Press

Dr. Quinton Morris with Davie Ann Ross and Ruby Ruo, top prizewinners of the 2019 Solo String Festival after their live performance on King FM 98.1.

Dr. Quinton Morris is selected as the first Artist-Scholar in Residence and Key to Change joins as partner with innovative BIPOC Composer Residency, both with Classical King FM 98.1.

Dr. Quinton Morris will serve as the first Artist-Scholar in Residence for Classical KING FM 98.1 for a two-year term beginning September 15. Dr. Morris enjoys a multifaceted career as a concert violinist, chamber musician, educator, entrepreneur, and filmmaker. In this new role for KING FM, he will create 10-12 radio programs and video podcasts featuring the music of BIPOC composers and performers that will be distributed nationally to classical radio stations across the country.

He will also start a composer residency program, selecting two living BIPOC composers to write or arrange new pieces for Dr. Morris’s Key to Change Studio. Performances of these new pieces featuring Key to Change violin and viola students will air on KING FM. KING FM is also thrilled to continue its previous partnership with Key to Change by featuring winners of its annual Solo String Festival on its weekly live program Northwest Focus.

“Dr. Morris and Key to Change have been valued partners of Classical KING for several years, and it was Quinton who suggested that KING FM consider a composer in residence program, explained Dr. Brenda Barnes, CEO of Classical KING FM. “I thought about it, realized Quinton was actually the perfect person to pioneer this new role for KING FM, and asked if he would consider serving as our first Artist-Scholar in Residence. I was absolutely thrilled when he said yes! We look forward to supporting Quinton in creating radio programs and podcasts that will be offered to stations and listeners across the country. It is such an honor to have this opportunity to work more closely with Dr. Morris and to raise the profile of important BIPOC composers and performers.”

“I have literally grown up listening to KING FM. As a kid, I remember listening to the radio as I would get ready for school and it’s been wonderful to continue my partnership with them in this new capacity. I’m very happy to have an active role where I’ll perform and program music by Black and composers of color, who have been largely ignored and marginalized within the classical music community. Additionally, I’m really excited about the launch of our composer residency program, where our Key to Change students will have an active role in this partnership. It’s a great way to show our youth that not only do they matter, but they too can be engaged participants in creating impactful change that can transform the lives of others”.

Classical KING FM will appoint a team of staff members to support Dr. Morris and his work with the station. They will begin planning and producing programs this fall.

ABOUT:

About Dr. Quinton Morris
Dr. Quinton Morris is an Associate Professor at Seattle University and founder of the music education organization Key to Change. He enjoys a multifaceted career as a concert violinist, educator, filmmaker and entrepreneur. He performs solo concerti/recitals and chamber music and presents lectures worldwide.

Dr. Morris’ career spans across six continents, presenting in dozens of countries. His BREAKTHROUGH: The Quinton Morris World Tour included an innovative lecture recital and self-produced short film based on the life and music of Chevalier de Saint-Georges. BREAKTHROUGH premiered at prestigious venues including, the Seattle Art Museum, the Louvre Museum (Paris), New York Film Week among dozens of other concert halls and film theaters. Governor Jay Inslee awarded Dr. Morris the Washington State Governor’s Arts Award for his success with BREAKTHROUGH and the film received the first prize ‘Diamond Award” at the European Independent Film Award Festival in Paris and the bronze award at the Global Music Awards.

Dr. Morris has received numerous awards including the Puget Sound Business Journals “40 Under 40 Award,” Seattle Mayor’s Arts Awards, the Seattle University Provost Award for Outstanding Scholarship and Creative Work, and named a “Mover and Shaper” by Musical America. He is currently the co-chair of the Seattle Arts Commission.

Dr. Morris is the first music professor in over thirty years (and the second living African-American violinist in United States history) to receive tenure and promotion at Seattle University. He is the founder and director of Key to Change, a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching middle and high school underserved violin and viola students in South King County. For more information, visit his website at www.keytochangestudio.org.

About Classical KING FM
Classical KING FM 98.1 is the primary institution developing new audiences for classical music and the arts in Seattle, Bellevue, and the Puget Sound Region. Listener-supported KING FM is located at Seattle Center with a mission to make classical music accessible for everyone in the community and to advocate for the arts in our region.

