Dr. Stephen Wogaman joins GNMC this month as its new executive director following a national search. A seasoned leader of music organizations as well as a pianist, he was the GNMC board and staff’s unanimous first choice for the position among a field of highly qualified candidates.
Steve has an exceptional reputation in the chamber music scene with broad experience in the arts, most recently as the President and Artistic Director of Chamber Music Detroit, a role he will continue with them part-time. His dedication to chamber music, distinguished leadership experience, and passion for our Music Center here in Bath County are the perfect building blocks to bolster the remarkable 50-year-old legacy at Garth Newel and shepherd us to an even brighter 50 years ahead.
“I first visited Garth Newel in 2022,” Steve says, “And I was immediately struck by what an amazing place it is. It is a place of refuge and renewal for all five senses: mountain wind on the skin, exquisite natural beauty, invigorating clean air, exceptional food, and glorious musical sounds. The totality of the experience is incredibly moving. I can’t think of a better context to experience the world’s greatest music.”
Steve brings ample experience and expertise to Garth Newel. He has served for 30 years as a chief executive with small- to mid-sized musical organizations. For the past 13 years, he has been president of Chamber Music Detroit (formerly the Chamber Music Society of Detroit), where he continues to serve remotely as its artistic director and president. He has also served as chief executive of Canton Symphony Orchestra and the Allentown Symphony Orchestra and its historic Symphony Hall. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he developed the CameraMusic webcasting platform, collaborating with over 70 peer organizations across North America while reaching an audience of more than 200,000 listeners worldwide.
Kevin Kwan Loucks, chief executive officer of Chamber Music America, comments that “Steve is a wonderful leader in the chamber music field, both as presenter and a practitioner. Because his perspective and insight are so valuable, he is someone I depend on for thought partnership.”
Steve was trained at the Eastman School of Music, the University of Louisville, and the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, where he completed a Doctor of Music degree in piano performance under the Beaux Arts Trio’s founding pianist, Menahem Pressler. His dissertation project resulted in the founding of a music outreach organization that reached more than one million students in 80 rural Kentucky counties.
As a performer, Steve has been a prizewinner and finalist in several national piano and chamber music competitions. He has performed as soloist and chamber musician throughout the eastern and midwestern United States, as well as in Spain and Central America. In the 1980s and 1990s, he was founding pianist of the Whitney Trio, which played frequently in his native Washington D.C., including performances at the National Gallery of Art, Phillips Collection, and Alexandria Lyceum.
Board Chair Gene Sullivan says that the entire organization is excited. “Steve is a perfect fit for Garth Newel. He has energy, passion, and a gift for connecting with people. His expertise, enthusiasm, and extensive connections within the national chamber music community are exactly what Garth Newel needs. We look forward to working with him for years to come.”
