Blake-Anthony Johnson was named CEO of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation in October 2024. His accolades include the Titan Awards 2025, recognition on the New Orleans CityBusiness 2025 New Executives Power List, and a feature in The New Orleans 500, an annual publication from Biz New Orleans highlighting the business leaders shaping the region’s economy. Previous honors include the 2023 Harvard Business School Club Chicago Fellowship, the 2023 Black Men in Excellence Award, MusicalAmerica.com’s 2022 Top 30 Professionals, Crain’s Chicago Business 40 Under 40 (2022), Chicago Tribune’s 2022 Chicagoan of the Year in Classical Music, the 2022 Brevard Music Center Distinguished Alumni Award, the Chicago Urban League 2022 Impact Fellowship (awarded by The University of Chicago Booth School of Business), and the 2022 Chicago Community Trust Daniel Burnham Fellowship (awarded by Leadership Greater Chicago). He has also received multiple proclamations from the City of Chicago for his civic and cultural service.

Recognized as a “business heavyweight” by Crain’s Chicago Business, Johnson has extended the artistic, commercial, and technological boundaries of cultural institutions through creative leadership and innovation. With a focus on community-centric, multi-disciplinary, and educational initiatives, he has been applauded for his civic engagement and transformational leadership. He was the first African American executive to lead a nationally renowned orchestra and has served on numerous national boards, including The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, League of American Orchestras, and Vanderbilt University Dean’s Advisory Circle.

From 2020 to 2024, Johnson was President & CEO of Chicago Sinfonietta, a cultural leader in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Under his leadership, the orchestra expanded its reach, launched an Artist-in-Residence initiative, strengthened the Freeman Fellowship program, and secured the historic Auditorium Theatre as its home venue. He introduced the nationally acclaimed Pay-What-You-Can Program, praised by The New York Times and widely adopted by other classical organizations. Additionally, he guided the organization through its first major tour in over a decade, significantly expanding its national profile and funding base.

During his tenure in Chicago, Johnson also served as Co-Chair of the City of Chicago’s Cultural Advisory Council, influencing arts policy and expanding access to cultural programming. He participated in international trade and cultural diplomacy through the City of Chicago’s Tokyo-Osaka delegation and served as Chair of the Toronto Sister City Committee. He was a board member for The Sir Georg Solti Foundation U.S. and a committee member for World Business Chicago, focusing on economic and cultural development.

Before transitioning into arts administration, Johnson had a distinguished career as a cellist, performing globally as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral principal. He has appeared with ensembles such as the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Nashville Symphony, Chineke! Orchestra, and Sinfonietta Polonia. He has recorded works by Richard Danielpour, Claudio Gabriele, and Poul Ruders, and has been featured on NPR’s “From the Top” and “What Makes It Great?” broadcasts. His musician-specific accolades include the World Competition Audience Choice Award, MTNA Young Artist Competition, Daniel Rains Concerto Competition, and Brevard Music Festival Concerto Competition.

A passionate advocate for education, Johnson founded the Classical Cake concert series and the Music Education for Youth Initiative, fostering arts engagement in underserved communities. His arts administration career included roles as Director of Learning and Community for the Louisville Orchestra and advisory positions with organizations such as Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute and El Sistema.
Johnson holds a Bachelor of Music from Vanderbilt University, a Master of Music from Cleveland State University, and a Professional Studies Certificate from Manhattan School of Music. He trained under distinguished mentors including Felix Wang, Bryan Dumm, and Alan Harrell.
As a speaker and facilitator, Johnson has delivered closing remarks at the Collision Conference (Toronto Stock Exchange) and spoken at the League of American Orchestras’ National and Mid-Winter Conferences.

A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Johnson remains committed to the intersection of arts, education, and community impact.