Resolution 120761

..Title Honoring, recognizing and commending Jeri Lynne Johnson, founder of the Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra, for her extraordinary service and dedication as a musician, conductor, and historian. ..Body WHEREAS, Jeri Lynne Johnson began conducting during her doctoral studies in music theory and history at the University of Chicago; and WHEREAS, While a student in Chicago, Ms. Johnson was awarded the 1998 Jorge Mester Conducting Scholarship to attend the Aspen Music Festival; and WHEREAS, Ms. Johnson's teachers and mentors have included Sir Simon Rattle, Marin Alsop and Daniel Barenboim; and WHEREAS, Ms. Johnson was engaged by the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia to serve as the ensemble's assistant conductor from 2000 to 2004. Her debut in the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts won high praise from the Philadelphia Inquirer; and WHEREAS, Ms. Johnson's unique approach to music and her warm embrace of new audiences has set a new standard for creating diversity for orchestral ensembles; and WHEREAS, In 2005, Ms. Johnson made history as the first African-American woman to win an international conducting prize when she was awarded the Taki Concordia Conducting Fellowship; and WHEREAS, In 2007, Ms. Johnson founded the Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra, the only professional orchestra in the region, and one of few in the country, to champion ethnic classical music; and WHEREAS, The Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra is dedicated to normalizing diversity in classical music by presenting concerts and innovative community programs of the highest artistic and educational standard and performed by diverse musicians; and WHEREAS, Ms. Johnson has been featured in numerous magazines and newspapers as well as television and radio shows including 20/20 and the Tavis Smiley Show. Ms. Johnson was heralded as one of today's leading conductors on the NBC Today Show; and WHEREAS, Ms. Johnson has received countless honors and rewards including being named a 2011 Woman of Distinction by the Philadelphia Business Journal, a Creative Connector by Leadership Philadelphia, a 2010 British American Project Fellow, a 2010 Philly 360 Creative Ambassador by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation, a 2010 Honoree in Arts and Culture for the Power Shift and a recipient of the 2009 Leeway Transformation Award; now therefore, RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby honor, recognize, and commend Jeri Lynne Johnson, founder of the Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra, for her extraordinary service and dedication as a musician, conductor, and historian. FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Jeri Lynne Johnson as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body. ..End