ballet’s top fundraiser is to be the new president and CEO of the Jacksonville Symphony as of February 1. Steven Libman, Atlanta’s chief advancement officer since 2014, succeeds Jacksonville’s Robert Massey, now CEO of the Louisville Orchestra. David Strickland has been serving as interim and will now go back to being chairman of the board. Prior to Atlanta, Libman, who has his own arts consulting firm, was founding president & CEO of the $175 million Carmel Center for the Performing Arts in Indiana, a post from which he resigned.
Ben Cadwallader, executive director of the Vermont Symphony since 2015, is to take the executive helm of The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra starting in March. A onetime oboe player with a degree from Mannes College at the New School, he previously worked at the Los Angeles Philharmonic as manager of education and composer fellowship programs. In Vermont, Cadwallader is credited with revitalizing the 86-year-old organization. At the time of his arrival, he told the local media that “he wanted to take risky moves [that] would tap into new audiences.”
Wesleyan University’s Center for the Arts has appointed an interim director in the wake of Sarah Curran’s departure in November. She is Jennifer Calienes, a Massachusetts-based arts consultant whose recent clients include Urban Bush Women, the New England Foundation for the Arts, and AXIS Dance Company. She served as interim deputy director for the Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival in 2028.
Soundstreams, which self-defines as “the largest global presenter of new Canadian music,” has a new executive director. He is arts consultant Menon Dwarka, whose background includes stints as music program director at the Harlem School of the Arts, social media consultant for Listen magazine, and very briefly executive director of Toronto’s Art of Time Ensemble. Dwarka holds degrees from SUNY Stonybrook and the University of Toronto.
Music Teachers National Association announced the appointment of Ryan Greene as director of membership development and affiliate relations, effective February 1, 2020. In this newly created position, Greene will be responsible for the creation, implementation and evaluation of all membership development programs and services with an emphasis on young professional programs and digital content. In addition, Greene will serve as the liaison between the CEO and the MTNA state and local affiliates and leaders to ensure the smooth and effective integration of MTNA programs and services within the affiliates and will recommend and implement new affiliate programs and services.
Colbert Artists Management has named Martha Bonta as its new vice president and artist manager. Bonta previously worked at New York’s WQXR as an executive producer and at IMG Artists as a vice president and artist manager. Martha was also the director of artistic planning and touring at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and she spent several summers on the staff of the Marlboro Music Festival. Bonta was hired as part of a staff expansion by newly appointed Colbert Artists Management President & CEO Lee Prinz.
Old School Square has selected Shannon Eadon as president & CEO; she began her tenure on October 21, 2019. With 30 years of experience in community and corporate fundraising, marketing, and management, Ms. Eadon most recently served as director of development for Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood, New Jersey.
December 2019
Alain Perroux is to be the general director of Opéra national du Rhin in Strasbourg, as of January 2020. Perroux, director of artistic administration and dramaturg of the Aix Festival since 2009, succeeds Bertrand Rossi, who has been serving as interim since the untimely death of Opéra national du Rhin General Director Eva Kleinitz in May at the age of 47. The well-connected Perroux, selected from a shortlist of four, will “promote the diversity of lyrical formats,” according to the French Culture Ministry’s site. At the Aix Festival he oversaw casting, worked closely with former General Director Bernard Foccroulle on programming, and coordinated the transition from Foccroulle to Pierre Audi, this year. During Foccroulle’s transformative reign, he was involved with the foundation of the Mediterranean Orchestra in 2014, the expansion of the Festival Academy, and the commissioning of titles such as Written on Skin in 2012.
Scotland-based conductor Holly Mathieson takes over as music director of Symphony Nova Scotia as of January 2020 on a three-year contract. Her first performance in the new role will be next October. Born in New Zealand, she has conducted major U.K. orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Phiharmonia, the BBC Philharmonic, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, among others. Last year, she and her husband, Jon Hargreaves, founded Scotland’s Nevis Ensemble, whose primary purpose is to perform in “isolated and marginalized” communities.
In February 2020 Paul Helfrich will join the Orlando Philharmonic as executive director. He succeeds Christopher Barton, who left in March 2019. Helfrich had for eight years been president of the Dayton [Ohio] Performing Arts Alliance, the merger of the local ballet, opera, and symphony, which he helped facilitate. Prior to that he was for four years president of the Dayton Philharmonic. He holds an MA in arts administration and a BM from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.
David Bazen, 55, business and media director, is to serve as interim managing director of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, with the orchestra since 1999. He’ll take over January 1, and the orchestra reports the new managing director won’t be in place until next summer.
The Cincinnati Opera has looked to its own and chosen Christopher Milligan, its current managing director, to be its next general director and CEO. He starts on March 2, succeeding Patricia Beggs, who announced in March 2019 that she would be retiring after 35 years with the company. She now takes the title emerita, staying on through the finale of this centennial, 2020 season (June 18-August 1, 2020). Milligan’s first job with the company was as a production intern in the summer of 1989. He joined fulltime in 1997 as director of marketing and never looked back.
The Paris Conservatory—Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris (CNSMDP)—has named it first woman director. Émilie Delorme, current director of the Academy at the Aix-en-Provence Festival, is to succeed composer Bruno Mantovani, who left the Paris position in July and is scheduled to become music director of the Ensemble Intercontemporaine in January. Anne-Marie Le Guével has been serving as interim at the Conservatory. The 44-year-old Delorme, from Lyon, makes history by stepping into the role; the prestigious conservatory was founded in 1795.
Kendra Whitlock Ingram, executive director of the University of Denver’s Newman Center for the Performing Arts since 2016, is to be the new president and CEO of Milwaukee’s Marcus Performing Arts Center. The first woman to hold the job, she succeeds Paul Mathews, who announced in July that he would be leaving the 50-year-old facility after 21 years in the job. The Marcus Center is home to the Milwaukee Ballet, Florentine Opera, First Stage, community events, and the Milwaukee Symphony, which is planning to move into its own facility, the former Warner Grand Theater, in 2020.
The Tucson Symphony Orchestra, which self-defines as “the oldest continuing professional performing arts organization in the state of Arizona,” has a new president and CEO in Steven P. Haines, recent CEO of The Young Americans, a performing arts college and international touring organization, and former VP of strategic growth for the San Francisco Zoo. He started his new job December 4, succeeding Kathryn R. Martin, who served as interim during the search for a successor to Thomas McKenney, in the job two years.
The South Bend (IN) Symphony Orchestra, which has about 75 musicians and 20 annual concerts, has appointed Justus Zimmerman, recent director of marketing and communications with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, as executive director. He succeeds Agnieszka Rakhmatullaev, who left in August after four years with the orchestra.
The Canadian Opera Company (COC) has selected the Canadian stage director Julie McIsaac as its inaugural director/dramaturg-in-residence at the COC Academy, its professional development program. McIsaac, a seasoned stage director, dramaturg, playwright/librettist, and multi-instrumentalist, focuses her work on stories that highlight the diverse composition of Canada’s communities. She is a graduate of Carleton University and the Canadian College of Performing Arts and holds a master’s degree in theater from the University of York (U.K.).
Cecilia Bartoli is to become the first woman to run the Monte-Carlo Opera. Her appointment was announced today by Princess Caroline, who serves as chair of the board of directors. Bartoli will still be “free to continue her work as a singer,” according to the press statement, and presumably free to continue to serve as director of the Salzburg Whitsun Festival as well. She takes over Monte-Carlo in 2023, succeeding Jean-Louis Grinda, who has been in the job since 2007. The company offers about 70 performances annually, most in the 500-seat Salle Garnier. The current season lists three or four performances each of seven operas between November and April.
Mezzo-soprano Marianne Cornetti has succeeded Jonathan Eaton as artistic director of the Pittsburgh Festival Opera, which this summer runs July 10-26. Eaton, in the job since 2012, left in October. Cornetti, dubbed “world-renowned” by the company’s board president, is a native of Pittsburgh and has sung internationally. In her new job, she’s to focus on fund-raising, board development, and longterm artistic planning. Christopher Powell, also new to the company, is the PFO’s executive director.
November 2019
Yuval Sharon, MacArthur Fellow, much admired and inventive opera director, is to serve as interim artistic advisor of the Long Beach Opera, putting together the 2021 season, including all artistic personnel. He will also direct one of the company’s productions. At the same time, he’ll continue as artistic director for his company, The Industry.
Longtime Metropolitan Opera Artistic Administrator Jonathan Friend will leave his job at the end of the current season. He’s to be succeeded by Michael Heaston, the former executive director of the Met’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, who left in June 2018 to become Rice University’s director of opera studies. Heaston was in turn succeeded by English National Opera Casting Director Sophie Joyce, announced in June 2018. Now, Joyce has decided to leave the Lindemann Young Artist position at the end of the current season to become casting director for the Paris Opera.Diane Zola, the Met’s assistant general manager, artistic, will assume Joyce’s job, in addition to her current duties.
Lisa Dell is the new executive director of the California Symphony; she succeeds Aubrey Bergauer who left in June. Dell has been for three years an assistant VP with the Chicago-based Silverman Group, a public relations firm and holds a BA in communications from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Paul Hegland, onetime development director for the Ravinia Festival, is the new executive director of the Fargo-Moorhead (ND) Symphony. He succeeds Linda Boyd, who has retired. Hegland is from Kenosha, WI, where he was chief of staff to the president of Carthage College. He holds an undergraduate degree in music education and a graduate degree in music history.
The Fayetteville [NC] Symphony Orchestra has a new executive director as of December 4. He is Jesse L. Hughes, Jr. , a professional trumpet player formerly active in the U.S. Army as a musician, instructor, and advisor. Hughes holds a bachelor’s degree in music performance from Wichita State University and a master’s in jazz studies from Howard University. He succeeds Christine Kastner, who resigned in June.
Abhijit Sengupta, director of artistic planning for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra for just under two years, is to be the new director of artistic planning for Carnegie Hall as of January 6. He succeeds Jeremy Geffen, who left last spring to become executive and artistic director of Cal Performances at the University of California. Sengupta (known as “Ab”) holds an MM in viola performance from USC and spent four years as an orchestral fellow with the New World Symphony. His BA from Yale University is in economics.
Silkroad, the international musicians’ collective founded in 2000 by Yo-Yo Ma, has announced that Kathy Fletcher is to be its next executive director; she succeeds Eduardo A. Braniff, who left last month after two-and-a-half years. Fletcher is director of creative leadership initiatives at the Kennedy Center, a position from which she has been overseeing Turnaround Arts, a national program she co-founded in 2011 under First Lady Michelle Obama.
October 2019
The popular New York City Center series Encores! has selected a new artistic director. Lear deBessonet, currently resident director of the Tony-honored series, will assume the top slot beginning in 2021, when Jack Viertel, in the position for 20 years, retires. In addition to her role as resident director at Encores!, a position she has held since 2014, deBessonet is founder of Public Works and Resident Director at The Public Theater, a position she will retain. Public Works is a celebrated program that annually stages a new musical adaptation of a classic story with a small cast of Equity actors and over 100 amateur thespians from throughout New York’s five boroughs.
Portland (OR) Opera has elevated Sue Dixon to the post of general director; she has been external affairs director and interim GD since Christopher Mattaliano, who led the company as general director for 16 years, left in July. Mattaliano is now serving as artistic consultant. Portland has also hired outgoing Palm Beach Opera General Director Daniel Biaggias as interim artistic director. The plan is to find a permanent candidate for the job by 2022-23.
Richard Brunel, director of the Centre Dramatique national de Valence, is to be the new general director of the Opéra National de Lyon, effective September 1, 2021. In its announcement, Lyon stated that Brunel’s job would be to maintain the company’s international prestige while exploring “new creative processes that allow composers, orchestra directors, stage directors and choreographers of the new generations work alongside today’s big names.”
Orange County’s Segerstrom Center for the Arts—a multi-venue complex that is home to the Pacific Symphony, Philharmonic Society of Orange County, Pacific Chorale—has named Casey Reitz, current executive director of New York’s Second Stage Theater, to be its next president. That said, Reitz’s fundraising prowess has been proven in his nine years at Second Stage, during which he has nearly doubled the budget; he also won a Tony Award as producer of the Broadway hit Dear Evan Hansen in 2017. Previously he was director of development at the Public Theater and director of individual giving at Manhattan Theater Club.
Opéra de Québec General Artistic Director Grégoire Legendre has announced his intention to retire after 25 years at the helm. He leaves at the end of the 2019-20 season. His hand-picked successor is baritone Jean-François Lapointe, who arrives in December 2020 after a brief transition period. Lapointe has 36 years on the opera stage to his credit. Currently he teaches at Québec’s Laval University and serves as general and artistic director of the Society of Lyrical Art of the Kingdom, Saguenay.
Adrian Jones becomes the new orchestral director of the Staatskapelle Dresden as of January 2020, a capacity in which he’ll be working with Dresden Staatsoper Chief Conductor Christian Thielemann. Jones succeeds Jan Nast, who left Dresden on October 1 after 22 years. Jones is the current orchestra director of the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin. A onetime professional cellist turned artistic manager, he worked for two years for Columbia Artists Management, Inc., out of its Berlin office before moving on to become director of artistic production at Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks in Munich.
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir (TMC), one of Canada’s most highly regarded professional choirs, has named Anna Kajtar to succeed Cynthia Hawkins as executive director. Kajtar has served in an administrative capacity for a number of arts groups, including Toronto’s Groundling Theater and Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie, a dance organization of which she is the current general manager. Kajtar, who boasts five years as academy manager of her country’s Royal Academy of Music, starts her new job November 4.
The Los Angeles Music Center—whose resident companies include the Center Theatre Group, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Los Angles Opera and the Los Angeles Philharmonic—has a new board chair in philanthropist and onetime City Council Member Cindy Miscikowski. She succeeds Lisa Specht, in the job since 2013 and credited with bringing the recent $41-million Music Center Plaza renovation to fruition.
Ara Guzelimian, who announced his departure from the Juilliard School as dean and provost last June, is to be the Ojai Festival’s artistic director as of its 75th season, June 10 to 13, 2021. He succeeds Chad Smith, named to the post 18 months ago, only to be appointed President and CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic on October 1, clearly a post that will require his full attention and then some. Guzelimian, whose initial appointment is for three years, is hardly a stranger to Ojai; he served as artistic director from 1992 to 1997 and as the Festival’s talks director since 2004.
The Ann Arbor Symphony will promote its director of marketing and communications, Tyler Rand, to the post of executive director in January. He succeeds Mary Steffek Blaske, who will retire in December after 25 years in the job. Rand, also a professional oboist, worked previously at Classical 90.5 WSMC-FM in Chattanooga, TN, where he oversaw programming, fundraising, marketing, and community engagement. He holds bachelor’s degree in music theory and literature from Southern Adventist University.
Kimberly Bredemeier is the new executive director of the Evansville (IL) Philharmonic Orchestra. Director of operations for the orchestra for the last 15 seasons, she’s been serving as interim position since December, having taken over from Gary Wagner. Bredemeier holds a bachelor of science in music management from the University of Evansville.
Cal Performances’ Katy Tucker has moved from interim director of artistic planning to director. She succeeds Rob Bailis, who left within weeks of Jeremy Geffen’s arrival after serving as interim for Geffen’s post. Tucker will be involved with senior management in creating artistic, community, and education programs for future seasons, as well as overseeing artist relationships. Tucker started out in artistic administration at the New York Philharmonic. From there she became director of promotion for G. Schirmer, Inc. and from there went to UC Berkeley, where she has been serving as concert hall manager.
Annilese Miskimmon—current director of opera at Den Norske Opera and Ballet/Norwegian National Opera & Ballet—is to be the new artistic director of the English National Opera. She succeeds Daniel Kramer, who left in August. Miskimmon starts in September 2020, although she will have artistic input starting January 1 while retaining her current job.
