Pasadena Symphony and POPS announces two new staff members: Nancy J. Ackerman, chief advancement officer, and Neal Spinler, director of marketing and public relations. Nancy has a background in fund development, financial management and strategic planning in the Bishop's office of the Southwest California Synod and Solheim Lutheran Home and has a certificate in fundraising from UCLA. Neal has a background as managing director of Tears of Joy in Portland, as well as marketing, communication and branding experience at LA Stage Alliance, Pillsbury House Theatre and The Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis. 

Music in the Mountains has named Ryan Murray their new resident conductor and choral director.

The Oakland East Bay Symphony has promoted Maya Rath, current ACSO treasurer, to general manager. Ms. Rath has been on the Oakland East Bay Symphony staff for 20 years and has previously served the symphony's finance director and concert production manager, as well as its development director and acting executive director. Prior to joining the Symphony, she served as general manager of the California Symphony and assistant director of the San Francisco Art Commission.

Scott Reed and ACSO past-president NancyBell Coe have been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Ojai Music Festival for three-year terms. Mr. Reed is the president of the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara and Ms. Coe retired from that same position in 2010.

Almost 5,000 children from 57 local schools had fun with rhythm at the Oakland East Bay Symphony's free Young People's Concerts on October 22 & 23 at Oakland Technical High School and on October 24 at Castlemont High School. These free concerts introduce kids to live orchestral music in a familiar setting. It is also an opportunity to teach them what to expect when attending a concert, how to behave at a concert, what to do when the music seems to end but the conductor does not lower his arms and turn around (don't clap!), and more.

OEBS Young People's Concert

The San Diego Youth Symphony recently returned from its two-week China Friendship Tour. It has been called a "resounding success."

The Santa Rosa Symphony, for the tenth consecutive year, ending June 30, 2013, finished in the black. It realized a record level of ticket sales and donations contributing to an operating surplus of $283,754 with $3.86 million gross revenues.

Stephen Waarts, 17-year-old American violinist (from left); Raphaël Sévère, 19-year-old French clarinetist; and Yunqing Zhou, 24-year-old Chinese pianist, were selected from eleven finalists as the First Prize Winners of the 2013 Young Concert Artists

International Auditions on November 9 at Merkin Hall, NYC. The 2013 Young Concert Artists Auditions drew over two hundred musicians from thirty-five countries. The Winners join the roster of Young Concert Artists, Inc., which provides three years or more of management services, concert engagements, promotion, and career development.