OSL Announces New Artistic Leadership

The Co-Founder and former Chairman of IMG Artists Charles Hamlen will become Orchestra of St. Luke's (OSL) new Vice President for Artists & Programs, effective October 2012. In this role, Mr. Hamlen will plan repertoire and artistic collaborations for OSL's annual orchestra series at Carnegie Hall, chamber music series at The Morgan Library & Museum and Brooklyn Museum, summer residency at Caramoor International Music Festival, Subway Series, OSL@DMC and other special projects. Mr. Hamlen will follow Elizabeth Ostrow, the current Vice President, Artistic Planning, who has worked at OSL for the past 16 years.

"Charles Hamlen is a person of great esteem in the world of classical music. He's also someone with whom I've had a real meeting of the minds, and a great artistic and personal connection. He is a perfect addition to the St. Luke's family, and I am very excited to continue working with him in this new role," said OSL Principal Conductor Pablo Heras-Casado.

"Throughout his career, Charles Hamlen has demonstrated the highest level of commitment to classical artists. His new position at OSL will allow him an opportunity to work with an outstanding group of chamber and orchestral musicians, and to explore new programming opportunities at New York City's top music venues, including OSL's new home, The DiMenna Center for Classical Music," said OSL President & Executive Director Katy Clark.

"I have been an enthusiastic fan of Orchestra of St. Luke's since I first moved to New York 35 years ago. It will be a privilege to work alongside such committed and world-class orchestral and chamber musicians, to collaborate with their extraordinary Principal Conductor Pablo Heras-Casado and visionary Executive Director Katy Clark and to continue to develop and expand the innovative programs created by my distinguished colleague and long-time friend Elizabeth Ostrow," said Mr. Hamlen.

In 1981 Mr. Hamlen and Edna Landau founded Hamlen/Landau Management, which became IMG Artists in 1984. As Co-Director of IMG Artists from 1984 – 1992, Mr. Hamlen looked after the careers of several of the world's top artists. In 1993 Mr. Hamlen left IMG Artists to found Classical Action: Performing Arts Against AIDS, a not-for-profit organization created to raise and distribute funds for AIDS-related services across the United States. In 2009 Mr. Hamlen returned to the IMG Artists fold as its worldwide Chairman.

Ms. Ostrow came to OSL in 1996 after serving as Artistic Administrator for the New York Philharmonic, and brought with her a wealth of experience in the classical music and recording industries, as well as deep ties to a range of industry leaders and artists. Since joining the staff, she has led artistic planning for St. Luke's orchestra series at Carnegie Hall, summer residency at Caramoor International Music Festival, chamber series, Subway Series, OSL@DMC, Second Helpings, as well as other artistic collaborations, special programs and festivals.

"Liz has meant so much to everyone at St. Luke's. Her imagination and keen eye for talent have allowed us to achieve new levels of artistic excellence. She has been a leader and friend. We feel fortunate to have had her so long," said OSL President & Executive Director Katy Clark.

Through her work at OSL, Ms. Ostrow has collaborated with an extensive array of presenters and artists throughout New York City and on tours. She has overseen artistic planning during the tenure of three of OSL's four titled conductors: Sir Charles Mackerras, Donald Runnicles and Pablo Heras-Casado, and has worked with Sir Roger Norrington for many years since he was named OSL's first titled conductor.

Among Ms. Ostrow's many accomplishments at OSL, three in particular illustrate the range of her imagination and her ability to assemble the right team for the right project. She conceived and planned the memorable Haydn Festival throughout the 1998/1999 season, three all-Haydn programs at Carnegie Hall with conductors Frans Bruggen, Sir Roger Norrington and Sir Charles Mackerras. In 2007 Ms. Ostrow developed In the Grace of the World-a multimedia project with film, inspired by the poetry of Wendell Berry, and offering a full-program collage of orchestral and chamber music including Ives, Bach, Arvo Pärt and Peteris Vasks. Created with funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the program premiered at Montclair State University, and was subsequently performed at the University of North Carolina in 2009. Ms. Ostrow's engagement of Iván Fischer for annual visits since the 2010/2011 season has provided an exceptionally creative collaboration with the orchestra, culminating in a sold-out performance of the Mozart Requiem at Carnegie Hall in 2012 and a much-anticipated St. Matthew Passion at Carnegie Hall in the 2012/2013 season.

Prior to joining OSL, Ms. Ostrow was artistic administrator at the New York Philharmonic and worked for 15 years in the recording industry as Vice President, Artists and Repertoire for EMI Records and New World Records. Throughout her career, she has been an independent audio producer, winning Grammy Awards in categories including "Best Orchestral" and "Best Opera" performances. She has produced for such labels as Deutsche Grammophon, Telarc and Sony; recorded live concerts and telecasts with artists including the Boston Symphony, the Emerson String Quartet, James Levine, Placido Domingo and Riccardo Muti; and was audio director for several television operas for Great Performances, among them John Adams' Nixon in China and the Emmy Award-winning "Pavarotti and the Italian Tenor."

"After 16 years of working with this remarkable organization, and knowing it is in an exciting period of change and growth, I feel it is time that I can step down. I look forward to putting my full energy to several major projects involving a variety of musical and artistic organizations, and I am eager to give greater time to recording and the visceral connection to the music that it provides," Ms. Ostrow said.