Wende Persons

Wende Persons, librettist of the opera Patience and Sarah, has spent her career in the performing arts, broadcast, recording, and classical music industries. As Managing Director of the Sorel Charitable Organization, she is working to expand opportunities for women in music. Wende has served as Managing Director of Classical Music Rising, a collaborative project of leading classical public radio stations, Adjunct Professor of Marketing the Performing Arts at NYU’s Steinhardt School, and as Senior Consultant with the NYC-based publicity and digital media marketing agency 21C Media Group. Consulting clients have included Lincoln Center, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, and the classical music retailer ArkivMusic.com. Previously, she was web site manager for WQXR, Senior Director of Marketing for Universal Classics Group, Program Director at WQED-FM in Pittsburgh, and Director of Public Relations and Marketing for Pittsburgh Opera. Born in Buffalo, NY, she holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in music education and English education from SUNY Fredonia and the University of Rochester.