SPCO names new president

Sarah Lutman
Sarah Lutman, senior vice president at Minnesota Public Radio, has been named the new president of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.
MPR Photo

The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra has named Sarah Lutman, a senior vice president at Minnesota Public Radio and American Public Media, as its new president.

Lutman succeeds Bruce Coppock, who retired in July for health reasons.

SPCO Board Chair Erwin Kelen says Lutman's proven leadership skills and classical music knowledge make her the right person to lead the SPCO into the future. Lutman currently serves on the SPCO board.

SPCO President Bruce Coppock
Bruce Coppock retired earlier this year as head of the SPCO, after leading the organization for nine years.
MPR Photo/Karl Gehrke

Lutman says the SPCO position is an opportunity to lead a highly innovative organization in an industry that needs innovation.

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.

Lutman has been at MPR for nine years, the past four in her current position as senior vice president of Content and Media.

Lutman helped launch three new program services at MPR -- Southern California Public Radio, 89.3 The Current and Classical South Florida.

She also earned two Peabody Awards as executive producer of two American Public Media programs, American Mavericks and The MTT Files.

In addition, she led the transfer of two of the country's leading classical music programs, Performance Today and SymphonyCast, to American Public Media.

Previously, Lutman was senior program officer at The Bush Foundation, where she led program development and evaluation in the arts and humanities, public broadcasting, the environment and pre-collegiate education program areas.

Lutman will assume her position with the SPCO in December.