Announcing the Next Executive Director of Brookline Music School
August 2, 2023
A Message from the Board of Directors
Dear BMS Community,
On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am delighted to announce the appointment of David Tierney as the next Executive Director of the Brookline Music School. David will begin his tenure on August 24, 2023, as our beloved Betsy Frauenthal winds down her decade of service as the Executive Director.
David is currently Head of School at the Cambridge Friends School, a Quaker Pre-K through Grade 8 independent day school in Cambridge, MA, a position he has held since 2018. He arrived at CFS charged with the task of steering the long-standing school to a position of strength, a goal he accomplished on all fronts; he bolstered their strategy, grew enrollment, enhanced their curriculum, enriched their finances and supported faculty cohesion. At CFS, David showed his leadership capabilities and led the school as it became a vibrant place of learning.
From 1992 through 2018, David was a deeply loved and highly successful teacher and leader at the Rivers School Conservatory, the community music school of the Rivers School in Weston, MA. During his 26-year tenure at Rivers, he was the Director of the RSC, the Chair of the Performing Arts Department of the Rivers School and the Director of the Summer Programs. He expanded enrollment and offerings, and he fostered excellence in teaching, helping Rivers to become one of the most sought after school-based and community music programs in the area. He also had the foresight and dynamism to secure funding for and champion the building of a 15,000 square foot, state-of-the-art music and performance facility.
When we met David, we realized immediately that his sparkle and success were a perfect fit for the next chapter for Brookline Music School. His references described him as a “wonderful man” and “excellent administrator,” as a “remarkable leader because he values his faculty,” and “amazing with kids and students.” One reference hoped that “Brookline knows that they are getting a treasure.”
In recruiting David to lead BMS, the Search Committee, staff and faculty participating in candidate interviews were struck by his expansive knowledge, his humor, and his ease of communication. While he visited BMS, we were able to show David the strengths of our school, including our mission to bring the joy of learning, playing, and listening to music to Brookline and beyond. David recognizes that as BMS enters its 100th year we must be ready to open our doors to more students, expand our curriculum to reflect a more diverse community of music learners and listeners, celebrate our centennial far and wide, and, most importantly, share the joy of music within the BMS community and beyond our walls.
We are confident that David is just the person to lead the way.
Warmly,
Susan Laster
A Message from David Tierney
Dear Brookline Music School Community,
Many years ago, when I began my career at The Rivers School Conservatory, then known as The Music School at Rivers, Brookline Music School was an icon in the community music school world. The School's deep roots in its community, commitment to excellence in music, outstanding faculty, and visionary leadership were models my peers and I sought to duplicate in our own schools. I can't begin to describe the honor of being asked to become your next Executive Director.
I am eager to work with the distinguished faculty, staff, and Board of Directors to continue to provide exceptional private instruction, transformative classes, and outstanding performance opportunities for the BMS community. As the School prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary, it will be my privilege to work with this community to shape BMS' foundation for its second century. A music school's benefits to a community are significant, but the value of a venerable institution like Brookline Music School is inestimable.
I'll be at School starting on August 24. While the new school year is looming and my orientation will be intense, feel free to email, call, or drop by. I look forward to getting to know all of you and continuing the great work Brookline Music School has been doing for nearly 100 years!
Gratefully,
David J. Tierney
