Deborah Borda

Deborah Borda
Born (1949-07-15) July 15, 1949 (age 75)
New York City, US
Alma materBennington College
Royal College of Music, London[1]
Occupation(s)President and CEO of the New York Philharmonic
(1991–1999, 2017–2023)[2]
Known forPresident and CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic
(2000–2017)[3][4]
Websitenyphil.org

Deborah Borda (born 1949) is a retired American music executive.[5]

Early life and education

Borda was born on July 15, 1949, in New York.[6] At age 12, she moved with her family to Boston.[7]

She graduated from Bennington College with a BA in music in 1971, and studied at the Royal College of Music from 1972 to 1973.[8]

Career

After graduation, Borda moved to Greenwich Village and started to working[clarification needed] as a freelancer for ballet, Broadway shows and various orchestras. She was the assistant to the scheduling director of the Marlboro Music Festival in 1976.[7]

She was previously the manager of The Handel and Haydn Society, an executive director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, president and managing director of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and both general manager and artistic administrator of the San Francisco Symphony.[9]

In 1991, Borda was appointed Executive Director of the New York Philharmonic. She led the organization for eight years until she was appointed President and CEO of Los Angeles Philharmonic, a position later renamed in 2014 as the David C. Bohnett Presidential Chair.[10] This title stems from a $10 million endowment made in 2014, "in honor of Deborah Borda's continuing accomplishments with the Los Angeles Philharmonic".[11]

During her time with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Borda oversaw the completion of the Walt Disney Concert Hall,[12] helped recruit Gustavo Dudamel as music director, and joined its board in 2010. Borda developed a strategic plan for the construction and financing of the hall, which officially opened in October 2003.[13]

Borda joined the Harvard Kennedy School's Center for Public Leadership as a Leader-In-Residence in 2015, making her the first fine arts executive to join the center.[14]

In 2017, Borda returned to the New York Philharmonic as President and CEO.[15] During her six year tenure, she led a major renovation of David Geffen Hall, guided the organization through COVID-19, and signed Gustavo Dudamel as the next music director.[16]

In 2020, Borda launched the largest women-only commissioning initiative in history, called Project 19. The project consists of 19 new works by 19 women composers.[17]

Personal life

Borda's longtime partner is Coralie Toevs, a senior major gifts officer at the Metropolitan Opera.[18]

Awards

References

  1. ^ Jason Gereben (15 March 2017). "Deborah Borda Agrees to Take the Reins of the New York Philharmonic". San Francisco Classical Voice. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  2. ^ I-Chun Chen (16 May 2017). "Philharmonic's Borda leaving for New York". New York Business Journal. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  3. ^ Alex Ross (23 March 2017). "How the L.A. Phil Can Stay on Top of the Orchestra World". New Yorker. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  4. ^ Deborah Vankin (28 March 2017). "L.A. Phil names Gail Samuel as acting president". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  5. ^ Michael Cooper (15 June 2017). "The Los Angeles Philharmonic Lost Its Leader. Can It Stay on Top". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  6. ^ Sleeman, Elizabeth (2001). The International Who's Who of Women 2002. Psychology Press. ISBN 978-1-85743-122-3.
  7. ^ a b "Drawn to the Music". The New York Times. 10 April 2010. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  8. ^ "President Deborah Borda". New York Philharmonic. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
    - "Deborah Borda". World News. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  9. ^ "Drawn to the Music". The New York Times. 9 April 2010.
    - "Most Creative People 2012 – 44, Deborah Borda". Fast Company. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  10. ^ a b "Deborah Borda, President and CEO of Los Angeles Philarmonic [sic] Association, to be Honored with Bard's Kellogg Award at Bard Music Festival Gala". Bard College. 23 April 2015.
  11. ^ Scutari, Mike (11 December 2014). "What's Behind This New, Massive Give to the LA Philharmonic?". Inside Philanthropy.
    - "Los Angeles Philharmonic Receives $20 Million Gift for New Initiatives". Broadway World. 11 December 2014.
    - Ng, David (10 December 2014). "Los Angeles Philharmonic receiving $20-million gift from David Bohnett". Los Angeles Times.
  12. ^ Mark Swed (19 May 2017). "Critic's Notebook: Dudamel and the L.A. Phil bid a heartfelt farewell to Deborah Borda". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  13. ^ "Deborah Borda | Walt Disney Concert Hall 10th Anniversary". Los Angeles Philharmonic. Retrieved 25 June 2020.[permanent dead link‍]
  14. ^ Doug Gavel. "Los Angeles Philharmonic President Deborah Borda to join Harvard Kennedy School's Center for Public Leadership as Hauser Leader-in-Residence". Harvard University. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  15. ^ Mark Swed (15 March 2017). "In a startling coup, New York lures L.A. Phil chief Deborah Borda". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  16. ^ Hampton, Olivia (8 February 2023). "N.Y. Philharmonic chief looks to Gustavo 'Dudamel era' after historic appointment". NPR. Archived from the original on 10 February 2024. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  17. ^ "New York Philharmonic's Deborah Borda on Building Diverse Teams". Catalyst. 13 February 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
    - "Project 19". New York Pliharmonic. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  18. ^ Hernández, Javier C. (29 September 2022). "A Pioneering Orchestra Boss Had 'Unfinished Business,' So She Returned". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  19. ^ Westphal, Matthew (18 December 2007). "LA Phil Chief Deborah Borda Receives Medal from Univ. of Southern California". Playbill Arts. Playbill, Inc. Archived from the original on 3 June 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2014. The Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California has honored Los Angeles Philharmonic CEO Deborah Borda with the John C. Argue Dickens Medal of Honor.
    - "LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT AND CEO DEBORAH BORDA HONORED AT THE USC THORNTON SCHOOL OF MUSIC'S 2007 CHARLES DICKENS DINNER". Hollywood Bowl. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  20. ^ "DEBORAH BORDA, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC ASSOCIATION, TO BE HONORED WITH THE CHARLES FLINT KELLOGG AWARD IN ARTS AND LETTERS AT BARD MUSIC FESTIVAL GALA". Los Angeles Philharmonic. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  21. ^ "Deborah Borda's Curtis Institute of Music Commencement Address". nyphil.org. 16 May 2017. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  22. ^ "Deborah A. Borda". amacad.org. 7 December 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  23. ^ a b c "New England Conservatory Announces 2021 Speaker and Honorary Degree Recipients for its 150th Commencement Ceremony". musicalamerica.com. 30 April 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2022.