Stéphane Lissner, current general director of the Paris Opera, is to be the new superintendent of the Teatro San Carlo. He assumes the role in March of 2020 and will arrive in Naples on April 1. As he did at La Scala, Lissner will cover the twin roles of superintendent and artistic director. Lissner, 66, came to the Paris Opera in 2014 after nine years as general manager and artistic director at Milan’s Teatro della Scala. He was the first non-Italian director in the theater’s history. From 2005 to 2013, he was also musical director of the Wiener Festwochen in Austria.
The Music Academy of the West (MAW) has appointed Jamie Broumas to the newly created position of chief artistic officer. Currently director of classical and new music programs at the Kennedy Center, she will assume her new job in January. Among her many responsibilities in her new position at MAW, Broumas will guide training programs, develop partnerships and community outreach initiatives, and build new revenue streams and audience support. She will also work with contemporary composers to create new commissions.
Veteran arts administrator Cora Cahan is to be the next president and CEO of the Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC); she succeeds Georgiana Pickett, who served as executive director from August 2011 to April 2019. In her new position, Cahan will be responsible for overseeing all facets of an organization that serves as a creative laboratory and performance space for artists from around the world. Cahan brings an impressive portfolio. As founding president and CEO of The New 42nd Street for the past 29 years, she oversaw the preservation and reinvention of seven historic Broadway theaters, including the new Victory Theater and 42nd Street Studios. Previously she helped develop the Lawrence A. Wien Center (890 Broadway) and was instrumental in the creation of the Joyce Theater in her capacity as co-founder and executive director of the Feld Ballet.
Chad Smith, who first joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2002 and was named COO in 2015, is the new president and CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Smith succeeds Simon Woods who resigned unexpectedly in September after about 20 months in the job. Smith will add the LA Phil to his job as artistic director of the Ojai Festival, where he was named to succeed Tom Morris as of the 2020 season. He’s a board member of the New England Conservatory, from which he holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in vocal performance from the New England Conservatory. Smith started 20 years ago at the New World Symphony, moved on to the LA Phil two years later, to the New York Phil for four years, then back to the LA Phil, initially as VP of artistic planning, then COO.
September 2019
The 92nd Street Y tapped Seth Pinsky as its new chief executive, beginning in January 2020. A former head of the Bloomberg administration’s economic development corporation, Pinsky succeeds Henry Timms, who was appointed president of Lincoln Center earlier this year. Before leaving city government in 2013 to work in private real estate, Pinsky spent five years negotiating on behalf of the city on such projects as the new Yankee Stadium, the World Trade Center, the Whitney Museum’s High Line location, and the renovation of the Kings Theater in Brooklyn as a multipurpose arts center.
Charlotte Schroeder has announced her intention to exit the presidency of Colbert Artists Management as of year’s end and tapped as her successor Lee Prinz, current senior VP for artist management and booking. Prinz arrived in 2003, she writes, “and immediately became an invaluable addition to the booking staff, rising to his current position….He has, in fact, been leading the company for the past months with his characteristic joy, enthusiasm and superb professionalism.
Francesca Campagna is the new general director for The Center for Contemporary Opera (CCO) in New York. She succeeds Jim Schaeffer, who served as artistic and general until June of 2018, when he retired after ten years in the job. Based in New York, Campagna, Italian by birth, has been active as a consultant to a number of opera companies, including the New York City Opera. Most recently she was a development consultant to Teatro Regio di Parma, where she was on staff for six years; a guest lecturer at La Scala; and consultant on international projects for Fondazione Teatro Massimo in Palermo. She also served as senior artistic manager for the Royal Opera House Muscat for a number of years and as the executive director of the International Friends of Festival Verdi.
Sony Music Entertainment has announced two key promotions from within the company ranks to replace Bogdan Rošcic as head of the Sony Music Classical business when he steps down to become artistic director of the Vienna State Opera next year. Mark Cavell, who joined SONY in 2009 and has been head of the U.S. label and senior VP of finance at Sony Music Masterworks since 2017, is set to become president of Sony Masterworks. Per Hauberwill be president of Sony Classical, which is based in Berlin. He joined the company in 2011 from Universal Music Germany as senior VP for Sony Classical International, the label’s classical repertoire center.
The Minnesota Orchestra has a new leadership model for its annual Sommerfest in July; a “Creative Partner for Summer Programming.” The first is to be pianist Jon (“Jackie”) Kimura Parker, who will work with Music Director Osmo Vänskä, the Musicians’ Artistic Advisory Committee, and artistic staff to develop programming. He will also perform and serve as host. Parker starts immediately, and the plan is to rotate the Creative Partner position for a term of two or three years.
Tanya Derksen, president of Orchestras Canada and of that country’s Regina Symphony Orchestra in Saskatchewan, will move into a new job with the Philadelphia Orchestra as of October 28. The position, which bears the title VP of Artistic Production, appears to have more to do with things operational than artistic. Derksen, a pianist with an MBA, will “oversee personnel, production, operations, and touring,” according to the orchestra.
The BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales (BBC NOW) has named Lisa Tregale as its first-ever woman director. She starts in the new year, succeeding Michael Garvey, who stepped down in July to become the executive director of British violinist Nicola Benedetti’s new foundation. Tregale is the current head of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) Participate, that orchestra’s deeply layered outreach and education plan. She has also been involved in strategic planning.
The Bozeman (MT) Symphony has hired one of its former musicians, Emily Paris-Martin, to be its executive director. Paris-Martin played with the orchestra from 2002-2015, before turning to the administrative side. She served as operations manager, director of marketing, director of communications, and director of business operations before assuming her current post.
The Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra—named for the twin cities Duluth, MN, and Superior, WI—has a new executive director. He is Brandon VanWaeyenberghe, most recently the finance director of the Charlotte (NC) Symphony. He succeeds Kevin Peterson, a violist in the orchestra who served as interim after Rebecca Peterson left in the spring of 2018, after seven years in the job. Prior to North Carolina, VanWaeyenberghe was with the Houston Symphony in fund raising and business intelligence. He holds a BS in music management from the University of Evansville, IN, and, from the University of Cincinnati, an MBA and an MA in arts administration.
John Glover, VP and director of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s DiMenna Center for Classical Music, is to be the new director of artistic planning for the Kaufman Music Center, which includes Merkin Hall. It’s a new position under the Center’s new Executive Director Kate Sheeran. Glover, also a composer and artistic director of a number of new music festivals, will oversee the Kaufman Center’s presentations in Merkin Hall as well as coordinating those among its various educational programs and individual concert series.
Louise Jeffreys, artistic director of the Barbican, is to become deputy chair of English National Opera and the London Coliseum. She succeeds Nicholas Allan. In her new position on the ENO board of directors, she will serve as chair of the Artistic Committee. It’s worth noting that the position of artistic director of the ENO is currently vacant. No doubt she will be involved in the search to fill the job.
David J. Kitto, former senior VP for marketing and sales at the Kennedy Center, is the new executive director the Washington (DC)’s National Theater Corporation. He succeeded Sarah Bartlo-Chaplin, now at the State Theater New Jersey, in July. Most recently, Kitto was interim president of La Jolla Music Society, where he is credited with raising funds for and planning the opening of the new Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center. He also was instrumental in restructuring the organization’s education programs.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) announced that Susan E. Totten has joined the firm as senior vice president to lead and expand its contributed and earned revenue enhancement practice areas. Based in Southern California, Ms. Totten brings more than 25 years of experience in capital, operating, and endowment campaign fundraising for arts and culture, higher education, and medical institutions. She has also demonstrated success in strategic planning, board development, and mobilizing resources to advance organizational mission and vision.
Shea’s Performing Arts Center has selected Kevin Sweeney as director of marketing and communications. He began his tenure on September 16, 2019. A skilled marketer and leader with more than 20 years of experience in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, Mr. Sweeney brings a knowledge of arts business and a passion for the arts community. Most recently, he served as the Director of Marketing for Geva Theatre Center in Rochester, New York. Over the past 10 years in this role, he oversaw the annual budget of $1.2 million, created and managed the annual marketing plan, and led the rebranding initiative for both stages.
Boise State University has selected Laura Kendall as executive director of the Velma V. Morrison Center for the Performing Arts. She will begin her tenure on October 7, 2019. Ms. Kendall’s years of experience have covered a variety of fields, culminating in a multitude of skills, including marketing, ticketing, arts education, outreach, artist residencies, and grant writing. Most recently, she served as the vice president, programming and education for Omaha Performing Arts in Nebraska, where she increased rental and co-promotional events by 67 percent, managed a programming budget of more than $4 million, and oversaw booking for three performance spaces, totaling over 5,000 seats.
Ballet Des Moines has selected Blaire Massa as executive. She began her tenure on September 3, 2019. Ms. Massa most recently served as director of advancement for the Concord Hill School in Chevy Chase, MD, where she oversaw the budget, led the annual fundraising campaign, directed all school events, and assisted in the design and creation of all school communications and publications. She also led the Advancement Board Committee and coordinated the annual auction, procuring more than 300 items.
August 2019
The Atlanta Opera has hired not one but two new development officers. Stepping into the newly created post of chief advancement officer is Paul Harkins, whose most recent position after 13 years at the University of Michigan was chief development and external relations officer for the School of Music, Theater, and Dance. In Atlanta, he’ll oversee fundraising and marketing. Reporting to him in Atlanta will be Jonathan Blalock, hired as individual giving officer. Blalock, who comes to the company after serving as development and patron services manager for Opera Saratoga in upstate New York.
Abigail Rollins is to be the executive director of the Berkshire (MA) Opera Festival as of September 3. She succeeds Claudia d’Alessandro, serving as interim; previously, cofounders Artistic Director Brian Garman and Director of Production Jonathon Loy handled the executive and administrative functions. Rollins has been in her current job, as managing director of the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company in Wellesley, MA, since 2010. She also held positions at Lyric Stage Company of Boston and Trisha Brown Dance Company in NYC.
Goli Sheikholeslami, chief of Chicago Public Media, is to be the new CEO of New York Public Radio—parent of WNYC, WQXR, a number of other local affiliates, WNYC Studios, a podcast division, and Gothamist. A former executive at The Washington Post and Condé Nast, she succeeds Laura Walker, who completely transformed WNYC into a major media organization with a budget of $97 million during her 24-year tenure.
Berkshire Choral International has selected Steve Smith, for four years the executive director of the Seattle Men’s Chorus and Seattle Women’s Chorus, as its new president. He succeeds Debi Kennedy. In Seattle, Smith oversaw a budget of $3.5 million and is credited with increasing donations, devising a new strategic plan, and creating a middle-school residency program.
La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) has a new executive director, complementing its musical direction under Steven Schick. She is Stephanie Weaver, formerly in the same position with the Cape [Cod] Symphony & Conservatory [a community music school] for over eight years. She starts at La Jolla in late September, succeeding the retiring Diane Salisbury, who exits after 20 years in the job.
Caroline Mousset started her new job as executive director of the Washington (DC) Metropolitan Philharmonic Association as of August 1. She arrived from the Phillips Collection, also in DC, where she was director of music. In her new position, she works with WMPA Artistic Director Ulysses S. James.
The Johnstown (PA) Symphony Orchestra has appointed Jessica Satava as its new executive director. Satava holds a master’s degree in voice from the Peabody Institute, where she worked for 13 years in the concert office. She is a former manager of the Aspen Chamber Symphony at the Aspen Music Festival and School and holds a certificate in management development from the Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business.
The University of North Carolina School of the Arts has hired Tony Woodcock, former president of the New England Conservatory, onetime CEO at a number of orchestras, as interim dean of the School of Music. Woodcock left NEC after eight years in the job in 2015; he has been consulting “for higher education and the performing arts” ever since.
Gia Kourlas is to move from freelance to staff dance critic for The New York Times; she steps into Alastair Macauley’s slot, who retired in 2018 after 11 years in the job. Kourlas becomes one of two fulltime staff dance critics in the country, the other being Sarah Kaufman at The Washington Post.
The U. S. Senate confirmed Mary Anne Carter as chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. As acting chair, she has focused on expanding Creative Forces, an arts therapy program aimed at mitigating post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other psychological health conditions among U.S. service members and veterans. She has also sought to promote such initiatives as Shakespeare in American Communities, NEA Big Read, Poetry Out Loud, Jazz Masters, and the National Heritage Fellowships.
Ticket Philadelphia has selected Matthew Cooper as assistant vice president. He began his tenure on July 15, 2019. A professional arts management expert, ticketing specialist, and musician, Mr. Cooper joins Ticket Philadelphia after 16 years with Jacobson Consulting Applications (JCA), an independent, international nonprofit consulting firm. Most recently, he served as president and COO, where he managed an annual budget of $7.5 million, guided key clients in their longterm strategic projects, and advised leading performing arts and cultural organizations in ticketing, marketing, customer service, and development.
The Northwest Arkansas Council has selected Allyson Esposito as executive director of its new, as-yet-unnamed arts services organization in Arkansas. She began her tenure on July 22, 2019. Ms. Esposito most recently served as senior director, arts and culture program for The Boston Foundation. In this role, she created and implemented a new vision and mission for the Foundation’s arts and culture programs, improved diversity, equity, and access within Boston’s arts sector, and developed new funding partnerships and initiatives with local and regional government and philanthropies.
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis has appointed soprano Patricia Racette as its new artistic director of young artist programs and Damon Bristo (currently a vice president at Columbia Artists) as director of artistic administration, succeeding Paul Kilmer. Racette and Bristo, whose contracts begin in September, will collaborate with Artistic Director James Robinson and Resident Conductor and Head of Music Roberto Kalb in OTSL’s artistic planning. They make their first national audition road trip in September.
July 2019
The U.K.’s former education secretary/minister for women and equalities, Nicky Morgan, is to be the new Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport under new Prime Minister Boris Johnson. She succeeds Jeremy Wright, becoming the U.K.’s eighth culture secretary in nine years.
The Cleveland Institute of Music announced the appointment of Constance Skingel as its new director of development. She started in mid-July, succeeding Dan Coleman who moved into an advisory capacity last April. Skingel arrives from the Veale Foundation, for which she performed the same function, and will be a member of CIM’s senior staff. At the Foundation, she is credited with managing over $150 million in assets.
Also new at CIM as of last week is Johnnia Stigall, just former manager of the Sphinx Organization’s National Alliance for Audition Support, which aims to bring diversity to American orchestras. Her new job entails managing CIM’s Young Artist, Musical Pathway Fellowship, and Pre-College programs for the Preparatory and Continuing Education division. She’ll report to Jerrod J. Price, executive director of preparatory, enrollment, and pathway programs at CIM. The preparatory division is currently being restructured.
Alexander Neef is to succeed Stephane Lissner as director of the Paris Opera starting with the 2021-22 season. The 45-year-old Neef has been general director of the Canadian Opera Company since June 2008. He became artistic director of the Santa Fe Opera in February 2018.
The Seattle Opera (SO) has taken a step to ensure that issues of race and gender inform its programming by appointing its firsts-in-residence. Naomi André is a trained singer with a PhD in musicology from Harvard and currently a faculty member teaching Women’s Studies and Afro-American/African Studies at the University of Michigan. In her new role, André will “advise staff and leadership on matters of race and gender in opera; consult in artistic planning . . .; and participate in company panel discussions, podcast recordings . . . and contribute essays to opera programs.”
Elena Dubinets, VP of artistic planning and creative projects at the Seattle Symphony (SSO), is to move to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) next month, in the new position of chief artistic officer. Her job will be to oversee all extant concert and community programs and “lead the effort to create new streams of programming,” according to the orchestra. She’ll work with Spano and Principal Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles and no doubt be involved in the search for the next music director, just as she was in Seattle with Morlot and his successor, Thomas Dausgaard.
