Pittsburgh Symphony President and CEO James A. Wilkinson Announces Retirement

Pittsburgh Symphony President and Chief Executive Officer, James A. Wilkinson, has announced that he will retire during 2015. The symphony will launch an immediate search for his successor, and Wilkinson will remain in the position until that person is hired. Once a successor has been named, Wilkinson will become Senior Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees.

"The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has been a very important part of my life for more than 30 years," said Wilkinson. "I have greatly enjoyed this position and I am proud to have had the opportunity to lead this organization for the past three years. I now look forward to returning to the Board of Trustees and continuing to support our superb musicians and our talented, dedicated staff."

After volunteering his services to the symphony as a labor negotiator beginning in 1976, Wilkinson became a member of the orchestra's Board of Trustees in 1984. He was a Vice Chair of the Board when he accepted the CEO role in 2011.

"Jim's dedication and service have brought tremendous value to the Pittsburgh Symphony," said Board Chair Richard P. Simmons. "His wisdom, his calm manner, and his longtime and close relationships with our musicians have been cornerstones of this orchestra's ability to thrive artistically and to play an important role in our community. I am delighted that he will continue to fill a vital role on the Board of Trustees."

A lawyer specializing in labor relations, Wilkinson has worked at U.S. Steel Corporation and at Buchanan Ingersoll P.C., where he chaired the Health Law Section. He also has held executive positions with Meritcare, Inc., a national operator of long-term care facilities. Following his corporate career, he earned an M.A. in Art History. Reflecting that interest, Wilkinson served as Executive Director of the Society for Contemporary Craft from 2007 to 2009, following a term as President of its Board of Directors. He is a Life Trustee of the Carnegie Institute and also co-chaired the Andy Warhol Museum board. He also chaired the Craft Emergency Relief Fund, a national organization, from 2008 to 2011.

"Jim is a true friend and supporter of music and art," said Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Music Director Manfred Honeck. "I have enjoyed working with him very much, and I am so thankful that he will remain an important member of our Pittsburgh Symphony family."

For more than 117 years, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has been an essential part of Pittsburgh's cultural landscape. The Pittsburgh Symphony, known for its artistic excellence, is credited with a rich history of the world's finest conductors and musicians, and a strong commitment to the Pittsburgh region and its citizens. This tradition was furthered in fall 2008, when Austrian conductor Manfred Honeck became music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. With a long and distinguished history of touring both domestically and overseas since 1900, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra continues to be critically acclaimed as one of the world's greatest orchestras. The Pittsburgh Symphony has made 40 international tours, including 20 European tours, eight trips to the Far East, and two to South America. Under the baton of Gilbert Levine, the PSO was the first American orchestra to perform at the Vatican in January 2004 for the late Pope John Paul II, as part of the Pontiff's Silver Jubilee celebration. The PSO has a long and illustrious history in the areas of recordings and radio concerts. As early as 1936, the PSO broadcast coast-to-coast, receiving increased national attention in 1982 through network radio broadcasts on Public Radio International (PRI). The PRI series is produced by Classical WQED-FM 89.3 in Pittsburgh and is made possible by the musicians of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts is owned and operated by Pittsburgh Symphony, Inc., a non-profit organization, and is the year-round home of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The cornerstone of Pittsburgh's Cultural District, Heinz Hall also hosts many other events that do not feature its world-renowned orchestra, including Broadway shows, comedians, speakers and much more. For a full calendar of upcoming non-symphony events at the hall, visit heinzhall.org.

Photo Courtesy of the Pittsburgh Symphony

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