2011 OMFP Fellows

David Filner

David Filner has been deeply involved in music since begging his parents to allow him to take violin lessons at the age of 6. He received a BM degree (Viola Performance) and a BA (English) from Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music in 1996, where he studied with Jeff Irvine and Lynne Ramsey. He also received a MM degree (Viola Performance) from Rice University where he studied with Martha Katz and Wayne Brooks.

Early in his performing career he was an active chamber music player and orchestral musician. In 1999 he won the Grand Prize with the Basmati String Quartet at the Coleman National Chamber Music Competition and Second Prize at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. In 1999 he was selected to become a member of the New World Symphony in Miami, Florida where he performed numerous times as Principal Viola under Michael Tilson-Thomas. Following his time at the New World Symphony, David was named Principal Viola of the Knoxville Symphony in 2000, Assistant Principal Viola of the Alabama Symphony in 2001, and Assistant Principal Viola of the Charlotte Symphony in 2004.

In 2002 he was asked by Humboldt State University to become the Executive and Artistic Director of the Sequoia Chamber Music Workshop, a two-week summer program for high school-age music students. David had attended the camp as a student, counselor and coach prior to being named director. During his time directing Sequoia he has increased the budget, improved the number and quality of student applicants, led successful annual fund campaigns and began the first endowment campaign in the nearly forty-year history of the workshop.

His work with the Sequoia Chamber Music Workshop inspired David to explore the field of orchestra management, and in 2005 he was named Director of Education and Community Engagement of the San Antonio Symphony. In two years in this position he increased the number of student attendees at Young People’s Concerts from 8,000 per season to over 30,000, created an annual student concerto and composition competition and worked closely with the San Antonio Symphony League to revitalize a volunteer docent program for elementary schools in the San Antonio community.

In June 2007 he was promoted to the position of Vice President and General Manager of the San Antonio Symphony where he immediately stepped in to help the management team finalize negotiations with A.F. of M. Local 23 on a new collective bargaining agreement. During these negotiations, David helped to create an innovative new Community Engagement program that allowed the symphony to use individual or small groups of musicians for master classes, development events, or community performances for the first time. To date this program has raised over $800,000 in grants and donations and has resulted in an additional 150 San Antonio Symphony sponsored educational, development or community events or performances in San Antonio each season.

In his position as VP and General Manager, David is responsible for all aspects of artistic planning, budgeting and operations. As a member of the senior staff, he also participates in new and traditional media marketing planning and implementation as well as provides help and support for development special events, grant research and grant writing. In addition, he
coordinated the recently concluded Music Director search in conjunction with the Symphony Board Chair and the Music Director Search Committee.

David is married to Courtney Filner, a violist in the San Antonio Symphony and has an eight month-old son named Edison.

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Ian Harwood

Ian M. Harwood’s recognition as a rising orchestra management leader and innovator first began when he founded a symphony orchestra and served as its Executive Director, both of which he accomplished during his graduate studies in biophysics in San Francisco. He is an alumnus of the League of American Orchestra’s redesigned Orchestra Management Fellowship Program, a yearlong, highly competitive program designed to prepare, launch and support the careers of orchestra executives. Dr. Harwood’s unique experience, which includes science, music, business management, and mentoring with top orchestra executives, complements his creativity and forward-thinking leadership.

Over the course of his League fellowship, Ian worked directly with executives and staff, musicians, trustees, and community stakeholders of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Aspen Music Festival and School. During this time, Dr. Harwood engaged in strategic planning, audience development, fundraising, contract negotiation, community access programming, personnel management, and music presentation. Ian has participated in League of American Orchestra meetings and trainings for organizations of all budget sizes, as well as executive education and coaching with the Center for Creative Leadership.

Prior to his fellowship, Ian founded San Francisco’s Bay Area Rainbow Symphony. In less than four years, he expanded the organization’s annual budget to $60K with surpluses every year and grew the ensemble to over 110 members. Outside the concert hall, Dr. Harwood served on the board of directors for the Lesbian/Gay Band Association and, in 2009, was a producer of the first LGBT marching contingent in a presidential inauguration. He also has served on advisory committees for the Chancellor of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and volunteered in the San Francisco Unified School District teaching science.

Dr. Harwood concurrently earned a bachelor’s degree in music with highest honors magna cum laude, a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry with honors and research distinction magna cum laude, and a minor in chemistry while studying at the University of Rochester and Eastman School of Music. He also holds a doctor of philosophy and a master’s of science in biophysics from UCSF, where his research focused on proteins essential for mercury resistance in bacteria.

Ian began his music studies on the baritone horn in fourth grade and switched to the tuba two years later. He played with orchestras, bands, and other ensembles continually throughout his education. His non-musical passions include cooking and baking, photography, hiking, and snowboarding.