Emil Kang, founding executive and artistic director of Carolina Performing Arts (CPA) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has been appointed program director for arts and cultural heritage by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. He succeeds Ella Baff, who left in 2018. In launching Chapel Hill’s CPA, he is credited with creating one of the country’s most extensive, university-based arts presenters. According to Mellon, “Kang has driven change and growth through the arts across the University, programming thousands of artists, commissioning [50] new works, and championing new scholarship on the arts.” He starts at Mellon on October 1.
The Juilliard School has named Rosalie Contreras VP of public affairs. Contreras has been with the Seattle Symphony for 19 years, working her way up from publicity manager. Her most recent post was VP of communications. At Juilliard, in the job as of July 8, 2019, is charged with overseeing marketing, communications, editorial, and creative services, including multimedia and materials relating to recruitment for admission to the school. She will be the school’s official spokesperson and attend all board meetings.
Multi-genre presenter Performance Santa Fe, soon to launch its 83rd season, has hired a new artistic and executive director in Chad Hilligus, 37, resident producer and director of major gifts for the McCallum Theater in Palm Desert, CA. He started July 15, succeeding Jonathan Winkle, who leaves after three years in the job.
North Carolina’s Arts & Science Council, a granting and technical support organization in Charlotte, has named producing, marketing, and public relations specialist R. Jeep Bryant as president. His most recent job was director of marketing and business development for the Broadway League. In addition to increasing sponsorship for the Tony Awards, he is credited with raising funds for and the profile of VIVA Broadway, an outreach program for Latino and Hispanic communities.
Jan Nast, current orchestra director of the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, is to succeed Johannes Neubert as intendant of the Vienna Symphony. Neubert has moved to a similar post with the Orchestre National de France as of 2019-20. Nast trained as a horn player and arts administrator and is credited with making Dresden’s Staatskapelle the orchestra in residence of the Salzburg Easter Festival.
New York City Gay Men’s Chorus has selected Gavin Thrasher as artistic director following an international executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He will begin his tenure in September 2019. An experienced singer, conductor, and teacher, Mr. Thrasher most recently served as the Interim artistic director & conductor for the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA), where he shaped and refined the musicianship and sound of the ensemble, managed all educational programs, and created the concert season.
June 2019
Dramaturge and music journalist Tobias Wolff, managing director of the International Handel Festival in Göttingen, has been appointed Intendant of the Leipzig Opera (est. 1693), the third oldest opera house in Europe. According to SWR2, the job received only 29 applications. He takes up the post in the 2022-23 season, exiting his current post, where he has been since 2011, in May 2021.
The Curtis Institute of Music has appointed Christopher Mossey, until 2018 a major Juilliard School fundraiser and international administrator (co-founder of Juilliard Global Ventures and the Tianjin Juilliard School), to be its next VP for institutional advancement. He’ll oversee development, marketing, and communications as the school prepares for its centenary in 2024. Mossey succeeds Amy Burns.
Five-year-old Opera Ithaca (NY) has hired Benjamin Robinson is to be its artistic director as of next season. He will continue to hold the same position with Raylynmor Opera in Keene, NH. Robinson is a lecturer in voice at Slippery Rock University in PA and a director whose credits range from Verdi to Peter Brook. He’ll be succeeding cofounder and Artistic Director Lynn Craver, who will remain with the company as director of its apprentice program. He’ll also take on the duties that have been handled by Interim Executive Director Dan Taylor. The company will over several performances each of three traditional operas next season.
Festspielhaus Baden-Baden’s announced that Ursula Koners, 47, is the new CEO, starting next season. Her appointment follows that of Benedikt Stampa the new artistic director. Koners, 47, holds a doctorate in business administration and has been head of the Friedrichshafen Institute for Family Business (FIF) at Zeppelin University since 2011. Prior to that, she worked for Daimler AG and Ravensburger Spielwaren-Verlag.
The Göteborg Opera has tapped Henning Ruhe, 41, as its new artistic director opera/drama. Currently head of artistic administration at the Bavarian State Opera, he will succeed Stephen Langridge. Ruhe’s term begins on a part-time basis on Jan. I, 2020; he will take up the reins fulltime after the summer of 2020.
Tri-Cities Opera has named John Rozzoni its new executive director. As of July 1, he succeeds Interim Executive Director George Cummings, who took the role in September after Susan Ashbaker stepped down for a position at Westminster Choir College; Ashbaker remains TCO’s artistic director, however. Rozzoni holds a bachelor of music in vocal performance from Ithaca College. He has for the last two years served as house operations director at the Anderson Center for Performing Arts at Binghamton University.
The Orlando Philharmonic has hired David Hyslop as its interim executive director. He succeeds board president Mary Palmer and founding musician Mark Fischer, who have been serving as co-interims since April, when Christopher T. Barton resigned. He had been in the job two-and-a-half years.
Kelly Tweeddale, president of Canada’s Vancouver Symphony and its School of Music, is to be the next executive director of the San Francisco Ballet, one of the three largest ballet companies in the U.S. She starts in September and succeeds Glenn McCoy, who retires at the end of this month after 32-years with the company.
Present Music has named violinist Eric Segnitz and conductor David Bloom its new co-artistic directors, effective July 2019. Segnitz and Bloom succeed outgoing artistic director and founder of Present Music, Kevin Stalheim who retires this June.
Festival Mozaic has selected Lloyd Tanner as executive director. He began his tenure on May 23, 2019. Mr. Tanner is a nonprofit manager and fundraiser focusing on brand management, strategic planning, and business operations. He most recently served as principal of Double L Analytics and Consulting, working with clients such as LA Opera, Opera Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. During his tenure, he prepared nonprofit and performing arts organizations for financially secure futures, delving into aspects of their pricing modules, donor activity, and patron bases.
The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO) has selected Jonathan Kaledin as vice president of development. He began his tenure on May 22, 2019. Mr. Kaledin is a lawyer and nonprofit executive with more than 30 years of experience, including work in both government and the private sector as well as the nonprofit sector. He has also worked in the environmental and conservation field and arts and culture field. He most recently served as president and CEO of Cape Arts & Entertainment in Massachusetts.
Arts Midwest has named Torrie Allen its president and CEO, effective in August. He succeeds long-time President & CEO David Fraher. Prior to joining Arts Midwest, Allen served as chief development officer at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
May 2019
British violinist Nicola Benedetti has chosen Michael Garvey, director of the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales, to be executive director of her new, foundation, The Benedetti Foundation, which is dedicated to providing “enrichment, inspiration, and variation” to the U.K.’s music education system and communities. Garvey, who exits his BBC post to assume his new position in July, will provide strategic management in areas of fundraising and best business practices.
The U.K. has a new minister for arts, heritage, and tourism. As part of a cabinet reshuffle, Rebecca Pow, the Conservative MP for Taunton Deane, has been tapped to replace Michael Ellis, in the job since January 2018. Ellis will now become transport minister. Pow said she was “honored and absolutely delighted” with her new responsibility. Her tenure, however, may prove short lived. May’s announcement that she will step down as prime minister on June 7 will lead to a new occupant of 10 Downing Street, who may well choose a new cabinet.
American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), the union that represents some 7,500 American professional opera singers, choristers, and dancers, has elected a new slate of officers. Each will serve a four-year term. The new president, elected by the full membership, is Raymond Menard, production stage manager at the Metropolitan Opera and assistant professor at Columbia University School of the Arts. Menard is a 21-year AGMA member and most recently served as its treasurer. He takes over the presidency on June 1, succeeding John Coleman. Additional officers include Treasurer J, Austin Bitner, an opera singer based in Baltimore, and Recording Secretary Louis Perry, an arranger and onetime member of the NYC Opera Chorus. Nineteen governors comprised of soloists, choristers/actors and dancers were also elected.
Longtime Metropolitan Opera Orchestra trombonist Weston Sprott is the new dean of Juilliard’s preparatory division, overseeing the school’s pre-college division and Music Advancement Program (MAP). He will also remain with the MET Orchestra. Sprott will be working with Juilliard President Damian Woetzel, Provost and Dean Ara Guzelimian, Pre-College Artistic Director Yoheved Kaplinsky, and MAP Artistic Advisor Anthony McGill.
George Hanson is the new executive director of the Alexandria (VA) Symphony Orchestra as of June 1. He succeeds Paul Frank, who died two years ago after four months in the job. Hanson arrives in the Virginia orchestra’s top administrative post after 20 years as conductor of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. He will remain part-time as director of the Tucson Desert Song Festival and continue as conductor and artistic director of Oregon’s Sunriver Music Festival, a two-week event held in August.
Michigan’s Ann Arbor Symphony, with an annual budget of $1.6 million, has announced a new president in Dr. Geoffrey Barnes, a cardiovascular physician and researcher at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; he succeeds current president Richard Hendricks.
Scott Guzielek, director of artistic operations at Palm Beach Opera since 2012, is to move into the newly created position of VP and general manager of Philadelphia’s Academy of Vocal Arts. He starts July 1, reporting to President and Artistic Director K. James McDowell, with responsibility for creating community partnerships and liaising with board members and donors. At the opera Guzielek oversaw artistic planning, casting, and repertoire and headed the Benenson Young Artist and Bailey Apprentice Artist programs, which expanded during his tenure. Prior to Palm Beach, he was for six years artistic administrator at Washington National Opera, a time during which Plácido Domingo served as general director.
Chad Herzog, co-executive director and programmer of the International Festival of Arts and Ideas, is to become executive director of UA Presents, the presenting organization of the University of Arizona. He succeeds Chuck Tennes, who stepped down in 2014. At UA, a multi-genre presenter that honors its 25th anniversary next season, he will oversee all aspects of the operation, from marketing to fundraising to artistic programming.
Arts Consulting Group (ACG announced that Douglas R. Clayton has joined the firm. Based in Chicago, Mr. Clayton will oversee the firm’s Planning & Capacity Building areas, guiding strategic planning and community engagement, facilities and program planning, organizational benchmarking studies, board governance summits, team building retreats, and a variety of services that strengthen nonprofit organizations, universities, government agencies, and the communities they serve. With more than 20 years of experience in the arts and culture industry, specifically within opera, theater, and arts service organizations, Mr. Clayton is passionate about creating innovative business models.
The Holland Festival’s supervisory board has named Emily Ansenk its new general director as of 1 September. Like the current director, Ansenk will be responsible for the festival’s artistic and business policies. Ansenk will succeed Annet Lekkerkerker, who is leaving the festival at the end of June 2019 after ten years.
Cal Performances announced that Shariq Yosufzai, a vice chair of the Cal Performances board, has agreed to lead the organization as its interim executive director, beginning on June 15. Cal Performances Associate Director Rob Bailis will serve under Shariq as interim artistic director. Shariq has been a member of the Cal Performances board since July 2014, and has served as a vice chair since July 2016. Rob Bailis joined Cal Performances in June 2013 and was promoted to associate director soon after. He has been instrumental in shaping many defining artistic initiatives;, curating programming for dance, theater and world stages; and overseeing the fundraising, communications and marketing and education departments.
New England Conservatory (NEC) announced the appointments of Michael Sarra as vice president for communications and Elizabeth Dionne as vice president for finance. Michael Sarra will work closely with colleagues across the Conservatory to tell NEC’s story in a way that connects meaningfully and persuasively with current and prospective students, alumni, donors, faculty, staff, and peers across the arts and education landscapes. Elizabeth Dionne comes to NEC with proven strategic-leadership abilities and strong financial, managerial, technical, planning, and communication skills, all of which will enable her to ably manage finance, accounting, and budgetary administration, as well as database administration and information technology for New England Conservatory.
Yvonne Lam, violinist and Grammy-winning musician of Eighth Blackbird fame, will become the newest member of the string area faculty at the Michigan State University College of Music. As an entrepreneur and co-founder of the Blackbird Creative Lab, Ms. Lam will bring extensive experience as a performer, collaborator and educator. Her position as full-time assistant professor at the college begins this fall.
Joe Rooney has been appointed associate dean for finance and administration at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, effective May 13, 2019. Most recently serving as deputy director of the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., Rooney has previously held the roles of chief operating officer at Arts Presenters, as well as vice president for Operations at The New 42nd Street, focused on redevelopment of Times Square.
April 2019
Menon Dwarka is to be executive director of Toronto’s Art of Time Ensemble (ATE) as of May 14. He succeeds David Abel, who has joined the National Arts Center as managing director, English Theater. Before returning to his native Toronto in 2013, Dwarka worked as a composer for television and as an administrator at New York’s 92nd Street Y, Harlem School of the Arts, and Greenwich House.
Vanessa Reed, chief executive of Britain’s Performing Rights Society (PRS) Foundation, is to be the new president and CEO of New Music USA, the organization formed out of the merger of the American Music Center and Meet the Composer in 2011. Reed is credited with vastly expanding the PRS Foundation’s programs and resources and has been widely feted for her efforts. She has been a particular advocate for women composers. She takes up her post in August.
The Washington Ballet announced that the former CEO of The Florida Orchestra, Michael Pastreich, is to take its top administrative post, working with Julie Kent, the company’s artistic director of three years. Not only is Pastreich credited with turning the orchestra around, he also managed to grow its endowment from $8 million to $21 million, to appease relations between the musicians and management, such that strikes were no longer a threat, and to launch a wide array of community, educational, and collaborative projects, including a cultural exchange with Cuba.
Rob Bailis, recent interim artistic director and associate director of Cal Performances at the University of California, Berkeley, is to be artistic and executive director of California’s Eli & Edythe Broad Stage at the Santa Monica College (SMC) Performing Arts Center, as of June 1, 2019. The Broad Stage—not to be confused with The Broad, a contemporary art museum in downtown Los Angeles—is in its 11th season as a multi-genre presenter. It is known for its intimacy (500 seats) and yet features one of the city’s largest proscenium stages.
Festival Mozaic has named Lloyd Tanner as its next executive director, starting in May. Tanner is the recent director of business development for the Los Angeles Opera. Tanner was with the LA Opera for 14 years; previously he was assistant director of development for the Washington National Opera and before that worked in operations for the Spokane and Atlanta symphonies. He has a BM in music performance (trombone) from Southern Methodist University.
Jason Smoller, free-lance oboist and former associate director of external affairs for The New York Pops, is the new development director for the New York City Opera. He also serves as executive director of the Greenwich Village Orchestra and is a former development associate for the Morgan Library & Museum.
The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Greensboro has named Bruce D. McClung as the dean of its College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA), as of July 14, 2019. UNCG’s CVPA defines itself as having “the premier, most comprehensive, and largest set of visual and performing arts programs in North Carolina.” As of 2016, it comprises the combined School of Art, School of Dance, School of Music, and the School of Theater, as well as the Arts Administration program.
Justin Brown, current manager of concert operations for the New York Philharmonic, has been appointed VP and general manager of the Aspen Music Festival and School. He starts June 20, succeeding Keith Elder, and reports to CEO Alan Fletcher. Brown was previously operations manager at the San Francisco Symphony, education manager for the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, orchestra and operations manager for the Juilliard School, from which he holds a graduate diploma, and librarian for the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.
Francesco Milioto is to be artistic advisor of Milwaukee’s Florentine Opera Company, marking General Director Maggie Oplinger’s first major hire since assuming the job in March. Oplinger, who succeeded William Florescu, is a former opera singer with expertise in fundraising and community engagement; Milioto will provide the requisite artistic leadership on a consulting basis. He will also help recruit young singers for the studio artist program.
George Bruell, director of communications at Glyndebourne for the last 11 years, is to join HarrisonParrott as director of creative partnerships. In his London-based post, he will oversee the firm’s consultancies and special projects. Andrea Berbegal, the current HP sponsorship and development manager, will report to him in the new title of creative partnership & development manager.
