Symphony Executive Director Resigns

The executive director of Ventura County’s New West Symphony announced her resignation Tuesday to resume her private practice as an arts organization management consultant specializing in fund-raising and program development.

Orchestra officials said they expected the group to stay on course despite the departure of Susan Feller, who had administrated the orchestra since its inception in July of last year.

“Susan helped us at a time when we needed some really serious knowledge and talent,” said Bill Bang, president-elect of the New West Symphony’s board of directors. “She’s going to go on and do what she thinks she’s best at doing.”

Feller will continue to advise the symphony’s board while a nationwide search is conducted for a new executive director. Bang and board President Tracy Susman will jointly supervise the symphony’s day-to-day operations in the interim.

The New West Symphony, conducted by Boris Brott, was formed by combining the talents of the Conejo and Ventura County symphonies, which had each performed for more than 30 years.

The fusion resulted in an orchestra that has garnered praise from musical authorities across Southern California.

“[New West] has been pretty universally acclaimed as some of the best music you can find outside of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion,” Bang said.

“We’ve got wonderful musicians and a tremendously talented music director.”

Feller was instrumental in steering the fledgling New West Symphony through a dispute with the local chapter of the American Federation of Musicians last year.

Members of the musicians’ union were displeased about the loss of jobs resulting from combining the two orchestras.

The dispute nearly jeopardized the New West Symphony’s opening performance in October of last year but was settled after 40 seats in the orchestra were offered to musicians in the former Conejo and Ventura County symphonies.