Jean Davidson

Jean Davidson assumed the role of Executive Director of the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center on April 1, 2023. Previously, she served as president & CEO of the Los Angeles Master Chorale from 2015 to 2019, overseeing a period of significant growth with the organization’s budget expanding by over 50%. Under her leadership, the Chorale achieved new heights in contributed and earned revenue and launched new innovative international touring initiatives. Davidson spearheaded a successful rebranding effort in 2016, reinforcing the organization’s core values while fostering artistic innovation and audience engagement.

Prior to her tenure at the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Davidson held pivotal leadership roles in the arts sector. As founding chief executive of New York Live Arts, she orchestrated the merger between the Bill T. Jones / Arnie Zane Dance Company and Dance Theater Workshop, resulting in the establishment of a prominent interdisciplinary performance center in Chelsea, New York City. This merger became a notable case study at New York University’s Steinhardt School and Yale University’s School of Management.

Davidson began her career as the founding managing director of the Silk Road Project in 2001, where she played a key role in producing major cultural events and expanding the project’s global footprint. Her contributions included overseeing the Silk Road Ensemble’s participation in significant international events such as the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and the World Expo in Nagoya, Japan.

Jean Davidson is a passionate advocate for community engagement in the arts. She believes deeply in the power of cultural experiences to connect people and enrich communities. Throughout her career, she has championed initiatives that prioritize community involvement and audience participation. At the Los Angeles Master Chorale, she led programs that expanded the organization’s reach and fostered meaningful connections with diverse communities through innovative performances and educational outreach. Her leadership at New York Live Arts and the Silk Road Project similarly emphasized collaborative efforts that bridged cultural divides and celebrated inclusivity. Davidson continues to advocate for the arts as a unifying force, understanding that vibrant communities are built on shared cultural experiences and mutual respect.

With a background as a professional lighting designer, Davidson has collaborated with renowned artists including Yo-Yo Ma, contributing to international tours and performances. A graduate of Oberlin College with a focus on theater, she has also lectured at Oberlin College and serves as a guest lecturer on critical thinking at the University of California, Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business. She has shared her expertise as a guest teacher at New York University’s Steinhardt School and Tisch School of the Arts, and at the Università di Bologna in their arts management
graduate program.

Throughout her career, Davidson has been instrumental in the production of over 200 new productions spanning music, theater, and dance, and has facilitated numerous collaborations and recordings with prominent institutions and labels such as Sony Classical and Smithsonian Folkways.