In addition to creating programming that offers everyone in the region an opportunity to make classical music and the arts a part of daily life, Classical KING FM partners with arts and culture organizations of all size and scope in the region. We offer broadcast performances of local concerts as well as an opportunity for local musicians to perform on our signature Friday evening program Northwest Focus LIVE. The Northwest Focus Concert Calendar offers listeners the opportunity to learn more about concerts and events to encourage them to deepen their involvement with classical music and the arts by attending and supporting the excellent performing organizations the region boasts.

Teachers and parents use Classical KING FM to introduce children to classical music, and the station has additional programs to supplement this important work. Through our popular Instrument Petting Zoos, the annual Young Artist Awards competition, and other partnerships, KING FM provides support for arts education in the region.

We are proud of the rich history of the station, which was founded by broadcasting pioneer Dorothy Stimson Bullitt in 1948. After Dorothy’s death, her daughters Patsy Bullitt Collins and Harriett Bullitt donated the station to a nonprofit to ensure the station continued to serve the region. Their concept was that the community would support the station going forward. KING FM operated as a commercial classical station until 2011 when it became a classical public radio station.

More than 15,000 members are supporters of Classical KING FM, helping to pave the way for a bright future for the station, and bringing the richness of classical music to diverse audiences in the rapidly growing Puget Sound Region.

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Key to Change is committed to maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment for our students. Due to community health concerns relating to COVID-19, some Key to Change programs may be modified in the coming weeks. Please check back on this page for the most recent updates.

Our Solo String Festival, Spring Finale Recital, and Spring Salon Concert, and Summer Camp are cancelled, in accordance with recommendations from the Washington State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Weekly violin lessons at Key to Change are being conducted remotely via Zoom or Google Hangouts until further notice. Students’ weekly lesson times will remain the same, and they will receive a link via email to join in these online classes.

Thank you for your flexibility and understanding. Key to Change is doing everything we can to ensure the health and safety of students and community members at our events.

This is an evolving situation, and updates on COVID-19 are available from the Washington State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

KENT September 27, 2019 — Key to Change Studio has been selected for the 2019 Best of Kent Award in the Music Instructor category by the Kent Award Program.

Each year, the Kent Award Program identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community. These exceptional companies help make the Kent area a great place to live, work and play.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2019 Kent Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the Kent Award Program and data provided by third parties.

About Kent Award Program

The Kent Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the Kent area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value.

The Kent Award Program was established to recognize the best of local businesses in our community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to recognize the small business community’s contributions to the U.S. economy.

SOURCE: Kent Award Program

CONTACT:
Kent Award Program
Email: PublicRelations@businessawardsdecision.net
URL: http://www.businessawardsdecision.net

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The Key to Change Solo String Festival:

Creating Equal Opportunities for Young Musicians in South King County

Over the past two years, Key to Change has woven itself into the musical fabric of South King County, making world-class music instruction available and financially accessible to underserved students all throughout our region.

This year, we are taking that mission a step further with the launch of our Solo String Festival on April 13! This all-day event offers middle and high school students in our region a bigger stage, providing not only performance opportunities but also a chance to attend a college preparation workshop, meet professional musicians, and compete to win prizes.

The first of its kind in our region, the Solo String Festival gives young musicians the opportunity to perform in a supportive and community-centered environment. The event is designed specifically for string students in South King County, allowing participants to perform alongside other musicians of a similar age, background, and experience level. The festival also includes both competitive and non-competitive divisions, setting it apart from more exclusive classical music competitions in Seattle and Bellevue and allowing for a greater diversity of participants.

First place winners from the Junior and Senior Divisions will be awarded music scholarships for college and will perform live on the radio on Classical KING FM’s Northwest Focus LIVE program. Second and third place winners will receive a set of strings, an hour-long private lesson, and will be invited to perform at select Key to Change events. Our festival adjudicators are violinist Robert T. Murphy and cellist Jeremy Woolstenhulme, both respected string educators

Key to Change’s Solo String Festival is generously sponsored by Classical KING FM 98.1, the Live Music Project, 4Culture, and Seattle Chamber Music Society.

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