Gary Ginstling

Gary Ginstling
Born
Livingston, New Jersey
OccupationsMusic executive,
Musician
Known forLeadership of the National Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic

Gary Ginstling is an American music executive and a former president and CEO of the New York Philharmonic. On February 3, 2025, he became CEO of the Houston Symphony.

Education

Ginstling started plaing the clarinet in fourth grade. In high school, Ginstling studied with Peter Simenauer.

Ginstling majored in music at Yale University, and holds a master's degree from the Juilliard School and the Anderson School of Management at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Commenting on his time at Juilliard to the New York Times, Ginstling said: “I was singularly focused on getting a job in a great orchestra. I don’t think there was an awareness that a career in the arts was something worth considering.”

Career

Ginstling spent 12 years performing as a clarinet player with the New World Symphony before moving into academia.

Ginstling remarked. "Being able to work with Michael Tilson Thomas had a huge impact; he instilled in me a fierce commitment to tirelessly seek out what a composer is trying to say in every phrase of every piece of music. MTT was a very important mentor to me, not only when I was a player but also later, when I worked at the San Francisco Symphony as director of communications and external affairs."

In 1998, Ginstling was on the faculty of the University of California at Irvine's Department of Music as a lecturer in music.

After completing his MBA at Anderson, Ginstling had a three-year role in the technology industry working as a product marketing manager for the Java platform at Sun Microsystems.

In 2004 he left tech for a role as executive director of the Berkeley Symphony where he grew attendance by more than 25%.

Leaving Berkeley, Ginstling worked as director of communications and external affairs for the San Francisco Symphony.

Ginstling then became the chief executive officer of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra for five years where he settled a musician's strike upon arrival and increased revenue 44% and general manager of the Cleveland Orchestra from 2008 to 2013.

Ginstling was executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) in Washington, D.C. beginning in August 2017. While at the NSO, Ginstling developed new ways of reaching audiences, driving up ticket sales, subscriptions and donations.

On July 11, 2024, Ginstling resigned as CEO of the New York Philharmonic amidst controversy from its performers related to labor disputes.

On January 10, 2025, Houston Symphony board president Barbara J. Burger announced that Ginstling was appointed to the position of executive director and chief executive officer of the Houston Symphony, where he will hold the Margaret Alkek Williams Chair, to begin on February 3, 2025.

Other activities

Ginstling serves on boards of the League of American Orchestras and the Electronic Media Association.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Lindquist, David (June 5, 2017). "Symphony CEO Gary Ginstling will lead National Symphony Orchestra". IndyStar. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  2. ↑ "Gary Ginstling, President and CEO". New York Philharmonic. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  3. ↑ Hernández, Javier C. (2024-07-11). "New York Philharmonic Chief Abruptly Steps Down Amid Tensions". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  4. ↑ https://houstonsymphony.org/press-room/gary-ginstling-named-executive-director-and-ceo-of-houston-symphony/
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Parks, Monica (September 15, 2023). "Gary Ginstling Played Under Leonard Bernstein, Here's Why He Decided to Transition to Arts Management". Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 Hernández, Javier C. (June 17, 2022). "New York Philharmonic Chooses Arts Veteran as Leader: Gary Ginstling, executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra, will replace Deborah Borda as the orchestra's president and chief executive next year". New York Times. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  7. ↑ da Fonseca-Wollheim, Corinna (September 27, 2013). "Moving Offstage to Seek Harmony". New York Times. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  8. ↑ University of California, Irvine Catalog, 1998-1999 (PDF). University of California, Irvine. p. 102. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 "Gary Ginstling: Executive Director National Symphony Orchestra". The Kennedy Center. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  10. ↑ Mattison, Ben (September 30, 2004). "Berkeley Symphony Reports Higher Attendance, Surplus". Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  11. ↑ Hernández, Javier C. (2024-07-11). "New York Philharmonic Chief Abruptly Steps Down Amid Tensions". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  12. ↑ "Gary Ginstling Named Executive Director And CEO Of Houston Symphony". Houston Symphony. January 10, 2025. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  13. ↑ Falvey, Marci. "Alum named New York Philharmonic's new Executive Director". New World Symphony (orchestra). Retrieved 19 April 2024.