NEWPORT, RI (CelebrityAccess) — The board of directors of the Newport Music Festival announced that Gillian Friedman Fox has been named as the organization’s new executive director.
In her new role, Friedman will oversee the festival’s 53rd season in 2021.
“We are so excited to welcome Gillian to our beloved Newport Music Festival. She brings a fresh perspective and new ideas along with a veneration for the traditions of our 52-year-old festival. She will be a fantastic addition to the Aquidneck Island community,” said Suzanna Laramee, NMF board president. “The board and I look forward to working with her, and together we will forge an exciting future for the festival.”
Fox will move to Newport with her husband, Michael, and their dog, Penelope, later this fall and will join the team at Newport Music on January 4, 2021.
Fox most recently served as Director of Contemporary & SOLUNA Programs at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra where she was recognized for curating the organization’s classical music performances and programs.
During her tenure at the DSO, she helped to expand SOLUNA from a regional to a nationally-recognized event with 31 world premieres, nine Texas premieres and commissioned 25 new works, including Bang on a Can All-Stars, Terence Blanchard, Du Yun, Kronos Quartet, Sō Percussion and Julia Wolfe.
Prior to working for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Fox worked in as an agent at Columbia Artists Music. She is a member of the APAP Emerging Leadership Institute and served on the Western Arts Alliance 35Below committee.
She graduated from the University of Rochester.