The New York Philharmonic has elected not one but two individuals to succeed Oscar S. Schafer as board chair. The orchestra reports this is the first shared chairmanship in its history. Peter W. May and Oscar L. Tang, both current board members, are to be co-chair designates until September, when they move as co-chairs into the position Schafer has held since 2015. He will become chairman emeritus.
Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra has named board president Mary Palmer and founding orchestra and staff member Mark Fischer as co-executive directors. The La Crosse (WI) Symphony Orchestra has also hired a board member to be its next executive director. The 70-member professional ensemble, led by Music Director Alexander Platt, has named Eva Marie Restel, a ceramic artist and owner of Restel & Sons, LLC. She has been on the board for six years and is an active arts community volunteer. Tucson Symphony Orchestra President and CEO Tom McKinney is to be replaced on an interim basis by Kathryn R. Martin, described by the orchestra as a “transition expert and veteran arts leader.”
The San Bernardino County Museum Association has selected Geoffrey Corbin as CEO following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group. He began his tenure on April 15, 2019. An experienced nonprofit leader and administrator of change, Mr. Corbin has focused his career on the missions of social impact and cultural organizations as well as enhancing lives through the nonprofit sector.
The Moss Arts Center at Virginia Tech has named Margaret Lawrence as its new director of programming, effective June 25. She will lead the center’s performance season planning, including community engagement and student learning, with a focus on diverse voices and meaningful experiences. Lawrence has served as director of programming at Dartmouth College’s Hopkins Center for the last 23 years.
March 2019
American soprano Susan Narucki has been named as inaugural director of arts and community engagement at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD) . The Arts and Community Engagement Division has been created by UCSD with the aim of connecting students, faculty, alumni and staff with the greater community in order to foster cultural dialogue and civic engagement. Narucki will serve for two years.
Dickon Stainer, the current president and CEO of Universal Classics and Jazz, will now assume direct responsibility for the New York-based Verve Group in hopes that he can offer the label a new global focus. His new role will see him adding to his existing substantial portfolio, which includes classical music powerhouses Deutsche Grammophon and Decca.
Jennifer Turner, executive VP and managing director of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, in Orange Country, CA, is to be the president and CEO of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, effective in May. She succeeds Kathleen O’Brien, who retires after 31 years at TPAC, the last 14 as its head. Prior to six years at Segerstrom, Turner was COO and general manager of the Auditorium Theater at Roosevelt University. She also served as opera house manager for the Michigan Opera Theater.
Christina Scheppelmann, artistic director general of Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu, is to be the next general director of the Seattle Opera; she succeeds Aidan Lang, who exits after four years to be general director of Welsh National Opera. Born in Hamburg, Scheppelman was for 11 years director of artistic operations at Washington National Opera under Plácido Domingo and is credited with creating the WNO’s American Opera Initiative, now in its eighth season. She also served as artistic administrator of the San Francisco Opera under Lotfi Mansouri. Scheppelman, 53, has been in Barcelona for four years, prior to which she was the first director general of the Royal Opera House Muscat (Oman), the first theater of its kind in the Persian Gulf Region.
Daniel E. Beckley, VP and general manager of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, former chief executive of the Charleston (SC) Symphony, is to be the new executive director of the Kansas City Symphony as of July 29. He will succeed Frank Byrne, who announced last year that he would be stepping down after 19 years in the job. Beckley will oversee all the management and administrative functions of the orchestra, a $19.8 million budget operation with a full-time staff of 35; the 80-member orchestra offers up to 200 performances annually.
La Jolla Music Center has named Ted DeDee its next president and CEO. He start April 1. DeDee has run seven performing arts centers, including the $205 million Overture Center, from 2012-2018, Eastman School of Music’s Eastman Theatre in Rochester, NY, the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, both in Nashville.
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group (BCMG), founded in 1987 by members of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, has a new executive director in Seb Huckle, its former marketing manager. He’ll report to Artistic Director Stephan Meier, and take on overall responsibility for the group’s busy production schedule as well as all business matters.
The Ensemble Orchestral Contemporain (not to be confused with the Ensemble InterContemporain) has named French composer Bruno Mantovani, 44, to be its musical and artistic director as of January 2020. He is currently the director of the Paris Conservatory; in his new job, he’ll succeed Daniel Kawka, who founded the Lyon-based group in 1992. Ensemble Orchestral Contemporain has a core of 19 musicians that expands as necessary; it focuses on music of the 20th and 21st centuries and has a repertoire of nearly 500 works by 200 composers, including 170 premieres.
Joseph V. Melillo, a key sculptor in the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s enlightened programming profile, has joined Columbia Artists in the new position of international artistic advisor. He will help the artist management firm “develop bold new opportunities for producing live performance events, international touring, co-productions and artistic collaboration,” according to Columbia.
Chicago’s MacArthur Foundation, home of the “genius grant,” has a new president—John Palfrey. An educator, author, and scholar with a focus on digital technology, Palfrey, 46, will succeed Julia Stasch, in the job since 2014. In making the announcement, MacArthur Board Chairman Dan Huttenlocher praised Palfrey as having “demonstrated a commitment to rigorous thinking, disruption, and creative solutions often made possible by technology, accessibility of information, and diversity and inclusion . . . all institutional values central to MacArthur’s identity and work.”
Christopher M. Powell, director of artistic initiatives for the Glimmerglass Festival, is to be executive director of the Pittsburgh Festival Opera as of March 12. PFO has a summer season of four or five operas. Prior to his four years with Glimmerglass, where he oversaw the production of Breaking Glass: Hyper-linking Opera and Issues, Powell was for 14 years music administrator of Pittsburgh Opera, where he acted as producer of Co-Opera 2015, a Carnegie-Mellon University project that created a one-night performance of five new one-act operas with livestream technology.
Arts Council of Indianapolis (ACI) has selected Julie Goodman as president and CEO; she began her tenure on March 4, 2019. Ms. Goodman has more than two decades of arts management, nonprofit, philanthropic, and corporate experience. Most recently, she served as senior vice president of marketing communications for Strada Education Network in Indianapolis.
Newark Symphony Hall, operated by Newark Performing Arts Corporation (NPAC), has selected Taneshia Nash Laird as president and CEO; she began her tenure on November 1, 2018. Ms. Laird is a seasoned fundraiser and leader with decades of experience in the nonprofit, government, and private sectors. Most recently, she served as executive director of the Arts Council of Princeton, notably as the first woman of color in this role.
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity (Banff Centre) has selected Sarah Nelems as vice president of development, she will begin her tenure on April 1, 2019. Ms. Nelems is a Canadian development expert dedicated to initiating transformative change through fundraising and philanthropy. Most recently, she served as CEO at Habitat for Humanity in Okagawan, BC, where she provided leadership on nationally led culture change and growth strategy.
February 2019
Jonathan Stafford, 38, is to be artistic director of New York City Ballet and School of America Ballet, and Wendy Whelan, 51, is to be associate artistic director. Both have long histories with both institutions, as alumni of the school and as principal dancers. Stafford has been leading the interim artistic team, with Justin Peck, Craig Hall, and Rebecca Krohn, since 2017, as well as serving as ballet master after retiring from the stage in 2014.
Composer Daniel Kellogg is to succeed founding director of Young Concert Artists, Susan Wadsworth, in July. She will step down after a 58-year tenure to become Creative Consultant and help plan YCA’s 60th anniversary. “Daniel Kellogg’s enthusiasm and energy will enable the organization to continue to thrive and meet the challenges of the 21st century, while maintaining the high musical standards for which the organization is known,” said Wadsworth in her comments.
Maggey Oplinger is to be general director of the Florentine Opera, the Milwaukee, WI, company’s seventh in its 85-year history. She starts March 1, succeeding William Florescu. Oplinger comes from the Milwaukee Symphony, where she was director of community partnerships and director of shared experiences. Over her four years in the job, she is credited with doubling volunteer participation to 800 and increasing the profitability of fundraising events some 20 percent. She has also worked in sales and holds a graduate degree in nonprofit business administration.
Joining the Boston Symphony Orchestra as senior publicist is Matthew Erikson, who comes to Boston after serving as publications editor for the San Francisco Opera; before that he was the company’s communication manager. He started in Boston January 7.
Julie Goetz, former communications manager of the Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD), is the new director of communications at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. She succeeds Liza Prijatel Thors, who left in August. RAD is “a $100 million grant-making agency,” where Goetz oversaw communications and marketing.
The MacDowell Colony has chosen Philip Himberg as its next executive director, succeeding Cheryl Young, who is retiring after 30 years. Himberg, who starts June 1, comes to the 118-year-old artists’ colony from the Sundance Institute, where for the past 23 years he has been artistic director of the theater program. In comments, MacDowell Chairman Michael Chabon noted Himberg’s passion and deep knowledge of the arts as well as his “holistic and collaborative approach to managing multiple projects.” In 1907 composer Edward MacDowell and his wife, Marian MacDowell, a pianist, founded the MacDowell Colony as a haven for artists, composers, and writers.
Robert Massey, recent CEO of the Jacksonville Symphony, is to be the new CEO of the Louisville Orchestra as of next month. He succeeds Andrew Kipe, who left in August to be director of concert and ensemble operations for the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. During his three-year tenure in Jacksonville, Massey is credited with balancing the books and working with the musicians to reach a “transformative” five-year contract in 2017 that added seven musicians, made all musicians full-time, and expanded the season.
UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music—launched in 2007 and established by UC Regents in 2016 as the 12th professional school at UCLA—has named its inaugural dean. She is Eileen Strempel, voice professor and senior VP for academic affairs at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She will start in July and succeeds Judith Smith, former executive director and founding dean of the school.
WQXR, New York City’s only locally based all-classical-music radio station, has brought Jacqui Cheng on board as the station’s first ever editor-in-chief, music. Cheng will report to Shannon Connolly, senior VP and GM, music, at New York Public Radio, and be responsible for launching editorial and digital content strategies designed to attract new, more diverse audiences. Cheng, a violinist for more than three decades, previously served as editor-in-chief of Wirecutter and as editor-at-large at Ars Technica. In her new position she will define editorial style and standards for a team of digital producers, editors, and writers, and develop stories exploring the place of classical music in contemporary culture.
Henry Timms—president and CEO of New York’s 92nd Street Y, co-author of international best-seller New Power—How Power Works in Our Hyper-connected World and How to Make it Work for You—is to be the next president of Lincoln Center. He starts in May, becoming Lincoln Center’s third new president in as many years. Lincoln Center Board Chair Katherine Farley characterized him as “a trailblazing leader,” combining “collegiality, digital savvy, and transformational thinking…. Henry’s signature style is collaboration, complemented by innovation, ingenuity and enthusiasm.”
The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity has appointed the Gryphon Trio to direct its classical music summer programs as of 2019-20. The Trio’s tenure begins at the close of the 2019 summer season, at which time it succeeds Claire Chase and Steven Schick, who complete their three-year term as co-artistic directors. The Trio—violinist Annalee Patipatanakoon, cellist Roman Borys, and pianist James Parker—has been together for 30 years.
The Canadian Museums Association (CMA) has selected Dr. Vanda Vitali as executive director; she will begin her tenure on March 1, 2019. Dr. Vitali most recently served as the chief information officer at the International Center for Innovation and Transfer of Technology in Jiaxing, China.
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) has expanded the role of General Manager Kate Kammeyer to also include serving as artistic administrator, and has promoted several other LACO staff members as well. Assuming growing roles are LACO employees Taylor Lockwood, promoted to operations manager; Brandon Faber advanced to assistant director of events and sponsorships; Dina-Marie Weineck boosted to executive assistant & Board Liaison; and Alana Miles, elevated to advancement associate.
Miami City Ballet (MCB) has announced the appointment of Elena Quevedo, PhD as the its new chief development officer. She assumed her post on January 22. Quevedo brings to the ballet company more than 17 years of development and fundraising experience, including former roles with New York City Ballet, The MacDowell Colony, The Hawthorne Foundation and, most recently, as senior vice president of advancement for The New Jewish Home, Inc.
January 2019
Bass-baritone Peter Oundjian is to be the next music director of the Colorado Music Festival. He comes to the post after having served as artistic advisor last summer, an experience that he apparently found favorable. Oundjian is the former longtime music director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, now conductor emeritus.
Bass-baritone Alan Held, a onetime a regular on the stages of The Metropolitan Opera, The Vienna State Opera, The Paris Opera, and others of kind, is the new artistic director of the Wichita Grand Opera. Held is director of opera studies and an associate professor of voice at Wichita State University. He also gives annual master classes at Yale University and is a guest master teacher at The Miami Music Festival Wagner Institute. Held will be responsible for planning the company’s future seasons.
David O’Dell, recent CEO of the Amarillo Opera in Texas, has been named general director of the Charlottesville Opera, formerly known as Ashville Lawn Opera. He succeeds Michelle Krisel, general director from 2010-14 and artistic director from 2015-17. The company recently honored its 40th anniversary. O’Dell is from St. Louis, MO, and started his career on the opera stage.
Hannover’s triennial Joseph Joachim International Violin Competition has put new leadership in place as it looks to its next competition in 2021. Violinists Antje Weithaas and Oliver Wille will serve as co-artistic directors, succeeding founding Artistic Director Krzysztof Wegrzyn. Weithaas, a winner of the first Joachim competition in 1991, is artistic director of the Camerata Bern and a noted soloist. She is on the faculty of the Hanns Eisler Conservatory of Music in Berlin. Oliver Wille is a founding member of the Kuss String Quartet and currently is on the chamber music teaching faculty at the Hannover University of Music. He is the artistic director of the Kammermusikgemeinde, also in Hannover.
Chicago-based WFMT, which specializes in classical content, has a new VP and general manager. He is George Preston, current general manager of Classical KCME, part of Cheyenne Mountain Public Broadcast House, Inc. Preston is no stranger to WFMT, having hosted and produced the internationally syndicated Lyric Opera of Chicago broadcasts and served as afternoon drive host from 2009-2013. Prior to that, he was host and music director for WNYC. In his new job he will oversee virtually everything, from fundraising to programming, production, operations, and syndication activities.
Ashley Magnus has been named general director of the Chicago Opera Theater, a promotion from the post of general manager of strategy and development. The company’s new executive chief holds an MBA from the University of Utah and participated in the 2013 Opera America Leadership Intensive. She began her career as production coordinator for opera with Utah Symphony | Utah Opera.
Víctor Garcia de Gomar will leave Barcelona’s Palau de la Música to become artistic director of the Gran Teatre del Liceu. He succeeds Christina Scheppelmann at the start of the 2019/20 with a four-year contract and an annual salary of €120,000. Key to his selection was his strong record at the Palau de la Música, where, since assuming his role in 2011, he has built a reputation for “rich, creative and innovative” programming, comments El Mundo.
Ireland’s Wexford Festival Opera has named Rosetta Cucchi as its new artistic director. As artistic director of Parma’s Arturo Toscanini Foundation she put the orchestra on the map, with less traditional repertoire choices, ambitious tours, and by appointing the British conductor Alpesh Chauhan as music director. She has said she will honor the festival’s traditions while doing something fresh.
Olivier Descotes has succeeded Lorella Megani as general director of the Rossini Opera Festival for the two-year period 2019-20. Descotes, 42, has been special advisor to the Greek Minister of Culture and Sports since 2016. He is a former director of the French Ministry of Culture and Communication (2002) and was Vivendi Universal’s president and CEO from 2003 to 2005. Thereafter he served as cultural attaché at the French Embassy in Italy and secretary general of the Nuovi Mecenati Foundation (2005-09). He was subsequently appointed director of the Institut Français of Milan (2009-11), and then of the Institut Français of Athens, and counselor for cultural cooperation and action at the French Embassy in Greece (2011-15).
