Deirdre Chadwick Elected President of BMI Foundation, Inc.

Deirdre Chadwick has been elected President of the Board of Directors of the BMI Foundation, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to encouraging the creation, performance and study of music.

The Board voted unanimously to appoint Chadwick, who replaces Porfirio Piña, as the fourth President in the 28-year history of the BMI Foundation. Formed in 1985 by BMI employees, the organization sponsors a variety of programs designed to support music education, encourage talented young musicians in all genres of music and promote music in communities all across America.

“Deirdre is an enthusiastic and inspiring leader with a kind-hearted passion for education, music, arts and culture,” said outgoing BMI Foundation President Porfirio Piña.

Chadwick is currently Executive Director of Classical Music for Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI). Before joining BMI in 2010, she was a classical oboist, performing extensively in the U.S. and Canada with such ensembles as the Montreal Symphony, the American Symphony Orchestra, the Richmond and Harrisburg Symphonies, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Canadian Opera Company and the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, where she served as principal oboe for seven years. She is also a founding member of Trio Encantar and has performed widely as a chamber musician. Chadwick has served on the faculties of Dickinson College and Susquehanna University, and has maintained private teaching studios in oboe and recorder. She has also held numerous administrative positions in academic institutions and private industry. She holds two performance degrees and the Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music.

In addition to Chadwick’s appointment, several other changes to the Executive Board were announced. David F. Bills was appointed as Executive Vice President, Samantha Cox was appointed as Vice President and Antonella DiSaverio was appointed as Secretary of the BMI Foundation. Porfirio Piña will serve as Senior Vice President. Richard Garza and Gary Cannizzo will continue to serve as Vice President and Treasurer, respectively.

“It has been an honor for me to have served as the President of the BMI Foundation,” said Piña. Under Piña’s leadership, the Foundation added five new members to the Board, created new scholarships including the Ralph N. Jackson Fund for New Music and brought the overhead cost of the Foundation down to nine percent. In describing the group at the Foundation, Piña quotes Dale Carnegie, “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.”

The BMI Foundation, Inc. is supported by tax-deductible donations from songwriters, composers and publishers, BMI employees and members of the public with a special interest in music. More information about the BMI Foundation is available at bmifoundation.org.