Musical America Announces 2018 Industry 'Professionals of the Year'

Musical America has announced the 30 '2018 Professionals of the Year’ - honored for innovation, independent thinking and entrepreneurism

Musical America Worldwide, in New York, has this week announced the Musical America 30 2018 Professionals of the Year - honored this year for innovation, independent thinking and entrepreneurism.

“These are the heroes, sung and heretofore unsung, of the performing arts industry …” Musical America Publisher Stephanie Challener has said.

“What is striking about these individuals is their passion, creativity and dedication to making the arts thrive … these are the folks who make the industry tick, brainstorm the new ideas, get the artists on stage, help build the audiences and train the artists of tomorrow,” she has said.

The 2018 Musical America 30 Professionals of the Year are:

• Yamaha Artist Services New York Director, Bonnie Barrett
• University of Miami Frost School of Music Dean, Shelly Berg
• nkoda Founder and CEO, Lorenzo Brewer
• Chicago Opera Theater Director of Education, Linden Christ
• El Sistema USA and Reach*Teach*Play Director, Christine Taylor Conda
• Philadelphia Orchestra Assistant Principal Bass and Project 440 Executive Director, Joseph Conyers
• Crescendo Detroit CEO, Damien Crutcher
• Interlochen Center for the Arts President, Trey Devey
• On Site Opera Artistic Director, Eric Einhorn
• American Composers Orchestra Director, Aiden Kim Feltkamp
• Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music Founder, Gabriela Lena Frank
• Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival Founder, Aloysia Friedmann
• Tour Manager, Heather Gladstein
• River City Brass Music Director, James Gourlay
• Las Vegas Philharmonic Executive Director, Lacey Huszcza
• Philadelphia Jazz Project Director, Homer Jackson
• Salem College Piano Professor, Barbara Lister-Sink
• Composer, Pianist and Professor, Evan Mack
• WQXR Radio Evening Host, Terrance McKnight
• Music From Japan Executive Director, Naoyuki Miura
• Robert McDuffie Center for Strings Director, Amy Schwartz Moretti 
• Atlanta Music Project Founder and Executive Director, Dantes Rameau
• Detroit Symphony Orchestra General Manager, Erik Rönmark
• New World Symphony Director of Video Production, Clyde Scott
• Concert Artists Guild Senior Vice President, Steve Shaiman
• Bucklesweet President, Amanda Sweet
• Nashville Symphony CEO, Alan Valentine
• Sphinx Organization Senior Director of Arts Leadership, Abigayl Venman
• Trinity Wall Street Director Music and Arts, Julian Wachner
• Community Music Center of Boston Executive Director, Lecolion Washington

Founded in 1889, Musical America is America’s oldest classical music publication.