Toronto, February 16 – The Royal Conservatory of Music announced today that Alexander Brose, the former Executive Director and CEO of The Tianjin Juilliard School, will succeed Dr. Peter Simon as President & CEO upon Dr. Simon’s retirement on August 31, 2024.
Tim Price, Chair of The Royal Conservatory Board, said: “I am thrilled to welcome Alexander Brose as the next Michael and Sonja Koerner President & CEO of The Royal Conservatory. After an extensive global search, Alexander’s vast experience in music education, collaborative spirit, and commitment to excellence made him the ideal choice to succeed Dr. Peter Simon after 33 years of growth and success.”
In Alexander Brose we have found a person who is uniquely qualified to lead The Royal Conservatory into the next stage of its evolution as a global leader in music education and performance. He understands the essential role that music plays in the development of young people and in fostering the human connections that are the basis of a cohesive society. Alex’s notable leadership experience will allow him to seamlessly manage the many parts of the RCM and align them behind our mission to develop human potential through music and the arts. The future for The Royal Conservatory is very bright.
As the inaugural Executive Director and CEO of China’s prestigious Tianjin Juilliard School, The Juilliard School’s first and only branch campus, Mr. Brose established the program’s footprint in China. “Alexander Brose is a born leader, whose vision and integrity of purpose have allowed The Tianjin Juilliard School to evolve from an intriguing idea to a successful educational institution in China while he was its CEO,” said Dr. Joseph Polisi, President of The Juilliard School for 34 years and now President Emeritus. “I know that he will bring that high level of creative leadership to The Royal Conservatory, and I wish him and The Conservatory great success in the time ahead.”
For over five years at The Tianjin Juilliard School, Mr. Brose fostered a culture of artistic excellence in the Juilliard tradition, oversaw the construction of the school’s landmark campus, identified an entirely new faculty and staff, developed ground-breaking public education programs for children, launched strategic fundraising initiatives, and strengthened ties with peer institutions worldwide.
It is a tremendous honour to continue the great work of The Royal Conservatory as its next President and CEO. The Royal Conservatory’s remarkable evolution during its long and prestigious history, but particularly over the last 33 years under Dr. Simon’s guidance, has found its offerings firmly positioned among the great classical music education and arts programs worldwide. I could not be more excited to partner with The Royal Conservatory community to help write the next chapter of this extraordinary institution.
Prior to the Tianjin Juilliard School, Mr. Brose was Vice President for Development at the Aspen Music Festival and School in Colorado, where he helped lead a comprehensive $75-million capital campaign to create a new campus and build robust endowment support. Before that, he spent over a decade in senior management roles at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Dr. Mary Ellen Poole, Stanley and Marcia Gumberg Dean, College of Fine Arts, at Carnegie Mellon University, with whom Mr. Brose worked at SFCM, also said “The Royal Conservatory can look forward to many years of dynamic and joyful collaboration with Alexander Brose. Alex will bring high energy, a wicked sense of humor, a sophisticated global perspective, deep knowledge of the rapidly changing landscape of musical training in this century, and an ability to bring people together that has marked his work all the years I’ve known him.”
Mr. Brose was born in the United States and raised in South Korea and Hong Kong. A student of Mandarin, Mr. Brose received his Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies with a concentration in China, from Cornell University. As an award-winning vocalist, he has performed in concert venues around the world. Mr. Brose’s wife and two children are Canadian, and he and his family look forward to settling in Toronto this summer.
