Jenny Bilfield, Artistic and Executive Director

Jenny Bilfield

Since joining Stanford Lively Arts as Artistic & Executive Director in 2006 Jenny Bilfield has stewarded the organization’s transformation from university presenter to a campus-based arts producer. Hired during the early days of Stanford’s arts initiative, Bilfield has collaborated extensively with faculty and program partners to develop new pathways for immersive, high-impact arts experiences for students and arts-goers in Silicon Valley and the wider Bay area. She has also been a member of the core planning team for Stanford’s 844-seat Bing Concert Hall, which will open in January 2013. With a refreshed mission, to “engage artists’ and audiences’ imagination, creativity and sense of adventure,” Lively Arts and Bilfield received early accolades for programming, including special mention on the San Francisco Chronicle’s list of top 10 notable Classical music developments of the decade.

Prior to joining Stanford Bilfield held numerous leadership roles in the arts throughout her 21 years in New York City. Best known for her specialized work in the strategic management, promotion, and presentation of contemporary music and cutting edge artists, Bilfield spent 12 years at music publisher Boosey & Hawkes where, as President, she was part of the international management team that led the company’s public-to-private transition. While there, Bilfield had a key role in business development that was both content-oriented (catalog acquisitions, new publishing lines in band and choral music, Boosey’s first foray into Jazz) and operational (a new strategy for printed music production and distribution, integrated management of composers). Bilfield also stewarded several high-impact composer focused initiatives for the company, notably The Stravinsky Project, Steve Reich @ 70, and the international multi-year Copland 2000 celebration. As Executive Director of the National Orchestral Association and founder of the New Music Orchestral Project, Bilfield launched new American orchestral works through readings and premieres at Carnegie Hall and Manhattan School of Music. For this work Bilfield received an Adventuresome Programming award from ASCAP, and an orchestra leadership award from the League of American Orchestras. Bilfield is an active participant in industry convenings, foundation and presenter panels, and has held seats on boards of organizations including the American Music Center and League of American Orchestra. She holds a BA in Music from the University of Pennsylvania and is married to composer Joel Phillip Friedman. They live on the Stanford University campus with their daughter Hallie, and assorted pets.

Email: jbilfield@stanford.edu
Phone: 650-725-1959