Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Dinitz.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Amanda. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
When I was in high school and pondering college and career choices, I knew that whatever I did, I wanted to be surrounded by music. Although I was a violin student and there are several professional musicians in my family, I always saw myself as a businessperson. So, to satisfy both of my interests, I did a double major in music and business. After graduating, I got a really exciting job at a Sony Music record label in New York City. In 2003, life drew me to Texas, where I pursued a position with the Houston Symphony and was luckily welcomed into the Houston Symphony family. Fourteen years later, I continue the great privilege of serving our incredible orchestra and our Houston community, currently as the Symphony’s Interim Executive Director
Has it been a smooth road?
I have been very fortunate to have been embraced by influential mentors at every stage of my life. It starts with my parents, who always encouraged me to work hard at following my dreams; they supported every choice I made, and continue to do so to this day. I had wonderful sports coaches and music teachers in high school and college who continued to fuel both my ambition and related belief in myself. At the Houston Symphony, I have been very fortunate to have had mentors on both the staff and board levels who supported me and who taught me about music, business, non-profit service, communication, collaboration and other tools for success. Most struggles I have encountered have been a result of my getting in my own way. I think honest self-awareness of both strengths and opportunities for improvement, as well as a commitment to be action-oriented when personal goals are not being met, is key to managing through such challenges.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
The Houston Symphony is one of America’s leading orchestras and one of the oldest performing arts organizations in Texas. With an annual operating budget of $33.9 million, our full-time orchestra of 88 professional musicians presents nearly 170 concerts each year. We have a robust education and community engagement program, offering over 900 community-based performances annually. This year, we celebrate our fourth season with our talented and charismatic music director, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, and we are excited to embark upon an 8-city tour of Europe this March, showcasing the quality of Houston’s cultural arts and that we are Houston Strong following Hurricane Harvey.
I’m incredibly proud to be part of such a talented and committed group of musicians, staff, Board members and volunteers who comprise the Symphony family. We all believe that an outstanding orchestra is a key to the quality of life in our city, and our community reinforces this through their generous support of our non-profit organization.
I currently serve as Interim Executive Director and have served as Chief of Strategic Initiatives for the past several years. I am generally a very positive and extroverted person, and I love getting to know people, so I like to think that I am known for being present, enthusiastic, communicative and progressive.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
My greatest career mentor once said that the most overrated virtue is “hard work in the absence of smart work.” It is not without challenge to be very disciplined about prioritization, but I believe it is critical to tune out the noise and focus time and effort on those key deliverables most directly related to the organization’s top priorities. Also, surround oneself with excellent colleagues, do what we can to clear obstacles out of their way, and contribute to the achievement of colleagues’ goals in addition to our own. This way, we all rise, as does our organization, and most importantly, as does our community.
Contact Info:
- Address: 615 Louisiana St.
- Website: https://www.houstonsymphony.org/
- Phone: 713-224-7575
- Email: patronservices@houstonsymphony.org
- Instagram:@HouSymphony
- Facebook:facebook.com/houstonsymphony
- Twitter:@HouSymphony\
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