President and Chief Executive Officer, Handel and Haydn Society

Organization

Handel and Haydn Society (H+H) is the oldest continuously operating performing arts organization in the United States. Founded in 1815 in Boston, H+H has remained a cultural leader for more than two centuries, advancing a mission and vision to inspire, elevate, and connect through transformative performances of Baroque and Classical music, and to bring the joy and rigor of this repertoire to audiences across Greater Boston and beyond.

It remains steadfast in its commitments to quality, inclusivity, and impact that define H+H as a treasured cultural institution. Its Grammy‑winning orchestra and chorus are celebrated for performances of exceptional freshness, vitality, and historically informed style. The H+H vision affirms a commitment to artistic excellence, financial stability, expanded audience engagement, impactful learning programs, and long‑term organizational sustainability as reflected in its updated 2023–2028 Strategic Plan.

From its earliest years, H+H has shaped America’s musical landscape. It introduced U.S. audiences to enduring masterworks, including Handel’s Messiah (1818), Haydn’s Creation (1819), Verdi’s Requiem (1878), and Bach’s St. Matthew Passion (1879). Since its founding, H+H has presented more than 2,700 performances to over 2.8 million people. Today, the orchestra and chorus appear in Boston’s most iconic venues, presenting the majority of its concerts at Symphony Hall, a landmark space with a seating capacity of 2,625, and at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall, an intimate 1,051‑seat auditorium renowned for its acoustics.

H+H also regularly appears at Harvard University’s Sanders Theatre, a historic 1,000‑seat venue in Cambridge. Beyond Boston, H+H has expanded its reach with performances in 2025 at Artis Naples and the Kravitz Center for the Performing Arts in Palm Beach, in addition to a Carnegie Halldebut in 2026.

Artistic vision, quality, and impact are paramount at H+H. It named acclaimed conductor, cellist, and keyboardist Jonathan Cohen as its 15th Artistic Director, beginning in the 2023–2024 season. Cohen continues to build upon the orchestra’s and chorus’s reputation of delivering uniquely rewarding, engaging, and emotionally moving concert experiences. As Founder and Artistic Director of the UK‑based early music ensemble Arcangelo, he is a two‑time Gramophone Award winner and Grammy Award Nominee.

In addition, Cohen is Music Director of Quebec’s Les Violons du Roy, Artistic Director of the Tetbury Festival in the UK, and Artistic Partner of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. A much‑in‑demand guest conductor, Cohen has appeared on both sides of the Atlantic with numerous ensembles, including the Budapest Festival Orchestra, Basel Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, New York Philharmonic, and Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, as well as the Glyndebourne Festival numerous times since 2010.

H+H’s programming blends Baroque and Classical repertoire with innovative premieres and inventive thematic pairings, performed with H+H’s renown historical insight. Its 210th season opened with Handel’s Saul, followed by Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, and Handel’s Messiah. It performed its 12th annual Emancipation Proclamation Concert, a celebration of liberty and freedom, in partnership with the Museum of African American History. The season will conclude with works by Mozart and Haydn, Handel’s Water Music, and finally a glorious vocal program highlighting the music of Bach, Brahms, and Gesualdo.

H+H’s impact extends deep into the community through the Karen S. and George D. Levy Education Program, which supports seven youth choirs for students in grades two to 12 and distributes thousands of free tickets each year to students and community groups, ensuring broad access to world‑class musical experiences.

The President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) oversees 24 full‑time employees and reports to a 33‑member Board of Governors led by Chair Judith Verhave and consults with the 30‑member Board of Advisors, led by Co‑Chairs Carrie L.T. Hammond and Nick Dials. H+H engages its instrumentalists under a…