After a rigorous nationwide search, the Yale School of Music is pleased to announce that Erica Haskell, Ph.D., has been appointed Managing Director, effective early summer 2026.
Haskell is a seasoned arts administrator whose most recent accomplishment includes launching a new school of performing arts at the Rochester Institute of Technology as its inaugural Director. As part of that role, Haskell oversaw more than 2,000 students, 13 tenure-track and full-time faculty, 21 adjunct faculty, and nine staff members, and opened several performing arts venues, including the Sklarsky Glass Box Theater and the four-story RIT Performing Arts Center. During her tenure, she directed the theatre, music, dance, and technical theatre curriculum, as well as over 100 performing arts events, concerts, and productions.
Prior to breaking ground on a new school at RIT, Haskell served as the Oskar Schindler Humanities Endowed Professor, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Chair of the Division of Performing Arts at the University of New Haven. She holds a Ph.D. and a master’s degree in ethnomusicology from Brown University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in music performance from Mills College, California. In her scholarly work, she has explored the politics of music, applied ethnomusicology, and the involvement of international humanitarian organizations in cultural events and projects in Bosnia-Herzegovina. In addition to her written publications and curatorial work, Haskell produced several visual podcasts with her students about Congolese refugee musicians living in Connecticut.
“Erica’s appointment is a proud moment for all of us,” says José García-León, the Henry and Lucy Moses Dean of the Yale School of Music. “Her experience and energy reinforce the School of Music’s commitment to preparing students for the future, and towards building a vibrant community.”
In addition to her work in higher education, Haskell is also the co-founder of Free Dirt Records, an independent, artist-centric record label based in Washington, D.C., featuring such trailblazing artists as Cinder Well, Jake Blount, Pokey LaFarge, Anna & Elizabeth, Melissa Carper, and Che Apalache. Several of the label’s artists have been nominated for Grammy Awards, and releases have been covered by The Boston Globe, Billboard, No Depression, NPR, and The Guardian.
“I am truly honored by this exceptional opportunity to serve as Managing Director of the Yale School of Music,” says Haskell. “It is a privilege to join Dean José García-León, the exceptionally skilled staff, and the renowned faculty in their commitment to the artistic excellence of such dedicated students. As we work together to advance the School’s mission, preparing graduate-level performers and composers for leadership in music and in society, I look forward to helping ensure that their creativity, curiosity, and vision continue to shape the world.”