JoAnn Falletta, the music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, is the recipient of the 2017 Charles E. Burchfield Award.
The Burchfield Penney Art Center, which bestows the award annually, made the announcement Sept. 27. According to the gallery, the award recognizes great achievements in the arts, in addition to honoring commitment to environmental sustainability and the power of the arts.
Announcing the award, the gallery cited a quote by Falletta that showed her devotion to these ideals: "Our awareness of the needs of the environment must run through all that we do. The treasure of the arts comes from our environment. Music is inspired by nature."
Charles Burchfield, too, linked art with nature.
"When he was a young man, he wrestled with the decision whether to devote his life to being a naturalist or to work as a painter," said Scott Propeack, the Burchfield Penney's associate director and chief curator. "JoAnn Falletta's deep appreciation for the natural world is reflected in her concert selections and in her support for like-minded composers."
Nature has inspired many giants of music, including Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert and Gustav Mahler.
Previous recipients of the Charles E. Burchfield Award have included Tom Toles, former Buffalo News political cartoonist, and his wife, Gretchen Toles; as well as architects Robert Siegel and Charles Gwathmey.
Falletta will be honored Oct. 6 at an awards ceremony and dinner at the gallery.
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