Ruth Greenfield - Instrument of Change
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Our third recipient of a Breaking Barriers Through Music Award is Ruth Greenfield, a former member of FSMTA. Starting in the 1950s, Ms. Greenfield worked tirelessly to bring educational opportunities in the performing arts to students without any restrictions of race or ethnicity through her fully integrated school, the Miami Fine Arts Conservatory. Although both she and her husband faced obstacles and opposition to their work during these early years of the civil rights movement, she has now been recognized as a true trailblazer in bringing arts education to children of diverse backgrounds. Since her age does not allow for an in-person presentation, Mary Seal and Bill Dawson, a former colleague of Ms. Greenfield, traveled to Ruth’s home for an in-person presentation of the award. Her full story will be shared during a plenary session on Saturday, October 22.
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Session Presenter: William Dawson, Jr.
When I started teaching at Miami-Dade College in 1978 I had never heard of Ruth Greenfield (as I imagine many of you). Ruth and I happened to be the only two music professors at the brand-new downtown campus. Soon I was to realize what an utterly phenomenal woman and consequential personage my colleague was. This is the remarkable concert pianist, teacher, civic activist and social justice pioneer who FSMTA is honoring at the 87th State Conference on Saturday October 23rd in Venice by presenting her with the special “Breaking Barriers” award. Like many of us Ruth Greenfield has been a dedicated music teacher most of her life. However, Ruth has become a totally unique figure by combining music with the breaking of racial barriers in Miami – founding a color-blind conservatory in the 1950’s and early 1960’s which was considered scandalous at that time and which even caused her to be expelled by the Music Teachers Association in Miami.
Ruth was born in Key West in 1923, a child of immigrant Poles. Her parents moved to Miami when Ruth was six months old. She studied piano with Mana-Zucca (who moved there from NYC) and went on to study with Nadia Boulanger in Paris. She earned her Doctorate in Music at the University of Michigan where she studied with the illustrious concert pianist Artur Schnable. Returning to Miami after spending time abroad she was bewildered by a segregated society where a talented young black child did not have any opportunity to receive serious training in music. In 1951 Ruth then courageously founded, in a black neighborhood, the first fully integrated school of music, art & dance for kids in Miami . . . if not the South. She raised funds so that poor students could receive scholarships. Today numerous distinguished African-Americans who have become educators, school principals, doctors, lawyers, newspaper publishers, political leaders testify to the crucial & pivotal impact that attending Ruth’s conservatory had on their development as children and their subsequent successes as adults.
All of this is why I implore all of you not to miss being there on Oct. 23rd to celebrate (and be inspired) by the inspiring life of Ruth Greenfield.
William Dawson Jr. is an alumnus of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia where he studied with Rudolf Serkin, after which he earned his Graduate Degree in Music at Yale University. Dawson has appeared as soloist with major symphony orchestras including Boston Pops. He has played recitals and given master classes all over the United States, Switzerland, Japan, Republic of China and Latin America. Gian Carlo Menotti invited Dawson to perform at the Spoleto Festival in Italy. His numerous chamber music concerts include performances with Anne Williams, Principal Cellist with the Pittsburgh Symphony and Daniel Majeske, late Concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra.
He is Professor Emeritus at Miami-Dade College and is a founder of the New World School of the Arts in Miami. Dawson was co-founder of the Escuela de Música J.S. Bach in Mérida, Yucatán and has served as Visiting Professor at Guatemala City and San Pedro Sula, Honduras. In 1995 Dawson’s orchestral composition Suite Chichen Itza was performed at that archaeological zone in Yucatan, Mexico. In recognition of his bi-national cultural achievements Dawson received official honors from U.S. State Department.
The Florida State Music Teachers Association named Dawson Commissioned Composer of the Year 2007.
When I started teaching at Miami-Dade College in 1978 I had never heard of Ruth Greenfield (as I imagine many of you). Ruth and I happened to be the only two music professors at the brand-new downtown campus. Soon I was to realize what an utterly phenomenal woman and consequential personage my colleague was. This is the remarkable concert pianist, teacher, civic activist and social justice pioneer who FSMTA is honoring at the 87th State Conference on Saturday October 23rd in Venice by presenting her with the special “Breaking Barriers” award. Like many of us Ruth Greenfield has been a dedicated music teacher most of her life. However, Ruth has become a totally unique figure by combining music with the breaking of racial barriers in Miami – founding a color-blind conservatory in the 1950’s and early 1960’s which was considered scandalous at that time and which even caused her to be expelled by the Music Teachers Association in Miami.
Ruth was born in Key West in 1923, a child of immigrant Poles. Her parents moved to Miami when Ruth was six months old. She studied piano with Mana-Zucca (who moved there from NYC) and went on to study with Nadia Boulanger in Paris. She earned her Doctorate in Music at the University of Michigan where she studied with the illustrious concert pianist Artur Schnable. Returning to Miami after spending time abroad she was bewildered by a segregated society where a talented young black child did not have any opportunity to receive serious training in music. In 1951 Ruth then courageously founded, in a black neighborhood, the first fully integrated school of music, art & dance for kids in Miami . . . if not the South. She raised funds so that poor students could receive scholarships. Today numerous distinguished African-Americans who have become educators, school principals, doctors, lawyers, newspaper publishers, political leaders testify to the crucial & pivotal impact that attending Ruth’s conservatory had on their development as children and their subsequent successes as adults.
All of this is why I implore all of you not to miss being there on Oct. 23rd to celebrate (and be inspired) by the inspiring life of Ruth Greenfield.
William Dawson Jr. is an alumnus of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia where he studied with Rudolf Serkin, after which he earned his Graduate Degree in Music at Yale University. Dawson has appeared as soloist with major symphony orchestras including Boston Pops. He has played recitals and given master classes all over the United States, Switzerland, Japan, Republic of China and Latin America. Gian Carlo Menotti invited Dawson to perform at the Spoleto Festival in Italy. His numerous chamber music concerts include performances with Anne Williams, Principal Cellist with the Pittsburgh Symphony and Daniel Majeske, late Concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra.
He is Professor Emeritus at Miami-Dade College and is a founder of the New World School of the Arts in Miami. Dawson was co-founder of the Escuela de Música J.S. Bach in Mérida, Yucatán and has served as Visiting Professor at Guatemala City and San Pedro Sula, Honduras. In 1995 Dawson’s orchestral composition Suite Chichen Itza was performed at that archaeological zone in Yucatan, Mexico. In recognition of his bi-national cultural achievements Dawson received official honors from U.S. State Department.
The Florida State Music Teachers Association named Dawson Commissioned Composer of the Year 2007.