Happy News from the Director! 

I am delighted to introduce you to Emily Olson - Kerrytown Concert House's new Development Manager! 

Emily is an orchestral flutist with an extensive and varied professional background that includes arts administration and fundraising.  I have known Emily both professionally and personally for over twenty years and believe that KCH will benefit greatly from her addition to the team! It makes me especially happy to bring someone on board who already has such strong connections to the House as both a musician and community member, and as such, a resulting excitement about deepening her involvement at KCH in this way and working to help keep this special venue vibrant and thriving!  She comes to us from her current position as Rotary Club of Ann Arbor's Financial and Administrative Manager and will begin working at KCH full-time in January. I can't wait for you to meet her in person at the House, but until then, read on to learn more about Emily Olson and her passion for Kerrytown Concert House.

“I’ve performed at the House more times than I can count, and every concert has offered a deeper, more personal connection with the music and the audience than I’ve ever experienced performing at larger venues. It’s a unique and precious place!

At this stage of my career, I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to invest in building a future for artists and musicians to thrive in our community, and it’s a privilege to serve a place I hold so near and dear to my heart.”

Emily Olson brings a breadth of experience to her position as the Development Manager for Kerrytown Concert House, where she combines a background in arts administration and community fundraising with her career as a professional flutist, music educator, therapeutic musician, and arts & mindfulness coach. As a classical flutist, Emily has performed for over 20 years with the Ann Arbor, Flint, and Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestras, Michigan Sinfonietta, Ann Arbor Civic Theatre, and the  Encore Musical Theatre Company. Summer music performances have brought her to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where she has appeared with the Pine Mountain Music Festival and Strings on the Bay chamber music series. 

As an arts administrator, Emily has worked to support music, music education, and arts programming in Ann Arbor and the surrounding community. She has served in positions with the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance (SMTD), Ann Arbor and Chelsea School Districts, Ann Arbor Symphony, Ann Arbor Civic Theatre, Community Music School of Ann Arbor, Shar Music Company, Children’s Creative Center, and most recently, Macon Creek Center for Art, Innovation & Sustainability

Emily’s connection with Kerrytown Concert House began 25 years ago as an SMTD graduate student, and she has enjoyed countless touchpoints with the House as a soloist and chamber musician, audience member, and volunteer throughout her career. She and her husband, Marc, were even married at the House! It is a privilege, at this stage of her life and career, for Emily to invest in building a future for artists and musicians to thrive at Kerrytown Concert House.

Again, I'm so pleased to share this news, and I look forward to seeing you at the House sometime soon at one of our upcoming concerts! There is wonderful music happening within these walls, and a great team in place behind the scenes!