The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Names Executive Director

MADISON, Wis. – June 21, 2013 – The Board of Directors of Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra (WCO) today announced the appointment of Mark Cantrell as the Orchestra’s next Executive Director. Cantrell is currently Executive Director of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra in Boston, Mass. He will begin with the WCO on September 1.

“After an extensive search that attracted a diverse group of highly qualified candidates from across the country, we are excited to welcome Mark Cantrell to Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra,” said Gordon Ridley, Chair of WCO’s Board of Directors. “He is a talented musician and experienced leader with a passion for music, education and outreach. Mark is an outgoing personality with a unique background as a professional musician, commercial airline pilot and arts administrator. We are thrilled that he and his family have chosen to make Madison their home.”

Cantrell, a bass trombonist who has played for the Boston Ballet, Boston Lyric Opera and Boston Pops, among others, has been Executive Director of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra since 2010. Prior to that, he took a five-year hiatus from performing arts to work as a Captain for United Express Airlines. Cantrell also was personnel manager for the Boston Pops for eight years. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Boston University. He and his wife, Carolyn, an accomplished musician (French horn,) have two daughters and will be relocating from Littleton, Mass., to the Madison area this summer.

“The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra is a true gem set amongst the stage of the American orchestra scene” says Cantrell. “My family and I are delighted to be joining the Madison community and I look forward to working with Maestro Sewell, the musicians, the Board of Directors and the people of Madison in discovering new and exciting opportunities for the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and the greater community.”

“Mark brings a life of experience as a practicing musician, orchestra manager and pilot,” said Maestro Andrew Sewell, WCO’s Music Director. “We are thrilled to welcome Mark, Carolyn and their daughters, and look forward to a vibrant artistic partnership.”

The first of WCO’s six Concerts on the Square will be held on Wednesday, June 26. The Orchestra’s indoor concert season opens Friday, Oct. 11, with a Masterworks Concert featuring guest artist, pianist Bryan Wallick, at Overture Center’s Capitol Theatre.

The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, led by Maestro Andrew Sewell, is a vibrant and thriving professional orchestra dedicated to connecting its audiences to the power of music. Annually, the WCO performs Madison’s premier outdoor summer event — Concerts on the Square® — and a five-concert Masterworks series in its permanent home at the Overture Center for the Arts’ magnificent Capitol Theater, as well as other concerts throughout the year. With a core orchestra of 34 musicians and an established endowment, WCO is one of the finest chamber orchestras in the country.