Lourdes Starr, CEO of Astral Artists

Lourdes Starr, a trained musician with degrees in performance and composition, leads Astral Artists in Philadelphia, with more than 25 years of experience in the classical music world and has a strong track record of supporting highly talented young musicians. Her vast range of expertise in orchestral touring, concert production, special event planning, fundraising, and the creation of digital content including online courses, summer music festivals, and digital arts education, has spanned various administrative roles with the National Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Curtis Institute of Music, and ArtistYear. During her time at Curtis, she co-founded and co-chaired Curtis’ Council for Inclusive Excellence, an initiative that explored and addressed systemic racism in Philadelphia and the classical music industry. Starr was also the driving force behind the Curtis Summer programs, including the highly successful Young Artist Summer Program, Chamber Music for Adults, and Sphinx Performance Academy at Curtis.
In her volunteer work, Starr serves organizations in both the musical and education worlds. For the past 15 years, she has served on the board of directors of Network for New Music, which has been referred to as “the premiere new music organization” in Philadelphia due to its ongoing mission to commission and perform a diversity of new musical works. Previously, she has served board roles for Montessori Schools in Philadelphia and Haddonfield, N.J. Currently, she serves as vice president of the board of trustees for The Greater South Jersey Chorus, of which she is an active member, as well as the board of directors of Appel Farm Arts Center. Previously, Starr served as a contributing member of the strategic planning committee for the Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia, a 200-plus year old institution dedicated to enriching the musical life of Philadelphia through grants, awards, and performances.
In addition, Starr has designed and led workshops on the topic of building racial equity and accessibility within classical music, having presented at national conferences in Detroit, Chicago and Atlanta.
In her volunteer work, Starr serves organizations in both the musical and education worlds. For the past 15 years, she has served on the board of directors of Network for New Music, which has been referred to as “the premiere new music organization” in Philadelphia due to its ongoing mission to commission and perform a diversity of new musical works. Previously, she has served board roles for Montessori Schools in Philadelphia and Haddonfield, N.J. Currently, she serves as vice president of the board of trustees for The Greater South Jersey Chorus, of which she is an active member, as well as the board of directors of Appel Farm Arts Center. Previously, Starr served as a contributing member of the strategic planning committee for the Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia, a 200-plus year old institution dedicated to enriching the musical life of Philadelphia through grants, awards, and performances.
In addition, Starr has designed and led workshops on the topic of building racial equity and accessibility within classical music, having presented at national conferences in Detroit, Chicago and Atlanta.