Music Professor wins Arkansas Arts Fellowship

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Rick Salonen, winner or Arkansas Arts Fellowship

J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences instructor of music Rick Salonen, was recently awarded an Individual Artist Fellowship in music composition by the Arkansas Arts Council. The award includes a $4,000 cash prize.

Salonen is an instructor in the music department at the University of Arkansas. He received his doctoral degree in higher education and MM degree in composition from the University of Arkansas. His BME degree in secondary music education is from Central Michigan University. Salonen worked for many years as a professional composer/arranger and has written more than 200 pieces for church orchestra with other musical works for choir, brass quintet, handbells, voice, big band, television and radio.  He won the Artist Fellowship award for a composition written for the Fayetteville Jazz Collective titled Claudia Suite.

The Governor's Arts Awards are presented by Gov. Mike Beebe and the Arkansas Arts Council. The awards recognize individuals and corporations for their outstanding contributions to the arts in Arkansas. The recipients were selected by an independent panel of arts professionals from around the state. Each recipient will receive an original work of art created by Arkansas artist Winston Taylor of Russellville, recipient of the 2011 Arkansas Living Treasure award.

The ceremony will take place during a luncheon at noon Oct. 18 in the Grand Ballroom of The Peabody Little Rock. Tickets may be purchased by contacting Cheri Leffew at cheri@arkansasheritage.org or by calling 501-324-9766.