The Cleveland Orchestra and the Greater Cleveland Partnership, in cooperation with the City of Cleveland, seek nominations for the seventh annual Dr.

Awards to recognize an adult, a business or organization, and a youth who have positively impacted Cleveland in the spirit of the teachings and example of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Presentation to take place at The Cleveland Orchestra���s Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Concert on January 17, 2010

CLEVELAND, November 3, 2009 ��� In cooperation with the City of Cleveland, The Cleveland Orchestra and the Greater Cleveland Partnership are currently accepting nominations for the seventh annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award, which will be presented at the Orchestra���s Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Concert at Severance Hall on Sunday, January 17, 2010, at 7:00 p.m. Awards will be presented in three categories in recognition of the services and achievements of an adult, a youth, and a business or organization that have positively impacted Cleveland in the spirit of the teachings and example of Dr. King.

Nomination and Selection Process

Members of the community may submit nominations for award consideration. Nomination forms are available through the websites of The Cleveland Orchestra (clevelandorchestra.com), the Greater Cleveland Partnership (gcpartnership.com), the City of Cleveland (city.cleveland.oh.us), or by calling The Cleveland Orchestra���s Department of Education and Community Programs, (216) 231-7355. Nomination forms are due by Thursday, December 17, 2009, and should be mailed to MLK Community Service Award, Attention: Education and Community Programs, The Cleveland Orchestra, 11001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, or emailed to sjones@clevelandorchestra.com with Subject Line: MLK Community Service Award Nomination.

A six-person panel composed of community leaders will select award recipients. The Nomination Committee will be chaired by Robert P. Madison, CEO, Robert P. Madison International, Inc. and a member of the Musical Arts Association Board of Trustees.

Award Presentation and Concert

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award will be presented to the outstanding adult, youth, and outstanding business or organization at The Cleveland Orchestra���s 29th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Concert on January 17, 2010. The concert will take place at Severance Hall at 7:00 p.m., under the direction of Cleveland Orchestra Music Director Franz Welser-M��st. Cellist Tony Rymer, first prize winner from the 2009 Sphinx Competition for Black and Latino string players, Senior Division, will make his Cleveland Orchestra debut as soloist in a performance of Dvo��k���s Cello Concerto in B minor, Opus 104 (First Movement). The Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Chorus and the Central State University Chorus, with conductor William Henry Caldwell, will also participate in the concert.

Admission to the concert is free, but tickets are required. Tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis beginning December 26, 2009, through the Severance Hall Ticket Office. Patrons can stop by the Ticket Office Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., or Saturdays between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., or call the Ticket Office at (216) 231-1111 or 1-800-686-1141. A limited number of tickets will also be available via the Cleveland Orchestra website at clevelandorchestra.com. There is a limit of 2 tickets per person.

This concert is sponsored by KeyBank, a Cleveland Orchestra Partner in Excellence, with additional support from The Cleveland Foundation. The musicians of The Cleveland Orchestra donate their services for this concert as a benefit to the Musical Arts Association sustaining fund.

For more information about award nominations and the MLK Celebration Concert on January 17, 2010, please contact The Cleveland Orchestra���s Department of Education and Community Programs at (216) 231-7355.