DISTINGUISHED CITIZEN - PROFESSIONAL IN THE ARTS AWARD
DEADLINE | May 31, 2014 |
APPLICATION | 2014 Award Nomination Form |
PRESENTED | October 22, 2014 |
EVENT | Annual Awards Banquet |
The distinguished citizen - professional in the arts award is intended to honor a professional musician or arts administrators of many dimensions who have demonstrated significant achievements in their area of professional expertise and in their commitment to the community.
Civic Music seeks the nominations of these outstanding arts individuals and presents the Distinguished Citizen Award - Professional in the Arts in recognition of these efforts.
Civic Music seeks the nominations of these outstanding arts individuals and presents the Distinguished Citizen Award - Professional in the Arts in recognition of these efforts.
2013 Distinguished Citizen - Professional in the Arts Award Winner
Monte Perkins
As a conductor, bassoonist and teacher, Monte Perkins’ professional involvement with Milwaukee’s musical community spans five decades. His connection to the Festival City Symphony began in 1963 when he joined the Milwaukee Civic Symphony Orchestra as a bassoonist. At that time the orchestra was part of Civic Music Association, and in 1990 when its conductor Edward Mumm retired, Perkins was asked to assume the podium. In 1993 when the orchestra separated from Civic Music Association, he continued to be Music Director and Conductor of the now named Festival City Symphony. This season marks his 50th year of continuous service to that orchestra. Under his direction, the Festival City Symphony makes classical music affordable and accessible to everyone through casual, family-friendly concerts.
A former member of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Perkins was also a charter member of the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra, where he continues to serve as Principal Bassoonist. Under the sponsorship of the noted German bassoon manufacturer, J. Puchner, he travels throughout the United States presenting recitals and master classes as a Puchner Artist. He also taught bassoon and chamber music at the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton for 26 years, recently retiring in 2012.
Perkins contributions to our musical community extend beyond conducting, performing and teaching. For more than 20 years, he acted as program host and interviewer for WFMR-FM, Milwaukee’s former classical music radio station. During the 1970s and 1980s, he was a member of the Civic Music Association’s Board of Directors.
A product of Milwaukee’s musical community, Perkins graduated from Custer High School, earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from UWM, and his Master of Music degree from the Wisconsin College Conservatory of Music. He currently resides in Glendale with his wife and two dogs, and enjoys many activities with his three daughters and three grandchildren.
A former member of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Perkins was also a charter member of the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra, where he continues to serve as Principal Bassoonist. Under the sponsorship of the noted German bassoon manufacturer, J. Puchner, he travels throughout the United States presenting recitals and master classes as a Puchner Artist. He also taught bassoon and chamber music at the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton for 26 years, recently retiring in 2012.
Perkins contributions to our musical community extend beyond conducting, performing and teaching. For more than 20 years, he acted as program host and interviewer for WFMR-FM, Milwaukee’s former classical music radio station. During the 1970s and 1980s, he was a member of the Civic Music Association’s Board of Directors.
A product of Milwaukee’s musical community, Perkins graduated from Custer High School, earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from UWM, and his Master of Music degree from the Wisconsin College Conservatory of Music. He currently resides in Glendale with his wife and two dogs, and enjoys many activities with his three daughters and three grandchildren.
DISTINGUISHED CITIZEN - PATRON OF THE ARTS AWARD
DEADLINE | May 31, 2014 |
APPLICATION | 2014 Award Nomination Form |
PRESENTED | October 22, 2014 |
EVENT | Annual Awards Banquet |
The distinguished citizen - patron of the arts award is intended to honor music supporters of many dimensions who have distinguished him/herself by his/her leadership, passion for music, and generosity.
2013 Distinguished Citizen - Patron of the Arts Award Winner
Keith Mardak
Keith Mardak is Chairman and CEO of Hal Leonard Corporation, the world’s largest and most respected music print publisher. As a businessman, philanthropist and tireless volunteer with a passion for motivating others, he has used his talents to help economically disadvantaged young people gain experience and realize their dreams through the power of music.
Raised in a working class neighborhood on Milwaukee’s south side, Mardak and his older brother Don began playing accordion at an early age. After serving in the Coast Guard Reserve, he apprenticed as a draftsman at Allis-Chalmers Company where his father worked. Music remained his passion, and he taught accordion lessons part-time at a store his brother started with some friends. In the 1960s when his brother sold his music store and went to work for Zeb Billings’ piano and organ business, Mardak bought an organ and began giving organ lessons. When Billings started a new music publishing venture, he left his drafting position to work there full-time.
