Andrew Ousley (born 1983) is an entrepreneur and

creative professional A creative professional who is also known as a creative specialist is a person who is employed for the extraction of skills in creative endeavors. Creative professions include writing, art, design, theater, television, radio, motion pictures, rela ...

, best known as the founder and

artistic director An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre or dance company, who handles the organization's artistic direction. They are generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the ...

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...

and opera concert series

The Crypt Sessions ''The Crypt Sessions'' is a classical music concert series that takes place in the crypt of the Church of the Intercession in Harlem, New York City. Created by Andrew Ousley of Unison Media, The Crypt Sessions debuted on November 4, 2015, with Am ...

Early life and education

Ousley was born in New York City, United States, in 1983. He was introduced to opera by his mother, Mary Ousley, at the age of 16.

Career

In 2015, Ousley founded Unison Media, a public relations and marketing firm. While scouting locations for unconventional performance spaces, Ousley discovered a Crypt Chapel underneath the Church of the Intercession. By the end of 2015, Ousley launched the initial performances of The Crypt Sessions, a classical music concert series held in the Crypt. Ousley has continued to present musical performances at The Church of the Intercession in Manhattan and Green-Wood Cemetery in, with notable invited artists such as The New York Philharmonic, violinist Gil Shaham, opera tenor Lawrence Brownlee, and pianist

Conrad Tao Conrad Yiwen Tao (born June 11, 1994) is an American composer and pianist and former violinist. Tao's piano and violin performances since childhood brought him early recognition at music festivals and competitions. At age 13, he was featured on t ...

. The Crypt Sessions, an ongoing classical music concert series performed in the crypt of the Church of the Intercession, was launched by Ousley on November 4, 2015, with American composer and pianist

. In 2018, Ousley launched the Angel's Share, a series of opera and chamber music concerts taking place in the Catacombs of the Green-Wood cemetery. Since 2020, the music concerts have been organized through Ousley's nonprofit company, the Death of Classical.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ousley, Andrew Living people 1983 births American businesspeople Opera directors American artistic directors American music industry executives People from Manhattan