Grant Park Music Festival Names New Executive Director

By Alexander Hough in Arts & Entertainment on Sep 7, 2011 3:40PM

The Grant Park Music Festival has named Paul Winberg as its new executive director. Since 2004, Winberg has been the executive director of the Eugene Symphony, just a stone’s throw from the Portland-based Oregon Symphony, where GPMF conductor and artistic director Carlos Kalmar serves as music director during the regular season. Winberg previously worked for the GPMF from 1999 to 2001, serving as the orchestra manager and artistic administrator.

The GPMF’s top position has been without a permanent replacement since Elizabeth Hurley became the vice president for development at the Art Institute of Chicago, leaving the GPMF after just one year on the job. According to Dennis Polkow of Newcity, speculation was that “Hurley’s departure was influenced by cuts and reductive reorganizing across the city’s cultural programs.”

Winberg will officially take over in November.