The Association of Wisconsin Symphony Orchestras Service to Music Award

The Association of Wisconsin Symphony Orchestras awards a Service to Music Award Annually. In 2010 the award was presented to Professor Marvin J. Rabin, Emeritus Professor of Music and director of the Wisconsin String and Orchestral Development Program for the Department of Continuing Education in the Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the founding conductor of the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras and the Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras and also played a role in the founding of the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra. 

Dr. Rabin is known internationally as a string development specialist and for his leadership of youth orchestras. In great demand as a string clinician and conducting specialist, he has served at many national and state music education conventions and has conducted all-state high school orchestras, festivals and workshops in forty-eight states, Canada, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Europe. Dr. Rabin conducted three tours of the "American Youth in Concert" Symphony Orchestra in concerts at The White House, Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, France, and England.

Dr. Rabin has served on the board of directors of the American Symphony Orchestra League, the National School Orchestra Association, Music Arts Development, Inc.; the American String Teacher Association and the Mid-West International Band and Orchestra Clinic.

The Eastman School of Music Sibley Library has established a Marvin Rabin Archive for his papers professional and personal activities.  His musical score collection is housed at the Wisconsin Center for Music Education in the Marvin J. Rabin Orchestra Library. 

As a life-long advocate for youth arts, Dr. Rabin is a vigorous spokesperson for society's need to recognize the positive and creative accomplishments of young people, as well as the individuals, organizations and businesses that support these artistic efforts.

Photo: Marvin Rabin being presented with the award at the 2010 conference in Green Bay.