Friends of BAAM

Friends of BAAM is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to supporting the Berlin Academy of American Music (BAAM) orchestra in Berlin, Germany. Our mission is to champion American classical music on the global stage by funding concerts, educational programs, musical exchanges, and international tours.

We make it easy for American supporters and members of the BAAM transatlantic community to contribute through tax-deductible donations.

With active communities in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, and New York, Friends of BAAM offers opportunities to connect with fellow music lovers and travel enthusiasts who share a passion for cultural exchange and global engagement.

By supporting Friends of BAAM, you're helping to promote a positive, dynamic representation of American music and culture around the world.

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Supporters

Board Members

"We Believe in the Power of Music to Connect Us"

Conductor and Founder of BAAM, Garrett Keast has received worldwide attention for his ability to create galvanizing and soul stirring experiences in concert halls and opera houses. Praised for “leaving audiences hungry for more” (Basler Zeitung), the Berlin-based conductor is recognized for his broad repertoire experience and for his American focus with his Berlin Academy of American Music, a professional orchestra founded during the pandemic that focuses on American repertoire. Keast is consistently admired for the enthusiasm and synergy he builds with musicians and audiences.

Keast began his career in New York as Associate Conductor of the New York City Opera before launching his career in Europe with engagements at the Paris Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Oper Bonn, and the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester. Today, he regularly appears at venues including Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Brussel’s BOZAR, the Staatsoper Hamburg, the Aspen Music Festival, Theater an der Wien, and Festspielhaus Baden-Baden. Described as drawing out “refined and concentrated playing” with “assured sensitivity” (Financial Times), Keast has conducted performances with orchestras such as the Tonkünstler Orchester Vienna, Deutsches Sinfonie-Orchester Berlin, Borusan Philharmonic Orchestra, Belgian National Orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony, the San Antonio Symphony, and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.

Garrett Keast, Board President

Board of Directors

Jonathan Dawe

Jonathan Dawe is a groundbreaking composer and longtime faculty member at The Juilliard School, known for his inventive fusion of historical styles with modernist techniques and fractal-based composition. Hailed for his “quirky, fascinating modernist variations on earlier styles” (Boston Globe) and “music of such vitality and drama” (New York Times), Dawe has received commissions from prestigious ensembles including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, and the New York New Music Ensemble. His accolades include awards from the Copland Fund, Koussevitzky Foundation, Fromm Foundation, and the American Academy of Arts and Letters. A Boston native, he studied at Oberlin and Juilliard, where he continues to serve on the composition faculty. His work is consistently recognized for pushing creative boundaries while drawing inspiration from the deep traditions of Western music. (jonathandawe.com)

Amy Harris

Amy Harris is a Berlin-based soprano and project manager whose career bridges both performance and classical music administration. Originally from San Diego, she holds degrees in Music and Comparative Literature from the University of California, Davis, and a Master of Music from the Longy School of Music. Her background includes administrative and event management roles at top institutions such as Harvard Medical School, Stanford University, and MIT. Since relocating to Berlin, she has brought her organizational expertise to the Berlin Academy of American Music.

As a vocalist, Amy has earned praise for her expressive and refined interpretations in roles such as Juliette (Roméo et Juliette), Despina (Così fan tutte), Donna Elvira and Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), Mimì (La bohème), and Micaëla (Carmen).

Jerry Harris is a San Diego–based attorney specializing in tax and real estate, as well as an active real estate investor. He and his wife live in San Diego with their two teenage children. In addition to his professional work, Jerry is deeply committed to community service, particularly in support of individuals with developmental disabilities and the elderly. He currently serves as Treasurer for both the Foundation for the Developmentally Disabled and Friends of BAAM.

Jerry is also the founder and former chairman of Sports for Exceptional Athletes, a nonprofit that provides recreational and social opportunities for children and adults with developmental disabilities. His past leadership roles include chairing the San Diego Meditation Center, the Balboa Park/Morley Field Recreation Council, and the San Diego Table Tennis Association.

Jerry L. Harris

Sondra Kitchen

Sondra Kitchen is the owner and director of SAK Art Group, a New York–based art consultancy specializing in contemporary and modern art. Active in the art market since 1998, she previously served as a Photography Specialist and North American Representative for the Villa Grisebach Auction House before founding her own firm in 2005. Her work spans book publishing, art library curation, acquisitions, appraisals, collections management, and exhibition curation, with a focus on German Expressionism, African contemporary art, and 20th/21st-century photography. Committed to the belief that art should be accessible and collected with personal passion, she has served on the board of Black and White Project Space and co-edited notable publications including Making Tracks: The Complete Tracks and Made in Tampa Clay Pieces of Robert Rauschenberg. Sondra lives in New York City and frequently travels to Africa to engage directly with artists and cultural leaders.

Ken Meltzer

Ken Meltzer is a writer, educator, and consultant with decades of experience enriching the classical music landscape. He served as Program Annotator and pre-concert host for both the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and has been a familiar voice on classical radio through his work with WBJC (Baltimore), WQED (Pittsburgh), and AM-1690 (Atlanta). As a narrator, Ken has appeared with major orchestras in works such as Peter and the Wolf, The Soldier’s Tale, A Lincoln Portrait, and The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. His program notes have been featured on recordings across multiple major labels, and he has advised symphonies and music festivals nationwide. A regular contributor to Fanfare Magazine and Early Music America, Ken now lives in Los Angeles with his wife and their three rescue dogs. In his spare time, he volunteers with animal rescue groups, cycles, and plays golf.

Dawn Wensel is a Senior Development Officer at the Sharp HealthCare Foundation. Dawn has more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit management and fundraising at local and national organizations across the US. She has had the privilege of working alongside nonprofit founders, CEOs and Executive Directors, building development teams from the ground up. As a former public school teacher, Dawn is passionate about education in all of its different forms and considers herself a lifelong learner. Dawn has been recognized for her leadership: 2022 Bank of America Emerging Leader; and finalist for LEAD San Diego’s 2021 Herbert G. Klein Memorial Award for Exemplary Leadership. More recently, she secured $2 million from MacKenzie Scott's Yield Giving Open Call as VP of Development at Reality Changers. In her free time, Dawn enjoys exploring San Diego and spending time outdoors with her husband and miniature schnauzer.

Dawn Wensel