The SMTE Executive Committee is pleased to announce that Aaron Dworkin will give the the David J. Teachout Keynote Address at the 2017 Symposium on Music Teacher Education. Aaron P. Dworkin is a multi-media performing artist, author, social entrepreneur, artist-citizen, and educator, who has received extensive national recognition for his leadership and service to communities. Named a 2005 MacArthur Fellow, he is a former member of the Obama National Arts Policy Committee, and was President Obama’s first appointment to the National Council on the Arts.
The 2017 Symposium on Music Teacher Education will be held September 7-9, 2017 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Events will begin on Thursday evening, September 7, with the keynote address. Visit the official page at smte.us/2017 for all information about the 2017 Symposium. The keynote speaker is sponsored by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME).
More about Aaron Dworkin:
Dworkin was named one of Newsweek’s “15 People Who Make America Great.” Most recently, he was named one of Crain’s National 100 Innovators, Disruptors & Change-Makers. He is the recipient of the Royal Philharmonic Society Honorary Membership, Harvard University’s Vosgerchian Teaching Award, National Governors Association 2005 Distinguished Service to State Government Award, Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award, Detroit News’s 2003 Michiganian of the Year Award, Crain’s 40 Under 40 and Who’s Who Awards, BET’s History Makers in the Making Award, AT&T Excellence in Education Award, and National Black MBA’s Entrepreneur of The Year.
A passionate advocate for excellence in arts education and inclusion in the performing arts, Dworkin has been a frequent keynote speaker and lecturer at numerous national conferences including the Aspen Ideas Conference, Independent Sector, Dance USA National Conference, The League of American Orchestras, National Association for Schools of Music, National Guild for Community School of the Arts, National Association of Music Merchants, Chautauqua Institution, National Suzuki Association, Americans for the Arts, American String Teachers Association, Ithaca College, and the National Association for Negro Musicians.
As the co-chair of the Arts and Cultural Education Task Force for the State of Michigan, Dworkin designed the required arts curriculum for Michigan schools and served as co-chair of the Planning Task Force, which oversaw the strategic merger of ArtServe Michigan (statewide arts advocacy organization) and MACAA (Michigan Association of Community Arts Agencies). In addition, he serves on other strategic planning committees including the League of American Orchestras.
An accomplished electric and acoustic violinist, Dworkin earned his bachelors of music and masters of music in violin performance from the University of Michigan School of Music, graduating with high honors. He also attended the Peabody Institute, the Philadelphia New School, and the Interlochen Arts Academy studying with Vladimir Graffman, Berl Senofsky, Jascha Brodsky, John Eaken, Renata Knific, Donald Hopkins, and Stephen Shipps.
He is the founder of The Sphinx Organization, the leading national arts organization for transforming lives through the power of diversity and the arts. As founder of the Sphinx Organization, Dworkin created an organization with a staff and faculty of over 40 and a budget of $5 million that awards more than $1,000,000 in prizes and scholarships annually. Sphinx serves as the leading arts national organization advocating for young people and the power of diversity in the arts.
His memoir titled Uncommon Rhythm: A Black, White, Jewish, Jehovah’s Witness, Irish Catholic Adoptee’s Journey to Leadership was released through Aquarius Press.