Richard Kessler

From 1991 to 1997, I was vice president of Artsvision, an arts education consulting company where I researched, created and helped implement programs for school communities, arts organizations and foundations including The Center for Arts Education (Annenberg Challenge), Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education, the Center for Creative Education (Palm Beach County), and the Learning Through Music Partnership Program of The Cleveland Orchestra. During this period I also worked with hundreds of artists, helping to prepare them for work in schools and communities, facilitated the creation of arts integrated curricula, provided professional development for teachers, artists, and administrators, and authored a number of plans and reports.

I was born in Brooklyn, grew up in Rockaway Beach, NY (I have sand in my shoes!). I have two degrees from The Juilliard School and was a faculty member of the Manhattan School of Music from 1988 to 1993. I am a board member of Common Core, a brand new organization in Washington, DC dedicated to a liberal arts education for all K-12 children nationwide, the American Composers Orchestra, The Festival of New Trumpet Music (FONT), Sequitur--a new music presenting organization, and the Steering Committee of the New York City Arts Coalition.

In 2005, I was awarded the American Music Center's Letter of Distinction for my "significant contribution to the field of American music."

I live in Maplewood, New Jersey, with my wife Debbie Ferraro and three-year-old daughter, Sophie.