The League of American Orchestras presented Peter T. Kjome, president and CEO of the Grand Rapids Symphony, with the Helen M. Thompson Award today (6/9) at the League’s 66th Annual Conference in Minneapolis. Kjome, an alumnus of the League’s Essentials of Orchestra Management Program and former principal oboe of the Grand Rapids Symphony, became president and CEO of the Grand Rapids Symphony in 2008. Previously, Kjome served for eight years in a variety of capacities for the 3M Company in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Helen M. Thompson Award, created in 1981 to celebrate the life and work of Helen M. Thompson, is given annually to recognize her support and encouragement of managers and music directors early in their careers. The League also recognized 26 American orchestras with 2010-11 ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming today in Minneapolis. Among the winners are the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Justin Brown, musical director and principal conductor, which was awarded the John S. Edwards Award for Strongest Commitment to New American Music; the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Gustavo Dudamel, music director, awarded the Morton Gould Award for Innovative Programming; and the Minnesota Orchestra, Osmo Vänskä, music director, awarded the Leonard Bernstein Award for Educational Programming. To see a complete list of winners, visit http://www.americanorchestras.org/images/stories/conducting_artistic/2011_ASCAP_Awards.pdf.
Photo by David DeJonge
Posted June 9, 2011
