L. Neil Williams 1936-2012
americanorchestras.org
At the Austin Symphony Orchestra, THOMAS M. NEVILLE has been elected board president. He succeeds JOE R. LONG , who had served as president since 1996 and is now chairman of the board. The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra has named MARK NIEHAUS president and executive director. has been elected president of the Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra Association. PAKSY PLACKIS-CHENG
Tim Evans
he League of American Orchestras notes with great sadness the passing of L. Neil Williams, a longtime champion of the arts and the League. Williams died of a heart attack on August 26, 2012. Williams was a member of the League’s board of directors during the 1990s and served with distinction as board chair for five years. He was on the board of directors of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for many years and was its chairman from 1987-90. From 2002-08 he served as chairman of the board of trustees of Atlanta’s Woodruff Arts Center. Williams balanced a successful career as a lawyer with lifelong support of the arts and education. After earning a bachelor of arts in history from Duke University and a J.D. degree from Duke Law School, he began a 38-year legal career with Atlanta’s Alston & Bird LLP. Upon retiring from Alston & Bird, Williams became general counsel at Invesco, and served as a director at several corporations. In January 2011, he became the chair of the Duke Endowment, the charitable organization connected to Duke University. Williams and his wife, Sue, sang in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus under Robert Shaw. “He was a musician by training,” Fred Williams said of his father. “Though he chose law as a career, he was still very connected to music and higher education.” “Neil Williams was passionate about orchestras and education,” says League President and CEO Jesse Rosen, “and his passing is a great loss for everyone who cares about the arts. Neil’s support for the arts took him from the Atlanta Symphony to North Carolina’s Duke University to Washington, D.C., where he brought his formidable legal mind and generous instincts to the League’s board. His leadership abilities and generosity helped the League—as well as orchestras nationwide. He will be greatly missed.”
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will succeed MARKAND THAKAR as music director of the Duluth Superior (Minn.) Symphony Orchestra beginning in the 2013-14 season. DIRK MEYER
Courtesy Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
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The Boston Symphony Orchestra has named ANDRIS POGA to a two-year term as assistant conductor. The Midland (Mich.) Symphony Orchestra has appointed BOHUSLAV RATTAY music director; he has stepped down as artistic director of the Muncie (Ind.) Symphony Orchestra. has been named principal pops conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra; he has stepped down as principal pops conductor of the Modesto (Cal.) Symphony Orchestra. STEVEN REINEKE
has stepped down as executive director of the Albany (N.Y.) Symphony Orchestra BRIAN RITTER
Wisconsin’s Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra has appointed MARY SCHALLHORN managing director. has been named conductor of North Dakota’s Minot Symphony Orchestra.
SILENT MOVIES WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA ARE COMING BACK! Rick Friend Pianist - Composer www.silent-music.com
SCOTT SEATON
Schallhorn
The Vancouver (Wash.) Symphony Orchestra has appointed IGOR SHAKHMAN executive director. has been named executive director of the DC Youth Orchestra in Washington, D.C. JOSHUA SIMONDS
The St. Cloud (Minn.) Symphony Orchestra has named CLINTON SMITH artistic director and principal conductor. Aspen Music Festival and School has appointed DANIEL SONG vice president and general manager. has been named executive vice president of development at the Oregon Symphony. DIANE SYRCLE
The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra has appointed ISAAC THOMPSON artistic administrator. has been appointed principal pops conductor of the Florida Orchestra. STEFAN SANDERLING will step down as music director at the end of the 2013-14 season. JEFF TYZIK
The Johnstown (Pa.) Symphony Orchestra has named BROOKE WELSH executive director. Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra & Music School has appointed WAYNE WILKINS director of marketing and communications. has been named music director of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, based in Springfield and Bloomington, Ill. ALASTAIR WILLIS
The Fresno (Cal.) Philharmonic has appointed STEPHEN WILSON executive director. has been appointed executive director of the Alexandria (Va.) Symphony Orchestra. JESSICA WISSER
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