The Orchestre national de France announced Friday the selection of a new general manager (délégué général). Johannes Neubert, 49, will start on September 1. The orchestra, founded in 1934, is the oldest of the two orchestras of Radio France. Neubert has worked for the English National Opera, the Austrian Musical Youth (Jeunesse) in Vienna, and as personal assistant to Christoph Lieben-Seutter at the Wiener Konzerthaus. His career continued as artistic director of the Tonkünstler Orchestra of Lower Austria between 2002 and 2010 and, from 2005 to 2010, he was managing director of the Grafenegg Festival, which he co-founded.
Jeremy Geffen, senior director and artistic advisor at Carnegie Hall, is to become executive and artistic director of Cal Performances at UC Berkeley as of April 1. He succeeds Matías Tarnopolsky, who left last summer to become president and CEO of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Geffen, 44, will report directly to UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol T. Christ. He is charged with overseeing all programs of Cal Performances and Student Musical Activities (SMA), including commissions and collaborations within the university and with national and international arts groups. Cal Performances has an annual budget of about $15 million.
Brooklyn-based American Opera Projects (AOP) has promoted Matt Gray to the position of general director, succeeding Charles Jarden, who steps aside after 16 years to serve as director of strategic partnerships, a new post. Gray has been serving as producing director since 2008, having started at the 30-year-old company as an office manager in 2003 and worked his way up the ladder. Succeeding him is Mila Henry, as artistic director—the company’s first since Steven Osgood held the position from 2002-2008. Henry started as an intern at AOP in 2010 and went on to a free-lance career as conductor, pianist, and vocal coach while continuing to work with AOP on selected projects.
Jennifer Teisinger, former executive director of the Bravo! Vail Music Festival, is to be the new executive director of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra (SDSO). She takes the helm in February, in time to gear up for the orchestra’s centennial in 2022. Teisinger has a bachelor’s degree in music from the University of North Texas, Denton, and a master’s degree in music from the Rice University Shepherd School of Music in Houston, both in oboe performance.
The Conductors Guild has elected Julius Williams to succeed John Farrer as president. Williams, artistic director and conductor of the Berklee Contemporary Symphony Orchestra and professor of composition at Berklee College in Boston, is the Guild’s first African-American president. Williams is also music director of New Jersey’s Trilogy: An Opera Company and a cover conductor for the Boston Pops. He is a former music director of the Washington (D.C.) Symphony.
The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) has a new chief financial officer in Steven Rosenzweig; he succeeds James Garrone who is retiring after 15 years of service. Rosenzweig arrives after filling the same function at the city’s Jewish Community Center, as well as being COO, where he is credited with a financial turnaround. He is also an adjunct professor at Washington University Brown School of Social Work, where he teaches financial concepts to graduate students.
Jeffrey Duncan, former senior manager at BMG publishing and a publishing consultant to estates, artists, and law firms, is the new executive VP in charge of west coast operations for Music Sales Corp. He is based out of the company’s Santa Monica, CA, office. In his comments, Duncan points out that Music Sales has a catalog of over 400,000 works, from Dion’s “Runaround Sue” to Barber’s Adagio for Strings. Tomas Wise, Music Sales Corp. CEO, noted the new hire’s experience “in music publishing and rights acquisition” saying it would help “to grow the business.”
The Santa Fe Symphony and Chorus has hired Daniel Crupi, 29, to succeed Gregory W. Heltman as executive director. Crupi, who starts in March, has been COO of the Greensboro (NC) Symphony Orchestra since 2016. Previously, he spent three years as the orchestra’s director of development and PR. He holds an MM from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a bachelor’s degree in music from the University of Notre Dame.
David Schillhammer, credited with “saving” the Orlando Symphony from extinction during his 15-year tenure there, is to be the new executive director of the Brevard (FL) Philharmonic, currently in its 65th season. A native of Burlington, VT, Schillhammer graduated from the Eastman School of Music with a degree in bassoon performance; previously jobs have been with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and the San Antonio Symphony and San Pedro Playhouse, both in Texas.
Ignacio Barrón Viela is the new executive director of the Billings (MT) Symphony Orchestra and Chorale. A July participant in the League of American Orchestras’ management seminar and a recent MBA recipient from USC, he is a former cellist and general manager of the Heinrich Heine Orchestra in Dusseldorf. The Spanish-born Viela succeds Darren Rich, now executive director for the Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra. Billings Symphony performs about seven concerts a season.
The The Met has chosen Thomas Lausmann to succeed John Fisher, but in the position of director of music administration (last occupied by Fisher himself, before he was assistant GM.) Lausmann is the current head of music at the Vienna State Opera and starts at the Met next season.
The Globe Theatre has selected Jaime Boldt as executive director following an international executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group Canada (ACG). She will begin her tenure on February 1, 2019. Ms. Boldt most recently served as acting CEO of the John Howard Society of Saskatchewan (JHSS). In this role, she implemented the annual strategic plan, developed sustainable programming, and oversaw the finances and operations of four provincial branches in Regina, Moose Jaw, Saskatoon, and Prince Albert.
The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts has appointed Jessica Novak as its new director of marketing, effective Thursday, February 7. With over 14 years of success working in the performing and visual arts, Novak brings extensive experience to the McKnight Center, including tenures in leadership with the Tulsa Ballet, Multi Arts Center (now Prairie Arts Center), and Stillwater Arts Festival, plus the Paul Taylor American Modern Dance in New York City.
The Chamber Music Northwest has selected pianist Gloria Chien and violinist Soovin Kim as its next artistic directors. Chein and Kim are currently co-artistic directors of the Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival, founded by Soovin in 2008. Gloria is also the artistic director of the String Theory chamber music series in Chattanooga, TN—which she founded in 2009—and has been director of the Chamber Music Institute of the Music@Menlo Festival since 2010. They will succeed David Shifrin who will leave the organization after its 2020 summer festival.
December 2018
The The Center for the Arts of Jackson Hole, WY, whose programming ranges across all genres and disciplines, has named David J. Rothman to the newly established post of president and CEO. He starts January 7. Rothman is the current program director/poetry concentration in the graduate creative writing program at Western State Colorado University; he is also the editor of THINK: A Journal of Poetry, Criticism, and Reviews.
Marc Beaudoin is a tenor in the 160-voice Washington Chorus. As of February 4, he is also the executive director. Beaudoin announced earlier in the month that he was leaving the Maryland Symphony Orchestra after just 16 months as executive director. In his brief time there, he is said to have accomplished a “significant financial turnaround,” commissioned new works, increased earned and contributed income, and helped the orchestra make its first recording, with guitarist Sharon Isbin.
Composer/conductor Tan Dun will assume the newly created position of dean of the Bard College Conservatory of Music next July. Dun, whose composing and conducting accolades include Grammy awards, Oscars, and the Grawemeyer, holds a masters degree in composition from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, with which Bard has partnered to form the new U.S.-China Institute. His doctorate in musical arts is from Columbia University.
Alistair Mackie, London Philharmonia’s interim managing director and joint principal trumpet, is to be the new CEO of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO), starting in April. Mackie’s 23-year relationship with the Philharmonia has included three terms as chairman, during one of which he hired Esa-Pekka Salonen as principal conductor and artistic advisor. As interim managing director, he is credited with developing a strategic plan in the wake of his predecessor’s retirement, and making digital communication a priority for the orchestra.
The The Chicago Symphony Orchestra has hired Ryan Lewis, VP of marketing for Opera Philadelphia as its new VP of sales and marketing. Lewis has been with Opera Philadelphia for six years, during which time the company has undergone a rebranding and a notable increase in profile. He was also involved in the creation of the annual “O” festivals. In Chicago he’ll be part of senior management, overseeing marketing, communications and design, digital content, web technologies, ticketing, and patron services.
The The Florida Orchestra has chosen the CEO of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra as its next president and CEO. Mark Cantrell, a onetime airline pilot and sled-dog racer, is to succeed Michael Pastreich, who left in July. A onetime bass trombonist with the Boston Pops, Boston Ballet, and Boston Lyric Opera, among others, Cantrell in Wisconsin is credited with increasing community involvement, fundraising, and audience size, as well as erasing the orchestra’s debt.
Benedikt Fohr is to be chief executive of the Hong Kong Philharmonic as of April 1, succeeding Michael MacLeod who is retiring after eight years. Fohr, 55, has been CEO of the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern (DRP) for 12 years. Previously, he was general director of the Luxembourg Philharmonic, secretary general of the Camerata Salzburg, and managing director of the Ensemble Recherche Freiburg. He is also artistic director of Luxembourg’s Festival International Echternach.
Nick Adams, executive director of the Longwood Symphony Orchestra, Boston’s much admired “Doctor’s Orchestra,” is to be the new executive director of the city’s 55-year-old Cantata Singers. He starts in January, succeeding Jennifer Ritvo Hughes, the new executive director of the Boston Baroque.
The The Whitney Museum’s top fundraiser and deputy director has been recruited by the Juilliard School to be its new VP and chief advancement officer. The School describes Alexandra Wheeler, who started December 10th, as “a key member of the leadership team” who will work with the board of trustees to “guide the school’s philanthropy and membership programs and alumni relations.”
The The Association of California Symphony Orchestras (ACSO) has promoted Membership and Development Manager Sarah Weber to succeed Mitch Menchaca as executive director. He announced in October that he would be leaving to become executive director of arts and culture for the City of Phoenix, AZ. Weber starts January 1. In the two years she has worked with ACSO, Weber is credited with growing membership, raising funds, and contributing to programming initiatives. With an MA in history and museum studies from Arizona State University, Weber previously worked at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix and the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles in creating education departments.
The The San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM) has named Jonas Wright as dean and chief academic officer. He has been serving as interim since the departure in of Provost and Dean Kate Sheeran, now executive director of Manhattan’s Kaufman Music Center. Previously, Wright was for six years the school’s registrar and associate dean for academic affairs, posts that he filled to significant effect, including transitioning the school to online registration and grading and consolidating academic support.
Arna Einarsdóttir, managing director of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra (ISO), is to be the new managing director of Canada’s National Arts Center Orchestra as of next spring. She succeeds Christopher Deacon, in the job for 22 years until last June, when he was promoted to president and CEO of the Center. Einarsdóttir has been in the top job at the Iceland Symphony Orchestra since 20013 and is credited with turning the orchestra’s finances around to the extent of posting a surplus every year since 2014.
The Bard College has scored a notable coup, with the appointment of Stephanie Blythe as the new artistic director of its Vocal Arts Program (VAP). Starting in July 2019 the renowned mezzo-soprano will succeed Dawn Upshaw, VAP’s director since she founded the program in 2006. Blythe brings an extraordinary range of experience and talent to her new position. Her repertoire reaches from Handel to Wagner, from German lieder to contemporary and classic American song. She has graced stages around the world and has sung a dizzying number of iconic roles in opera, including Carmen, Dalila, Giulio Cesare, Fricka and Waltraute in Wagner’s Ring, and Mistress Quickly in Verdi’s Falstaff.
November 2018
The The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (RWCMD) has tapped John Fisher, assistant general manager for music administration at the Metropolitan Opera, to be the first artistic director of its new David Seligman Opera School. Fisher, says RWCMD President Carlo Rizzi, “is one of the leading figures in the world of vocal coaching and vocal expertise…. and is greatly respected throughout the world.”
Martin Sher, VP and general manager of the North Carolina Symphony, is to be the new senior VP for artistic planning and programs at the New World Symphony in Miami Beach. He succeeds Douglas Merilatt, in the job for 20 years until his retirement last August. Sher starts on January 1. At North Carolina, Sher, a trained violist, oversaw artistic planning, operations, and education. At New World, he’ll supervise a staff of 20 and work directly with founding Artistic Director Michael Tilson Thomas on all productions, including the Wallcasts, late night performances, and other non-traditional formats.
Mary Tuuk, board member of the Grand Rapids Symphony since 2012, is to succeed Peter Perez, 78, who in August announced his intent to retire at the end of this year. Tuuk will resign from the board and from her position as chief compliance officer and senior vice president with Meijer Inc., a grocery-store chain. She holds business and law degrees from Indiana University and has studied music.
Johann Zietsman, a former CEO of ISPA (International Society for the Performing Arts), is to be the new president and CEO of the Arsht Center in Miami. He takes over in February, succeeding John Richard, who is retiring after ten years and after righting a near sinking ship after its opening 12 years ago. Zietsman is the current CEO and president of the Arts Commons in Calgary, Alberta. His ten years there have been described as “transformative,” removing a deficit of $900,000 and, at the latest reckoning, creating a surplus of over $1.3 million.
The The Kennedy Center has added a new position: VP and Artistic Director of Social Impact. Starting January 1, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, whom the Center rightly describes as a “multi-hypenate artist” will assume the role, serving as part of the senior leadership team and helping to shape everything from programming to audience development.
The San Antonio Symphony has named Corey Cowart, current executive director of the Amarillo (TX) Symphony, as executive director, effective January 1, 2019. He steps into the role as Michael Kaiser and his deputies of the DeVos Institute of Arts Management conclude a six month period of getting the organization on an even keel. Among his responsibilities, as stated in the orchestra’s press release: “Strengthening the potency of the Symphony’s board of directors, expanding upon the current fundraising model, and enhancing marketing strategy on an institutional and programmatic level.”
Nikolaus Bachler, artistic director of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich since 2008, will take much the same responsibilities and title of the Salzburg Easter Festival, as of July 2020. He succeeds Peter Ruzicka, whose contract expires on June 30 of that year.
Cori Ellison, renowned “opera whisperer,” has been named by the Santa Fe Opera as its first full-time dramaturg. She’ll be applying her skills to new work as well as advising on community engagement programs. She’ll also continue her affiliations with Juilliard’s Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts, where she is on the faculty, and with American Lyric Theater’s Composer Librettist Development Program and the Ravinia Steans Music Institute’s Program for Singers. Ellison remains based in New York, and will spend summers in New Mexico.
Sara Mohr-Pietsch, a BBC Radio 3 host and producer, is to succeed Joanna MacGregor OBE as artistic director of the Dartington International Summer School and Festival at the end of the 2019 edition. Mohn-Pietsch, presenter of live from Wigmore Hall concerts as well as BBC Proms and concerts from the Tate Modern, has been a participant in the annual Dartington event herself.
Meg Booth, director of dance programming at the Kennedy Center, is to be CEO of Houston’s Society for the Performing Arts (SPA), effective December 1. She succeeds Leslie Nelson who has been serving as interim since June Christensen retired last June. Nelson remains the company’s CFO. SPA Board Chair Theresa Einhorn called her “a dynamic and talented leader in both the U.S. and international performing arts communities,” citing her “artistic vision, her marketing savvy and her curation and programming expertise, along with strong management skills.”
The Long Wharf Theatre has selected Jacob G. Padrón as artistic director, following an executive search process. He will begin his tenure on February 1, 2019. Mr. Padrón combines extensive industry experience¬—posts at The Public Theater, Steppenwolf Theatre, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival—with a vision for what is possible and what is next.
Greg Evans has been named CelloBello‘s inaugural executive director. CelloBello is a newly launched educational and social media website specifically for cellists. Among many other roles, Greg served as Chamber Music America’s membership director from December 2003 to June 2006.
October 2018
The The Edinburgh International Festival has a new executive director, Francesca Hegyi, recent executive director of Hull 2017 UK City of Culture, said to have mounted 2,800 events across 365 days and created over 800 jobs. She is credited with securing the funding for that event, which added more than £300 million to the local economy. Small wonder she was awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honors list 2018. She starts in February, returning to a city in which she has worked and studied in the past.
