Peninsula Symphony Names Andrea Temkin Interim Executive Director

Los Altos, CA -- The Board of Directors of the Peninsula Symphony has named Andrea Temkin, veteran nonprofit CEO and music education professional, has been engaged as Interim Executive Director effective immediately. For information about the Orchestra, visit www.peninsulasymphony.org .

"We are extremely happy we have been able to engage a well-known, seasoned arts management professional to guide the Symphony's continued recovery. We have every intention of completing this concert season as planned," said Alan Bien, Board Chair of the Peninsula Symphony.

Ms. Temkin has 25 years experience working with music and arts organizations, including the San Francisco Symphony, Los Cenzontles Mexican Arts Center, Nova Vista Symphony, and Kaisahan of San Jose Dance Company.Her background in organizational management is extensive, including program and strategic planning and implementation, program evaluation, and fund development. She has worked extensively with teaching musicians and artists, educators and educational institutions including public school districts, alternative and court schools, and after school programs.

Ms. Temkin served as Executive Director of the Community School of Music and Arts in Mountain View for eight years (1994-2001). Since 2002 she has been the principal of AST Consulting Group, providing strategies for change, systems analysis and design and executive coaching for nonprofits, educational institutions and the public sector. Temkin most recently served as the Visual and Performing Arts Program Manager at the Alameda County Office of Education where she worked on a nationally acclaimed arts education model: the Alliance for Arts Learning Leadership project.

"The Peninsula Symphony is an accomplished area institution, performing music to the highest standards in locally accessible venues at affordable cost. Its Bridges to Music Program reaches school children throughout the Peninsula. I'm honored to be trusted with the task of helping the organization return to firm financial and administrative footing," said Ms. Temkin.

The Peninsula Symphony of Northern California, is a well-respected 65-year-old non-profit, community orchestra. Under the direction of Maestro Mitchell Sardou Klein the orchestra performs four concerts annually at Flint Center in Cupertino and at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center for over 10,000 audience members from every community on the San Francisco Peninsula. In addition each year the Peninsula Symphony presents more than 50 concerts to children in schools that lack their own music programs in Redwood City, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale; and offers master classes for hundreds of area high school musicians. The Symphony performs free Family Concerts and outdoor concerts; provides performing opportunities for the community's finest young musicians through the Marilyn Mindell Piano Competition and the Young Musicians' Competition; and offers a wide variety of other educational programs through its Bridges to Music program.

While there is an ongoing police investigation of recent financial losses, Symphony supporters and the orchestra members themselves have raised over half of the 2013/14 budget in order to continue serving the community. If you would like to help restore the organization to good financial health today and for many years to come, donations may be sent to the Peninsula Symphony, 146 Main St., Suite 102, Los Altos, CA 94022, or made online at www.peninsulasymphony.org .