Mr. Tileston Wins a State Award for Arts Education

WRENTHAM - At 12 noon Thursday, June 5, Peter G. Tileston, Music Director at King Philip Regional High School, will be honored as a Distinguished Arts Educator by the Massachusetts Alliance for Arts Education. The ceremony for all the 2003 "Champions of Arts Education" will take place at the Massachusetts State House Great Hall on Beacon Hill. Tileston will address the Alliance, and receive a handcrafted ceramic designed by Massachusetts artist Jason Greene to mark the occasion.

Nominated by the parents and friends of the King Philip Music Association, the award marks Tileston's 20th year with the King Philip Regional School District.

The nominating committee described Tileston as the driving force behind the success of the King Philip Music Program, embodied in his motto "Don't settle for your present level of achievement."

While groups during Tileston's 20 years have presented many world-class performances in venues from Indianapolis to New York's Lincoln Center, the music organization pointed to the consistency of superior performances over the years as "amazing."

"It is this consistency that marks Peter Tileston as a master teacher committed to excellence. The musical achievements come not from the talent of one or two gifted students who might pass through the system, but from Tileston's ability to inspire greatness in all of his students," the group said in its nomination.

Tileston is currently serving as President of the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association (MICCA).

Tileston recently said, upon being chosen as one of "50 Band Directors Who Make a Difference" by School Band and Orchestra magazine, that his fondest achievement is the creation of "Stars at Symphony." The joint project between MICCA and the Boston Symphony Orchestra rewards superior performance by school music groups with the opportunity to perform in Symphony Hall in Boston and Ozawa Hall in Tanglewood. The King Philip Symphony Band has achieved the distinction of appearing in Boston for five straight years.

"One of Tileston's strengths in this area is his ability to find challenging performance pieces for his ensembles that he arranges himself to allow all students access to the material while maintaining the integrity of the original composer," the nomination said.

"Tileston maintains personal connections to all of his students as both a classroom instructor and conductor. Often that personal connection begins as early as eighth grade through marching band," the nomination said.

While Tileston is responsible for the regional secondary music school program, he extends his reach to the elementary schools from Norfolk, Plainville, and Wrentham. The young students are judged at an "Honors Band" festival for grades four through eight. Now in its sixteenth year, this program allows elementary and junior high school students to work with Tileston as their conductor.

Tileston was graduated from the University of New Hampshire and Cambridge College.

The Massachusetts Alliance for Arts Education marks its 17th annual giving of the award for superior teaching and interdisciplinary planning, professional involvement and leadership beyond the classroom, and the ability to communicate effectively about arts education. Other educators and arts leaders will be honored at the ceremony.

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