Artist Aaron Dworkin to be Honored at UMKC

Celebration for inaugural Musical
Bridges Francis Family Foundation Fellow

Artist and performer Aaron Dworkin, 2005 MacArthur Fellow, former National Arts Policy Committee member, and founder of the Sphinx Organization, is the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Conservatory of Music and Dance’s inaugural Musical Bridges Francis Family Foundation Fellow.

Dworkin is a nationally recognized voice for music education and diversity in the performing arts. The Conservatory will host a benefit luncheon at 11:30 a.m., Friday, April 4, in the Atterbury Student Success Center, Pierson Auditorium, 5000 Holmes St., Kansas City, Mo., to raise funds for Musical Bridges students. During the luncheon, Dworkin will deliver a public address on arts, diversity and engaging underserved communities.

Musical Bridges provides exceptional young musicians with the intensive, one-on-one instruction and performance experience necessary to prepare for auditions into selective university programs such as the UMKC Conservatory. By focusing on underrepresented populations, Musical Bridges aims to give students with great artistic potential the opportunity to succeed in the performing arts.

“MacArthur Fellow Aaron Dworkin and Sphinx have opened eyes and ears to the breadth of excellence in American classical music. UMKC believes we must do more to recruit and sustain diverse musicians in our communities,” Conservatory Dean Peter Witte said. “In his role as our first Musical Bridges Francis Family Foundation Fellow, Mr. Dworkin will work with Musical Bridges students, schools, Conservatory faculty and civic leaders to demonstrate the power of diversity in the arts.”

Dworkin will be on campus April 4 and 5.

“Having nationally recognized artist Aaron Dworkin in Kansas City will inspire and magnify the prominence of urban music education and arts advocacy in our region, particularly for our Musical Bridges teachers and students. Thank you to the Francis Family Foundation for its continued support to help make this visit happen,” said Mara Gibson, director of Musical Bridges.

To make reservations for the luncheon, call 816-235-2963.  Tickets are $75 per person.


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