One of SoCal’s favorite opera companies is growing, with the announcement of their very first full-time employee. Matt Cook will be taking the reins as the new Executive and Development Director for Pacific Opera Project, now celebrating their 10th Anniversary season.
This move is a good sign for POP, which has made a name for themselves nationwide for wildly creative staging and genuine fun. They’re currently prepping a reprise of one of their most popular productions, La Bohéme, aka “The Hipsters”, a nouveau take on one of opera’s most beloved works. Check the website to see what else they’re up to…
…and see the email release below:
POP hires first full-time employee, Executive Director Matt Cook
| After an extensive search, we are thrilled to introduce Matt Cook as the new Executive and Development Director of Pacific Opera Project. This hire marks a huge step forward for the company as we enter our 10th Anniversary Season in 2020. Cook will assume all fundraising duties, as well as day-to-day operations of all non-artistic aspects of POP. Matt most recently held positions in development and production with Wild Up New Music ensemble. There, he was responsible for overseeing operations for all events and fundraising activities. Matt produced performances on the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Fluxus Festival, the Ecstatic Music Festival in New York City, and lead partnerships with organizations such as the Martha Graham Dance Company. Previously, Matt worked with the Los Angeles Percussion Quartet in various roles as Managing Director, Project Manager, and Marketing Manager, leading the organization to international recognition in their field.Matt is also a Grammy Award-winning performer. His work is heard on studio and film recordings and is seen live in performance with ensembles across the world. As an educator, Matt has been a featured clinician at several universities including Stanford and The San Francisco Conservatory of Music and maintained faculty positions at many local institutions. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Matt holds degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the California Institute of the Arts.Of his new position, Cook says, “I’m thrilled to join Josh Shaw’s vision of creating affordable and entertaining Opera. Serving the entire Los Angeles community has been a dream of mine for many years and Pacific Opera Project is light years ahead of their peers in the effort to cultivate new audiences in the Facebook age. I couldn’t be more excited to join the team and meet so many new opera fans.” |
