DATE: June 7, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS:Molly McArdle Laura Smith
VP for Institutional Advancement Director of Marketing and PR
970-205-5060 970-205-5070
MMcArdle@aspenmusic.org LSmith@aspenmusic.org
ASPEN MUSIC FESTIVAL AND SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR STEPS DOWN; PRESIDENT AND CEO ALAN FLETCHER RECEIVES 2-YEAR CONTRACT RENEWAL
Rob LeBuhn steps down as chair by majority vote at a special meeting of the board held today; vice-chair Mike Murray will serve as acting chair until new chair is elected
Fletcher receives 2-year contract renewal, through September 2012
ASPEN, Colo. – The Aspen Music Festival and School announced today that Rob LeBuhn will step down as board chair, effective immediately. This action is the result of a majority vote taken during a 3-hour-long special meeting of the board held today. In the immediate term, AMFS board vice-chair Mike Murray will serve as chair until the full 48-member board can convene to elect a new chair. The next regularly scheduled board meeting is June 29. The festival season begins July 1.
In the same meeting, the board voted to offer president and CEO Alan Fletcher a 2-year contract renewal, through September 2012. Fletcher has indicated he will accept the offer. Says acting chair Mike Murray, “The board extends its gratitude to Rob for the enormous time and energy he has contributed to the festival during his time as board chair; he deserves great acknowledgment for his many contributions. What is most important now is that the board makes a swift transition to stable, productive and positive leadership. To that end, the board’s nominating committee will develop a slate of officers to be recommended to the board prior to their June 29th 2meeting. We intend a quick transition that will allow us to enjoy what is most important—the 2010 festival which will begin on July 1 with 625 students, 150 artist-faculty and an opening concert by our longtime friends, the Emerson String Quartet.”
Continues Murray, “The board today also offered a 2-year contract extension to our president and CEO Alan Fletcher. In Alan we have a man of great strength and vision who can lead this institution into its next era of greatness. He enjoys broad support among our patrons, board members and national council as well as among the volunteers, staff and the Aspen community. We are pleased that he will continue as our leader and we stand behind him as we work to resolve our differences and move toward a brighter future.”
Says Alan, “I am honored to be asked to continue serving this great institution and I thank the board members for their confidence and respect. We have had some difficult disagreements of late, but everyone involved shares a deep passion for the organization. This same passion will be instrumental as we move ahead. I look forward to being a true partner with the board, national council, faculty and staff and in fact everyone who cares deeply about this organization. Together we will seek meaningful and lasting solutions to our challenges and build an even stronger institution in the years to come.”
LeBuhn has made important contributions to the festival in his year as board chair and previous six years as president of the National Council, including the formation of an AMFS alumni program and the archiving of historic recordings. LeBuhn and his wife Elaine are supporters of several other nonprofits in Aspen and around the country. They give support to the Aspen Institute, Anderson Ranch Arts Center and the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, among others. In addition, Rob serves as chair of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, where he has been on the board since 1980.
Fletcher has been lauded for his performance as a leader during a time of enormous economic challenge. He has established well-received collaborations with Aspen’s other arts groups, led the process for the approval of the master plan for a new AMFS campus, and brought increased international attention to the Festival. In addition, he is well-known nationally for his writing, lecturing and composing. He is currently working on his second concerto commission from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. 3
Murray, of Chicago and Aspen, has been on the AMFS board for nearly 20 years and has also made significant contributions in that time. He oversaw the strategic planning process in the late 1990s which led to the highly successful Future in Concert campaign; he also, with his wife Becky, generously underwrites the festival’s Opera Scenes Master Classes. Murray is a member of the board of trustees of Boston College, and chairman of the finance and audit committees and a member of the executive committee. He also chairs Aspen Public Radio.
The Aspen Music Festival and School is the United States’ premier classical music festival, presenting more than 350 musical events during its eight-week summer season in Aspen. The institution draws top classical musicians from around the world to this Colorado mountain retreat for an unparalleled combination of performances and music education. More than 25 percent of events are free and seating on the David Karetsky Music Lawn and in the Music Garden is always free. Summer dates are July 1 to August 22, 2010.