Brent Assink served as executive director of the San Francisco Symphony for 18 years, a term during which the symphony significantly grew its artistic profile and community engagement.  His creative partnership with then-Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas produced celebrated projects such as the American Mavericks festivals, the Keeping Score multi-media series and SFS Media, the first orchestra-run record label in the U.S.

Brent joined the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra’s artistic operations department in 1981. Six years later, he became the SPCO manager, and in 1995, its president.  He is currently the interim president of the Minnesota Orchestra, while it searches for a permanent president/CEO.