Following is a letter that co-founder Adam Fong sent to C4NM members this past weekend to announce his resignation. Our team at the Center is sad to see Adam go, and wish all the best in his next steps!
Dear C4NM community,
This summer, after six years as executive director, I will be resigning from my staff position at the Center for New Music. On August 1, our co-founder Brent Miller will take over the role of executive director.
I’ll be able to share more about my future plans later in the summer. For now, I want to emphasize my deep gratitude for your support of the Center and its mission. From our earliest conversations, Brent and I have viewed the Center as a service organization. Our hope was always to support artists, to serve their visions and their needs. In the past six years, I’ve been humbled at the magnitude of the opportunities to do just that. It was all made possible by the hundreds of supporters, and thousands of listeners, who’ve resonated with our service mindset. Thank you for your contributions to this community.
I want to especially thank my closest compatriot, Brent Miller. Brent: the journey of envisioning, launching, and nurturing the Center for New Music was only ever possible as a joint effort. Your loyalty to our vision has truly carried me from the start, and I have the utmost faith in you to lead the Center into the future.
Building community is a task that belongs to the many, rather than the few. I hope each of you will stay engaged with activities here on Taylor Street—not only does the Center need you; the community needs you.
My teacher James Tenney used to tell a fable: when aliens from a distant galaxy studied Earth, they watched us carefully, and understood all the ways our society worked, with one exception—every once in awhile the humans would get together and “shake the air.” Why do we do that!?
By its nature, our work is ephemeral, experimental, and at times esoteric. But I maintain my faith, as I hope you do, too, that the transformations we cause through our collective “shaking” are deserving of a home, hub, and advocate like the Center for New Music.
At your service I remain,
Adam Fong
Many thanks, Adam, for your amazing work in our musical community. -Anna
Hello Mr. Fong,
My name is Daniel Henry. I am attending the Code Tenderloin/code ramp track currently and am very excited about the path that this will lead me. My other passion is as an electronic guitarist. I am also on the DST advisory council with Brandon Davis and interested in getting involved with the C4NM space in some capacity. I live right around the corner on Turk Street and am very close by. I would love the chance to come by, meet you, and see what I can contribute before you leave.
I wish you luck on your new journey in the future.
Best Regards,
Daniel
Well done, Adam. You’ve left a solid legacy. Best of luck!
So excited for what’s next for you, and grateful for the service and community you’ve collaborated to nurture in the Bay Area.
Thank You Adam to be such a good host and to be open to experimentation. I really enjoyed collaborating with you and perform at the Center for New Music several times these past years.
I wish you the best of luck and creativity in the coming projects.
Christine Bonansea
I am so grateful for the work you and Brent have done over the years in founding and providing a home for innovative and progressive composers and musicians in the Bay Area! Your work has been selfless and tireless and has been a great gift to our community. It is with the utmost heartfelt appreciation and respect that I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.
Thomas Miley