FBeautiful music poured from the Anne and Howard Gottlieb Hall as the Alice S. Pfaelzer Conservatory held its annual Winter Concerts last weekend. With over nine hours of concerts performed by hundreds of students in 18 different ensembles, the two days were a whirlwind of excitement, artistry, and inspiration with a dash of holiday cheer.
Several of our ensembles are led by new faculty members this year, so it was a delight to hear the fruits of their work with the students over the course of only a few months. The Wind Symphony, newly under the direction of Scott Casagrande, blew the audience away with a raucous, thrilling rendition of Frank Ticheli’s Blue Shades, while Evan Bruno’s choirs sang in a wide variety of styles in six (count them, six!) different languages.
Among the unforgettable performances, this year’s Winter Concerts also served as a moment for reflection and appreciation as we honored the life and legacy of a cherished friend and supporter of Merit, Howard Gottlieb. A longtime Merit Board Trustee and Life Trustee, Howard‘s steadfast generosity and dedication to our students transformed countless lives and made an enduring impact on our community.
In Memory of Howard Gottlieb
Howard Gottlieb was known by many as a successful businessman and philanthropist, but for those of us at Merit, his legacy is most closely tied to his unwavering support of music education. He served as a Trustee from 2005 to 2017, after which he became a Life Trustee, contributing both his time and resources to supporting Merit’s mission.
An accomplished violinist in his own right, Howard was a strong supporter of the arts at the local and national level, driven by his steadfast belief in the importance of equitable access to music for all. Howard enjoyed playing chamber music with luminary musical artists and served as a substitute with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the arts, Merit honored Howard twice—first with the Alice S. Pfaelzer Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts in 2012, and again in 2018 with the Lifetime of Service Award.
A Moving Musical Tribute
It seemed only fitting that we celebrate Howard’s life and legacy through the very thing that meant so much to him—music. Saturday’s orchestra concert served as a tribute to Howard’s memory, with several members of Howard’s family in attendance in addition to several Trustees and Life Trustees who served alongside him for many years.
Merit Philharmonic’s program included an especially poignant moment: a performance of Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto by Aki Santibañez, the winner of this year’s Conservatory Solo Competition. A sophomore at Merit and a fellow with the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative, Aki’s moving rendition was a beautiful tribute to Howard’s love for the violin. The audience’s rapt attention gave way to a heartfelt standing ovation, honoring both Aki’s talent and Howard’s lasting influence on this organization.
The Sound of a Legacy
“One of the things that was really extraordinary about Howard was his love of Merit School of Music,” President and Executive Director Charlie Grode shared at Saturday’s concert. “He loved this mission, the idea that music was for everyone. He believed in that passionately, and he fought for it.” It is only fitting that we honored Howard at a Conservatory concert, as his generosity was pivotal for the success of this program. “He made sure this Conservatory continued to be tuition-free.”
In addition to supporting programming at Merit, Howard’s legacy can be experienced in a very tangible way here at the Joy Faith Knapp Music Center. Indeed, the hundreds of students, faculty, and audience members who attended the weekend’s concerts benefitted from his generosity as they sat in the beautiful Anne and Howard Gottlieb Hall. “His legacy is in this space that has been a home for music-making by Merit students for many years and for many years to come.”
Howard’s passion for Merit and his generosity were beyond compare, and we couldn’t have asked for a more devoted champion than him. His memory is not just a cherished part of our history but an enduring influence on the future of countless children. As the music played in the Anne and Howard Gottlieb Hall this weekend, we were reminded once again of the profound legacy he leaves behind—a legacy that will continue to resonate through the music of our students for generations to come.
