By CHRISTOPHER MOSSEY

At the faculty and staff holiday party in December, Tony Newman (right) wore the President's Medal, presented to him by Joseph Polisi (left) at the faculty meeting preceding the party. (Photo by Ira Rosenblum)

Eight years ago, when I was preparing to meet Anthony Newman for a job interview at Juilliard, I called my friend Jane Gottlieb, Juilliard's head librarian, and asked if she could tell me something about him. What I remember most from her response is, "Just being around Tony has made me a better person." I was skeptical of this grand statement. But Jane's assessment of his positive influence has proved true for me and many others. Tony—as most of us know him—retires from Juilliard on February 16, and many of us will feel his absence for a while to come.

The Tony Newman I am writing about has never played an instrument, though he is often mistaken for the renowned keyboardist Tony Newman. While the two are, in fact, not the same, our Tony's repertoire includes works at least as impressive as anything by Bach, such as overseeing international public relations at Chase Manhattan Bank, founding the New York Landmarks Conservancy, and heading development and public affairs at the National Audubon Society and Lincoln Center. He joined Juilliard in 1997 as the director of the Campaign for Juilliard and became vice president for development and public affairs in 2003.

Tony can orchestrate forward momentum in Wagnerian proportion. He is a man who discerns and weaves together connections, talents, and energies in the service of big ideas. He is the man who conceived the Campaign for Juilliard, the School's $100 million endowment campaign that has since morphed into the $300 million Juilliard Second Century Fund. Along the way, he has marshaled the generosity of the School's trustees and that of hundreds of others who care deeply about this remarkable institution, to the tune of $236 million toward the campaign's goal. Through the nearly 100 newly endowed scholarships and initiatives, such as the Mentoring program, resulting from the campaign, Tony's imprint on Juilliard will be felt for as long as Juilliard exists.

Tony's inclination to succeed in all he does grows from an immensely generous character and genteel disposition that is evident the moment you meet him. He is the type of man who will remember your birthday, what books you like to read, the "goings on" in your family, and your children's and pet's names, all because he has a genuine interest in knowing who you are.

Alongside his generosity, Tony's zest for knowledge marks him among the most brilliant people I know. To hear him speak one of three foreign languages, expound upon one of the books he read last week, or speak extemporaneously is to experience him at his most eloquent. If you could imagine a combination of the elegant poetry of John Milton, the fatherly authority of David McCullough, and the politesse of Miss Manners, then you're getting close to understanding the kind of person Tony Newman is.

When Tony announced his retirement, he mentioned that he intends to teach English as a second language. How I would love to be a fly on the wall when Tony teaches his first class! Language barrier aside, all of his students will understand immediately that they are in the presence of a great man. They will be lucky to learn from a virtuoso of the English language, the instrument that Tony has played for the benefit of Juilliard and the betterment of many, many people.

Christopher Mossey is the associate director of the Juilliard Second Century Fund.