HOUSTON (September 19, 2018) — The Houston Symphony named Nancy Giles as its new Chief Development Officer beginning Monday, October 22, 2018. Giles most recently served as The Alley Theatre’s director of development for the past nine years, and now returns to the Houston Symphony where she was previously employed in several capacities over twelve years. Giles assumes the Houston Symphony post following a national search by Aspen Leadership Group. She succeeds David Chambers, who left to assume an equivalent post at The Chicago Symphony.
“We’re very happy to welcome Nancy back to the Houston Symphony fold,” said Executive Director/CEO and holder of the Margaret Alkek Williams Chair John Mangum. “She brings with her a wealth of experience and expertise in Houston’s arts community to lead the Symphony’s advancement efforts and take us to the next level.”
Giles has more than 20 years of fundraising experience raising more than $150 million over her career in operational and capital support. Prior to joining the Alley Theatre, she served for two years as the Vice President and Chief Development Officer of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Houston. With the Houston Symphony Society she was Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, Director of Individual Giving and then the Director of Development. Giles was also the Director of Development at the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.
About the Houston Symphony
During the 2018-19 season, the Houston Symphony celebrates its fifth season with Music Director Andrés Orozco- Estrada and continues its second century as one of America’s leading orchestras with a full complement of concert, community, education, touring and recording activities. The Houston Symphony, one of the oldest performing arts organizations in Texas, held its inaugural performance at The Majestic Theater in downtown Houston June 21, 1913. Today, with an annual operating budget of $33.9 million, the full-time ensemble of 88 professional musicians presents nearly 170 concerts annually, making it the largest performing arts organization in Houston. Additionally, musicians of the orchestra and the Symphony’s four Community-Embedded Musicians offer over 900 community-based performances each year, reaching thousands of people in Greater Houston.
The Grammy Award-winning Houston Symphony has recorded under various prestigious labels, including Naxos, Koch International Classics, Telarc, RCA Red Seal, Virgin Classics and, most recently, Dutch recording label PENTATONE. In 2017, the Houston Symphony was awarded an ECHO Klassik award for the live recording of Alban Berg’s Wozzeck under the direction of former Music Director Hans Graf. The orchestra earned its first Grammy nomination and Grammy Award at the 60th annual ceremony for the same recording in the Best Opera Recording category.
For tickets and more information, please visit houstonsymphony.org or call 713-224-7575.
HOUSTON SYMPHONY MEDIA CONTACT:
Eric Skelly: (713) 337-8650, eric.skelly@houstonsymphony.org
Mireya Reyna: (713) 337-8557, mireya.reyna@houstonsymphony.org
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