Lecolion Washington Steps Down After 9 Year Tenure of Groundbreaking Leadership

We write today to share the bittersweet news that after 9 years as CMCB’s Chief Executive, Lecolion Washington will be moving on to a new role later this year. 

Community Music Center of Boston has long stood on that first word in our name: community.  And, what a distinguished leader for CMCB’s communities Lecolion has been during his nine year tenure. 

Among our most significant accomplishments from the past decade is CMCB’s soon-to-be complete new cultural facility at 2164 Washington St in Roxbury—a flagship center for arts, education, health, and workforce development. This flagship campus is the ambitious result of a transformative strategic plan and a $20 million capital campaign, 5-fold larger than the organization’s previous record-breaking Centennial Campaign. Lecolion also oversaw the launch of a third major division with CMCB’s Youth Development Program, attracted national interest in our work on Student Pathways and learner-centered instruction, and nurtured the organization’s expansion from a $2.5 million to $4.4 million annual budget alongside a tripling of net assets to over $11 million.

Along the way, Lecolion led CMCB as we persevered through the COVID-19 pandemic, sustaining access to music lessons at a time when communities needed it most; significantly diversified the board of directors and leadership, while growing board-level philanthropy and engagement; deepened faculty relationships, expanded full time Music Therapy offerings, and launched one of the first fully-paid Music Therapy internships in the country; and managed the staffing and business model transformation that accompanies all these generation-defining evolutions.

From day one, Lecolion’s leadership was grounded in celebrating just how many different leaders, figureheads, and culture-bearers we already have within our great community. Today, this community of teachers and staff, along with our board, supporters, and partners, looks forward to continuing to provide outstanding educational and artistic experiences to our community of students and families—as we have for over a century.

“I have been honored to have been a steward for CMCB for the past nine years, and we’ve come a long way since my first year. Although I may have provided some of the initial wind for CMCB’s sails, I am confident that CMCB is well positioned for this next era. If I am proud of anything, it is that we all made each other stronger during my time here, and I know that this collective strength will continue to propel CMCB forward as you expand into the new campus in Nubian Square, and I am so excited to see what you will do next!” – Lecolion Washington, CEO

Lecolion’s last day as CMCB’s CEO will be on July 17, 2026. While the organization conducts a national leadership search, CMCB’s Board President, Kurt Hakansson, will serve as interim Executive Director. Kurt brings a long history to his work at CMCB, having been an adult student for decades, a long-time board member, and much-loved 2-term board president. This, and Kurt’s professional career in design and construction, position him as an ideal interim, stewarding the final phases of CMCB’s major facilities project at 2164 Washington later this Fall.

“I’m excited and honored to lead CMCB as Interim Executive Director, and to be able to be part of the great teams here at CMCB. Our mission and values are clear and run deep: We know who we are and where we’re going.  It has been a privilege working alongside Lecolion Washington these past 9 years. We are a strong vibrant organization, in many ways due to Lecolion’s vision and leadership. I wish him all the best success. 

Looking forward, I see so many exciting opportunities: a new headquarters in Nubian Square while maintaining programming in our South End campus, expanding new programs, and welcoming a new Executive Director. It’s a great time in CMCB’s 116 year history and it’s all possible because of the commitment and dedication we all bring to CMCB. We should all be proud to be integral parts of that legacy.” — Kurt Hakansson, interim Executive Director

We also look forward to welcoming George Blount as the new CMCB President and Chair of the Board of Directors upon Kurt’s appointment to interim Executive Director. George comes from a family of musicians in New York and, after decades in the financial services industry, now works as a financial therapist and professor of Managerial Accounting, Entrepreneurship, and Behavioral & Personal Finance. George currently serves as CMCB’s Treasurer.  Evelyn Tate, a lifelong Bostonian and Roxbury/Dorchester native, will continue as Vice President of the Board.

We wish Lecolion well in his new post, as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Handel and Haydn Society (H+H), where he will continue to bridge together his impressive background in artistry, education, and leadership. We also know Lecolion will continue being a supporter and friend to CMCB in the years to come. 

For media inquiries, please contact Chief Advancement Officer Zach Sheets at 802-299-1580 or sheets@cmcb.org.
For questions on CMCB’s music education programs, please contact Chief Programming Officer Cori Bodley at cbodley@cmcb.org.