In 1970 Mardak joined the Hal Leonard Corporation, then based in Winona, Minnesota, forming a new division called Learning Unlimited in Milwaukee. Soon Learning Unlimited became a major segment of the company, and in 1985 Hal Leonard was purchased by an internal management group headed by Mardak, who then became president. Now headquartered in Milwaukee, Hal Leonard has domestic offices in Winona, New York and Nashville; and offices abroad in Australia, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Hal Leonard’s catalog consists of more than 200,000 publications, covering a broad spectrum of printed music for beginners to professionals. The company is among the leading music publishers for the book trade, enjoys a strong online presence with more than a dozen sites, and has also branched out to become one of the most prominent global distributors of music-related gear, including instruments, accessories, hardware and software.
A past board member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP); the Music Publishers Association (MPA); the American Music Conference (AMC); the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra; and Milwaukee’s Summerfest, Mardak currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. The Clubs are now headquartered in The Mardak Center for Administration and Training. His work with the Clubs has created the Hal Leonard Young Musicians Program, which now serves as a national model for teaching underprivileged kids to make music. Mardak and his wife, Mary Vandenberg, sponsor programming at several Boys & Girls Clubs for First Stage children’s theater, the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, and Junior Achievement. They have also established a scholarship fund for Pius High School in the name of Jim Clark, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, which each year gives two Club members full scholarships to attend this prestigious private school.
In July of 2005, Chicago’s VanderCook College of Music conferred an honorary Doctorate of Music Honoris Causa degree upon Mardak for his groundbreaking music philanthropy. In 2010, the Songwriters Hall of Fame honored Mardak with the Abe Olman Publishers Award, which is bestowed upon publishers who have a substantial number of songs that have become world-renowned and who have helped to further the success of many songwriters.
Raised in a working class neighborhood on Milwaukee’s south side, Mardak and his older brother Don began playing accordion at an early age. After serving in the Coast Guard Reserve, he apprenticed as a draftsman at Allis-Chalmers Company where his father worked. Music remained his passion, and he taught accordion lessons part-time at a store his brother started with some friends. In the 1960s when his brother sold his music store and went to work for Zeb Billings’ piano and organ business, Mardak bought an organ and began giving organ lessons. When Billings started a new music publishing venture, he left his drafting position to work there full-time.
In 1970 Mardak joined the Hal Leonard Corporation, then based in Winona, Minnesota, forming a new division called Learning Unlimited in Milwaukee. Soon Learning Unlimited became a major segment of the company, and in 1985 Hal Leonard was purchased by an internal management group headed by Mardak, who then became president. Now headquartered in Milwaukee, Hal Leonard has domestic offices in Winona, New York and Nashville; and offices abroad in Australia, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Hal Leonard’s catalog consists of more than 200,000 publications, covering a broad spectrum of printed music for beginners to professionals. The company is among the leading music publishers for the book trade, enjoys a strong online presence with more than a dozen sites, and has also branched out to become one of the most prominent global distributors of music-related gear, including instruments, accessories, hardware and software.
A past board member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP); the Music Publishers Association (MPA); the American Music Conference (AMC); the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra; and Milwaukee’s Summerfest, Mardak currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. The Clubs are now headquartered in The Mardak Center for Administration and Training. His work with the Clubs has created the Hal Leonard Young Musicians Program, which now serves as a national model for teaching underprivileged kids to make music. Mardak and his wife, Mary Vandenberg, sponsor programming at several Boys & Girls Clubs for First Stage children’s theater, the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, and Junior Achievement. They have also established a scholarship fund for Pius High School in the name of Jim Clark, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, which each year gives two Club members full scholarships to attend this prestigious private school.
In July of 2005, Chicago’s VanderCook College of Music conferred an honorary Doctorate of Music Honoris Causa degree upon Mardak for his groundbreaking music philanthropy. In 2010, the Songwriters Hall of Fame honored Mardak with the Abe Olman Publishers Award, which is bestowed upon publishers who have a substantial number of songs that have become world-renowned and who have helped to further the success of many songwriters.