Louisiana orchestra’s next top executive from Omaha Symphony

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra has engaged a new executive director.

Anwar Nasir is coming to New Orleans from Nebraska, where he is chief revenue and advancement officer for the Omaha Symphony, the Louisiana Philharmonic’s board of trustees said in a news release. He will start the new job on July 19.

“The LPO is one of the crown jewels of the Greater New Orleans area. It has proven to be innovative and resilient from its inception and continues to expand its relationship to the community it serves,” Nasir said. “It is my hope that we can amplify that energy and find new ways to bring music to people near and far.”

Before coming to Omaha, Nasir, originally from Philadelphia, held front-office positions with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Hollywood Bowl, the Atlanta Ballet, and the Philadelphia Workforce Development Corp.

“We are thrilled to have Anwar join the LPO, bringing with him an impressive track record of audience development and a bold vision for the orchestra’s role in the community,” board President Dwight McGhee said. “The LPO has found creative ways to keep the music playing over the last year, and we were looking for an equally creative leader to take us into the future.”

Nasir said he wants to make the New Orleans orchestra’s artistic and education programs more visible and increase their impact in the area.

The Louisiana Philharmonic is a musician-owned co-op created after the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra collapsed under debt in 1991. Nasir will work closely with the 67 musicians, the board, Music Director Carlos Miguel Prieto, and staff.

The LPO’s 2021-2022 season opens with a digital festival starting September 10 and a free, in-person community concert on Oct. 19. That will be the first time that the full orchestra has performed together since March 2020.