Anne Parsons
President and CEO, Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Anne Parsons was named president and CEO of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) in April 2004. Under her leadership, since 2011 the DSO has achieved record ticket sales growth and has doubled its donor base. Her vision of making the organization more accessible has resulted in the launch of two innovative new products: The Neighborhood Residency Initiative and “Live from Orchestra Hall,” the DSO’s series of live webcasts that engage audiences worldwide. The series was expanded in 2014, with educational concerts by the DSO reaching thousands of students throughout Detroit and around the world through webcasts. In July 2017, the DSO toured Japan and China, performing its first international concerts in 16 years.
Prior to joining the DSO, Parsons served in management positions for a variety of major arts organizations, including New York City Ballet, the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C.