Philanthropist Paul R. Judy has made a $1 million gift to the Eastman School of Music to establish the Paul R. Judy Center for Applied Research, which will focus on helping musicians develop innovative ensemble models. The center will become part of Eastman’s Institute for Music Leadership, which also includes the Orchestra Musician Forum; the Office of Careers and Professional Development; the Center for Music Innovation and Engagement; and the Arts Leadership Program. “Musicians face many challenges after graduation, not the least of which is finding a sustainable way to practice their art,” said Douglas Lowry, dean of the Eastman School of Music. The new center will serve as an incubator for emerging alternative ensembles and encourage scholars to research alternative ensembles, their business models, and their impact on contemporary culture. The center will sponsor a biennial festival and conference, with the inaugural festival planned for early 2015. Judy is chairman of the Chicago Philharmonic Society, a former president of the CSO board, and founder of the Eastman School of Music’s Orchestra Musician Forum and its comprehensive website for musicians, Polyphonic.org.
Posted June 10, 2013
