Rachel Wingo has been appointed the new executive director of Cookeville’s Bryan Symphony Orchestra.
The symphony recently underwent an extensive months-long search for an executive director, finally landing on Wingo. She said she is excited to continue her work with the Tennessee Tech-affiliated organization after being with the university and symphony board for a number of years.
“When we were in the middle of the search for the executive director I was in no way involved in that search,” Wingo said. “But as things were getting closer, as we’d gone through a few things, I thought this would be wonderful to continue to serve this organization that I care about so much.”
Wingo said she joined the symphony a few years ago because of its individuality and uniqueness. She said the nearest symphony of comparable size is in Nashville, and there are few others in the region with Bryan’s level of educational involvement.
Wingo said she is focused on preserving the history of the 60-year-old symphony while also looking forward to growing the organization in the future. She said she wants to see the growth firsthand, continuing to build upon the current education initiatives, outreach programs, and number of events attended.
“I don’t like to think of it in terms of changes and improvements, I like to think of it as growth,” Wingo said. “So I want to see our orchestra in terms of growth, and I want to see our growth in the community.”
Wingo said she hopes that there are very few people, if any, who don’t know about the symphony by the time she’s finished in the position. She said she wants others to have the opportunity to experience the art form that she enjoys so much.
“Sitting in a live orchestral performance, I think it’s some kind of magic,” Wingo said. “It’s the one time that I feel like my brain is capable of being silent and I’m just able to sit and absorb.”
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