New Dean Appointed at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music

Matthew Loden, the current CEO of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, will assume the position on October 1, 2021

Loden will be returning to Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music after having served as its director of admissions from 2002 to 2007. He will succeed Robert Yekovich, who announced last fall that he will step down after 18 years in the position.

A graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in violin performance, Loden has built an extensive resume as a performer, competition adjudicator, university lecturer, and advisor with some of the top music training programs throughout the U.S., including the League of American Orchestras Management Fellowship. 

Throughout Loden’s time at TSO, he paved a new direction for the orchestra by commissioning world-premiere works from next-generation composers, establishing creative partnerships with diverse artists such as violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja, and founding strategic initiatives to expand accessibility to classical music — including creating a video concert series for seniors struggling with isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to his role at TSO, Loden served as interim co-president and executive vice president for institutional advancement of the Philadelphia Orchestra, as board secretary for the Academy of Music, and as vice president and general manager at the Aspen Music Festival and School where he oversaw over 400 musical events each summer.

“I am thrilled with the appointment of Matthew Loden as the next dean of the Shepherd School of Music,” said Rice President David Leebron. “It’s wonderful to bring him back to Rice. His breadth of experiences and engagements around the nation and the world, and his clear commitment to deeply engaging with our home city, will enable Rice to build upon the truly extraordinary level of excellence in the Shepherd School and support the university’s broader strategic goals.”

“As dean of this remarkable institution, I will have the special opportunity to help forge a dynamic path forward that honors the important history of the school and inspires the next generation of students and faculty toward new and expanded musical aspirations,” said Matthew Loden.

“It will be my privilege to build on Dean Yekovich’s remarkable legacy and to continue to encourage talented Shepherd School students to hone their craft while becoming true citizen artists and expressing their unique talents across the Rice campus, throughout the neighborhoods of Houston and around the world.”