Purchase’s loss is Stanford’s gain
Wiley Hausam, who directs Purchase College’s PAC, is heading west to become managing director of Stanford University’s yet-unopened Bing Concert Hall, the university announced this week.
Hausam came to Purchase in 2008, having run NYU’s Skirball Center.
Once here, he ushered in changes at the PAC, holding annual galas that included opportunities for donors to press the flesh with performers including Patti LuPone, Lang Lang, Bill T. Jones and Pinchas Zuckerman. This year’s gala included Audra McDonald, now on Broadway in “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess.”
His arrival was soon followed by the massive economic downturn, which had a direct impact on donations to the college and the PAC.
In response, Hausam — whose complex comprises The Concert Hall, the Recital Hall, the Pepisco Theatre and The Repertory Theatre — made programming changes.
A jazz series was suspended.
Theatrical one-nighters were scrapped, turning things theatrical over to the excellent Purchase Rep, the performing branch of the conservatory who continue to present great and classic works in their black-box theater.
When I contacted Hausam today, he promised to respond tomorrow to my “exit interview” questions.
His first day in Palo Alto is Feb. 1 and he’ll oversee programming, artistic, administrative and financial operations for the Concert Hall, which is slated to open in 2013.
Hausam’s programming eye will continue to be seen here, as large-scale cultural programmers typically work more than a year in advance.
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