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Columbus Musician Tom Battenberg to Receive Raymond J. Hanley Award

in Press Releases July 13, 2016 3 min read

COLUMBUS, Ohio—The Greater Columbus Arts Council (Arts Council) is pleased to announce that Thomas Battenberg has been selected as the eighth recipient of the Raymond J. Hanley Award.

The annual $12,500 award is given to an artist who has demonstrated a high level of achievement while working at least five years in the arts in any discipline. The award money comes from the Raymond J. Hanley Fund at the Columbus Foundation and is given without restriction, so that the artist can use it to further his or her career as needed. The winner is selected by an anonymous panel of judges, along with the trustees of the fund. The award is administered by the Arts Council and supported through the fund created upon Hanley’s death in 2006.

The award will be presented at a private reception Sept 28.

Tom Battenberg is one of Central Ohio’s most active and versatile performers. He is principal trumpet in the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and is completing his 50th season with the CSO. He has played principal trumpet in for ProMusica Chamber Orchestra since its beginning in 1979. He leads his own jazz, Dixieland, and dance bands, is a composer and arranger, and is a frequent soloist in area churches. In 2001 he was featured with the renowned fiddle player, Mark O’Connor, in a trumpet and fiddle duet at the ProMusica Gala concert and he performed as jazz soloist with the Columbus Symphony, playing two of his arrangements and an original composition. He also released a CD titled Just a Closer Walk With Thee, recorded with pianist Ronald Jenkins. It is a collection of familiar hymns and gospel favorites.

Battenberg was a member of the School of Music faculty at The Ohio State University from 1966 until his retirement on March 1, 1992; from 1987 to 1992 he was the assistant director of the OSU School of Music. During his 26 years on the faculty, he taught trumpet, performed in the Faculty Brass Quintet, taught courses in the jazz studies curriculum, and from 1970 to 1990 directed the award-winning and internationally acclaimed OSU Jazz Ensemble. The Jazz Ensemble, under Battenberg’s leadership, made four European tours (1975, 1978, 1981, and 1985), appearing at major international jazz festivals in Montreux, Switzerland and Nice, France, and at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague, Netherlands. The ensemble also performed at the Mexico City International Jazz Festival (1990) and in cities on the east and west coasts of the United States. The band recorded 10 albums and won many awards at major US jazz festivals and from Down Beat magazine. Battenberg also founded the OSU Faculty Jazz Sextet and The High Street Stompers Dixieland Band, with which he has made four recordings.

Battenberg holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from The Ohio State University (1963) and a Master of Music degree from Arizona State University (1965).  Before beginning his teaching and performing career at OSU, Battenberg played in the Phoenix (1963-65) and Dallas (1965-66) symphonies.

The Raymond J. Hanley fund at The Columbus Foundation was created by past chairs of the Greater Columbus Arts Council board. The fund continues the spirit of advocacy and partnership that the Arts Council has encouraged since its inception.

About the Greater Columbus Arts Council: Through vision and leadership, advocacy and collaboration, the Greater Columbus Arts Council supports art and advances the culture of the region. A catalyst for excellence and innovation, the Arts Council funds exemplary artists and arts organizations and provides programs, events and services of public value that educate and engage all audiences in our community. The Arts Council thanks the City of Columbus and the Ohio Arts Council for their continued support. www.gcac.org

CONTACT: Jami Goldstein
(614) 221-8492
jgoldstein@gcac.org