Grand Teton Music Festival Will Welcome Simon Woods As Interim Executive Director

Grand Teton Music Festival (GTMF) has announced Simon Woods as Interim Executive Director, starting on February 24, 2020.

Music Director Donald Runnicles comments, "In securing the services of Simon Woods, the Grand Teton Music Festival is fortunate to be able to benefit from an experienced and enlightened executive, known across our business for his commitment to collaboration, who will provide us with valued leadership through this transitional period. Simon and I have been colleagues for many years both in North America and Europe - we are extremely excited to work together, committed to sustaining and further elevating the GTMF."

GTMF board co-chairs John Costello and Barbara McCelvey add, "Grand Teton Music Festival is an organization that our musicians, patrons, staff, and board care about deeply, and Simon Woods provides proven executive leadership, which will help guide us through the 2020 season. Having an Interim Executive Director at Simon's level speaks to the international prominence of our festival. With Simon's arrival, we are now launching our search for a permanent Executive Director. In the meantime, we thank the community for its support and involvement in the festival we all love."

Simon Woods brings extensive experience in orchestral executive management to GTMF. A musician by training, he spent almost a decade as a recording producer at EMI Classics, before moving on to a career in orchestra leadership. His most recent position was as CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic after seven years as the Seattle Symphony's President and CEO, six years as the Royal Scottish National Orchestra's Chief Executive, a year with the New Jersey Symphony, and seven years at The Philadelphia Orchestra.

Simon Woods comments, "Every summer, some of the greatest orchestral musicians in the country come together to make music with tremendous joy under Donald Runnicles' leadership. The greatest reward of my professional life has been working up close with musicians, conductors and guest artists, so to be able to support the people of the Grand Teton Music Festival in the coming months as they bridge into a new era is a special privilege. I thank the GTMF family for their trust in me, and I can't wait to connect with old friends and make new ones in the spectacular surroundings of Jackson Hole."

Los Angeles Philharmonic principal trumpet and Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra musician Thomas Hooten says, "At the Los Angeles Philharmonic, I welcomed Simon's immense appreciation for the musicians and his strong desire to involve the community in as many ways as possible. I look forward to him bringing this same care to my summer home at the Grand Teton Music Festival."

Simon Woods will assume his responsibilities on February 24, and will support the Grand Teton Music Festival in the search for its next long-term administrative leader. He will report to the GTMF board co-chairs Barbara McCelvey and John Costello.

The Grand Teton Music Festival takes place this year from July 3 to August 22, 2020.

About the Grand Teton Music Festival (GTMF)

Over seven weeks each summer, the Grand Teton Music Festival unites over 200 celebrated orchestral musicians led by Music Director Donald Runnicles. These musicians represent over 60 orchestras and nearly 50 institutions of higher learning throughout Europe and North America.

As the single largest performing arts presenter in Jackson Hole with nearly 100 annual events, GTMF presents yearlong programming that includes monthly community concerts, a Winter Festival in February, the Metropolitan Opera's Live in HD series, and education programs for Teton County Students.

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