Full course description
Matthew VanBesien, President of the University Musical Society at the University of Michigan, and former President of the New York Philharmonic, will give a talk about the arts today in America, where we’ve been, how we’re adapting to an ever-changing landscape, and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. Artists and arts organizations today face incredible volatility and uncertainty, but are finding creative and exciting ways to lean into the moment. Matthew will talk about ways the arts are striving to become an even more vital part of society today, and will look forward to an interactive Q&A portion that engages participants in a discussion about the state of the arts in our country. Matthew VanBesien has served as the president of the University Musical Society since 2017, becoming only the seventh president in UMS’s 144-year history. Before his role in Michigan, Matthew served as Executive Director and then President of the New York Philharmonic from 2012-2017. He served as Managing Director of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra from 2010-2012, following positions at the Houston Symphony as Executive Director/CEO, and General Manager, from 2002-2009. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Mr. VanBesien earned a Bachelor of Music degree in French horn performance from Indiana University and was the recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Manhattan School of Music. He serves as the Secretary and Treasurer on the Board of the International Society for the Performing Arts, and as an Executive Committee member of the University of Michigan’s Presidential Arts Initiative.