Alumni Spotlight: Richard Chwastiak '11 MM
Richard Chwastiak is Director of Cape Symphony Presents at Cape Arts + Entertainment in West Barnstable, Massachusetts, where he leads the organization's concert presenting and booking division as a strategic growth platform within a legacy cultural institution. Since launching Cape Symphony Presents in 2022, he has expanded programming across more than two dozen venues throughout Cape Cod, introduced thousands of new audience members to the organization, and positioned the division as a meaningful contributor to earned revenue diversification and long-term institutional resilience.
His work centers on building scalable presenting models that strengthen audience development pipelines while expanding geographic reach. Through cross-sector partnerships with hospitality, civic, and community leaders, he has advanced an entrepreneurial framework that complements the Symphony's core artistic offerings and supports sustained multi-year growth.
In addition to his institutional leadership, Rich is Founder and Executive Producer of Weekend Escape Plan Inc., a nonprofit creative platform producing curated cultural experiences including sunset boat parties, vinyl listening lounges, and site-responsive music events. Weekend Escape Plan blends electronic music culture with place-based storytelling, cultivating new audiences and fostering cultural exchange across Cape Cod.
Rich began his career as a classically trained percussionist, earning degrees from the University of Miami and NEC, before spending over a decade in the New York City music industry focused on entrepreneurship, digital strategy, and audience engagement. He is a graduate of the Global Leaders Institute's Global Arts MBA program, participated in the League of American Orchestras' Essentials of Orchestra Management Program as part of the 2026 cohort, and is a graduate of the Institute for Nonprofit Practice's Core Program.
Why did you choose NEC?
I came to NEC to study percussion. I left understanding how to build a career. Studying with Will Hudgins was a defining factor. But equally compelling was Boston itself, a city where orchestras, experimental art, and underground music collide. NEC felt like a place where tradition and disruption could coexist. I wanted rigorous training. What I found was permission to imagine a bigger creative life.
What have you been up to since graduating from NEC? What projects have you been working on? Do you have any goals you are looking to accomplish?
After NEC, I spent more than a decade in New York City as a touring and studio musician while working in A&R and digital media strategy within the music industry. I gained firsthand insight into how art and business intersect.
During the pandemic, I transitioned into arts leadership. I now serve as Director of Cape Symphony Presents at Cape Arts + Entertainment in West Barnstable, Massachusetts. I lead the organization's concert presenting and booking division as a strategic growth platform within a legacy institution. Since launching the division in 2022, we have expanded programming across more than two dozen venues on Cape Cod, introduced thousands of new audience members, and built meaningful earned revenue streams that strengthen long-term sustainability.
I am also a graduate of the Global Leaders Institute's Global Arts MBA program and participated in the League of American Orchestras' Essentials of Orchestra Management Program as part of the 2026 cohort.
In parallel, I am Founder and Executive Producer of Weekend Escape Plan Inc., a nonprofit creative platform producing curated cultural experiences including sunset boat parties, vinyl listening lounges, and site-responsive music events. The work blends electronic music culture with place-based storytelling, cultivating new audiences while strengthening regional creative infrastructure.
My broader goal is to help reimagine how cultural institutions operate by building entrepreneurial models that expand access, diversify revenue, and anchor institutions more deeply in their communities.
What are some of your favorite memories from your time at NEC?
My lessons with Will were transformational. We dissected orchestral repertoire with precision, but we also talked about vision, leadership, and the long game of a musical life. Performing my master's recital in Jordan Hall remains unforgettable, especially bringing a full fife and drum ensemble onstage for the finale. Premiering William Kraft's Concerto for Timpani and Orchestra (Wind Ensemble Reduction) with the NEC Wind Ensemble under Charles Peltz was another milestone. Working with Gunther Schuller expanded my understanding of what artistic leadership could look like.
NEC also ignited my entrepreneurial instincts. I learned how to DJ and threw a rave in Brown Hall. With grant support from the Entrepreneurial Musicianship department, I co-created Acoustica Electronica, an immersive experience blending electronic and classical music, dance, circus arts, opera, and nightclub culture. The project ran for nine years with sold-out performances in Boston and New York, headlining venues such as House of Yes, Le Poisson Rouge, and OBERON.
At NEC, I realized classical training did not have to limit creative expression. It could fuel it.
Share a story about one of your favorite faculty or studio instructors.
Electronic Percussion with Steve Wilkes opened a door I did not expect. While others saw it as a requirement, I became fascinated with MIDI programming and the integration of electronics into acoustic performance.
Steve encouraged that curiosity. Even more impactful was the response from my primary teacher, Will Hudgins. Although electronics were not his specialty, he supported my exploration fully. That trust allowed me to expand without feeling like I was stepping away from my foundation.
That moment reshaped my career trajectory. NEC made space for discovery.
How have your NEC experiences shaped your artistic approach?
NEC taught me to pair excellence with curiosity. It reinforced that rigor and experimentation are not opposing forces.
Most importantly, it showed me that creative careers are rarely linear. The skills you develop in one arena often become the leverage point in another. That mindset continues to shape how I build programs, partnerships, and long-term strategy today.
Share any other stories about what has inspired you at NEC and beyond.
Lean into the Entrepreneurial Musicianship department. Understanding the ecosystem you are entering is power.
Stay connected to alumni. Stay open to unexpected intersections. And if your work brings you near Cape Cod, reach out. Through Cape Symphony Presents and Weekend Escape Plan, I am always looking to collaborate with artists who are ready to expand what music can be.
NEC did more than refine my musicianship. It expanded my definition of what a musical life could look like.
Do you have any advice for young musicians/current NEC students?
Think in portfolios, not paths.
The strongest creative careers today are built from multiple reinforcing streams of skill and experience. At NEC, I resisted narrowing myself to a single outcome. I explored orchestral performance, electronics, entrepreneurship, immersive production, and community engagement.
That range is now my competitive advantage. Build depth. But build breadth alongside it.
Learn More About Richard:
Current Job: Director of Cape Symphony Presents at Cape Arts + Entertainment; Founder and Executive Producer of Weekend Escape Plan Inc.
Degree: Master of Music
Class Year: 2011
Major: Percussion Performance
Instrument: Percussion
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