The Music of the Baroque Awardee 2023: JOAN HARRIS

The unwavering determination and generosity of Joan Harris and her late husband, Irving, resulted in not one but two outstanding venues in two musical capitals of the United States: the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in the heart of downtown Chicago and the Harris Concert Hall in Aspen, Colorado, each a perfect home in which to bring music and dance to thousands of audience members and providing countless performance opportunities for world-class artists and students alike.

Joan Harris has had a lasting effect on the arts in America, generated by her tireless service in many roles through the years, including (but not limited to): her work for the President’s Commission on the National Endowment for the Arts; as President of the Arts Alliance Illinois; as President, Chair, Director, or Trustee of many national cultural organizations, including the Aspen Music Festival and School, the Juilliard School, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the League of American Orchestras.

Music of the Baroque owes much of its success to the generosity of Ms. Harris and The Irving Harris Foundation. Her tireless work in the pursuit of bringing music and dance to the stage for everyone to enjoy is a beaming example of connecting people from all backgrounds through the performing arts and celebrating artistic excellence in Chicago and beyond.