BMI Inducted into Classical Music Hall of Fame

BMI was inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame during a ceremony held May 12 at The Juilliard School in New York City. Additional inductees included Pulitzer Prize-winning BMI composer William Bolcom.

At the induction ceremony, composer Bruce Adolphe spoke eloquently of BMI and its relationship with classical music. “BMI may be an enormous organization, but it is also a family and I have always felt like Barbara [Peterson}, Ralph [Jackson], and Emily [Good], and other good people at BMI, are like my relatives only better — and not because my relatives are like Mel Brooks without a sense of humor, and not only because I see my BMI family and my actual family mostly at annual seasonal parties with good food and drink, but because at BMI there is a genuine sense of belonging together, like a family, there is an understanding, a shared joy in creativity and the diversity of creativity in America, and there is a very strong feeling that we are all in this adventure together — and adventure of ideas, an adventure of spirit, and an adventure of intellectual property protection!

“By the way, it was in March 1940, BMI issued their very first contract. It was for a song composed by Henry Manners Katzman called ‘We Could Make Such Beautiful Music Together.’

“That really says it.”

The American Classical Music Hall of Fame is dedicated to honoring and celebrating the many facets of American classical music. The Hall of Fame seeks to recognize those who have made significant contributions to classical music and by doing so aspires to sustain and build interest in classical music. Inductees to the Hall of Fame are nominated by a specialist field of musicians, music educators, leaders in the music industry and its living inductees. Nominations are made in six categories: composer, conductor, performer, educator, performing ensemble and institution devoted to music. Nominations are reviewed by the distinguished National Artistic Directorate members who recommend a final slate for endorsement by the Board of Trustees.