Skip to content

Ben Dietschi

Senior Consultant
DeVos Institute of Arts Management - Washington, DC

Ben Dietschi is a senior consultant with the DeVos Institute of Arts Management, where he assists arts and culture organizations in reaching their full potential. Prior to joining the institute, Ben served as Executive Director of Soundstreams, Canada’s leading contemporary music and opera producer.

What's an emerging opportunity that can be developed in the classical music performance world / how can classical music expand its impact in the present moment?

I can’t imagine a more exciting time to be bringing masterworks to life. The array of cultural and artistic perspectives in our global community is breathtaking. I think that the classical music scene could be more adventurous and provocative about exploring diverse contexts, placing works in conversation with other cultures, genres, aesthetics, and periods of history. In doing so, we receive a multifaceted artistic and audience experience

How does your institution reflect the values of the AVANT initiative in general, and/or the IMPACT PERFORMANCE competition in particular?

At the Institute we are deep advocates for bold, transformational art. We believe that creative practice is an essential expression of the dignity, aspirations, and achievements of individuals, communities, and societies.  Personally, my work has always been fueled by a desire to identify and amplify adventurous music-making which expands individual horizons and spurs cultural innovation and evolution.

What would you say to an artist considering applying to the IMPACT PERFORMANCE innovation competition?

Striving for excellence and individuality in an artform with centuries of history can be daunting. Nurture a sound that emerges from the idiosyncrasies of your lived experience. You are informed by the canon, but should be unapologetic about drawing from your intersectional identity and the modern moment and in spinning your craft.