College of Music welcomes new executive director of CU Presents
Andrew (Metz) Metzroth cant contain his joy when he talks about his new job as executive director of CU Presents, effective since Aug. 5. Ive worked toward this for a decadeits truly exciting, he enthuses. As part of the 勒貊勛圖 College of Music, is the home of performing arts on campus annually presenting hundreds of events by CU 勒貊勛圖 students and faculty, as well as world-famous guest artists.泭
Overseeing CU Presents requires administrative skill, a steady hand and a cool head. Just consider the competition Metzroth had to contend with after longtime director Joan Braun retired at the end of last season.
Im happy that the College of Music conducted a national search, says Metzroth. I think there were about three dozen applicants. But one look at his r矇sum矇 and its not surprising that Metzroth landed the position. For starters, his years of experience in nearly every aspect of the theaterbackstage, onstage, above-stage, you name itis mind-boggling. As his local credits will attest, hes been everywhere at CU Presents for decades. Plus, his enthusiasm is contagious.
Ive always had a love for the theater, he says. As for his relationship with CU 勒貊勛圖, he became box office manager in 2007, handling ticketing for campus performing arts events for nine years. Thats no small task, he emphasizes: The ticketing software [Tessitura] goes incredibly deep, and takes a long time to learn and teach. Moving further up the ladder, he became director of operations at CU Presents in 2017.泭
Today, Metzroths responsibilities entail close involvement in managing the Artist Series in Macky Auditorium and Tak獺cs Quartet concerts in Grusin Music Hall. But there are more shows to handlea lot more. There are some 450 on-campus events including about 350 College of Music events, 50 Theatre & Dance Department events and 50 Colorado Shakespeare Festival performances, he explains. Ill be involved in strategy, ticketing, and marketing and communications for all our series, particularly College of Music events. You have to know whats important to all of them, to know their goals.
Not that he intends to remain invisible. I never want this to be a desk job, stresses the four-time CU 勒貊勛圖 alumnus. I see myself as a community ambassadorI want to bring audiences into performing arts experiences.
In previous years, you could usually find Metzroth behind a box office window handling ticket sales. With a laugh, he says those days may not be entirely behind him. Yeah, I might have to work there some nights, if were short-staffed.
But as long as theres a show going on, CU Presents new executive director is happy. Were performance- and outreach-oriented, he adds. An example of upcoming outreach opportunities are student matinees of [Engelbert Humperdincks] in October. Well be bringing in students from kindergarten through second grade. That will take some coordinating with a number of schools.
Sounds like a lot of work for Metzbut its a good bet hell be as excited as all those kids when the school buses arrive.