Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa Rose.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
For more than a decade, I’ve been working with artists and artist collectives, all committed to the creative process and supporting living creators. This incredibly fulfilling work has enabled me to lead transformative change on an organizational level to help artists realize their unique visions. I consider myself a “change agent,” and am comfortable establishing new leadership positions and guiding strategic transitions. The change I take on includes centering racial equity in everything we do. More recently, I’ve been fortunate to work across the performing arts sector in both government and public policy advocacy as well as collaborative field leadership through the Performing Arts Alliance.
Initially pursuing a career as a Western classical violinist, which I still love to play, my 20-year administrative career has enabled me to work with multiple disciplines in a variety of locations, budget sizes, and cultures. These experiences all inform how I engage in the work of the American Composers Forum, where we seek to amplify the vital stories and experiences the people creating music today share in communities, concert halls, schools, and through collaboration.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My path has been a curvy one, and full of unexpected opportunities and challenges. I could have never described the job I am doing right now, for example, neither when I was pursuing a career as a violinist nor when I started working in orchestra administration – but I’m so glad it led me here! I think my adaptability and ongoing desire to learn and try new things have enabled me to navigate various turns. Even the less desirable experiences were learning opportunities (I can see that now, at least!).
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
ACF envisions a world where living music creators are celebrated as essential to human culture. We are leading catalysts in an ecosystem that invites generations of composers, artists, advocates, and audiences to pursue this vision with us.
Our Mission is to support and advocate for individuals and groups creating music today by demonstrating the vitality and relevance of their art. We provide resources, funding, and a community for artists and their ecosystem; our longtime record label, innova Recordings, produces a variety of music created today; our multimedia site icareifyoulisten.com offers essays, interviews, and music criticism about and by diverse living contemporary artists; and our partnerships and industry leadership amplify the value of collaborating with composers of our time.
We frame our work with a focus on racial equity and include within that scope, but do not limit it to, diverse gender identities, musical approaches and perspectives, religions, ages, (dis)abilities, cultures, backgrounds, sexual orientations, and broad definitions of being “American.”
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I try to take a holistic approach, believing that things happen for a reason, and timing plays a significant role. Luck is absolutely a part of it. I have benefited from great access and privilege as well, and strive to be mindful of the systems that continue to exclude people, so that I can actively help change them.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.composersforum.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/americancomposersforum/
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Composers-Forum/52335075016
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/ComposersForum
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ComposersForum
AACM’s 55th anniversary concert featuring ACF co-commissioned works by The Honourable Elizabeth A. Baker, Rudresh Manhanthappa, and Adegoke Steve Colson
ACF and East Side Freedom Library’s event from their “Immigration, Identity, and the Arts” series featuring Hta Thi from the Karen Organization of Minnesota’s Karen Weaving Circle and composer Mary Prescott as part of the NEA Big Read project
Artist PaviElle French and ACF Board member Stanford Thompson at an ACF panel discussing “Lifting Up our Youth”
ACF create artist Sugar Vendil performing with The Nouveau Classical Project with costume designs by Jasmine Chong for an ACF co-hosted event with the Look + Listen festival.
Image Credits
Vanessa Rose (photos 1+2), Benny Moreno (photo 3 and top image of Vanessa Rose), Cherylynn Tsushima (photo 4)
