The City of Chicago has declared Tuesday, June 30 “Duffie A. Adelson Day,” in honor of the retiring president of Chicago’s Merit School of Music. Adelson is retiring on June 30 after 33 years at the school, which provides music education to approximately 5,000 children in Chicago. Adelson was hired in 1982 by Merit founders Emma Endres-Kountz and Alice S. Pfaelzer. She began as a teacher and later served as associate director and executive director before becoming president. In 1984, Adelson founded the school’s Bridges program, which brings music to Chicago classrooms, community centers, and homeless shelters. She increased Merit’s budget from six figures to more than $5 million, and led a $20 million campaign that allowed Merit to purchase its own home, in Chicago’s West Loop.
Posted June 29, 2015
