Dallas Symphony Orchestra CEO and leadership

Kim Noltemy joined the Dallas Symphony Association (DSA) as President & CEO in January 2018. Since Noltemy’s arrival, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra has embarked on a bold, new strategic plan and has implemented numerous new initiatives that will have a long-term impact on the landscape of classical music in Dallas and the entire industry. Her visionary leadership guided the Dallas Symphony to become the first major American orchestra to perform for an in-person audience in their hall with their Music Director after the COVID-19 shutdown. During her tenure, the orchestra appointed renowned Music Director Fabio Luisi and Gemma New as Principal Guest Conductor. In May 2019, Noltemy successfully negotiated the transition of management of the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center from the City of Dallas to the Dallas Symphony Association. Noltemy began her term as President of the Dallas Arts District board in January 2020. She also serves on the boards of the Dallas Black Dance Theatre and Aging Minds, and she is a member of the Dallas Assembly, Dallas Summit, Dallas international Women’s Forum and Executive Women’s Roundtable. Noltemy was named as a D CEO Dallas 500 in 2020 and 2021, and was a 2020 finalist for the Dallas Morning News’ Texan of the Year.

Recognizing the need for systemic change in the classical music community, in the fall of 2020, Noltemy introduced a comprehensive plan and commitment for equity, diversity and inclusion at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. In 2018, she launched the DSO’s Women in Classical Music program, an initiative designed to elevate the role of women in classical music and increase female representation in the field through hiring women for senior artistic positions, creating an annual symposium, and ensuring that 50% of the DSO’s new commissions are composed by women. The orchestra unveiled the DSO’s Southern Dallas Residency in November 2018 which includes a very important educational initiative, Young Musicians. This program makes the transformative power of music education accessible to more than 500 children in Southern Dallas through free instruments and lessons.

Since the pandemic shutdown in March 2020, Noltemy led the DSO through this period of change, pivoting quickly to provide music and service to the Dallas community. The DSO offered live, weekly concerts to small audiences in the Meyerson, as well as more than 150 outdoor chamber music concerts in neighborhoods all across Dallas. Noltemy embraced and expanded the DSO online presence, implementing a digital strategy for 2020/21 and beyond. In summer 2020, a state-of-the-art video studio and robotic cameras was installed in the Meyerson Symphony Center to capture and live-stream DSO performances and third-party events in the hall. The new online events will complement the in-person experience and expand the reach of the organization beyond its physical space.