KEYS announces search for new Executive Director, founder Rob Silvan to become Artistic Director

The Board of Directors of KEYS (Kids Empowered by Your Support), a nonprofit organization providing free music education to children in Bridgeport, CT, is excited to announce that it has launched a search to hire a new Executive Director.

According to Board Chair, Russ Cooper: “As KEYS plans for expanded growth in its program and enrollment, now is the time to hire a full-time Executive Director. It is a great opportunity for a passionate and motivated individual to lead KEYS into the next phase of growth by increasing fundraising capability, expanding its presence in the Bridgeport community, and ensuring that the needed infrastructure support is in place to meet future programmatic objectives.”

Since its start in 2004, KEYS has provided an essential part of education that many Bridgeport school children are denied because of arts-starved public-school budgets and limited family financial resources. KEYS is the only organization in Bridgeport that works on-site in public schools giving free one-to-one music lessons to students during the school day. KEYS also provides instruments for students to use while enrolled in the program. Over the years, the program has expanded its offerings to include Saturday group ensembles in band, chorus, jazz, and orchestra as well as summer camps.

We are delighted that KEYS Founder and current Executive Director, Rob Silvan, will continue with KEYS in a new role as Artistic Director, responsible for the program’s pedagogy, the teacher-student-family relationship, and the overall quality of instruction and performance.

As founder, Silvan established a strong music program that has touched many.  He has led an organization that has a firm foundation in the community. Under Silvan’s tenure, KEYS has built a solid reserve fund and a strong base of ongoing financial support from grantors and individual donors. 

According to Silvan: “Music is all about relationships: between musicians, between musicians and audience, and maybe the deepest one, between student and teacher. The power of music is how it can facilitate the connections between people. That has always been the spirit of KEYS: the joy of mutual music making.  That’s how it started, and that’s how it continues. As Artistic Director, I will remain connected to the organization, teachers, students, and the families. I have great faith that the organization is going to successfully gain inspiring new leadership. I hope you all connect with this new person as closely and with the same goodwill as you have connected with me.”

The Board of Directors is working closely with the executive search firm DHC Search, led by David Hinsley Cheng.

 Candidates interested in the Executive Director position are advised to contact david@dhcsearch.com.