Orpheus Male Chorus Hires First Executive Director in its 95 Year History
Mitra Khazai has served numerous valley non-profits for more than 30 years
Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix has appointed its first Executive Director, Mitra Khazai, a nonprofit, education and choral leader to steer the Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix. “We are thrilled to welcome Mitra Khazai to our Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix family. With Mitra’s addition to our already outstanding team of artists and choristers, our patrons and supporters will be blessed with an exciting 96th season,” said Nick Reid, Orpheus Board Chair.
Khazai brings great passion and understanding of choral music to Orpheus, as well as a full suite of non-profit executive management skills, including business development, board governance, marketing strategy and fundraising. Mitra previously served as the Phoenix Boys Choir’s Executive Director, leading the organization successfully through the pandemic. She is a founder of Family Promise – Greater Phoenix and currently serves as an honorary board member.
She has served as a public servant and nonprofit executive for most of her professional life. Throughout her career, she has focused on creating and reimagining innovative and sustainable organizations that serve a higher good. She has run a variety of performing arts, social service and environmental non-profits, and supported them as a consultant and board member over the past 30 years. She holds a BA from Northwestern University.
“Serving a legacy community choir that not only creates beautiful music but also provides an impactful community for the choristers we serve is the magical meeting of voices and space. I’ve heard from countless Orpheus patrons about the magic they experience attending an Orpheus concert. I am deeply passionate about introducing more people to this transformative art form and supporting our talented artistic staff and choristers,” said Ms. Khazai.
The strategic decision to create the first full-time executive director position for Orpheus followed a strategic planning process designed to support the long term sustainability of the Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix as it approaches its 100th anniversary in 2029. Khazai and Artistic Director Dr. Brook Larson will lead the Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix as it presents its 2024-2025 Season: A Choral Celebration. Tickets are already on sale for their highly anticipated holiday series: Holidays with Orpheus. Concerts will be held December 8, 10 and 15; visit www.orpheus.org for tickets and information.
Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix is the longest continuously performing choral arts organization in Arizona. The over nine-decade history of the Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix encompasses more than a thousand performances in a variety of venues, both in the United States and abroad. Orpheus has performed in Mexico, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and ten European countries, as well as many cities in the United States, including Honolulu and recorded numerous albums. In 1964, the group was given the designation Arizona Cowboy Ambassadors by Governor Paul Fannin. During its history, the roster of choristers has numbered well over a thousand since the group’s humble beginnings at the close of 1929.