Dear Friends of El Sistema in the United States:

The El Sistema USA (ESUSA) Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of current ESUSA Board Member, Kathryn Wyatt, as Executive Director effective July 1, 2016. The Board’s action comes with the fullest confidence that Katie will continue to be an excellent steward of ESUSA's mission, and a leader and advocate for El Sistema-inspired programs throughout the United States. She will continue to lead the El Sistema-inspired program Kidznotes locally while in this role.

Kathryn (“Katie”) Wyatt is an accomplished musician, educator, and innovator in music and social change. Katie co-founded and assumed the post of Executive Director of Kidznotes in July 2010. Including her work in El Sistema, Katie is a national leader in the orchestra field, creating and consulting in programs that create access and opportunity for all children to experience the transformative power of music.

As an accomplished violist, Katie has toured and performed in principal positions with orchestras nationally and internationally in the major concert halls of the United States, Europe, Mexico, Central and South America, China, Japan, and Taiwan. Her call to leadership in social justice through the arts was inspired by the Youth Orchestra of the Americas’ joint performances with Gustavo Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar Orchestra of Caracas, Venezuela in 2005. The power and success of El Sistema moved her to begin channeling her passion for music to benefitting communities and positively affecting social change.

Feel free to reach out to Katie at katie@elsistemausa.org!  I join the rest of the ESUSA Board in congratulating her, and I look forward to seeing the exciting impact I know she will have.

Warmly,

Stanford Thompson, Chairman
El Sistema USA