Banquet Speaker ~ Duffie  A. Adelson

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Photo credit: Kyle Flubacker

Duffie A. Adelson was privileged to spend 33 wonderful years driving and shaping opportunities for personal transformation through music education at Merit School of Music, a community music school located in Chicago which is nationally renowned for the caliber of instruction and level of financial support provided to thousands of students annually. Prior to her work at Merit, Adelson directed school music programs in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Illinois. Adelson began her tenure with Merit as an instructor in 1982. She was appointed associate director in 1987, executive director in 1993, and president in 2007. Under her leadership student population and instructional offerings grew significantly and the organization launched a campaign raising nearly $20 Million, allowing Merit to purchase its own building and grow the school’s endowment.  She is the immediate past board chair for the National Guild for Community Arts Education, she is a life trustee of Merit School of Music, and she serves on the boards of ChiArts High School and the Chicago Philharmonic.  She is a member of the Radio Committee of classical station, 98.7 WFMT and is a member of the Know Your Chicago Committee of the Graham School, University of Chicago.