Leah Hollingsworth

GENERAL AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Leah Swann Hollingsworth is 5BMF’s first General and Artistic Director, joining the organization in 2023 following the tenure of Artistic Director Michael Unterman. Leah enjoys a varied career in performing, writing, and arts administration. As a violist, she has performed as a chamber and orchestral musician on all three stages of Carnegie Hall and across Lincoln Center, with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, NYChoral, American Ballet Theater, NYC Ballet (including NYCB residencies at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC and SPAC in Saratoga Springs, NY), IRIS Chamber Orchestra (Memphis, TN), The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, and in numerous chamber music performances around New York City. Leah was an Ensemble Connect (formerly ACJW) fellow from 2007-09 and a Tanglewood Music Center Fellow in the summers of 2006 and 2007.

As an arts administrator, Leah is passionate about using music to serve the community, whether through a multi-month songwriting workshop or a single concert. While on staff with the Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall, Leah played a vital role in leading the Teaching Artist Collaborative and the Musical Connections program, and in equipping artists to perform in schools, correctional facilities, hospitals, homeless shelters, and elder care facilities. Through these programs and her work with Carnegie Hall Citywide (formerly the Neighborhood Concert Series), Leah helped plan and execute a broad range of concerts and workshops throughout New York City. More recently, Leah worked as Interim Manager for School Programs at the New York Philharmonic, managing school partnerships and training Teaching Artists. Leah’s passion for bringing music to all audiences and using music to build community is also evident in her work as Director of Development for Music Mondays, a pillar of the Upper West Side that presents nine free, innovative concerts each year.

As a writer, Leah is a New York City concert reviewer for The Strad and has written numerous features for Strings Magazine, The Strad, Playbill, and Symphony Magazine. She loves to tell the stories of musicians, ensembles, and organizations, and her writing draws from her training in narrative non-fiction writing at Yale University, as well as her two decades as a professional musician. Leah lives in New York City with her husband and their three children, and enjoys running, writing, good food and wine, and her church community.

Jesse Blumberg
Donna Breitzer

CO-FOUNDERS

Baritone Jesse Blumberg founded Five Boroughs Music Festival in 2007 and led the organization as Artistic Director for its first 12 years. His keen eye for creative and daring chamber music programming stemmed from his own extensive professional experience as an in-demand vocalist and chamber music collaborator. As a curator, he shaped every season to reflect 5BMF’s core mission of challenging the standard definition of ‘chamber music’, bringing in top artists and ensembles whose expertise spans multiple musical genres.

Mezzo-soprano Donna Breitzer is an arts administrator, voice teacher and singer whose passion for bringing 5BMF’s exciting programming to new neighborhoods all over New York City was cultivated over her 17 years serving the organization as Executive Director. After co-founding Five Boroughs Music Festival with Jesse Blumberg in 2007, she helped oversee all aspects of daily operation, and was instrumental in the growth of 5BMF’s marketing efforts, audience reach, annual budget, and institutional support.

Join our Board

The 5BMF Board of Directors works in close partnership with General & Artistic Director Leah Hollingsworth to guide the organization's governance, strategic vision, and long-term growth. We welcome prospective board members who are passionate about the arts and committed to strengthening 5BMF's impact across New York City. We are dedicated to building a board that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. To learn more about board service, please contact Board Chair Katherine Peck.

The Artistic Advisory Council is comprised of a diverse group of musicians and arts administrators who convene several times a year to advise 5BMF leadership. Their many perspectives help the organization to maintain a well-balanced roster of musicians and ensembles who represent the breadth of musical styles and high quality artistry that defines 5BMF.