Nance Receives Mu Phi Epsilon Presidential Award of Excellence
FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Maestro Robert Nance was honored with the Mu Phi Epsilon Presidential Award of Excellence during the international professional music fraternity’s recent convention held in Fort Wayne. The Presidential Award of Excellence is a special honor recognizing exceptional members for significant and enduring contributions to music, education, musicianship and service. The recognition reflects Nance’s decades-long career as a conductor, composer, keyboardist, educator and advocate for the arts.
“To be recognized by fellow musicians and colleagues in Mu Phi Epsilon is deeply meaningful,” Nance said. “Music has given me a lifetime of opportunities to create, teach, collaborate and serve. I am grateful for this honor and for the any artists, students and supporters who have been part of that journey.”
Nance has been part of the Fort Wayne arts community for several decades. He founded Heartland Sings in 1997 and has dedicated much of his career to advancing professional vocal arts, mentoring musicians and advocating for greater investment in artists and arts organizations. Receiving the award in Fort Wayne added significance to the honor as Mu Phi Epsilon members gathered in the city for the fraternity’s international convention. The convention also provided an opportunity to showcase Fort Wayne’s professional music community.
During the gathering, Nance conducted a concert at Plymouth Congregational Church featuring an orchestra and principal artists from Heartland Sings. More than 300 people attended the concert, which featured Darius Milhaud’s The Creation of the World and Cole Porter’s Within the Quota, two works originally premiered on the same program in Paris in 1923.
“To welcome fellow musicians to Fort Wayne, share the remarkable artistry that exists here and receive this recognition during the same gathering was an extraordinary experience,” said Nance.
Throughout his career, Nance has advocated for the arts as an essential part of healthy, vibrant communities. His work has centered on creating opportunities for professional artists, developing the next generation of musicians and making meaningful artistic experiences accessible to audiences.
To learn more about Nance’s work, visit www.maestronance.com.
