Five Orchestra Musicians to Receive Ford Musician Awards from League

Five orchestra musicians will receive Ford Musician Awards for Excellence in Community Service from the League of American Orchestras for their important work in hospitals, correctional facilities, schools, museums, and more. The League program, made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund, celebrates orchestra musicians and the inspirational work they do in their communities.

The musicians will be presented with their awards at the League of American Orchestras' 72nd National Conference in Detroit, June 6-8, and will discuss their work at an elective session for Conference delegates.

The five musicians and their orchestras are:

Mark Dix, viola, Phoenix Symphony (AZ):

Mind Over Music, B-Sharp Music Wellness, A W.O.N.D.E.R. Project Alzheimer's Initiative (educational and health and wellness programs)

Michael Gordon, principal flute, Kansas City Symphony (MO):

Community Connections (free musical events in the community, including performances for the incarcerated at Lansing Correctional Facility via the Arts in Prison program)

Diane McElfish Helle, violin, Grand Rapids Symphony (MI):

Music for Health Initiative (a program engaging the healthcare community and introducing live music into music therapy sessions for patients)

Eunsoon Lee-Corliss, assistant principal violist, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra (TN):

Music and Wellness Program (live musical performances enhancing the healing process and benefiting patients, visitors, and staff in healthcare settings)

Peter Zlotnick, education manager/principal timpani, Greensboro Symphony Orchestra (NC):

Keep Kids in Tune education series, including Beginning Strings and OrKIDStra (music education and social programs which reach 50,000 children, including Head Start students, in four counties)

"These five musicians are national leaders in demonstrating the transformative power of music," said Jesse Rosen, League of American Orchestras' President and CEO. "We thank Ford Motor Company Fund for their support of this program, which recognizes the vital role of orchestra musicians in their communities -- both on and off the stage."

"We're proud to recognize these talented musicians and their generous outreach into the community to help improve people's lives," said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund. "Orchestras are an essential thread in the rich cultural fabric of our communities and a joyful musical experience for people in all walks of life."

The musicians were selected by a panel of peer professionals through a competitive nomination process to receive the awards, which include a $2,500 grant to each musician, as well as an additional $2,500 grant to the musician's home orchestra to support professional development focused on community service and engagement for musicians.

This work takes place in schools, hospitals, retirement homes, places of worship, and wherever people gather for civic, cultural, and social engagement. Those served may include low-income/at-risk populations, homebound elderly, immigrants, veterans, prisoners, and students of all ages, as well as members of the general public who may not otherwise have access to orchestral music.

The Ford Musician Awards for Excellence in Community Service mark the second year of the League's second partnership with Ford Motor Company Fund, which was previously the title sponsor of Ford Made in America, the largest commissioning consortium in the country's history. 2016 award recipients included Penny Anderson Brill, viola, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (Music and Wellness Program); Shannon Orme, bass clarinet, Detroit Symphony Orchestra (Neighborhood Residency Initiative); Jeffrey Paul, Principal Oboe, South Dakota Symphony Orchestra (Lakota Music Project); Brian Prechtl, percussion, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (OrchKids); and Beth Vandervennet, cello, Oakland Symphony (Music for Excellence Program [MUSE]).