Sound of Music Festival introduces new director
BURLINGTON — The Sound of Music Festival has found its new executive director.
Myles Rusak will provide a “fresh perspective on building relationships” in the community, festival board president Peter Martin said.
“Myles’ experience in strategic planning and leadership will be invaluable to the success of our festival,” Martin said. “We are most excited to have him at the helm and look forward to many years of continued success under his guidance.”
Rusak called his appointment “incredibly exciting” during a recent live Facebook event. “I get to lead this amazing festival into its next chapter of development — our 40th anniversary.”
The board announced in July it had parted ways with previous executive director Dave Miller.
“We don’t really want to discuss the details of the departure at this point,” vice-president Peter John Vandyk had said at the time. “We’re moving in a new direction. I really can’t say much more.”
After Miller’s departure, some of the festival’s 500 volunteers resigned, Vandyk said.
“The change has been difficult, but the prospect of having a new group of people join the Sound of Music is exciting. Things happen, but we have a great community around us.”
Rusak brings more than 15 years of experience in the not-for-profit sector, including leadership positions with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, James Allan’s Girls’ School in the U.K., Alberta Theatre Projects, and Parkinson Alberta. Most recently, he was CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Grand Erie.
Born and raised in Thunder Bay, Rusak attended Lakehead University’s fine arts/ music program, where he studied jazz and vocal.