Search Committee Seeks New Executive Director to Lead the Organization
Chamber Music Pittsburgh (CMP), which connects Pittsburgh audiences with chamber music’s depth and diversity, announces plans to seek a new Executive Director. Kristen Linfante, whose artistic and executive leadership has shaped the organization for nearly ten years, will step down at the end of this year. Linfante will join The Knights, a New York-based orchestra collective celebrated for its creativity and collaborative spirit, as their new Executive Director. The CMP Board of Directors has launched a national search to find the organization’s next Executive Director and welcomes applications.
“I am proud to leave Chamber Music Pittsburgh on solid footing with so much potential for future growth and development. It has become my life’s work to make absolutely everyone feel welcome, seen, and heard within our sphere,” says Linfante. “Over the past ten years, CMP has returned to the roots of chamber music when it was performed in living rooms, bars, and coffee shops. Chamber music is not about prestige or exclusivity—it’s about sharing live music experience with the community.
Linfante, who joined CMP in February 2014, has ushered in a new era for the organization. Driven by a passion for expanding access to chamber music, Linfante launched programs to engage the whole community of Pittsburgh in the joy of music, all built upon the foundation of its long-standing MainStage Live series. Through Pittsburgh Performs, CMP hosts local Pittsburgh artists in unusual venues outside the traditional concert hall setting, focusing on underserved neighborhoods. CMP’s popular Just Summer series lights up The Highline in Pittsburgh’s South Side with local artists for free community concerts.
Linfante has also cultivated the next generation of musicians and music audiences. Since 2016, CMP has partnered with Hope Academy of Music and the Arts in East Liberty to create a free, need-based musical instrument lending library for students. Participating students and their families also receive complimentary tickets to all CMP concerts. In 2022, CMP hosted Imani Winds as its inaugural artists in residence, a program that pairs acclaimed chamber artists with young music students through masterclasses, concerts, and workshops.
As CMP looks forward to its next chapter, it seeks a strategic, entrepreneurial leader who can build on Linfante’s legacy.
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