Seven New Members Join the Board

Los Angeles (October 1, 2015) - Diane B. Paul, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Philharmonic Association President and Chief Executive Officer Deborah Borda today announced Andrew Hewitt and Bill Silva as recipients of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Distinguished Service Award – an award that recognizes the recipient’s involvement, support and service to the Los Angeles Philharmonic and its community. Andrew Hewitt and Bill Silva received the award today at the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s annual Board meeting, presented by Diane Paul and Deborah Borda. Previous recipients of the award include former Philharmonic Music Director Zubin Mehta, philanthropist Eli Broad, Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, civic leader Rosalind Wyman and composer/conductor John Adams, among others.

In 1991, Andrew Hewitt and Bill Silva formed Andy Hewitt & Bill Silva Presents to produce pop and rock concerts at the Hollywood Bowl. 2015 marks the 25^th year of their relationship with the Hollywood Bowl. Over this period, the pair have brought a wide range of talent to this iconic venue, including: Elton John, the Rolling Stones, the Eagles, James Taylor & Carole King, Paul McCartney, Andrea Bocelli, Cher, Luciano Pavarotti, Coldplay, Radiohead, Roger Waters, Dave Matthews Band and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young among many others. This award also acknowledges the significant contributions that Andrew and Bill have made to support the LA Phil and their dedication to its music education programs.

Bill Silva began his career in the music industry while attending college at the University of California, San Diego, forming Bill Silva Presents in 1979. By the time he left San Diego for Los Angeles in 1999, he had become one of the top impresarios in North America, working with artists in venues from small clubs to stadiums. In 1999, Bill sold his company to Universal Studios’ concert division (which became House of Blues Concerts), creating HOB/Hewitt/Silva LLC.  He left that venture in March 2003 and re-formed Bill Silva Presents as his own entrepreneurial company. Bill Silva Presents has also organized and promoted North American tours with Dr. Dre (“Up in Smoke Tour”), Margaret Cho and Kylie Minogue. Bill Silva Management, an affiliate, guides the careers of international touring and recording artists Jason Mraz, Linkin Park, and a number of young musical performers and film actors. Bill is a founding member of the North American Concert Promoters Association, and has been awarded the Pollstar Bill Graham Concert Promoter of the Year Award. He has produced over 10,000 events in his career. Bill is committed to humanitarian and social causes and generously supports many, including Youth Orchestra LA, MusiCares (he is board chair) and MusiCares MAP Fund, SEVA Foundation, Doctors Without Borders, Human Rights Campaign, Victory Fund, Jason Mraz Foundation, and Music for Relief.

Andrew Hewitt leads one of the most successful and long-lived promoting companies in the United States, starting his career as an independent concert promoter in the early 1980s. After working for Avalon Attractions, he joined James Nederlander of the Nederlander Organization. In addition to his regular duties of booking Nederlander amphitheaters, he helped start their concert company with shows outside their traditional venues. In 1987, Hewitt joined the Arnold Stiefel Company, where he co-managed acts with Arnold Stiefel, in addition to continuing to promote concerts. Hewitt maintained the exclusive booking contract at the Mayan Theater in Los Angeles and at two renowned clubs in Vegas - The Pearl at The Palms, which at the time was under George Maloof’s management, and The Joint at Peter Morton’s Hard Rock Hotel. Hewitt was responsible for bringing The Rolling Stones to The Joint three times, as well as renowned artists such as Billy Joel, Metallica, Depeche Mode, Coldplay, The Cure and countless others. The Joint was the first all-ages venue and casino, which was an anomaly in 1995. Hewitt was also a longtime consultant to Prince Rupert Lowenstein, manager of the Rolling Stones, and was on the Rolling Stones management board for years. His charitable contributions include support for the National Resources Defense Council and Animal Alliance.

