Gary Alan Wood has been the Director, Arts Presenting and Live Entertainment, and Professor of Practice in the Department of Music Media and Industry in the FROST SCHOOL OF MUSIC since 2014. During his tenure at the school, Mr. Wood has been responsible for creating a comprehensive cognate opportunity for students, including two new courses (MMI 735 – World of the Working Musician, and MMI 632 – Arts Leadership), and overseeing an online degree program FROST ONLINE. His personal mission is to help musicians and artists discover their artistic voice while envisioning a path towards a successful professional career.
A native of Anoka, Minnesota, Mr. Wood has been active in arts education, arts administration and the world of the symphony for over 30 years. His career has included public school music and theatre arts education, symphony orchestra education and community programs, a stint as executive Director of one of America’s most unique chamber music and jazz presenting organizations, Camera of Houston, and Director of a multi-dimensional complex of visual and performing arts activities, the Regina A. Quick Center of the Arts of Fairfield University, Fairfield, Connecticut.
After designing programs in education and community collaborations for the Minnesota Orchestra from 1996 to 1999, Mr. Wood moved to Philadelphia to lead the expanding programs and initiatives of The Philadelphia Orchestra. His department received national attention for numerous innovative initiatives designed to bring classical music to classrooms and in-depth community involvement projects to neighborhoods throughout the city. The much-heralded Neighborhood Concert initiative brought the Philadelphia Orchestra concert experience to ordinary citizens by providing performances in local venues. A project commissioned in collaboration with the Minnesota Orchestra entitled We Are Met at Gettysburg offered both specific children and public concerts in Philadelphia and Minneapolis, along with specially created comprehensive classroom materials and numerous hands-on workshops.
From 2004 to 2008, Mr. Wood served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts|Riverfront, one of the country’s most prominent arts conservatories. He oversaw the immediate recovery of the campus after Hurricane Katrina, leading the school back to full educational operation.
Mr. Wood is also a frequent speaker guest lecturer and clarinetist in schools, education symposiums, and arts conferences.
Mr. Wood holds two degrees from the University of Minnesota — a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education and a Master of Music degree in Woodwind Performance, with a focus on the clarinet. He also attended the Peabody Conservatory of Music of The Johns Hopkins University as a graduate assistant and became involved with numerous music education and performance-related courses. He has several writings to his credit, including two articles for Scholastic, Inc., 2004 New Book of Knowledge, along with several music activity booklets, including “The Planets: An Out-of-this-world View of Classical Music” and “Imagination: Music & Art.”
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 305-284-4814
University of Miami
1314 Miller Drive
Coral Gables, FL 33146
United States
