WSO names new executive director

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This article was published 26/05/2021 (1212 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A new executive director will lead the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra into the new normal.

Angela Birdsell will take the helm at the WSO in July, succeeding Trudy Schroeder, who has had 13 seasons with the organization.

Birdsell, a born-and-raised Winnipegger, served as the director of orchestra and opera at the Australia Council for the Arts, and orchestra and opera program manager at Canada Council for the Arts.

She is an experienced arts management consultant, with Ottawa Live Arts Community, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, and the Saint John Theatre Company among her clients. Birdsell has researched orchestras and the digital economy, and has advised governments on cultural policy related to large arts institutions.

“Thanks to the WSO community and Trudy Schroeder’s leadership, this orchestra entered the pandemic from a position of strength,” Birdsell said in a media release.

“While no one in the performing arts can predict what the new normal will look like, I am certain the WSO will continue to earn the support of the community through extraordinary experiences in music. To do so, we know we need to remain focused, patient and empathetic with each other, flexible and curious about new opportunities, and most of all, ambitious and optimistic about our future. I’m very excited to be part of the next phase of the WSO’s growth.”

She starts her new role on July 5.