Akropolis Reed Quintet wins Fischoff's 2015 Educator Award

The Fischoff National Chamber Music Association announced in July that Akropolis Reed Quintet, whose oboist is Timothy Gocklin ’14MM, ’15AD, has been selected as the winner of the 2015 Fischoff Educator Award. This national award recognizes the educational outreach work of Fischoff Competition alumni who have demonstrated outstanding and imaginative programming for children and youth in the United States. It honors musicians who have established professional careers in chamber music, and have proven their ability to successfully build a career in both chamber music performance and outreach education.

As winner of the Fischoff Educator Award, Akropolis will receive a coveted endorsement from Fischoff, a cash award, and a week of community outreach programs in the South Bend region during the spring of 2015 as part of Fischoff's award-winning Arts-in-Education Residency.

Described by Fanfare Magazine as playing with "imagination, infallible musicality, and huge vitality," the Akropolis Reed Quintet is a cutting edge ensemble that performs an innovative, living repertoire with acclaimed precision. Akropolis won the 2014 Fischoff Competition's Senior Wind Division Gold Medal. They were also grand prize winners of the 2011 Plowman Chamber Music Competition and the 2011 MTNA Competition. For the 12/13 season Akropolis was the Ensemble-in-Residence with the Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings, one of the United States' premiere chamber music presenters, and was invited to be a Shouse Institute ensemble for the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival.

Wholly committed to reaching out and fortifying the next generation of music mavericks, Akropolis created their 2013 Fall Education Tour, funded by over $5,000 raised by a Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign. The tour visited 10 schools in Michigan serving underprivileged youth or under-funded arts programs. Ranging from interactive melody games for elementary students, master classes for middle and high school ensembles, and composer forums and business workshops for college musicians, Akropolis harnesses its creativity, energy, and versatility to make music a personal and lasting experience for all students.