Slaughter Receives Prestigious
Golden Baton Award
American Symphony Orchestra League Recognizes
Congresswoman's Contribution to the Arts

Washington, DC - Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and co-Chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus, was awarded along with Rep. Christopher Shays the American Symphony Orchestra League's highest national honor, the Golden Baton, in recognition of their distinguished leadership in the Congressional Arts Caucus for the last dozen years and their work to increase federal funding for the arts.

The American Symphony Orchestra League awards no more than two Golden Batons each year in recognition of a significant national impact on the arts.  The League provides support to nearly 1,000 orchestras across the nation and is an important public advocate of the value and importance of orchestras and the music they perform.

"I'm honored that the League chose to recognize my work for the arts." said Rep. Slaughter.  "It seems that each year we are forced into legislative battle to keep the National Endowment for the Arts alive and well-funded," she added.  "There will always be a need to spread awareness on the national level for the importance of the arts and I am committed to being out front in that fight."

BACKGROUND:

The Gold Baton Award is the highest national award given for distinguished service to music and the arts and in recognition of distinguished service to music that reaches beyond the local level to have national impact and significance.  (Two awards may be given: one to an individual, one to an organization.)

Some notable recipients of past Golden Baton Awards include the following:

2004    Walter Anderson, Whose leadership as artist, educator, and visionary compelled us to consider endless possibilities

• 2003 Michael Tilson Thomas, Consummate musical leader: setting new standards, crossing boundaries, embracing all listeners

2000    Pierre Boulez, Composer, Conductor, Teacher, and Lifelong Pioneer for Orchestras and Their Music

1995    Corporation for Public Broadcasting, for a generation of access to high quality concert

broadcasts and cultural news that has fostered a climate of public support for America's

symphony orchestras.

1993    New York Philharmonic, in celebration of its 150 years of artistic excellence, leadership and

service.

1983    Morton Gould, Composer, conductor, and friend whose music enriches the lives of millions and helps build our American musical heritage.

1979    Eugene Ormandy, Conductor Laureate of the Philadelphia Orchestra, for setting a standard of

excellence for nearly half a century.

1968    Leopold Stokowski, for the imaginative leadership he has given to symphony orchestra

development in America, and his initiation and direction of the American Symphony Orchestra's program of study and career opportunities for young conductors and orchestra players; and

1959    Leonard Bernstein, conductor, New York Philharmonic, for his televised concerts for young

people.