On December 13, 2025, we lost a legend and community pillar. Betty Anne (siujunn-:bood:) Wong passed away, leaving behind a 64-year legacy at CMC that simply cannot be replaced.
However, Betty was never one to be pinned down to a single style or genre of music. One day, you might find Betty in Room 5 working through a Brahms trio with her students, and the next she would be on a soundstage creating an improvised score for a film project. She also traveled widely—from India to Europe to China—and brought those global influences back to her students and to her compositions.
Betty’s career was expansive and distinguished. Betty earned her BA from Mills College and her MA from UC San Diego, and beginning in 1980 served on the faculty of Mills College and San Francisco State University. Her recordings include In Xinjiang Time, Desert Dreams of Light, and the DVD Silk Road Experience. She served as Artistic Director of the Flowing Stream Ensemble and Phoenix Spring Ensemble, directed the Pursuit of Excellence concert series from 1990 onward, received the Hollywood Dramalogue Award, completed commissions for ACT and Oscar-winning filmmakers Light and Saraf. She also served on the board of the Junior Bach Society.
Betty’s presence at CMC was transformative for everyone she met. She was a teacher who cared deeply about her students, their progress, and their connections to music. As a colleague, she was known for her collaborative spirit and an infectious laugh. Outside of CMC, she was a devoted fan of the SF Giants and a member of the Ruhani Satsang community. Whether she was sharing stories of her family history or bringing extraordinary care to the Keyboard Marathons alongside Shirley and Juliette McComas, Betty was a generous soul.
Betty will be deeply missed by her family, her friends, her colleagues, and the generations of musicians she inspired. To see the spirit that made Betty so unique, watch this documentary featuring some of her work:
Watch: Betty Wong in The Sound of Pleasure: A Documentary on Chinese American Music by Eddie Wong
Upcoming Tribute Performance
Join us for a performance honoring Betty’s legacy during the Lunar New Year.
- Event: Chinese New Year of the Wild Red Horse / Homage to Betty Wong
- Date: March 1
- Time: 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
- Place: Bird & Beckett Books & Records
- Performers: CMC Chinese Music Workshop and jazz players with Ken
Betty’s sister, Shirley Wong-Frentzel, is also planning a memorial at a future date to be held at CMC, and details will be relelased as they are available.