Vanessa Rose, a self-defined “emerging composers consultant,” is to be the new president and CEO of the St. Paul, MN-based American Composers Forum (ACF). She succeeds John Nuechterlein, who is retiring on December 31 after 15 very productive years in the job. Rose has been a board member of ACF for the last six months. Her current professional activities include working on the American Composers Orchestra’s EarShot program and on violinist Jennifer Koh’s Arco Collaborative, a commissioning foundation.
Jared Oaks has assumed the role of music director of Utah’s Ballet West, having started 11 years ago as the company’s rehearsal pianist, while working on his master’s degree in choral conducting at Brigham Young University. He simultaneously served as assistant conductor to the late Terence Kern, the company’s longtime music director. Oaks starts as full-time music director when he opens Ballet West’s 55th season conducting Balanchine’s Jewels, November 2-10.
Lacey Huszcza, longtime associate executive director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, is to be the executive director of the Las Vegas Philharmonic, as of December 1. She has been in her current job for 13 years, serving for a time as interim managing director. Huszcza will be working with Jeri Crawford, who has been assuming chief executive duties in recent years.
Jennifer Kallend will leave the Curtis Institute of Music after 13 years, most recently as the managing director of communications, to join the Colburn School as VP of communications. Both schools provide free tuition to full-time students; Colburn is in the midst of a massive expansion, both of its campus and its curriculum. Other news at Colburn includes the promotion of Nate Zeisler, director of community engagement since 2010, to the position of dean for community initiatives. He will oversee the school’s new Center for Innovation and Community Impact.
The Carnegie Hall publicity associate Michael Tomcza will make a foray into the pop world, joining the year-old Sony Music Entertainment label RED MUSIC as in-house pop publicist. Among the artists he mentioned that he’ll be working with: Jewel, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, lovelytheband, and The Shadowboxers. He’s been at Carnegie for five years.
Jennifer Ritvo Hughes, executive director of Boston’s Cantata Singers, is to take the same position with the Boston Baroque, as of November 26. She succeeds Miguel Rodriguez, in the job for six years and now moving into the non-profit realm.
Jennifer Rivera is the new executive director and CEO of Long Beach Opera. Rivera, a onetime mezzo-soprano soloist, has been with the company since 2017 in the position of director of development and major gifts officer. According to the LBO, since arriving she has raised over $100,000, launched a successful $1.5 million campaign, and created the Community Conversation Initiative, designed to bring speakers and performers together for free programs throughout Long Beach.
The Pacific Chorale has hired Andrew Brown, the chief operating officer of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, as its new president and CEO. The job description for his position indicates it involves fund raising (75 percent); administrative duties (15 percent); and budget responsibilities (10 percent). He starts in December.
The The Washington National Opera has hired the Los Angeles Opera’s Artistic Administrator Samuel Gelber as its new director of artistic planning and promoted staff member Stefanie Mercier to director of artistic and production operations. Becca Kitelinger has been named chief development officer.
September 2018
Sean Michael Gross is to join London-based artist management firm Askonas Holt Ltd. as global head of strategy and innovation, a newly created position that puts him on the six-member board of directors and sees him reporting directly to Chief Executive Donagh Collins. Askonas Holt is one of the largest agencies in the world, with a staff of 75 and a roster of 240 artists.
The Philharmonic Society of Orange County has named Tommy Phillips as its new president and artistic director beginning Oct. 1. The 34-year-old San Diego native has a bachelor’s degree in music performance from UC Santa Barbara and a master’s degree in trombone performance and arts administration from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory.
Toronto’s Luminato Festival has tapped Naomi Campbell as its new artistic director, succeeding Josephine Ridge after just two years. Campbell has worked at Luminato since 2011, starting as company manager (2011) and successively becoming the company’s first-ever director of artistic development (2013) and the deputy artistic director (2017). She has produced some of the festival’s biggest offerings, including The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic and Apocalypsis, and helped develop Luminato’s 10-year anniversary celebration.
Bramwell Tovey is to be artistic advisor to the Rhode Island Philharmonic and Music School, effective this season through 2021. He leads the orchestra in his new capacity for the first time in concerts on October 19 and 20. The British-born maestro is the new head of orchestral activities at Boston University; Providence is but a stone’s throw from Boston.
The Heifetz International Music Institute, named for its founding Artistic Director Daniel (no relation to Jascha) Heifetz, has chosen violinist Nicholas Kitchen to succeed Heifetz, who becomes artistic director emeritus. The changeover is effective as of October 1. Kitchen is founder, with his wife, cellist Yeesun Kim, of the Borromeo String Quartet, in residence at the New England Conservatory and at the Heifetz Institute, which recently concluded its annual six-week summer program for young string players. The 2019 Heifetz Institute, on the campus of Mary Baldwin University, is scheduled for June 23 – August 10, 2019.
The City of Boston has a new chief of arts and culture in Kara Elliott-Ortega, a professional city planner with an interest in music. She has been serving as interim since the departure of Julie Burros at the end of June. In her job, Elliott-Ortega, who has a Masters in City Planning from MIT, will oversee the staff of the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture, the Boston Art Commission, Boston Cultural Council, and the Strand Theater.
Sandra Gajic, former director of Vancouver (CA) Civic Theaters, has been appointed president and CEO of the Overture Center for the Arts of Madison, WI. The Center is home to the Madison symphony, opera, and ballet, as well as the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, touring shows, and more. Opened in 2004, thanks largely to $205 million in funds from local philanthropist Jerry Frautschi, the Center houses five performance spaces, from small to large.
Aidan Lang is to leave Seattle Opera, its general director of just four years, to the Welsh National Opera (WNO). He will succeed Artistic Director David Pountney next July.
Susan Cook is the new dean of the Colburn School’s Community School of Performing Arts. The former dean of the Royal Conservatory School at Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music, she succeeds Robert McAllister, who retired at the end of the school year after ten years in the job. Cook, a onetime saxophone teacher, holds a Master of Music from Northwestern University and served on the faculties of DePaul University and the Merit School of Music before joining the Royal Conservatory.
Also new to Colburn is Annie Wickert, as director of advancement. She is the previous director of partnerships and external relations at Stanford University’s Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society. Prior to that she held similar posts at Music@Menlo, among other organizations.
Music educator and composer Derrick Spiva, Jr. , has been appointed the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s first artist educator. He is contracted for three years from this season. Spiva has been hired to enhance the impact of LACO’s education and community outreach programs, to re-shape and host LACO’s long-running Meet the Music concerts for schoolchildren, and help create substantive curriculum materials and activities presented by teaching staff in conjunction with the program. He will also assist with the Los Angeles Orchestra Fellowship, a partnership between LACO, the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, and USC Thornton School of Music that provides mentorship, training, and experience to early-career musicians from underrepresented communities.
August 2018
Dominic Domingo, grandson of Plácido Domingo, has been appointed director of administration at San Diego Opera, which has also announced that composer Daniel Catán’s widow Andrea Puente-Catán will become a Major Gifts Officer in charge of Hispanic Affairs. Domingo takes up the job in September. He will act as assistant to the general director of the company and take charge of contracting principal artists and conductors. He was previously assistant company manager for the Los Angeles Opera and associate producer for opera recitals at The Broad Stage in Los Angeles. He will continue in his role as associate producer for the Operalia Competition. Puente-Catán, a producer and lecturer, has worked in fundraising for ten years for the New York City Opera, LA Opera, and Gotham Opera and other companies.
Former general director and CEO of Dallas Opera Keith Cerny is to become president and CEO of Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, effective January 11, 2019. After his seven years in Dallas he became general director and CEO at Calgary Opera in January 2018. The seat he fills in Fort Worth has been empty since former President and CEO Amy Atkins resigned in 2017.
Soprano Mary Jane Johnson has been named new general and artist director at Amarillo Opera. She currently serves on the music faculty at Amarillo College as artistic professor and will continue that position part-time. Johnson said she would like to bring people back to the opera and see more local talent involved in the productions, adding that her main focus is re-energizing Amarillo to love opera.
Booking agent and artist manager Theresa Vibberts is to take the newly formed position of vice president, North America, at CAMI Music. Since 2016 she has been national director of booking & artist manager, guiding CAMI Music’s roster of artists, booking national tours, producing promotional assets and helping to build the careers of artists and ensembles in jazz, world music, classical music and more. She will continue in her role directing CAMI’s domestic booking efforts and serving as an artist manager. In the new position she will lead the development of CAMI Music’s North American business strategy.
Opus 3 Artists has promoted three staff members in its North American office. Ben Maimin is now chief revenue officer, a step up from his latest promotion, in 2015, to VP and national booking director. His latest job is newly created and sees him reporting to Opus 3 CEO David Foster, overseeing revenue generation, new business development, and the marketing and booking departments. Sarah Pelch moves up from West Coast classical booking agent to VP, classical booking, overseeing engagements for soloists, chamber and choral music, and contemporary projects. Sarah Davis, with the company since 2016 as Southeast booking agent, has been appointed VP-director of attractions booking, overseeing attractions and orchestras. She remains the contact for Southeast as well.
Bahia Ramos, recent national director of arts for the Miami-based John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, is to be the new director of arts for the Wallace Foundation as of September 6. She succeeds Daniel Windham, who is retiring after a decade with the organization. In her new job, Ramos will oversee arts and arts education staff and programs, including interdisciplinary initiatives. Wallace funding to this area is substantial, especially with Building Audiences for Sustainability, which today allots $52 million in multi-layered funding and technical support to some 25 performing arts organizations.
Strathmore, the Maryland complex that includes a 2,000-seat concert hall, a cabaret venue, and an historic mansion, has promoted its president since 2011, Monica Jeffries Hazangeles, to president and CEO. In the latter position, she will succeed founding CEO Eliot Pfanstiehl, who retires this month after nearly four decades at the helm.
California’s five-year-old Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts has promoted Rachel Fine, managing director since 2015, to executive director and chief executive officer. The former executive director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) and the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, to name a few past positions, she is credited with much of the Center’s rise in profile. Also announced was the appointment of Elise Yen as CFO and director of administration at Wallis Annenberg. Yen previously held a similar position with the New Roads School in Santa Monica, CA.
New York City Center’s Encores! Off-Center series has promoted director Anne Kauffmann to artistic director. She succeeds Jeanine Tesori, who founded the series in 2013 with the mission of reviving, in semi-staged and abridged versions, musicals that pushed creative boundaries when they were first produced.
Stephen Langridge, artistic director opera/drama at the Gothenburg Opera for the last five years, is to take the new position of artistic director at Glyndebourne, leaving Gothenburg in late spring 2019 to return his homeland. In the new post, Langridge will oversee all matters artistic, working alongside Managing Director Sarah Hopwood, who looks after business and financial matters. Both report to Executive Chairman Gus Christie, acting interim artistic director.
San Diego Opera (SDO) and the San Diego State University (SDSU) School of Music and Dance have announced a shared appointment: Alan E. Hicks, whose stage directing credits range from Michigan Opera Theater to New York City Opera, is to be the director of opera theater at SDSU, a full-time, faculty position. At the same time he will serve as assistant director for SDO’s mainstage spring productions. In other San Diego Opera news, the company has named a new CFO, one Jeannie Posner, who reports directly to the board of directors, rather than to the general director. She succeeds Michael Lowry.
Larry Alan Smith is back as dean at the Hartt School at the University of Hartford. He (re)starts his tenure as of August 16. Smith returns to the post he held from 1990 to 1997. He has remained affiliated with the school ever since, having seen a number of his successors come and go. Smith, composer, conductor, pianist, is professor of music composition and curator of the School’s Richard P. Garmany Chamber Music Series. He holds a DMA from Juilliard, where he has been on the faculty, and has also served as dean of the School of Music at the North Carolina School of the Arts and president of the School of American Ballet in New York City.
Oberlin Conservatory of Music Dean Andrea Kalyn is to be the next president of the New England Conservatory, starting in January. She arrives on the heels of the 150th anniversary of NEC, which lays claim to being the oldest independent school of music in the U.S. Kalyn will be the 17th president and the first woman in the job; she succeeds Provost and Dean Tom Novak, who has been serving as interim during the three-year search for a successor to Tony Woodcock, in the job eight years.
Bass Matthew Rose will be working for the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program as artistic consultant, starting next fall. He joins the program’s new Director Sophie Joyce and will provide master classes, group coaching, and one-on-one sessions. Also new at the Met is Michael Solomon as senior press manager; he succeeds Michelle Zelman, who left about seven months ago. Solomon arrives from the Austin Opera, where he was director of audience experience; before that he was senior press representative at the Kennedy Center for nearly seven years.
July 2018
Former San Antonio Symphony interim executive director Karina Bharne, credited with stabilizing that orchestra’s operational issues, is to be the new executive director of Symphony Tacoma (WA) as of September. Tacoma is entering its 70th season. Bhame holds a BFA in trombone performance and an MA in arts management from Carnegie Mellon University.
Kimberly Dimond, former director of symphonic programs for the Midland (MI) Center of the Arts, is the new executive director of the Carmel (IN) Symphony Orchestra. Prior to her time in Midland, Dimond was corporate relations manager for the Detroit Symphony. She has degrees in public relations, French horn, and arts administration.
Greg Weber is stepping down as general director and CEO of the Tulsa Opera “to pursue personal interests.” He has been in the job for four years. Chief Administrative Officer Ken McConnell, also a four-year staffer, will serve as interim.
The Tateuchi Center in Bellevue, WA, slated to break ground next fall and open in 2021, has appointed Ray Cullom as CEO. The former senior VP for Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment will oversee the construction of the $195 million facility, whch encompasses two spaces, a 2,000-seat concert hall and a smaller black box theater. Cullom claims 20 years of experience in non-profit arts groups; he has been with Nederlander for three years. Prior to that he oversaw the construction of the Zorlu Center for the Performing Arts in Istanbul, functioning as its executive director.
Susan Danis, general director and CEO of the Florida Grand Opera, is to be the next president and CEO of California’s La Jolla Music Society, starting October 1. She succeeds Kristin Lancino, except that Lancino also functioned as artistic director. Danis’s new job will involve running the new Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center (The Conrad), a 49,000-square foot-facility with a 513-seat concert hall, set to open in April 2019.
The International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) has named a new executive director whose background reflects the group’s evolution into a broader sphere of influence and activity. As of September 1, Rebecca Sigel, former manager of social innovation for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, is to succeed current executive director William McDaniel, a pianist and founding member of the group. Sigel, whose background includes being a business planning consultant for the National Park Service, holds a B.A. in music from Brown University and a master’s in public policy from the Goldman School UC Berkeley, where her thesis focused on Racial Equity in Artist Compensation and Support.
The University of Michigan School of Music, Theater, & Dance has a new dean, effective October 1. David A. Gier, professor and director of the University of Iowa School of Music, is to succeed Aaron Dworkin, who stepped down last August. Gier is a UM alumnus, having earned his Bachelor of Music there in 1983, with high distinction. He went on to earn master’s and doctorate degrees at the Yale University School of Music. Gier is a professional trombonist, a member of the Iowa Brass Quartet, and principal of the Quad City Symphony.
Jane Chu has been hired by PBS as an arts adviser. Chu was President Barrack Obama’s choice to run the National Endowment for the Arts, a post she held from 2014 until her resignation in June. Having travelled to all 50 states during her tenure, visiting arts groups large and small, Chu will help the broadcaster identify new and representational developments in the field. Her fund-raising prowess is also an asset, as realized during her eight-year tenure as CEO of the $413 million Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, MO, of which she oversaw the planning, funding, construction, and opening in 2011.
