 John Toohey, Managing Director |
Texas Ballet Theater welcomed John Toohey as its managing director in January 2006. Before he joined Texas Ballet Theater, John served for 17 years as general manager of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, where he established the tremendously successful Concerts in the Garden summer music festival. During his tenure with the FWSO, he was instrumental in designing and implementing the Fort Worth Neighborhood Arts Program, a cross-cultural, community program between the City of Fort Worth and the Arts Council of Fort Worth and Tarrant County that enriches arts offerings in schools, provides safe, creative, low cost after-school arts activities for children, and allows performers and artists to serve as mentors for the children they teach. John brings to Texas Ballet Theater a particular interest in the Ballet's involvement with other performing arts groups in North Texas as well as a commitment to the Ballet's interaction with underserved communities that might not otherwise be exposed to dance. John’s career in performing arts management has brought him to North Texas more than once. Prior to joining the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, John worked as marketing director for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Hollywood Bowl (1986 – 1988). Before that, he served four years as marketing and communications director for The Dallas Opera, and two years as general manager of the Eastern Connecticut Symphony. John’s preparation for his career includes service in the U. S. Coast
Guard as a public information officer and four years performing with the U.
S. Coast Guard Band, one of only five congressionally-designated premier U.
S. military bands, where he was principal player of that most underappreciated
of musical instruments – the bassoon. John studied bassoon at Webster
University in St. Louis and at Boston University, where he founded and managed
the Boston University Chamber Orchestra. His performance credits include principal
bassoonist of Boston University’s prestigious Contemporary Collegium
under the direction of Pulitzer prize-winning composer David del Tredici. |
Photo Credit
Dancer: Julie Gumbinner. Photo: Ellen Appel.