Hilary Respass, Executive Director of Boston Univ. Tanglewood Institute

A clarinetist and music educator by training, Hilary Respass has spent her career in roles focused on supporting, advancing, and promoting the mission, vision, and impact of high quality arts education. Since 2014 she has served as Executive Director of Boston University Tanglewood Institute, an intensive summer pre-college young artist training program affiliated with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Tanglewood Music Center. Prior to that, she was Director of The Hartt School Community Division (2010-2014), a program that served more than 1,500 youth and adults in music and dance instruction in the Greater Hartford (CT) region. These two roles in particular helped Hilary to develop a deep understanding and commitment to the profound impact talented arts educators and arts learning experiences can have on individuals’ lives. Over a twenty-year period she filled several different academic program, production, and operations roles at New England Conservatory, and early in her career, she was Managing Director of the acclaimed contemporary music ensemble Boston Musica Viva. Her experiences at these organizations, in addition to those in operations and program roles at the Aspen Music Festival and School and the League of American Orchestras, all combine to give her a broad perspective of the field and a deep appreciation for the wide range of people and professionals who make a vibrant cultural sector possible.

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