Andre Dowell

HOME | ABOUT | Staff & Faculty | Andre Dowell

Chief Programming Officer

Andre Dowell is a strategic arts administrator and thought leader who helps drive national programming and conversations around diversity in classical music. He currently serves as the Chief Programming Officer for the Sphinx Organization, the nation’s leading arts organization dedicated to transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts. In this role, he oversees all areas of programming. With his organizational career spanning back to 2000, Andre's visionary leadership has propelled the national partner network to encompass over 200 programmatic collaborators, benefiting more than 1,200 alumni, with a digital reach exceeding 100 million people worldwide.

Beyond his role at Sphinx, Andre's outstanding contributions have earned him the distinction of being recognized as one of Musical America's "The Resilient Warriors." Furthermore, he serves as a dedicated board member for prominent organizations, including the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, Third Coast Percussion, River Raisin Ragtime Revue, and the Classical Connections Committee within the Association for Performing Arts Professionals, as well as an Artistic Advisor for Intersection Music.

A native of Trenton, Tennessee, Andre’s music career began with piano lessons at the urging of his mother. Despite his initial reluctance to embrace the craft, it was not long before Andre was transformed by an unshakable love of sound. Driven by a passion for music that crystallized in the Southern Black Baptist Church and school ensembles, he would complete Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Percussion Performance at the University of Michigan. Andre resides in Ypsilanti, Michigan, with his daughter and son, along with an expertly curated collection of bowties.