Five orchestra musicians will receive Ford Musician Awards for Excellence in Community Service from the League of American Orchestras at the Opening Session of the League’s online National Conference on Monday, June 7 at 3:30 pm ET. Supported by Ford Motor Company Fund, the awards recognize professional musicians’ deeply impactful work outside the concert hall, much of it virtual this year due to the pandemic. The 2021 awardees provide pop-up concerts at food banks; bring orchestra musicians to a hospital; use music as a therapeutic tool for adults with mental health challenges; organize front-porch music lessons to breach the digital divide; and bring the joy of music to toddlers and their families. The 2021 Ford Musician Awards for Excellence in Community Service honorees are: Sean Claire, violin, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra; Jeremy Crosmer, cello, Detroit Symphony Orchestra; Lorien Benet Hart, violin, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; Miho Hashizume, violin, the Cleveland Orchestra; John Turman, horn, Seattle Symphony. The 2021 awardees will present their work at “Partnering Effectively,” a meeting at the League Conference for musicians and education and community engagement staff on Monday, June 14 at 1 pm ET. Each musician receives a cash award of $2,500 and complimentary registration to the League’s Conference. The musician’s orchestra receives a grant of $2,500 to support professional development for its musicians, as well as complimentary registration for one staff member to attend the Conference. Learn more here.