Also during today’s Board meeting, Paul officially announced and welcomed the seven new members who have been elected to the Board of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association during the past year: Nathan Frankel, Joshua Friedman, David Meline, Jennifer Miller-Goff, Margaret Morgan, Sue Tsao and Irwin Winkler:

Nathan Frankel is owner and President of Advanced Steel Recovery, LLC. He is also a talented violinist who grew up in Orange County, and graduated from Brandeis University, where he majored in economics and was the orchestra’s concert master. Nathan is also a member of the Board of Directors of the iPalpiti Artists International, an organization dedicated to advancing the careers of young, professional classical musicians.

Joshua Friedman is Co-Founder, Co-Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Canyon Partners, LLC and its affiliates – a group of investment management firms and registered investment advisors headquartered in Los Angeles. Originally from Boston, Joshua is a graduate of Harvard College, Oxford University, Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School. He also serves on the board of the California Institute of Technology, as a trustee of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and as a member of the UCLA Department of Neurosurgery’s Board of Advisors. Joshua and his wife Beth have established the Beth C. & Joshua S. Friedman Fellowship at the UCLA Anderson School of Management and were honored by the UCLA Department of Neurosurgery with the 2010 Visionary Award.

David Meline joined Amgen in 2014 as Executive Vice President. Prior to Amgen, David was the Chief Financial Officer at 3M and Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for GM North America. He is also on the business school advisory board of the University of Chicago, United Way of the Twin Cities board and a member of the Minnesota Opera Board. Originally from Minnesota, David studied at Iowa State University, the London School of Economics and the University of Chicago.

Jennifer Miller-Goff is the daughter of Diane Disney Miller and grand-daughter of Lillian and Walt Disney. Based in Northern California and Massachusetts, Jenny works for the family winery, Silverado Vineyards. She is also a member of the Walt Disney Family Foundation, which strives to promote and produce serious discussion, writing and scholarship about the life, work and philosophy of Walt Disney; secretary to the Diane and Ron Miller Charitable Fund; and a Board Member of the Walt Disney Family Museum.

Margaret Morgan is a visual artist whose work draws upon feminism, structuralism, and theories of post-modernism. Margaret holds a Masters of Fine Art from the University of California, Irvine and completed her undergraduate studies in her homeland of Australia. She has taught at the Otis College of Art and Design, UCLA and Scripps College. She and her husband, Dr. Wesley Phoa, support new music and music education and were Honorary Co-Chairs for the 2013 MOCA gala.

Sue Tsao is an avid art collector who is also very active within The Music Center. She is a director at Center Theater Group; a founding member of the Board of Ambassadors and a member of Club 100; and a member of the Board of Directors of the Blue Ribbon group and Center Dance Arts. She is also a member of the Modern and Contemporary Art Council and the Contemporary Friends acquisition group at LACMA. In 2008 she established the Sue Tsao Operation Smile Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Fellowship and in 2011 was awarded the Wallis Annenberg Award for Public Services for her generosity to Operation Smile. Sue has also named the Sue Tsao Endowment Fund in Chinese Studies at the University of California Press.

Irwin Winkler is an Academy Award-winning film producer and director whose vast output includes films such as Raging Bull, The Right Stuff, the Rocky franchise, Goodfellas, Life As a House, The Net and The Wolf of Wall Street, to name just a few. Originally from New York and a graduate of New York University, he also recently served on the board of the New York City Ballet. 

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The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, under the vibrant leadership of Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel, presents an inspiring array of music from all genres – orchestral, chamber and Baroque music, organ and celebrity recitals, new music, jazz, world music and pop – at two of L.A.’s iconic venues, Walt Disney Concert Hall (www.laphil.com) and the Hollywood Bowl (www.hollywoodbowl.com). The LA Phil’s season extends from September through June at Walt Disney Concert Hall, and throughout the summer at the Hollywood Bowl. With the preeminent Los Angeles Philharmonic at the foundation of its offerings, the LA Phil aims to enrich and transform lives through music, with a robust mix of artistic, education and community programs.