In his new role, Nasir will ensure the fulfillment of the LPO’s longstanding mission to transform people and communities through music.
The Board of Directors of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra announced today that Anwar Nasir-a celebrated leader at the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Hollywood Bowl, Omaha Symphony, and Atlanta Ballet and a coveted speaker at national arts and music conferences-has been named the organization's next Executive Director, effective July 19.
"We are thrilled to have Anwar join the LPO, bringing with him an impressive track record of audience development and a bold vision for the orchestra's role in the community," stated Board President Dwight McGhee. "The LPO has found creative ways to keep the music playing over the last year, and we were looking for an equally creative leader to take us into the future. Anwar's artistic imagination and entrepreneurial spirit make him the right choice for the LPO." In his new role, Nasir will ensure the fulfillment of the LPO's longstanding mission to transform people and communities through music, while helping to craft the next stage in the organization's growth. With the LPO's collaborative governance model, he will work closely with the musicians, Board of Directors, Music Director Carlos Miguel Prieto, and staff to deepen organizational capacity, attract resources and funding, and ensure ongoing relevance and sustainability. His overarching goal will be to make the LPO's artistic and education programs more visible and impactful to the broader community. Nasir will accomplish this by cultivating relationships with local artists and institutions; embracing New Orleans art forms; and expanding access to the orchestra through new media projects.Anwar Nasir (he/him/his) is currently the Chief Revenue and Advancement Officer for the Omaha Symphony. He establishes the vision and strategy for relationship management and leads the public relations and revenue generation teams for the organization. During his tenure, he has helped the organization launch its first creative rebrand in more than a decade, retool its subscription packages to increase paid capacity, launch a centennial anniversary season, and introduce a new music director. To reach audiences beyond live performances, the organization has committed to creating video and digital content, including its first-ever primetime network broadcast with Home for the Holidays and the launch of the Omaha Symphony app.
Anwar has been named an emerging leader in the arts and culture space by the League of American Orchestras and Arts for LA. He serves as co-chair for the League of American Orchestras Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion working group for staff of color and the Professional Development Committee of the International Ticketing Association and has been selected to the Tessitura Network's inaugural Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion Advisory Committee. He is also the co-founder of the Black Arts Leadership Alliance, formed to support African Americans in pursuing and developing careers in arts management. In October 2018, the League of American Orchestras selected Anwar as one of 12 for its prestigious, year-long Emerging Leaders Program (ELP). The ELP is widely considered the orchestra field's premier program for cultivating the potential of rising professionals. Through collaboration across a national cohort, industry-specific leadership projects, and dynamic mentoring from top industry professionals, members of the ELP shape and influence the orchestra world as it evolves to meet changing needs and audiences. An in-demand speaker, Anwar has presented at several national and international conferences with topics as diverse as integrating technology in customer experience, IDEA topics (inclusion, diversity, equity, and access), data-backed decision making, patron acquisition and retention, social media, and professional development/career transitions. Anwar is a former professional dancer and is a graduate of Syracuse University with a degree in communication and rhetorical studies. The Philadelphia native has held leadership positions with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Hollywood Bowl, Atlanta Ballet, and Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation.He has also completed management training programs through the League of American Orchestras' Essentials of Orchestra Management program and the Georgia Center for Nonprofit's certification of Nonprofit Organization Management.
Videos