With more than twenty years of experience in orchestra management, Andrew T. Kipe has been named the new director of concert and ensemble operations for the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. In this role, he will provide strategic direction and lead all aspects of Peabody’s concert activities and ensemble programs. Kipe comes to Peabody from the Louisville Symphony Orchestra in Kentucky, where he has served as executive director since 2013. His tenure at Peabody begins on August 13, 2018.
“The ensembles program at Peabody has been completely redesigned to reflect the realities our students will face as 21st-century artists,” notes Abra Bush, the Peabody Institute’s senior associate dean of institute studies. “Andrew Kipe’s real-world experience as a successful orchestra leader is perfectly aligned with our vision, and we are thrilled to welcome him to Peabody.”
During his time in Louisville, Kipe’s successes have included a doubling of overall ticket sales and an upsurge in individual donations and corporate support. His leadership vision focused on redefining the role of an orchestra in its community; a broad-based community engagement plan included added concerts in neighborhoods and nontraditional venues, educational activities and programs built around cross-curricular formats, innovative artistic programming, and unique experiences that defied the conventional orchestral performance. Prior to his appointment in Louisville, Kipe served in leadership roles with the Phoenix Symphony, the Maryland Symphony Orchestra, the Portland (Maine) Symphony Orchestra, and the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra. He was recognized in 2011 with a Gubernatorial Citation from Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley for his work for the arts community in Maryland, which has included volunteer roles with the Maryland State Arts Council and Maryland Citizens for the Arts. Kipe holds a Bachelor of Arts in voice from St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
“I am honored to be joining the Peabody team and thrilled to be coming home to Maryland,” Kipe notes. “Under its new Breakthrough Curriculum, Peabody is providing students with top-tier ensemble training and professional-level performance experiences. I look forward to working with the faculty and administration to further strengthen the program and shape tomorrow’s professional musicians.”
