“Rita Shapiro, the executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra for 15 years, is stepping down at the end of the calendar year,” writes Anne Midgette in Wednesday’s (10/26) Washington Post. “Shapiro has worked with the music directors Leonard Slatkin, Iván Fischer as principal conductor, and Christoph Eschenbach. She also led the music director search that led to the appointment of Gianandrea Noseda, who will take over as music director in 2017…. The orchestra … has made five international tours in the last few years…. Initiatives like the NSO in your Neighborhood program, the SoundHealth program that brings musicians to play in local hospitals, and the new Declassified series of late-night Friday programs aimed at a younger audience have signaled the orchestra’s desire to … reach new audiences and play a greater role in the community…. [Shapiro’s] successor has not yet been named.” Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter said of Shapiro, “She has proven to be a positively fearless partner, always in service to the music, always seeking innovative ways to engage with audiences, and thoughtfully guiding the orchestra in both its artistic profile and its social impact. She leaves the NSO strong, energized, and poised for new levels of excellence.”
Posted October 27, 2016
Rita Shapiro photo by Scott Suchman
