"The ability to express one's self, to share one's culture and identity with others is paramount to a civil society, and so we train that ability in young people. ... I would submit to all of you this work that we all do surrounding the arts, the way we express ourselves to one another and to others around the world, matters. And whether we include all of the voices that make up the unique tapestry and mosaic that is the American society matters."
-- Aaron Dworkin, dean of the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theater and Dance at the Penn State Forum Speaker Series on Sept. 15. Dworkin is founder of the Sphinx Organization, which for nearly 20 years has encouraged diversity in the field of classical music. A Penn State alumnus and 2005 MacArthur Fellow, Dworkin was appointed by U.S. President Barack Obama to serve on the National Council on the Arts. Dworkin was joined on stage by the Catalyst Quartet, an ensemble of Sphinx laureate string musicians.
To read a Q&A with Dworkin, visit this link. The Catalyst Quartet will perform on the University Park campus Sept. 17 in Esber Recital Hall. More information on the performance is available here.