The Boston Symphony Orchestra’s dazzling new $30 million, 30,000-square foot Tanglewood Learning Institute (TLI), slated to open next year on the BSO’s sprawling summer campus, has a new director. She is Sue Elliott, most recently of Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music. Her official title at the BSO: the Judith and Stewart Colton Director of the Tanglewood Learning Institute. Her charge is delivering on the BSO’s plans for the four-building facility as a center of onsite and distance learning, for Tanglewood students and patrons during the summer, and during the year, in its climate-controlled venues, for use by the BSO and the surrounding community, including local arts groups.
Michael M. Kaiser, the Mr. Fix-it of the performing arts, is to serve as interim executive director of the San Antonio Symphony through the end of the year. By that time, goes the plan, the orchestra will have appointed a permanent executive director and be well on the path to fiscal health—historically a much eluded state for this orchestra.
Lukas Krohn-Grimberghe, founder and CEO of U.K.-based Grammofy, a classical music streaming service that closed down and then re-launched under Spotify, is to join WQXR as of August 13. He will keep his current job, but relocate to New York to be WQXR’s director of music products, a new position, from which he will oversee the “design, development, and distribution of WQXR’s digital products,” according to a statement from the station.
Jennifer Boomgarden, executive director of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra (SDSO), is to be the new president and CEO of the Omaha Symphony as of September 4. She will succeed David Hyslop, who has been serving as interim since James Johnson left in April to become CEO of the Indianapolis Symphony. She is credited with bringing financial stability to the SDSO, retiring its debt, introducing new community initiatives, and, with Music Director Delta David Gier, updating the programming.
Southbank Sinfonia has just named William Norris managing director. He succeeds James Murphy, new chief executive of the Royal Philharmonic Society. Norris was with Tafelmusik for three years, during which time he is credited with the appointment of Elisa Citterio as music director; increasing the orchestra’s appeal to audiences under 35 with the creation of the multi-genre Haus Musik series; establishing a chamber series; and offering free pre-concert talks to ticketholders. The orchestra for the last two seasons has had surplus budgets and received its largest touring grant ever from the Canada Council.
June 2018
Tanya Bannister, entrepreneur and onetime concert pianist, is to be the new president of Concert Artists Guild, effective July 1. She succeeds Richard S. Weinert, who exits after 18 years in the job. Bannister is a 2003 CAG competition winner and in addition to concertizing, is a founding co-artist director of Alpenkammermusik, an annual two-week chamber music festival for musicians of all levels in the south of Austria. She also founded an organization called RoadMaps, a grass-roots cooperative that brings together artists and scholars for several days a year to concentrate on a particular topic. The most recent edition, in 2017, focused on Syria.
Wang Ning, vice mayor of Beijing, cultural advocate, former Olympic bureaucrat, is the new president of the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA). He succeeds founding President Chen Ping, who is retiring after running the biggest performing arts complex in mainland China for more than a decade. Zhang Yi, a conductor long associated with China National Ballet, is the new president of China National Symphony Orchestra (CNSO); he succeeds the retiring Guan Xia, a composer who has been at the helm of CNSO since 2004.
The Taiwan Philharmonic, a.k.a. the National Symphony Orchestra (Music Director Lü Shao-chia), has appointed Kuo Wen-chen as chief executive. Kuo previously worked for the Taiwan National Performing Arts Center and the Taishin Bank Culture and Arts Foundation. She was also deputy director of Taipei Symphony. Kuo succeeds Joyce Chiou, with the orchestra since 2006, who has relocated to Taichung, the second largest city in Taiwan, to be artistic and executive director of the National Taichung Theater.
Nathan Medd, managing director of English theater at the National Arts Center in Ottawa for the last five years, is to become managing director of performing arts at the Banff Center for Arts and Creativity. He arrives in Alberta on August 27 and reports to Janice Price, CEO of the Banff Center. His job will be presiding over all educational programs and residencies at the 85-year-old center, including theater, dance, opera, classical, jazz, and contemporary music.
The Music Academy of the West (MAW) has created the position of director of innovation and program development. First to fill it, as of August 20, will be Kevin Kwan Loucks, a professional pianist and chamber musician with experience in arts administration. According to MAW President and CEO Scott Reed, the new hire will “help us increase our programmatic offerings” beyond the summer activities, as well as administrate MAW’s alumni awards programs. He’ll also oversee a community choral program, set to launch in fall, working in conjunction with artistic operations.
Kate Sheeran, provost and dean of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music since 2015, is to become executive director of Manhattan’s Kaufman Music Center in August. She succeeds Lydia Kontos, who announced her intent to retire last fall. Prior to San Francisco, Sheeran served as assistant dean at Mannes School of Music at The New School; she holds a BM in horn and an MM from Yale University.
The Miami City Ballet has appointed Tania Castroverde Moskalenko to be its next executive director. She arrives on August 7 and will work in conjunction with Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez. Castroverde Moskalenko, who immigrated 30 years ago to Miami as a political refugee from Cuba, succeeds Michael Tiknis, who stepped in as interim after Michael Scolamiero left in the fall to take the helm of Ballet West. Castroverde Moskalenko is the current CEO of Chicago’s Auditorium Theater, whose finances and programming she is credited with improving on a vast scale.
Yaron Kohlberg, a professional pianist currently based in China, is to succeed Pierre van der Westhuizen as president and CEO of the Cleveland International Piano Competition. Van der Westhuizen succeeded Daniel Gustin as director of The Irving S. Gilmore International Keyboard Festival and Awards. Born in Israel, Kohlberg won second prize in the 2007 Cleveland Competition and has a thriving career as a pianist; he speaks six languages.
Seattle Symphony has named current RSNO chief Krishna Thiagarajan to succeed Simon Woods. Thiagarajan starts September 1. Prior to joining RSNO in 2015, Thiagarajan was executive director for two years of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, where he is credited with stabilizing the group’s finances. Before that he served as president of New Jersey’s Symphony in C ¬and director of artistic operations for the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.
Christopher Deacon, longtime managing director of the National Arts Center Orchestra, has risen in rank to president and CEO of the center, whose bilingual stages also present theater, dance, and a wide array of various entertainments. Deacon, 59, succeeds Peter Herndorf, who exited two weeks ago after 18 years in the job. Deacon himself has been with the orchestra for 22 years; his appointment represents the first time the NAC has promoted one of its own to the top job.
Sophie Joyce, former English National Opera director of casting and director of its young artist program, is to succeed Michael Heaston as director of the Met Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. Joyce will report to Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin and to Diane Zola, incoming assistant general manager, artistic.
Emma Griffin, professor of opera stage direction at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, is to be the managing artistic director of the Mannes Opera. She succeeds Joseph Colaneri who resigned as artistic director in June after 20 years in the post. Griffin will oversee all artistic and administrative matters of the Mannes Opera, which traces its origins back 80 years. As an associate professor of music, she’ll also guide the curriculum for teaching the artform’s various components, as well as move the school further into the realm of musical theater.
Lea Slusher is to be VP for artistic administration and audience development at the San Diego Symphony, starting August 1. Slusher will report directly to orchestra President and CEO Martha Gilmer. Slusher is the current director of artistic projects for Carnegie Hall, where she has been employed since 1994.
The New York Philharmonic has named Gary A. Padmore to be its director of education and community engagement, reporting to External Affairs Vice President Adam Crane. Padmore has held a similar position with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s for the last three years. Prior to that he was associate director of programs at Midori & Friends, which provides music instruction and enrichment programming to New York City public schools. He’s also been education director with the (late) Brooklyn Philharmonic.
Stanley E. Romanstein has been announced as the new dean of the University of Cincinnati’s Conservatory of Music, his alma mater. Romanstein, 62, holds the title of professor of practice/music and the arts at the newly opened Georgia State University’s Creative Media Institute. He is also a consultant with BLJackson Associates.
British writer, violinist, and broadcaster Clemency Burton-Hill is to become the first creative director, music & arts for classical radio station WQXR in September. As the host of BBC Radio 3’s Breakfast Show, Burton-Hill has earned a place as one of the U.K.’s most important arts and music broadcasters. She has also presented live concerts such as the Last Night of the Proms, a weekly broadcast from Wigmore Hall, the New Generation Artists strand, and hosted the Royal Opera House’s live global broadcasts.
Cal Performances UC Berkeley has appointed the vice chair of its board of trustees, S. Shariq Yosufzai, to take over on as interim chief. Helping him out will be Rob Bailis, who moves from his current status as associate director to interim artistic director of the presenting series. Yosufzai, who is also president of the board of the Berkeley Symphony and on the executive committee of the San Francisco Opera, retired in 2018 after 43 years with the Chevron Corporation, most recently as VP of global diversity.
Diane Zola, director of artistic administration at the Houston Grand Opera, is to succeed the late Robert Rattray as assistant general manager, artistic, at the Metropolitan Opera, starting in July. Mr. Rattray died in January after suffering a stroke. Zola will be working directly with General Manager Peter Gelb and Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, in overseeing all matters artistic, including planning, scheduling, and casting its more than 200 performances; managing all music and artistic staff members; scheduling rehearsals, performances, and auditions; and working with all artists and their representatives.
Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center (WHBPAC) has selected Gram Slaton as executive director. Beginning his tenure on July 16, 2018, he will be responsible for overseeing the programming, administration, fundraising, strategic planning, and overall operation of WHBPAC.
Allyson Fleck has been named executive director of Midsummer’s Music. Fleck has played viola with the festival since 2006 and has served as its assistant artistic director since 2014. She succeeds Russ Warren who will continue working with Midsummer’s Music on marketing materials.
Da Camera‘s board of directors has announced a new leadership structure effective July 1. Toni Capra has been named to the newly created role of executive director. Sarah Rothenberg, who has held the dual position of artistic and general director since 2011, will remain artistic director.
The board of directors of Chamber Music Sedona has named cellist Nicholas Canellakis the organization’s new artistic director. Canellakis has served as co-artistic director for the organization’s Sedona Winter Music Festival since 2014 and is currently an artist with Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. He succeeds Bert Harclerode.
The Network for New Music has named composer and guitarist Thomas Schuttenhelm its new artistic director. He succeeds the organization’s co-founder Linda Reichert who steps down after 33 years with the organization.
Maria Mathieson, has been named the new director of the Peabody Preparatory following a national search. As director, she will lead the continued growth of the community school for the performing arts, overseeing all aspects of operations and instruction for about 2,000 students. Mathieson comes to Peabody from Levine Music in Washington, D.C., where she has served as head of music education since 2011. Her tenure at Peabody begins on July 16, 2018.
May 2018
Amy Seiwert is the new artistic director of the Sacramento Ballet. A company member for eight years in the 1990s, Seiwert replaces co-artistic directors Ron Cunningham and Carinne Binda, a husband-and-wife team in the position for 30 years. She starts July 1.
James Ross, director of Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra—USA and of the Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès in Spain, is to be the new music director of the Alexandria (VA) Symphony Orchestra. He starts next fall, launching the symphony’s 75th-anniversary season. A firm believer in shaking up the U.S. orchestral landscape, Ross has appeared on numerous podiums as a guest and is known for some path-breaking collaborations with the likes of choreographer MacArthur Fellow Liz Lerman, designer-director Doug Fitch, and video artist Tim McLoraine.
Scotland’s Edinburgh International Festival (August 3-27) has announced that Aidan Oliver, current director of music at St. Margaret’s Church, Westminster Abbey, is to direct its Festival Chorus. He starts next fall, succeeding Christopher Bell. Oliver is the founder of the Philharmonia Voices, the professional choir of the Philharmonia Orchestra, and has worked with the BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Singers, Huddersfield Choral Society, and the Chorus of English National Opera.
Daniel Hyde, organist and director of music at St. Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue, is to become director of music at Kings College, Cambridge, whose choir is among the highest profile in the world. In addition to training, touring, and recording with the group, he will oversee choral and organ scholars, the latter of which he was himself in 2006. He’ll also work with the dean in his oversight of all music activities in the chapel. Hyde takes over in October 2019, succeeding Stephen Cleobury, who announced in February that he would be retiring in September 2019 after 37 years.
Choreographer Paul Taylor, 87, has named a successor. He is Michael Novak, 35, a “much admired” member of the Paul Taylor Dance Company. As of July 1, Novak becomes artistic director-designate of the Paul Taylor Dance Foundation, which includes the Paul Taylor Dance Company and Paul Taylor American Modern Dance, Taylor 2, the Taylor archives, and the Taylor School.
Mieko Hatano is to be the new executive director of the Oakland Symphony starting June 4 and succeeding Christine Kelly, a marketing and development consultant who took over as interim when Steven Payne resigned last year. Hatano has been executive director of Music in the Mountains in Nevada City, CA, and before that of the Augusta (GA) Symphony. She holds a DMA and Master of Music from USC Los Angeles and a BM from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
The Bravo! Vail Music Festival has named another new executive director: Caitlin Murray, its onetime VP of development, is to succeed Jennifer Teisinger, in the job just two years. Murray, current director of leadership gifts for Colorado Public Radio, starts her new job in September, after the upcoming festival, which runs June 21-August 2.
The Curtis Institute of Music has announced not one but two individuals to run its voice and opera program starting in 2019-20: Curtis alumnus Eric Owens and his onetime collaborator, pianist and longtime vocal coach Danielle Orlando, will succeed Miakel Eliasen when he exits at the end of next season after 30 years. The two will join Eliasen for 2019-20 auditions and be responsible for that season’s artistic and educational programming.
San Diego Opera’s loss will be Minnesota Opera’s gain when Priti Gandhi joins the latter company in the newly created position of chief artistic officer in July. A native of Mumbai, India, Gandhi was a key member of a team that revitalized the San Diego company after its near-death experience in 2014. Working closely with current General Director David Bennett, she has assisted with casting and artistic budgeting, and oversees all artistic contracting and management.
April 2018
The Toronto Symphony has appointed Matthew Loden to be its new CEO. Loden has been serving as interim co-president with Ryan Fleur of the Philadelphia Orchestra since January; previously he was that orchestra’s executive VP for institutional advancement. One of Loden’s key tasks, apart from righting the TSO’s $23 million annual budget, will be to find a music director. He starts in Toronto in July.
Kasper Holten, director of opera at the Royal Opera House from 2011-2017, has returned to his previous place of employ, the Royal Danish Theater. He is to become its general manager, overseeing all activity including opera, theater, and dance. Previously he was artistic director of opera. The Royal Danish has been in search of a new director since January, when Morten Hesseldahl left.
Pianist and chamber music guru Wu Han is to serve as artistic advisor to Wolf Trap’s “Chamber Music at the Barns,” an October-May series at the Wolf Trap Foundation in Vienna, VA. She will hold the post for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons and occasionally perform in the rustic, 380-seat venue. The upcoming programs will be announced in August.
Lorna Aizlewood is the new COO of HarrisonParrott, effective immediately. The former COO and general counsel of IMG Artists will be based in HP’s London office. She reports directly to Executive Chairman Jasper Parrott. Aizlewood left IMG Artists in December of 2016 after two years in the job; prior to that she had her own law firm and, before that, had been VP of legal and business affairs for EMI Classics from 2006, deputy head of rights at BBC Worldwide, and a partner in a London firm that specialized in media and entertainment law.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra Executive VP for Institutional Advancement and COO Michelle Miller Burns is to be the Minnesota Orchestra’s president and CEO as of September 1. She will succeed Kevin Smith, who will retire August 31. Burn’s initial contract is for five years.
Alicia Graf Mack, former dancer with Dance Theater of Harlem and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, has been named director of the Juilliard Dance Division. She starts July 1, succeeding Lawrence (“Larry”) Rhodes. Mack, who has danced with the likes of Beyonce and Alicia Keys, graduated magna cum laude with honors in history from Columbia University and holds an MA in nonprofit management from Washington University. She is a recipient of the Columbia University Medal of Excellence.
