Kretzer Piano Music Foundation to Honor Founder Kathi Kretzer-Sayler with Muse Award

The Kretzer Piano Music Foundation (KPMF) is proud to announce that the nonprofit organization's founder, Kathi Kretzer-Sayler, has been named this year's recipient of the prestigious Muse Award for Outstanding Civic Leader. Given out by the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, the biannual honor will be presented at a special awards program and show at the Kravis Center for Performing Arts on Thursday, March 31.

"The Muse Awards is an enjoyable evening and a wonderful way to recognize the dedicated artists, arts leaders and volunteers in our community," said Rena Blades, the Cultural Council's President & Chief Executive Officer. "The theme of the 2016 Muse Awards is Everything Old is New Again. The evening will celebrate the transition of our arts and cultural heritage in Palm Beach County from the 1900s to the present. The show will explore how art forms have been influenced by the changing times, the convergence of traditional and contemporary styles and the growth of art and culture in The Palm Beaches, Florida's Cultural Capitol®."

In her Muse Award nomination, Kretzer-Sayler, who started Kretzer Piano in 1985, was cited as "a true partner" with the local cultural community, including Palm Beach Dramaworks, The Kravis Center, Maltz Jupiter Theater, Young Singers of the Palm Beaches, Lynn Conservatory of Music, CityPlace and more.

In 2013, she formed the Kretzer Piano Music Foundation, a non-profit organization that "works hard to support music education in our schools and community. We give children the opportunity to gain experience by providing hundreds of performance opportunities for young musicians every year. We are passionate about music being a part of every child's life and are dedicated to bringing the gift of music to children and seniors," said the Muse Award winner.

In addition to awarding scholarships for music lessons and donating pianos to disadvantaged children and local children's charities, KPMF's popular programs include:

+ The Kretzer Kids, gifted young musicians who have performed over 50 concerts every year for 12 years in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, children's hospitals and other venues.

+ The Music for the Mind concert series presented the third Tuesday of every month at CityPlace in West Palm Beach. These concerts feature various musical groups from our area. Beginning in 2002, Music for the Mind has provided more than 10,000 young musicians the opportunity to perform while raising over $550,000 to help keep music in our schools and community.

+ The Keyboard for Kids group piano lesson program for 72 inner-city school children at the Center for Creative Education that will begin shortly.

+ The headline-grabbing Keys to the Cities campaign that placed 18 whimsically painted pianos in public spots from Jupiter to Delray Beach (and winner of the 2014 Bernays Award for Best Special Event from the Gold Coast PR Council). Painted pianos were donated to local children's charities to be used for many years to come.

+ The annual PHYSICIANS TALENT SHOWCASE featuring a group of talented medical doctors is presented each August and raises much-needed funds for local children's charities and music education.

Other Muse Award winners being honored next month are Irvin Lippman (Outstanding Cultural Leader), Palm Beach Opera for Enemies, A Love Story (Outstanding Art or Cultural Program), Educational Gallery Group (Outstanding Arts & Cultural Organization with a budget under $500,000), Palm Beach Dramaworks (Outstanding Arts & Cultural Organization with a budget over $500,000), Youth Orchestra of Palm Beach County, Inc. (Liman Excellence in Arts Education), Erin Fromkes (Ubertalli Award for Visual Arts) and the Loggerhead Marinelife Center (Council's Choice Award).

Tickets to the upcoming Muse Awards are now on sale at palmbeachculture.com/muse.

For more information about the Kretzer Piano Music Foundation, visit www.kretzerpiano.com/KPMF.

Photo by Corby Kaye's Studio Palm Beach.

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