Blake-Anthony Johnson
Chicago Sinfonietta
May 8, 2020
MACARTHUR AWARD-WINNING ORCHESTRA – CHICAGO SINFONIETTA – ANNOUNCES THE APPOINTMENT OF
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER BLAKE-ANTHONY JOHNSON
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER BLAKE-ANTHONY JOHNSON
The Nation’s Most Diverse Orchestra Welcomes New Executive Leadership
Upon Conclusion of its 32nd year in July
Upon Conclusion of its 32nd year in July
CHICAGO (May 2020) – Heading
into its 33rd year, Chicago
Sinfonietta,
the nation’s most diverse orchestra, today announced the historic
appointment of Blake-Anthony Johnson as Chief Executive Officer. Johnson
will officially replace
Jim Hirsch, who held the position for fifteen years, beginning June 1,
2020. A leader in the classical music industry having worked with
several orchestras and organizations including the New World Symphony,
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and more, Johnson's
multifaceted career to date encompasses work as an administrator,
performer, and educator. An internationally recognized and award-winning
cellist, he started his career in the arts as a professional cellist
performing throughout the U.S. and abroad as an
orchestral musician and soloist.
“We are excited to welcome Blake-Anthony Johnson to the Chicago
Sinfonietta family,” said
Jim Hirsch, outgoing Chief Executive Officer, Chicago
Sinfonietta.
“There are only a few places where we can come together with all of our
differences to celebrate arts and culture and the uniqueness of what
we each bring to the community, and Chicago
Sinfonietta has
always
embraced that notion. I am delighted to pass the baton to Blake-Anthony
as his extensive experience with various orchestral institutions will
help continue pushing Chicago
Sinfonietta’s mission forward.
I look forward to watching how Chicago
Sinfonietta progresses
under his leadership and am confident that the organization will attain great success for many years to come.”
Coming to Chicago
Sinfonietta from
Louisville, Kentucky, Johnson most recently worked as the Louisville
Orchestra Director of Learning & Community. In the role, he was
charged with institutional development, musician advancement and the
organization's efforts in connecting a broad and diverse
audience to symphonic music.
"The Louisville Orchestra family is overjoyed to see Blake-Anthony lead such a prestigious organization as the Chicago
Sinfonietta. His visionary leadership will advance its mission of creating bold and innovative symphonic experiences that will embrace
the broader community,” said John Malloy, Board Chairman,
Louisville Orchestra.
Johnson’s
work focused on the management and reach of the organization’s
programming aimed to increase and enhance the public’s
access to, understanding of and engagement with the orchestra and saw
numerous successes including the opening of Paristown Hall, involvement
on the citywide consortium Violins of Hope Project and more. He was
responsible for 17 education and community engagement
programs which aligned with these efforts.
“I am thrilled to be part of the Chicago
Sinfonietta team,” said Blake-Anthony Johnson, Chief Executive Officer-elect, Chicago
Sinfonietta. “Chicago Sinfonietta is
a national treasure, that over the past 32 seasons has contributed a
great deal to our field and the city of Chicago. The vision of Maestro
Paul Freeman has created an incredible organization that has been
unmatched in the representation and celebration of
equity, diversity and inclusion in a meaningful way. It is a legacy and
tradition that I'm honored to continue with our amazing musicians,
staff, board, and Music Director Mei-Ann Chen.”
Johnson
is an alumnus of the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University,
Cleveland State University and the Manhattan School
of Music. He currently serves on the board of CARES Mentoring Movement
in South Florida and is a member of Sphinx Organizations’ second cohort
of Leaders in Excellence, Arts and Diversity.
“Throughout
the entire search process, I kept thinking about our beloved founder,
and who he would pick to be Jim Hirsch’s successor as Chicago
Sinfonietta's new
CEO. I believe Maestro Freeman would have been very proud
of the choice made by the search committee in selecting Blake-Anthony
Johnson, a rising-star in the orchestra world. Blake-Anthony’s musical
journey, from accomplished professional cellist to orchestra
administrator, his understanding of both the performance
and business sides of an orchestra, and his love for the art, ideally
positions him to guide this one-of-a-kind ensemble into the next chapter
of its history. I am thrilled to have such a partner in Blake-Anthony
and very much look forward to reaching new
heights together!” said Mei-Ann Chen, Music Director, Chicago Sinfonietta.
Since its inception, diversity, inclusion and bold and dynamic programming have been at the center of Chicago
Sinfonietta’s mission. In 2016, Chicago
Sinfonietta was
one of just 14 organizations in the nation
to receive the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions –
the “genius award” for nonprofit organizations. The Sinfonietta was
also selected in 2016 by the Chicago Innovation Awards in recognition of
its innovative approach to programming. Prior
to that, Chicago Sinfonietta was
named by ASCAP as the recipient of the 2011-12 Award for Adventurous
Programming and in 2013 was dubbed, “the city’s hippest orchestra” by
the Chicago Tribune, always embracing the daring programming that has
been part of its history.
"The Chicago
Sinfonietta,
like all performing arts organizations, will require innovation and
creativity to survive and thrive in our ever-changing world.
Fortunately, that is what we’ve
been doing for the last 32 seasons. The appointment of Blake-Anthony
Johnson as our new CEO is simply our next bold move. The board is
thrilled with Johnson’s meteoric rise as an insider in classical music
and arts administration, but we are equally impressed
with his out-of-box, visionary, forward-looking drive to create an even
more diverse, equitable and inclusive world using the power of
symphonic music,” said Scott Hoesman, Board Chair, Chicago
Sinfonietta.
For more information about Chicago
Sinfonietta, please visit www.chicagosinfonietta.org.
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