Nora Nevin, president of the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society, has announced the appointment of Douglas Finn as its new executive director. Mr. Finn succeeds Jane Coakley, who assumed the post in 2011.

According to a press release, Mr. Finn comes to the Island’s classical music organization from a varied background in education and administration. Prior to his move to the Vineyard, he was executive director, then Interim town administrator, for the town of Deerfield. Prior to that he was manager for Frontier Community Access Television, also in Deerfield.

Raised in Northampton, Mr. Finn attended Greenfield Community College, Eastern New Mexico University, and Keene State College in New Hampshire, focusing on studies in music and film. During this time, Mr. Finn produced short to medium-length films and documentaries.

Mr. Finn was on the faculty at Turners Falls High School as a film studies teacher, and served as technical support staff and “Tributary Education” teacher at Four Corners charter school in Greenfield. Later he became manager of Frontier Community Access Television, growing that organization in budget and scope, and providing public education and training in community media and film.

Mr. Finn is a composer in his own right, having written dozens of compositions. Influenced by contemporary styles, he has recently focused on instrumental music scored for electronic instruments.

A lifelong follower of cinema, Mr. Finn was pleased to put these two disciplines together in 2012 by completing a full-length film documenting the history of Chesterfield, in celebration of that town’s 250th anniversary. He also composed the score for that film.

In 2002, Mr. Finn married Beckie Scotten, who was raised on the Vineyard. Together they spent 14 years off-Island, but now reside on Seth’s Pond in West Tisbury. Mrs. Finn serves as environmental coordinator for the natural resources department of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah).

In his spare time, Mr. Finn enjoys working on small woodworking projects (he recently completed a skin-on-frame kayak), building stone walls, and riding throughout New England on his 1995 Harley Davidson.

Mr. Finn’s first major project as executive director will be the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society’s Thanksgiving concert on Saturday, Nov. 26, at 7:30 pm at the Old Whaling Church in Edgartown. For more information about this concert, or the 2017 Summer Festival, call 508-696-8055, or visit mvcms.org.