History & Archive
Sheila Jones, founder of the AAN
Credit: Todd Rosenberg
The Legacy of Sheila Jones
The African American Network was established in 2016 by Sheila Jones to present an annual series of curated and hosted programs to create connections and conversations through music. The mission of the AAN is to serve and encourage individuals, families, educators, students, musicians, composers and businesses to discover and experience the timeless beauty of music.
A former choir conductor and string teacher at Milwaukee’s Roosevelt Middle School of the Arts, Jones rose up through the ranks of the CSO’s ticketing and patron services department before she was promoted in 2018 as the full-time director of community stewardship of the CSO’s African American Network. Her energetic charm and warm persona endeared her to friends and associates along the way.
“Sheila Jones was a tireless champion for Black music representation in the programming and CSO activities. During her time coordinating the African American Network, she brought in new patrons, organized cultivation events, and brought performers and audience members together. Her impact was significant. I speak from a longitudinal perspective, having been a pre-concert lecturer for 23 seasons at the CSO.” — musicologist Dr. Johann Buis
Read more in As the CSO’s Sheila Jones retires, her cause lives on.
2024/25 Season Newsletters
2023/24 Season Newsletters