School Story
I had the enormous privilege of serving as teacher, executive director and then president of the Merit School of Music. Merit is a community music school in Chicago which levels the playing field for motivated students - regardless of financial circumstance, by providing exceptional music education free or on a sliding scale based on proven need. Merit changes the lives of more than 3,000 students each year through extensive instructional and ensemble offerings. I am now a life trustee of Merit, and also serve on a number of other boards including The National Guild for Community Arts Education (headquartered in NYC) where I serve as board chair; Chicago High School for the Arts; Chicago Philharmonic; Pilgrim Chamber Players; the Know Your Chicago Committee of the Graham School, University of Chicago; the WFMT Radio Committee of WCCI; and several advisory boards.