Interlochen Welcomes New Executive Director of Interlochen Presents

INTERLOCHEN, Mich., July 29, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This summer, Interlochen Center for the Arts welcomed a new executive director for Interlochen Presents. Christopher Gruits will be responsible for planning guest artist concerts and presentations throughout the year, as well as a wide range of production-related operations including lighting and sound systems, sets, costumes, the Interlochen box office, front of house and volunteer services. He will also play a key role in shaping artistic collaborations and expanding the role of classical programming across educational programs.

"Christopher brings a track record of innovation and entrepreneurial work in diverse arts and cultural organizations - in the United States and Great Britain - to his position at Interlochen," said Jeffrey Kimpton, president of Interlochen Center for the Arts. "His experience in operations and programming, digital marketing and audience engagement will be important to Interlochen's regional and national stature in presentations and artistic quality in the future."

Gruits began his career with the Seattle Symphony as assistant operations manager. He later joined Carnegie Hall as artistic projects manager where he was responsible for the creation and execution of production schedules, negotiations with artists, artist management, technical crews, and backstage operations for the opening of Zankel Hall, a performance space at Carnegie Hall that is designed to serve the changing audience mix in New York City. He also worked in London for Dilettanete Music, an online company dedicated to building new audiences for classical music through social networking. Most recently, Gruits returned to Carnegie Hall in 2010 to serve as the first director of e-strategy, creating Carnegie Hall's first digital strategy to communicate and engage audiences locally and worldwide.

"I am so excited to be joining the Interlochen team in programming exceptional performances across campus," said Gruits. "I'm looking forward to building on the great work that has already been done and thrilled to be working with such an amazing presentations team."

Mr. Gruits has a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary humanities with a concentration in arts management from Michigan State University, and a master's in business administration with a focus on strategy from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

Interlochen Presents is a year-round performance program featuring hundreds of presentations by students, faculty and world-renowned guest artists.

Interlochen Presents is part of the nonprofit Interlochen Center for the Arts, recipient of the National Medal of Arts and the only organization in the world that brings together: a 2,500-student summer camp program; a 500-student fine arts boarding high school; opportunities for hundreds of adults to engage in fulfilling artistic and creative programs; two 24-hour listener-supported public radio stations (classical music and news); more than 600 arts presentations annually by students, faculty and world-renowned guest artists; a global alumni base spanning eight decades, including leaders in the arts and all other endeavors.