Carnegie Hall has named Allan Sizemore as the new Artistic Director effective in January 2020. Sizemore will replace Lynn Creamer, who has been Artistic Director since 2004, when she retires at the end of 2019.
Sizemore has been with the Hall as Facilities Manager since 2008. He oversaw the recent renovations of the Hamilton Auditorium balcony and is working on plans to renovate the main floor in the spring. During his tenure at the Hall, Sizemore has worked to make the facility more energy efficient and environmentally sound and has completed many major projects, such as installing a new stage floor, improving sound and light equipment and quality, renovating the Dance Studio and Museum Gallery, and creating new galleries in the second floor hallway and the Board Room.
In addition, Sizemore is an accomplished musician who has performed around the country for more than 30 years. He performs solo as BlacKing Coal and has been a member of groups such as the Wild Rumpus and Rust Kings. He has performed at Merlefest, Bristol Rhythm & Roots, Americana Music Festival, and Lowell Folk Festival. He is an experienced sound technician and recording engineer who has operated his own studio since 1991.
Sizemore was a founding member of the Americana Music Association, working to establish Americana as a musical genre and planning the Americana Music Festival in Nashville. He also has owned and operated Rust Kings Enterprises, an entertainment management and booking company since 1993.
As Artistic Director Sizemore will be responsible for contracting with artists to perform at Carnegie Hall for Mainstage, Ivy Terrace, and special event concerts. He also will program three art galleries, where Carnegie Hall presents more than 20 exhibits a year.
Carnegie Hall is a nonprofit organization supported by individual contributions, grants, and fundraising efforts such as TOOT and The Carnegie Hall Gala. The Hall is located at 611 Church Street, Lewisburg, West Virginia.