May 2017 |
Po Yeh joins Prairie Debut as the new Executive Director, commencing July 2017. She comes to Prairie Debut from the Honens Piano Competition, where most recently as Director, Corporate & Community Engagement, she managed corporate development, government and foundation funding, and community and learning programs.
Po has been actively involved in the arts community for over ten years in Calgary and nationally. She has demonstrated a keen interest in supporting the performance and creation of contemporary Canadian new music – as manager for New Works Calgary and Land’s End Ensemble; board member of the Canadian New Music Network, Luminous Voices and Canada Music Week Chairperson for the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers Associations.
Po holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of British Columbia and a Chartered Professional Accountant designation, certificates in Arts & Cultural Management and in Public Relations from Grant MacEwan and Mount Royal Universities respectively, and an Associate Diploma in Piano from The Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto).
“Lynne Bailey has been the heart and soul of Prairie Debut from the beginning of the organization and has overseen the organization’s growth, from a seed of an idea to a network that is widely respected provincially and nationally. Canadian Classical and World music artists have had extensive tours of Western Canada as a result of Lynne’s tireless work over two plus decades.
“When Lynne announced her desire to retire in the Summer of 2017 to the Prairie Debut Board, the thought of finding a qualified candidate was daunting. The hiring committee was impressed with the quality of all of the candidates and were thrilled that someone with Po Yeh’s background and skill set would be available to the organization. The Prairie Debut Board of Directors welcomes Po and looks forward to helping her take the organization to the next level,” says Kevin Korchinski, Prairie Debut Board Chairman.
Po Yeh will begin her Prairie Debut career on July 4, 2017 and will be working with Lynne Bailey until July 14, 2017. The Prairie Debut office will officially move to Calgary as of July 17, 2017.
“I have long admired the work of Prairie Debut – its highly regarded reputation for excellence and significant contribution in developing the careers of Canadian classical and world music artists,” says Po Yeh, incoming Executive Director for Prairie Debut. “I am excited by the opportunity to lead Prairie Debut and bring creative talents to communities across the Prairies, so these experiences may delight, inspire, educate, connect and communicate with audiences.”
“Po Yeh is a great fit for Prairie Debut. She’s a smart, visionary leader with a depth of knowledge in both organizational development and artistic growth. Plus she is a really great person and I have no doubt that Prairie Debut artists and community presenters will love working with Po and that she will lead the organization into a very exciting next phase of growth,” says Lynne Bailey, outgoing Executive Director for Prairie Debut.