Board of Directors

Gary Ginstling has a nearly 25-year career as an orchestra leader, with a strong track record of developing innovative programming, increasing ticket sales and fundraising, and building community ties. He joined the Houston Symphony as Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer in February 2025. In his first year at the Houston Symphony, Ginstling’s achievements include securing the renewal of acclaimed music director Juraj Valčuha and announcing the Houston Symphony as the host orchestra for the new Cliburn International Competition for Conductors, which will launch in Houston in 2028.

Prior to his arrival in Houston, Ginstling served as President and CEO of the New York Philharmonic. Under his leadership, the organization secured the largest single endowment contribution in its history, a $40 million contribution to name the Music and Artistic Director Chair.

Ginstling served as Executive Director of the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, from 2017 to 2022. During his time at the NSO, Ginstling launched Gianandrea Noseda’s tenure as music director, ushering in a new era of enthusiasm, energetic performances, and critical acclaim. Ginstling oversaw double-digit growth in ticket sales and fundraising to support Noseda’s work with the orchestra. The NSO’s advances under his leadership led to their nomination as 2023 Orchestra of the Year by Gramophone Magazine.

Ginstling’s previous orchestra leadership positions include CEO of the Indianapolis Symphony, General Manager of The Cleveland Orchestra, Director of Communications and External Affairs of the San Francisco Symphony, and Executive Director of the Berkeley Symphony.
 
Prior to his career in orchestra management, Gary Ginstling spent three years in product marketing at Sun Microsystems. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University, a Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School, and a Master of Business Administration from The Anderson School at UCLA. Ginstling serves on the boards of the League of American Orchestras and the Houston Theatre District, the Advisory Council of the Tianjin Juilliard School, and was recently named to the Board of Directors of the Meadowmount School of Music in the Adirondack Mountains in northern New York, a renowned summer music program for string players founded by legendary violin teacher Ivan Galamian.