Symphony appoints new director

Sharon Rifelli has been appointed director of development and marketing for the Los Angeles region of the New West Symphony.

Rifelli will work with the Los Angeles region board of directors and Peter Van Name, regional vice president, to raise funds for the symphony and develop the audience for the Masterpiece concert series at the Wadsworth Theatre in Brentwood.

Rifelli succeeds Carl Schurtz, who has accepted a position with ArtsMarketing Inc. of Toronto, Canada. Schurtz has been managing the development of the symphony's program and audience at the Wadsworth Theatre since its debut on the Westside in January 2006.

The New West Symphony is the resident orchestra at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center, the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza in Thousand Oaks and the Wadsworth Theatre in Brentwood.