Alexa Birdsong

Alexa Birdsong has been painting and drawing exclusively for family and friends since the age of six. Now at the tender age of 47 she is honored to have her first public art showing.

“Spring” and “Second Line” were created in New Orleans where she lived for almost a decade. “Bluboy” was made in Harlem. An accomplished concert and festival producer, Alexa continues to be inspired by jazz.

555 EDGECOMBE AVENUE, 7A

NEW YORK, NY 10032

alexabirdsong@aol.com

 W 212 289 5896 x 4591

EXPERIENCE:

City Parks Foundation

Executive Producer, Central Park Summerstage

Director, Arts & Cultural Programs

2001 – 2007, New York, NY

Directed a full-time, year-round staff of 30 in the planning, programming and production of arts programs including: music, dance, theater, spoken word and puppetry throughout 100 New York City parks.   Executive Producer of Central Park SummerStage at Rumsey Playfield, Central Park and City Parks Concerts and the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival.  Responsibilities included: managing a $4,000,000 budget; directing all administrative, programming and production staff (150 seasonal employees); and supervising the development of all promotional materials for all programs.  In 2007 season developed and launched two NYC-wide programs, CityParks Dance and CityParks Theater. 

Birdsong Productions

President

1994 – 2001, Various Cities

Formed full-service artistic production company focusing on the programming, production and promotion of quality jazz, blues, pop and Latin music.

Clients included:

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, New Orleans, LA

ESSENCE Music Festival, New Orleans, LA

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York, NY

Grammy Award-Winning Artist Cassandra Wilson

National Black Arts Festival, Atlanta, GA

Aaron Davis Hall, New York, NY

Alexa Birdsong

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Jazz at Lincoln Center, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

Associate Director

1990 – 1994, New York, NY

As the founding Associate Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) responsibilities included: artistic programming and booking, stage production, advertising and budget management.  Associate producer of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra’s  (LCJO) Sony Records CD releases, “Portraits of Ellington” and also “They Came to Swing.”  Tour Manager for 1^st LCJO European booking.  Coordinated JALC’s commissioning projects including Wynton Marsalis ‘s inaugural JALC commission, “In This House On This Morning” and the Pulitzer-prize winning “Blood on The Fields,” among other commissions.

Festival Productions, Inc.

Associate Producer

1986 – 1990, New York, NY

Produced major jazz and blues festivals, special events, and press conferences nationally.  Managed festival sponsorships for corporate clients including Mellon Bank, Phillip Morris, American Express, Hueblein Inc. and others.  Responsibilities included: interacting with concert venue staff at all levels, talent booking, client management, festival budget reconciliation, sponsorship proposal development and writing, management of production staff.  Produced concerts, festivals and special events at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, Beacon Theatre, Apollo Theater, all in NYC.  Other venues included The Fox Theaters in Atlanta, St. Louis, Detroit; the Astrodome in Houston; Academy of Music and Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia.

Special Projects:

Bill Clinton’s  Inaugural: “America’s Reunion On The Mall”; Winter 1996 – 1997 ; Artist Programmer and Associate Producer. Free outdoor music festival on the National Mall, Washington D.C.

Bill Clinton’s  Inaugural: “America’s Journey On The Mall”; Winter 1992– 1993; Stage Manager.  Free outdoor music festival on the National Mall, Washington D.C.

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Cassandra Wilson’s Jazz At Lincoln Center Commission and Blue Note Recording “Traveling Miles “; Winter 1998; Production Coordinator.

Cassandra Wilson’s European Concert Tour ; Fall 1996;  Tour Associate

Ed Bradley’s Memorial Service for Ed Bradley, CBS News Correspondent ; Fall 2007; Associate Producer.  [ Riverstde Church, New York, NY] Nationally televised memorial service.

EDUCATION:            Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA

                                    Bachelor’s Degree; 1984

                                    Double Major: English and Politics

                                    Spelman College, Atlanta, GA

                                    Freshman Year, 1978-79

References available upon request