Grant Park Music Festival has handed the keys to its Chicago program to Anwar Nasir, executive director of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra in New Orleans, just as the festival’s free summer season kicks off on the lakefront.
According to Crain's Chicago Business, Nasir was selected by the Grant Park Orchestral Association to succeed longtime CEO Paul Winberg. The association’s board said the CEO search was led by Tom Orlando, per the Grant Park Music Festival. Winberg had announced his intent to step down last fall, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Who Is Anwar Nasir?
Nasir has led the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra as executive director since 2021 and brings about two decades of arts-management experience that includes roles at the Omaha Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Hollywood Bowl, according to the orchestra’s staff page. His résumé highlights fundraising, audience development and partnerships that have helped broaden programming in New Orleans.
Why This Hire Matters
Local reporting from New Orleans credits Nasir with pushing cross-genre collaborations and institutional moves aimed at growing audiences, per New Orleans CityBusiness. Grant Park’s 2026 season runs June 10 through Aug. 15 at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, and the new CEO will be responsible for fundraising, the free-concert lineup and neighborhood outreach tied to that program, according to the festival’s Grant Park Music Festival.
Transition And Next Steps
Crain's Chicago Business reported that a firm start date for Nasir’s tenure has not yet been disclosed and that the board will manage the handoff while this summer’s concerts continue. Chicago audiences will soon see whether his experience expanding audiences and citywide partnerships in New Orleans translates into fresh programming and outreach on the lakefront.
