By BILL MICKELSON
What’s Up writer
Under her new role as executive director for the Bremerton Symphony Association, Gena Wales will undoubtedly be making some structural changes.
But not too many that symphony fans will take note of.
Wales was promoted to the executive director position earlier this month from her former capacity as education director and business manager for the Bremerton Symphony Youth Orchestra. She started at basically the ground level with the BSYO three years ago, and now she’ll be overseeing basically the entire operation, focusing on administrative and policy oversight, fiscal and human resource management and legal compliance for the whole organization.
“It’s kind of frightening,” Wales said with a laugh. “This is going to be a huge quick learning curve, but I look forward to the opportunity to help the symphony grow.”
“Gena is a well-respected community leader who has a passion for the symphony as well as strong business acumen,” BSA board president Holly James said in a press release.
Wales has long been involved with PTA and Rotary in the community outside of the symphony. She was introduced to the BSA a few years back when she was commissioned for a small six-month marketing campaign.
When that contract ended, the BSA was coincidentally searching for an education director and business manager, basically the executive director of the youth orchestra, and Wales took the job. She helped facilitate the growth of the program over the past three years until a restructuring of the association’s corporate make-up called for a new executive director, an office formerly figuratively held by Music Director Elizabeth Stoyanovich. With Wales now at that desk, Stoyanovich should have more creative time on her hands which should ideally embolden the experience for Kitsap’s symphony patrons.
“Since Gena will be administrating our staff and controlling daily operations, my role as music director will be able to completely focus on the artistic side of the BSA,” Stoyanovich said.
On that note, the BSA has a few artistic offerings coming up in the next month. Then in April look out for the British Invasion featuring guest conductor David Osborn of London’s Kingston University.
• At 7:30 p.m. March 15 at the Bremerton Performing Arts Center at Bremerton High School, 1500 13th St. in Bremerton, the Bremerton Symphony Concert Chorale, under the direction of LeAnne Campos, presents “I Love My Love,” songs about love and lovers from composers Brahms, Gershwin, Wagner, Morley and more.
• At 7:30 p.m. March 22 at the Bremerton Performing Arts Center at Bremerton High School, 1500 13th St. in Bremerton, French Hornist Jeffrey Fair will present a Johann Strauss horn concerto appetizer in prelude to the Bremerton Symphony’s performance of Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7.
Tickets for each show are $24 for adults, $10 for kids. Info: www.bremertonsymphony.org or call (360) 373-1722.
