The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, one of the region’s cultural giants, has announced a new chief development officer.
Monica Meyer Beale, who worked for the Pittsburgh Symphony from 2007-2014 in education and community programs as well as the marketing department, will return as senior vice president and chief development officer on April 15. She trained as an oboe and English horn player at West Virginia University, where she also studied arts administration, and later earned a master of business administration degree from Waynesburg University.
Along with president and CEO Melia Tourangeau, Beale will be responsible for heading the orchestra’s fundraising efforts and continuing to grow its donor base, a critical role for the $34 million organization as expenses continue to rise faster than revenues.
Most recently, Beale served as the vice president of advancement at the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, where she secured $15 million in contributed revenue. She has also worked at the Virginia Symphony Orchestra as interim executive director, where she oversaw a 43% increase in ticket and subscription revenue for the organization’s $7 million budget.
“Returning to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is more than a professional milestone; it's a homecoming,” Beale, whose mother also worked for the PSO in 1971 when the orchestra moved into Heinz Hall, said in a statement.
“Growing up here, attending PSO concerts wasn't just entertainment; it was a transformative experience that ignited my lifelong passion for music.”
The previous person to have the role was Mary Anne Talotta, who was hired in 2020 and left in 2024 to become chief advancement officer at Carnegie Mellon University.
Jeremy Reynolds: jreynolds@post-gazette.com. His work at the Post-Gazette is supported in part by a grant from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Getty Foundation and Rubin Institute.
First Published: March 20, 2025, 7:36 p.m.
