Anthony Barbir '10

Anthony Barbir '10, deputy director of Silkroad, is among a select cohort of 35 orchestra and arts professionals chosen from the United States and Canada to participate in Essentials of Orchestra Management, the League of American Orchestras’ premier leadership development program. The 10-day seminar, running from July 24 through Aug. 2, is presented in collaboration with Juilliard Extension and will take place at Juilliard’s Lincoln Center Campus.

“The Silkroad family is very proud of Anthony for this outstanding professional achievement,” said Executive Director Kathy Fletcher. “Having known and worked with him for many years, I can honestly say that Anthony is one of the most talented, hard-working, creative, committed and deeply good people that I have ever met. We wish him all the best as he completes this prestigious program and look forward to him sharing his learnings with our team at Silkroad.”

Yo-Yo Ma conceived Silkroad in 1998, recognizing the historical Silk Road as a model for radical cultural collaboration—for the exchange of ideas, tradition and innovation across borders. In an innovative experiment, he brought together musicians from the lands of the Silk Road to co-create a musical language founded in difference, thus creating the foundation of Silkroad: both a touring ensemble comprised of world-class musicians from all over the globe and a social-impact organization working to make a positive impact across borders through the arts.

Today, under the leadership of Artistic Director Rhiannon Giddens, Silkroad leads social impact initiatives and educational programming alongside the creation of new music by the Grammy Award-winning Silkroad Ensemble.

Barbir focuses on overseeing the day-to-day management of Silkroad, ensuring that all its activities are strategically, operationally, and financially sound. He previously served as program & operations manager of Turnaround Arts, an initiative spearheaded by First Lady Michelle Obama based on the premise that high-quality and integrated arts education can address the toughest educational challenges in the country. Barbir led its expansion from a pilot project in eight schools to an exemplary program in over 80 schools in just five years. Under his leadership, Turnaround Arts successfully transitioned from the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

With a background in music and dance, and a passion for social justice, Barbir has diverse management experience in nonprofit and government settings. He previously worked for the Kennedy Center, leading national arts education initiatives. As a musician, Anthony has a passion for participating in local community bands after years of participating in formative band and colorguard activities and serving as a national leader for Tau Beta Sigma, a national honorary band service organization. As a dancer, he has performed and collaborated internationally with Koraci Croatian Folklore Ensemble, the UCLA Bruin Marching Band, the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps, Oni Dance, the Dance Exchange, Daniel Burkholder/The PlayGround, and S. J. Ewing & Dancers.

A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Barbir earned his bachelor's degree in world arts & cultures.