NEC Alumnus and Trustee Chad Smith Appointed President and CEO of Boston Symphony Orchestra

Chad Smith ‘95 NEC/Tufts, ‘98 MM returns to Boston from the LA Philharmonic, where he has served as Chief Executive Officer since 2019.

Chad Smith ‘95 NEC/Tufts, ‘98 MM has been named the President and CEO of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Smith is an alumnus of the Tufts-NEC Dual Degree Program, and has been a member of NEC’s Board of Trustees since 2017. A Vocal Performance major, Smith studied with John Moriarty while at NEC.

The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) today announced the appointment of Chad Smith, one of the country’s leading orchestral music executives, as the institution’s next President and Chief Executive Officer, effective early Fall 2023.

Smith currently serves as the Chief Executive of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, a role he has held for four years, and at which he worked in close partnership with Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel to establish and advance several of the most impactful orchestral programs of the 21st Century. During this tenure, Smith led the LA Phil’s artistic and business teams to propel record financial growth year-upon-year and invest in visionary programs to foster a culturally diverse talent pipeline and expand new audiences.

As the Julian and Eunice Cohen President and CEO of the BSO, Smith will manage the Boston Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Andris Nelsons, the Boston Pops, under the direction of Keith Lockhart, and Tanglewood, bringing a unique blend of experience both as an artist and a seasoned executive for some of the world’s most beloved arts organizations.