Confirmed: Houston gets its man

We hear that the Houston Symphony is about to announce Gary Ginstling as its new CEO.

UPDATE: A statement is coming up in a few minutes.

Ginstling’s the one who resigned last July after a year at the head of the New York Philharmonic.

UPDATE: Houston statement:
HOUSTON, TX (embargoed for release until 9 a.m. January 10, 2025)—Houston Symphony Board President Barbara J. Burger, on behalf of the Board and Music Director Juraj Valčuha, announced today the appointment of 25-year veteran orchestra leader Gary Ginstling to the position of Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer of the Houston Symphony. In this position, Ginstling will hold the Margaret Alkek Williams Chair and will begin his new post on February 3, 2025. Ginstling succeeds John Mangum, who stepped down from this role at the end of September 2024 to lead the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Ginstling has held several leadership roles at major American orchestras. Most recently, he spent two years at the New York Philharmonic, serving in the roles of executive director and, until July 2024, as president and CEO. Previously, Ginstling served as executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) in Washington, DC, from 2017 to 2022, and as CEO of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO) from 2013 to 2017. His prior orchestra leadership positions include general manager of The Cleveland Orchestra; director of communications and external affairs of the San Francisco Symphony; and executive director of the Berkeley Symphony.

UPDATE: Ginstling to his pals:
Dear Colleagues,

Happy new year to you all. I am delighted to share with you that today it is being announced that I will join the Houston Symphony as their Executive Director/CEO. I will begin in Houston on February 3, and look forward to joining this incredible orchestra and its wonderfully talented Music Director, Juraj Valcuha.

I have really enjoyed getting to know the Board leadership, staff and musicians. They are passionate about their orchestra, and committed to a bold and exciting vision for the institution’s future. Houston is the fourth largest city in the country, and I found it to be a fascinating place, with amazing diversity, a rich and interesting arts and cultural community…and an incredible food culture! The people are warm and welcoming and the city is a place that thinks big and embraces new ideas.

I hope you will come visit me in Houston sometime soon.

best

Gary