The Board of the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) is delighted to announce the appointment of Adam Szabo as ANAM’s new Managing Director from January 2027.
A highly connected arts leader, Adam brings more than a decade of experience at the helm of complex, international arts organisations, most recently as Director of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Prior to this, he was Chief Executive and Artistic Director of the RPS Award-winning Manchester Collective, which he co-founded in 2016.
Originally from Sydney, Adam trained as a cellist at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and Royal Northern College of Music. He is a former Sydney Symphony Orchestra Fellow and alumnus of the Australian World Orchestra and Australian Youth Orchestra. Before moving into arts management, Adam enjoyed a busy and varied career as an orchestral cellist, working with many of the finest orchestras in the UK.
Adam will join ANAM in January 2027 alongside new Artistic Director Anna Goldsworthy, as the organisation plans to move back into the $100m redeveloped South Melbourne Town Hall in mid 2028.
Dr John Daley AM, Chair of ANAM, stated:
“We are delighted with Adam’s appointment. He comes to ANAM with a rare combination of broad experience managing classical music organisations, a first hand love of classical music as a performer, and a deep enthusiasm to provide the best training in the world for Australia’s best classical musicians. Having successfully led two leading UK ensembles, he brings strong international connections as he returns home to Australia.
“Adam has a proven track record of combining artistic ambition and financial sustainability. He is ideally placed to work alongside our incoming Artistic Director Anna Goldsworthy to build ANAM’s programs and elevate ANAM’s global profile as we move back into our newly renovated home at South Melbourne Town Hall.”
Speaking on his appointment, Adam said he was honoured to be joining ANAM at such a significant moment in its history.
“The future looks very bright for ANAM. Already renowned for its unique training program and world-class alumni, ANAM’s return to a beautifully reimagined, state-of-the-art South Melbourne Town Hall in 2028 is a once in a generation opportunity. ANAM exists to train the finest classical musicians in the world; these musicians will soon have a home in a truly world-class facility, honing their craft and producing a visionary performance program for Melbourne audiences.
It’s an inspiring time to be joining a unique institution. I look forward to making the case, loudly and internationally, that the cutting-edge of classical music training is here, in Melbourne, at ANAM.”
The rigorous international search for ANAM’s new Managing Director was led by REA Arts + Culture, specialists in executive search for cultural leaders across Australia and New Zealand.