Nathan Newbrough, President and CEO
Nathan Newbrough has been honored to serve with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic with a belief that great live music captivates the spirit, connects neighbors, and propels a community forward.
With more than 20 years experience in service to symphony orchestras, Newbrough started his career at the League of American Orchestras, managing artistic services, composer awards programs, conductor training workshops, and the Music Assistance Fund, a scholarship for Black and Latinx collegiate musicians. He took his first steps in leadership as executive director of the Greenwich Village Orchestra (New York, NY) at age 25. From there, he was invited to become Executive Director of the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes (Corning, NY) and then the Amarillo Symphony (Amarillo, TX). In Amarillo, Newbrough advised in the building and opening of the Globe News Center for the Performing Arts, more than doubled subscribership and donated revenue, and presided over four sold-out concert seasons.
In Summer 2008, Newbrough was placed as President and CEO of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, which was still faltering after its bankruptcy five years earlier. From the start, he established three priorities guiding the work: Service, Excellence, and Permanence.
A music teacher by training, and still a musician at heart, Newbrough is an advocate for the interests of professional musicians. In that role, he is a speaker and representative, and has overseen the steady rise of musician compensation, with service fees increased more than 40 percent by 2024. “The work is not finished,” he acknowledges, “but we are committed to continued wage growth and overall recognition of these amazing artists.”
Season ticket participation has more than doubled, making the C.S. Philharmonic one of the very rare U.S. orchestras with more than 55% of revenue derived from ticket sales. Philanthropy has also increased due to genuine relationships with patrons and innovations such as the Maestro’s Circle, which invites patrons to form deep bonds with the orchestra. Furthering an interest in long-term health, Newbrough also led the creation of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Foundation and tripled the endowment thanks to a leadership gift from the estate of John and Margot Lane.
In 2017 Newbrough started Philharmonic Ventures, a long-term approach to planning for major artistic and operational objectives. Through Philharmonic Ventures, the orchestra has taken a leadership position in creating multi-organizational partnerships to take on big themes. The first Ventures project was “The Best of All Possible Worlds: Leonard Bernstein at 100” which involved 15 arts and cultural organizations to collaborate in a six-week music festival devoted to celebrating the life of Leonard Bernstein through projects related to human rights and anti-violence.
The Colorado Springs Philharmonic received the “Award for Excellence in Local Industry” from the Colorado Springs Economic Development Corporation and the “Award for Excellence in the Nonprofit Sector” from the Colorado Springs Regional Business Alliance. Newbrough has served on the boards of Pikes Peak Hospice and Palliative Care, the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region, Pikes Peak Athletics Foundation, Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Electronic Media Association.
In his free time, Nathan enjoys time outdoors or in the quiet at home. He is a runner, swimmer, and the father of two terrific young people, Sarah and Eva.
