Sources: Todd Holmberg, 785-532-6425, trholm@k-state.edu;
and Charles Reagan, 785-532-6221, reagan@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Andy Badeker, 785-532-6415, abadeker@k-state.edu
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
TEXAS SYMPHONY DIRECTOR TO LEAD K-STATE'S McCAIN AUDITORIUM
MANHATTAN -- Todd Holmberg knows the pit, the podium and the soloist's spotlight as well as the booking office, a range of experience that makes him an ideal new executive director for McCain Auditorium at Kansas State University.
"The field of arts administration needs people who are passionate about the arts," said Holmberg, who comes to Manhattan from Texas, where he was executive director of the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra.
But he started in music as a performer. After graduate school he spent several years as principal trumpet of the Texas Chamber Orchestra and the Garland/Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra. He also appeared regularly with the Richardson Symphony Orchestra, the Plano Chamber Orchestra, the Dallas Chamber Orchestra and the Dallas Wind Symphony.
"I always had a parallel career in arts administration, even when I was playing professionally," Holmberg said. That started with a seasonal job at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, an intensive summer program in Michigan.
After being chosen as a finalist for the American Symphony Orchestra League's orchestra management fellowship program in 1996, Holmberg became competitor coordinator at the Van Cliburn Foundation in Fort Worth, Texas, and later served as the foundation's production manager. In that role, he worked with some of the world's top soloists when they appeared with Cliburn Concerts, the South's premiere recital series.
In 2000, Holmberg returned to the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp as its full-time program director until 2005, when he assumed the Corpus Christi position.
"Years of performing gave me a unique perspective when it came time to manage a professional symphony," he said. "And now I am thrilled at the opportunity to run a world-class fine arts series here at K-State."
"Todd was chosen from a large field of highly talented candidates," said Charles Reagan, associate to the president. "We are so pleased to have attracted Todd to Kansas State University."
Holmberg's main goal for McCain is to increase its visibility on campus and beyond.
"I do want to maintain the standard of excellence," he said, "and I hope to increase the scope of what we have to offer, so that the students at K-State will be enticed to attend more often. But my biggest goal is to increase our program's exposure in the community."
Holmberg earned his bachelor's degree in music education from the University of Nebraska and his master's in music from the University of North Texas, but he has K-State connections: Several music department faculty members taught at Blue Lake during his tenure there.
"I have many friends already here in Manhattan and look forward to making many more," he said.