David Walker, Managing Director
Following an 18-year operatic career with some of the most prestigious opera houses and orchestra around the world, David Walker is now one of the country’s leading arts administrators.
He has extensive experience managing successful fundraising and marketing campaigns, as well as strategic and financial initiatives, for arts organizations across the country, most recently as General and Artistic Director of Palm Beach Opera. During his 9-year tenure with the opera, he raised over $40 million in contributed income; spearheaded the marketing strategies leading to 900+ new ticket-buying households in both of his last two seasons; increased the quality and reputation of the company’s artistic production and young artist training; expanded its free education and community engagement activities; and led the organization’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Within the first nine months of COVID, Mr. Walker also received international recognition for his strategic planning of producing full-scale, outdoor performances for audiences reaching 800 attendees, being one of the first performing arts organizations in the country to do so at that time.
Prior to Palm Beach Opera, Walker served as Director of Development at North Carolina Opera and in development and marketing positions with the Glimmerglass Festival and Sarasota Opera. He is a frequent guest lecturer on the business of performing arts and often serves on vocal competition adjudicating panels, including the Metropolitan Opera Laffont National Council Auditions – a competition he himself won in 1998.
Prior to his arts administration career, Walker performed as a countertenor soloist throughout North America, Europe, Australia, and Russia, appearing with the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Chicago Lyric Opera, the English National Opera in England, the Academy of Ancient Music with Christopher Hogwood, and the Goettingen Handel Festival with Nicholas McGegan, among others. He appears on both studio and live audio and video recordings.
Walker holds a Bachelor of Arts in industrial engineering, a Master of Music in vocal performance, and a Master of Arts and Master of Business Administration, both with an arts administration focus. He has also completed the highly regarded Harvard Business School’s Executive Education program ‘Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management’, and is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE).