LSO Executive Director Catherine Beeson is thrilled to be entering her second year leading this beautiful organization forward.  

Ms. Beeson comes from a family of educators, musicians, and community builders. She is ceaselessly devoted to the latter, connecting people through community and school residency programs that encourage music composition and performance.

Catherine served as Director of Community & Education Programs for the Colorado Symphony from 2014 – 2018, during which time she oversaw the creation of Sensory Friendly programming, an expanded presence in community venues, a 400% increase in the Very Young Composers program, and increased engagement in school day Youth Concerts.

Catherine also has 25 years of experience with artistic programming, fundraising, marketing, and operations for the Loon Lake Live chamber music series in northern New York.

As a performer, Ms. Beeson has worked with Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, New York City Opera National Company, the Handel-Haydn Society of Austin, the Asian Cultural Council (Tokyo and New York), the Lenape Chamber Ensemble (Philadelphia), Santa Fe Pro Musica, Englewood Arts, Denver Eclectic Concerts, Loon Lake Live, and most recently Ensemble Faucheux. She especially loves collaborating with composers to bring new pieces of music into the world.

A proud former 4-H participant, Catherine spent much of her formative years taking care of various livestock and trying to stay out of trouble. (Little known true fact, Catherine won a trophy for barrel racing in her local east TX rodeo at age 5.)  Fortunately the violin and viola kept her in the practice room and pretty much out of harm’s way. Recently she noted the uncanny similarities between the 4-H pledge and Yo-Yo Ma's assertion that the conductor's baton is an extension of head, heart, and hand. Ms. Beeson attributes her time in 4-H and the adoption of the pledge from a young age to be essential to the formation of her fundamental belief systems.

Believe it or not Catherine has spare time! She loves playing board games, reading, cooking, hanging out with her insanely cool partner and completely amazing kids, making wacky stuff with found objects, having random adventures, and doing just about anything outdoors. She also makes sure to attend the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo at least twice each January so as not to stray too far from her roots.