2021 Randolph A. Frank Prize Winners Announced

Palm Beach Symphony announces the winners of the 2021 Randolph A. Frank Prize, which recognizes their contributions to enriching the quality of the performing arts in Palm Beach County. With prizes totaling $10,000, director Kenneth Kay; Director of Bands/Department Chairman at The Conservatory School Cleve A. Maloon; and Director of Bands at Lake Worth High School Tiffany Cox will be honored in the categories of performing artist, performing arts educator and emerging performing arts educator, respectively.

"By recognizing outstanding performing artists and educators, the Randolph A. Frank Prize celebrates Palm Beach County's vibrant arts community as it is today as well as those inspiring the students and artists that will continue to make Palm Beach a cultural destination for years to come," said Palm Beach Symphony CEO David McClymont. "The Symphony is privileged to play a role in awarding the prize."

Maloon regularly mentors and collaborates with students and band directors throughout Palm Beach County and many of his students have gone on to pursue careers in music at renowned universities such as The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, New England Conservatory, Boston University, Oberlin Conservatory of Music and University of Miami. In addition to his role at The Conservatory School where he nurtures musicians as young as 8 years old, he was instrumental in the development of Palm Beach County's inaugural El Sistema-influenced program that, since 2010, has democratized instrumental music instruction for kids who typically may not have the opportunity. A native of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, he has been a resident of Palm Beach County since 1996 and has also served as director of music programs at Oxbridge Academy, director of bands at Emerald Cove Middle School, Palm Beach Gardens High School and Bak Middle School of the Arts, where he was also department chairman.

Kay has produced, directed or acted in more than 300 professional stage productions throughout the southeast and on national tour. Having completed a one-year professional internship at The Burt Reynolds' Institute for Theatre Training in his early career, he later served as its Artistic Director. He also served as the Associate Artistic Director at Caldwell Theatre Company and has been honored with four Carbonell Awards for directing. His teaching credentials include adjunct or advisory positions at Palm Beach Atlantic University, Florida Atlantic University and Dreyfoos School of the Arts as well as serving as resident teaching artist with the Maltz Jupiter Theatre's Professional Training Program. In 2014, he cofounded Kay-Squared Productions and in association with The Palm Beach Institute for the Entertainment Arts is developing and starring in The Things They Carried, a stage adaptation of the acclaimed book by Tim O'Brien.

Dr. Cox has been recognized nationally by the Yamaha corporation as a recipient of the 40 Under 40 award for music educators and by the Give a Note Foundation as a 2020 recipient of their Music Educator Innovator Award. She received the Florida Bandmaster's Association Tom Bishop award for

growth of a failing music program and has been a Grammy Music Educator Award semifinalist

three times. Prior to Lake Worth Community High School, Dr. Cox was the music teacher and band director at Calusa Elementary School for five years. A member of the Florida Bandmasters Association, Florida Music Educators Association, the National Association for Music Education, the National Band Association, Women Band Directors International and the Women's Brass Conference, she strives to educate music teachers on the importance of social justice music education which emphasizes the disparities that exist due to race, class, and gender in music education.

Bestowed in the memory of Dr. Frank, a local arts champion in the early part of this century, the prize was established by Randolph A. Frank Prize Board Members Nancy and Jay Parker and founding chairman and acclaimed dance photographer Steven Caras.

The prizes will be bestowed at a post-concert dinner at the Colony Palm Beach following the Symphony's final concert of the season featuring guest artist Alexander Toradze on May 22.

All established and emerging individuals who regularly perform or engage in performing arts education in Palm Beach County are eligible for consideration for the prize. Palm Beach Symphony creates a panel of judges for each category comprised of experts in those areas who are often located outside of South Florida to ensure there is no bias in evaluating each nomination's merits. Nominations for the 2022 Randolph A. Frank Prize will open December 1 and application criteria will be available at www.PalmBeachSymphony.org.

To post a comment, you must register and login.