Sarah Wass

Biography

Sarah Wass is a nonprofit leader, award-winning arts educator, and active professional musician with more than 20 years of experience in the performing arts.  She joined The Industry in January 2025 as Deputy Director.

Sarah was Executive Director of Brightwork newmusic from 2021 – 2025 where she worked alongside other artists to produce and execute their creative vision while leading all operational, marketing, fundraising, and strategic growth initiatives. She also curated several concerts on Brightwork’s Tuesdays @ Monk Space series, including celebrations of Yoko Ono and George Crumb and a music and food event where she prepared a four-course meal for the audience. She served in various leadership roles with the Harmony Project from 2009-2020.

Sarah has created and implemented innovative curricula that help students of all ages achieve their full potential through artistic expression and in this capacity has worked with Kadima Conservatory, the LA Phil, Los Angeles Youth Orchestra, and Oakwood School. She has been an artist-in-residence at Stanford University; University of Surrey, UK; Dartington International Summer School, and Cal State Summer Arts Festival and has guest lectured at USC, CSUN, and UCLA.

In addition to performing in three past Industry productions, she has performed with Brightwork Ensemble, Wild Up, International Contemporary Ensemble, and on the Ojai Festival, Hear Now Festival, and Monday Evening Concerts, and can be heard on Bridge Records. Sarah holds a BM from Oberlin Conservatory and an MFA from California Institute of the Arts. She lives in Silver Lake with her family and various rescue animals.