Music Academy of the West Announces Major Leadership Change
By David SalazarThe Music Academy of the West has announced two new artistic leadership appointments as the Santa Barbara-based organization prepares for its 80th Anniversary in 2027 and the opening of a downtown Music Education Center in 2028.
Conor Hanick has been named Creative & Artistic Advisor, effective March 1, 2026, and Indigo Fischer has been appointed Vice President of Artistic Planning, effective February 2, 2026.
Hanick, a 2026 Grammy-nominated artist, has served as Head of Solo Piano at the Music Academy since 2019 and has been a teaching artist with the organization for 14 years. He is also a member of the American Modern Opera Company and a faculty member at Juilliard, Mannes College, and the CUNY Graduate Center. In his new role he will shape artistic strategy across the Academy’s Summer Music Festival & School and year-round programming.
Fischer, who joined the Music Academy in 2021, is an award-winning flutist with performance degrees from the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Texas at Austin. She will oversee artistic planning for the Festival and year-round engagement.
The Music Academy’s 2026 Summer Music Festival & School runs June 17 through August 8 and includes more than 100 performances, a fully staged opera, and training for up to 150 fellows ages 18–34.
Read Related Stories