The Atlanta Symphony has a new general manager and a new VP of development. The new GM is Sameed Afghani, former manager of audio media and operations for the Chicago Symphony. He is a trumpet player with a master’s degree in conducting from the University of Florida. The new VP of development, which the orchestra says is a new position, is Grace Sipusic, former director of individual support and Miami fundraising for the Cleveland Orchestra. She holds a master’s degree in history from Cleveland State University.
John Grew, artistic director and cofounder of the Canadian International Organ Competition (CIOC) is to be succeeded by Jean-Willy Kunz, organist-in-residence of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (its first, in fact) and organ professor at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal. Grew will continue on the CIOC board of directors and hold the title artistic director emeritus.
Andrew Jorgensen, director of artistic planning and operations at the Washington National Opera (WNO), is to be the new general director of the Opera Theater of Saint Louis (OTSL). He succeeds Timothy O’Leary, who leaves in July to be general director of WNO; Jorgensen has been serving as the D.C. Company’s interim executive director.
The Royal Philharmonic Society has appointed James Murphy, current managing director of Southbank Sinfonia, to succeed Rosemary Johnson as chief executive. “James comes to the Royal Philharmonic Society with impeccable musical, charity, and fundraising credentials,” commented RPS Chairman John Gilhooly, “and his experience of working with young music professionals and commitment to quality music making for the widest possible audience chimes with the RPS’s own long-standing work in these areas.”
Filling the void left at the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra by Adam Crane’s departure for the New York Philharmonic will be not one but two individuals, both insiders. Crane oversaw external affairs and education, so St. Louis has split the difference and promoted individuals to run each of those areas separately. They’ve even split his title, Senior Vice President, into Senior Director and, simply, Vice President. Maureen Byrne takes the former title, to oversee education and community partnerships, while Viki Boutwell moves up to the post of VP of communications.
The Dallas Opera has announced that Ian Derrer, current general director of the Kentucky Opera, is to become its general director and CEO as of July. Derrer was the company’s artistic administrator from 2014 to 2016 and is impeccably steeped in the artform. He also interned for the company as a voice performance major at Southern Methodist University; he served as an assistant to stage director John Copley.
The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) has selected Angela Elster as vice president of the VSO School of Music & Community Programs, following an international executive search process. She began the newly created position on March 26, 2018 on a part-time basis and will assume her full-time duties on June 3, 2018.
Concert Artists Guild has announced the appointment of pianist Tanya Bannister as president effective July 1, 2018. She succeeds Richard S. Weinert who is stepping down after 18 years leading the organization. Born in Hong Kong, Ms. Bannister holds degrees from the Royal Academy of Music in London, Yale University, where she studied with Claude Frank, and New York’s Mannes School of Music, where she received an Artist Diploma as one of a handful of pianists selected to study with Richard Goode. In addition to mastering the traditional repertoire, she has a deep affinity for contemporary music and has premiered numerous works written for her, including three commissioned by CAG.
Chamber Music America has hired Geysa Castro as its new membership manager. Castro trained and danced professionally in both New York and her native Brazil, and worked with artists as a partner at the Brazilian culture and exchange company, Ginga P. Culture Business.
March 2018
Susan Madden is to leave the post of VP of development at the New York Philharmonic and be replaced, as of April 9, by Marita Altman, who holds the same post at Opera Philadelphia. Altman has ten years of experience raising money for the Metropolitan Opera, most recently as director of major gifts. She beings the job on April 9.
Julian Wachner, director of music and the arts at Trinity Wall Street and a widely recognized Baroque specialist, has been appointed artistic director of the biennial Grand Rapids Bach Festival. The Festival, founded in 1997, has been since 2013 an affiliate of the Grand Rapids Symphony, whose Music Director Laureate Keith Lockington has been serving as its artistic overseer.
Matías Tarnopolsky, head of Cal Performances at UC Berkeley since 2009, is to be the new CEO of the Philadelphia Orchestra, starting in August. He moves from a relatively small-budget organization (about $15 million) to a large-budget one with a recent history of financial troubles. His appointment is for five years. His track record at Cal Performances has been as stellar for forming new alliances with established ensembles as it has for new and innovative programming.
David Hyslop, godfather of American orchestras, has just added another interim CEO position to his long list. He is to serve in the position for the Omaha Symphony as it goes through its search for a successor to James M. Johnson, recently named CEO of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Hyslop recently served for five months as senior advisor to the Houston Symphony executive committee; prior to that he was for three months interim CEO of the Fort Worth Symphony, interim managing director of Dallas Summer Musicals, and of the Sun Valley Summer and Stockton (CA) symphonies.
Chad Smith has added another job to his current one, as COOof the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He is to succeed Thomas W. Morris as artistic director of the Ojai Festival, thereby becoming music programmer supreme of the El Ay area. He starts his initial, three-year tenure with Ojai with the 2020 festival, of which Matthias Pintscher has already been announced as music director.
Trey Devey, president of the Interlochen Center for the Arts, has made two key hires, both women: Camille Colatosti, founding dean of the Berklee College of Music Graduate Studies program, is to serve as provost; Katharine Laidlaw, chief marketing officer at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) will serve as VP of strategic communications and engagement. Both are new positions.
The Juilliard School has hired Obie-award winning stage director and Yale School of Drama professor Evan Yionoulis as its Richard Rodgers Director of Drama starting with the 2018-19 season. Yionoulis has been on the Yale faculty for the past 20 years and was Lloyd Richards Professor and Chair of Acting from 1998 to 2003. The Obie-award winner succeeds James Houghton, who headed the Juilliard Drama Division from 2006 until his death from cancer in 2016.
English National Opera has announced that television guru Stuart Murphy is to succeed Cressida Pollock as chief executive. Murphy, former director of Sky Entertainment Channels, takes over on April 3, joining artistic and music directors Daniel Kramer and Martyn Brabbins to form the ENO leadership team. Murphy has overseen all entertainment channels at Sky since 2013, including Sky 1, Sky Living, Sky Arts, and Sky Atlantic. Under his tenure Sky won its first Emmy Awards and Oscar nominations as well as multiple British Comedy Awards and Royal Television Society Awards.
The Fischoff National Chamber Music Association President Peter Holland announced the appointment of Carmen Creel as its executive director. Ms. Creel will begin her new post on July 1, 2018. Carmen Creel joins the Fischoff from Union Bands (Union High School: Tulsa, Oklahoma), where she has served as a private clarinet instructor and chamber music coach, since 2016. Prior to her position with Union Bands, Ms. Creel served as the Director, Principal Gift Recognition at the University of Chicago, and spent a decade as arts administrator with Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT) in San Francisco, and at the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida.
Pilchuck Glass School has selected Christopher (Chris) Taylor as executive director, following an executive search. He will begin his tenure on April 9, 2018. Since 2011, Mr. Taylor has served as president of The Clay Studio in Philadelphia, where he was responsible for significant organizational growth, audience expansion efforts, and unprecedented fundraising successes.
Camerata Pacifica has selected Dr. Amy Williams to serve as its first managing director, effective March 1. Dr. Williams previously served as director of artistic administration and education for the Santa Barbara Symphony.
The Jazz Institute of Chicago has announced the appointment of Heather Ireland Robinson as executive director, effective March 1. She succeeds Lauren Deutsch who stepped down after 21 years of leadership to take on the new role of director of artistic collaborations. Ireland Robinson brings a wealth of nonprofit experience as well as knowledge of Chicago’s jazz scene and the Jazz Institute, in particular, having worked as its Education and Community Coordinator from 2002-04. Ireland Robinson helped develop the foundation for what has become the Jazz Links Education and Artist Development programs which connect teachers and students to Chicago’s jazz legacy.
February 2018
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra has hired Omaha Symphony President and CEO James M. Johnson to succeed Gary Ginstling as CEO. Johnson’s new bosses point to his major successes in Omaha, including increased attendance from a film series he introduced, budget surpluses, endowment growth, and a “ground-breaking” contract agreement with musicians.
The performing arts center at the World Trade Center is beginning to take shape. Last year, Ronald Perelman gave $75 million for its naming rights; last week, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced a signed agreement with the Port Authority for a 99-year-lease on the complex. It is estimated to cost about $363 million, $295 of which has already been raised, according to its principals. Within a day of the Cuomo announcement, the Center named Bill Rauch as artistic director, a position he currently holds with The Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF). He arrives in New York after OSF’s season in 2019.
Martin Wittenberg, 39, has joined Columbia Artists as an artist representative and tour specialist under R. Douglas Sheldon who, together with Senior VP Stefana Atlas, runs the Sheldon-Atlas office. Wittenberg, a native of Germany, was for 15 years a professional trombonist, playing in Leipzig’s Gewandhaus as well as the Boston Modern Orchestra Project.
David Robertson is to be the new director of conducting studies, distinguished visiting faculty, at the Juilliard School, starting next fall. He is currently in his final year as music director of the St. Louis Symphony and his fifth at the artistic helm of the Sydney Symphony.
Santa Fe Opera has promoted its director of external affairs, Robert K. Meya, to the position of general director. The appointment of a businessman to the helm has necessitated a new leadership model, with the company now adding the position of artistic director, a post that will be taken up by Alexander Neef, who will continue as the Canadian Opera Company’s general director as well. Harry Bicket, Santa Fe’s chief conductor since 2013, moves to the position of music director.
Israeli pianist Inon Barnatan is to succeed Cho-Liang (Jimmy) Lin as music director of La Jolla Music Society’s SummerFest, effective in 2019, the festival’s first season at the The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, currently under construction. In addition to overseeing all programming and artistic personnel, Barnatan will audition and bring conservatory students and pre-formed string quartets and piano trios to participate in La Jolla Music Society’s Fellowship Artist Program.
David Binder, performing arts producer best known of late for bringing Hedwig and the Angry Inch to Broadway, is to be artistic director of The Brooklyn Academy of Music, effective in January of 2019. Binder, 50, is a Los Angeles native who has been in New York since 1990, producing an array of festivals, benefits, award shows, etc. His first exposure to BAM was John Adams’s The Death of Klinghoffer; he’s been a disciple of the Fort Greene aesthetic ever since.
Washington Performing Arts, D.C.’s other major music and dance presenter, has announced two new hires: Lorenzo Evans, as director of finance and COO, effective March 5, and Nicholas Alexander Brown, in the new position of director of special productions and initiatives, starting February 20.
Evans, former director of finance and administration at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland, from which he holds an MBA, will oversee all matters non-artistic, including finance, HR, and technology. Brown, who identifies as a conductor and “Honduran-American arts producer,” will help put together new productions and city-wide collaborations. A former principal horn with the Army Band while serving in the National Guard, he arrives from the Library of Congress’s office of special events and public programs.
Evans, former director of finance and administration at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland, from which he holds an MBA, will oversee all matters non-artistic, including finance, HR, and technology. Brown, who identifies as a conductor and “Honduran-American arts producer,” will help put together new productions and city-wide collaborations. A former principal horn with the Army Band while serving in the National Guard, he arrives from the Library of Congress’s office of special events and public programs.
The Alabama Symphony Orchestra, the only full-time, professional symphonic ensemble in the state according to the Birmingham Business Journal, has promoted Cheryle Caplinger, its interim executive director to the position permanently. Caplinger, previously the orchestra’s VP of marketing and communications, moved into the position on an interim basis six months ago when then chief exec Curt Long was named president and CEO of the Rochester (NY) Philharmonic.
The Highland Center for the Arts (HCA) has selected Annie Houston as executive director, following an executive search process. She began her tenure on January 22, 2018. A Vermont native, Ms. Houston most recently served as program officer at Boston’s Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Lacey Huszcza and Kate Kammeyer, two Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) senior staff members, have been promoted to key new positions, further expanding and strengthening the Orchestra’s leadership structure, according to LACO Executive Director Scott Harrison. Huszcza was named associate executive director, and Kammeyer was promoted to general manager. New to LACO’s staff is Julia Paras, appointed director of advancement and leadership giving. Assuming growing roles in new full-time posts are previously part-time LACO employees Marika Suzuki, who has become a full-time marketing assistant, and Alana Miles, who takes on a full-time role as marketing & events assistant.
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center has selected Dion Brown as president, following an executive search process. He will began his tenure on February 26, 2018. Mr. Brown brings a wealth of museum, management, and branding experience to the Freedom Center, serving most recently as the founding executive director of the National Blues Museum in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Trustees of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation have elected Elizabeth Alexander to be the Foundation’s next president, effective March 2018. Over the course of a distinguished academic and artistic career, she has developed a number of complex, multi-arts and multi-disciplinary teams, departments and partnerships, and dedicated herself consistently to creating, building and sustaining highly successful institutions.
Music for All has named Sarah Loughery controller of the organization, based in its downtown Indianapolis headquarters. As controller, Loughery is responsible for the oversight and management of all finance and accounting functions, ensuring proper procedures and systems are in place to support effective planning, program implementation, audits, and internal controls that directly support Music for All’s programming.
Music for All has promoted Emily Ambriz to marketing coordinator; her responsibilities include email and social media campaigns; web, digital, and print, design; and marketing projects.
Music for All has welcomed Conlon Griesmer to its Events team as an event coordinator. Griesmer is responsible for assisting with the planning of all events, coordinating the volunteer program, managing vendor relations, event supplies and materials, and serves as the liaison for the “SWAG Team” of volunteers at the Music for All Summer Symposium.
January 2018
The L2 Artists, named for husband and wife Jeffrey and Jessica Larson (he was formerly with CAMI), has hired a new artist manager and a managerial assistant. Filling the former role is Aaron Grant, formerly with Opus 3 Artists and recent assistant director of artistic operations at Music Academy of the West. Ricky McWain takes the latter position; he is a onetime operations and production manager at Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra and current artistic personnel manager at the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.
Rebekah Heller will move from being the bassoonist and director of individual giving for the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) to being the bassoonist and co-artistic director. Her appointment is in keeping with ICE’s model, which is to rotate artistic directors every few years to keep the group’s outlook and music-making fresh and innovative.
The Sony Music Entertainment has promoted Sarah Thwaites, its marketing manager in the UK, to head Sony Masterworks UK, which comprises Masterworks, Sony Classical, OKeh, Portrait, deutsche harmonia mundi, and Masterworks Broadway. She succeeds Liam Toner, who moves to Sony Masterworks International, where he’ll be responsible for new product development with global appeal.
John Magnum, president and artistic director of the Philharmonic Society of Orange County, is to be the new executive director & CEO of the Houston Symphony, effective April 16. He succeeds Mark C. Hanson, who left in July to succeed Brent Assink as executive director of the San Francisco Symphony. Prior to Orange County, Mangum was director of artistic planning with the San Francisco Symphony from 2011-2014; before that, he was in artistic administration with the New York Philharmonic, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and Los Angeles Philharmonic, where he started as program annotator and designer in 2002.
Nate Bachhuber is to be director of artistic planning and administration for the Cincinnati Symphony and its annual choral partner, the Cincinnati May Festival. In the former context he’ll work with Music Director Louis Langrée, in the latter, under Principal Conductor Juanjo Mena. The Wisconsin native holds Bachelor of Vocal Performance and Master of Opera degrees from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. His starts in Ohio March 1.
Gretchen Nielsen, VP of Education Initiatives at the Los Angeles Philharmonic, is to be the new executive director of NPR’s From the Top, the popular showcase for young musicians hosted by Christopher O’Riley. Nielsen, credited with the launch and nurturing of YOLA (Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles), comes into what is being described as a new position at NPR, succeeding Co-Founders/CEOs Gerald Slavet and Jennifer Hurley-Wales, who announced their intent to step aside in 2016.
Jonathan Bradley has been appointed executive director at The Crossing. Most recently, as chief marketing and financial officer at Primephonic, Jonathan was responsible for launching and developing the marketing strategy, partnerships and US operations for an all-classical HD music streaming service.