While the search continues for a new music director at the San Luis Obispo Symphony, the organization just picked up Catherine Lansdowne as its new executive director to lead the way.

Lansdowne comes to SLO from the Abilene Philharmonic in Texas, where she served as executive director for the past three years. While there, she oversaw a restructuring, new programming, and fiscal growth of the organization. She takes the baton from Francie Levy, who’s been the SLO Symphony’s interim general manager since 2015.

“Live music is one of the greatest joys of life,” Lansdowne said in press materials. “As a musician and executive director, it is important to me that the timeless genre of classical music be accessible and available to everyone.”

For more information on the SLO Symphony and its search for a new music director—five finalist conductors are auditioning during the Classics in the Cohan concert series—visit slosymphony.org.