League of American Orchestras Launches
The Ford Musician Awards for Excellence in Community Service
New York, NY (December 15, 2015) – The League of American Orchestras has launched The Ford Musician Awards for Excellence in Community Service, a new program supporting orchestra musicians and the essential work they do in their communities. The program is made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund.
“We are so grateful to Ford Motor Company Fund for helping us support and celebrate musicians and the full scope of their work,” said Jesse Rosen, the League’s President and CEO. “Musicians have served as role models and mentors through the ages, and this new program brings their vital work to the fore, as orchestras and musicians continue to expand and deepen how they serve and engage with their communities.”
“When these talented musicians take their instruments into the community, they reach new audiences and become a unifying force for people of all ages and walks of life,” said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. “We’re proud to recognize their contributions to the cultural richness of our communities, and the joy they bring to the audiences who hear them play.”
Five orchestra musicians will be selected through a competitive nomination process to receive the awards, which will include a $2,500 grant to each musician, as well as an additional $2,500 grant to their home orchestra to support professional development focused on community service and engagement for its musicians. The musician nomination deadline is February 9, 2016. Guidelines can be found here: http://americanorchestras.org/images/stories/FordMusicianAwardsGuidelines121515.pdf
The awardees and their orchestras will be publicly announced and receive their awards at the League’s National Conference in Baltimore, June 9-11, 2016. Musicians will also participate in a Conference presentation and separate webinar, providing the orchestra field opportunities to learn from their experience.
Community work is defined as meaningful service through music: education and community engagement programs at schools, hospitals, retirement homes, community and social service centers, 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 or are not traditionally served by orchestras.
The Ford Musician Awards for Excellence in Community Service mark 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.
About Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services
Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services works with community and global partners to advance driving safety, education and community life. Ford Motor Company Fund has operated for more than 65 years with ongoing funding from Ford Motor Company. Ford Driving Skills for Life is free, interactive, hands-on safety training focused on skill development and driving techniques, while addressing inexperience, distractions and impaired driving. Innovation in education is encouraged through Ford Blue Oval Scholars, Ford Next Generation Learning and other inspiring programs that enhance high school learning and provide college scholarships and university grants. The Ford Volunteer Corps enlists more than 30,000 Ford employees and retirees each year to work on local projects that strengthen their communities and improve people’s lives in more than 40 countries around the world. For more information, visit http://community.ford.com.
The League of American Orchestras leads, supports, and champions America’s orchestras and the vitality of the music they perform. Its diverse membership of approximately 800 orchestras across North America runs the gamut from world-renowned symphonies to community orchestras, from summer festivals to student and youth ensembles. The only national organization dedicated solely to the orchestral experience, the League is a nexus of knowledge and innovation, advocacy, and leadership advancement for managers, musicians, volunteers, and boards. Its conferences and events, award-winning Symphony magazine, website, and other publications inform music lovers around the world about orchestral activity and developments.
Founded in 1942 and chartered by Congress in 1962, the League links a national network of thousands of instrumentalists, conductors, managers and administrators, board members, volunteers, and business partners. Visit americanorchestras.org to learn more.
