Bucks County Choral Society artistic director and Haverford College associate professor Thomas Lloyd has been recognized and honored as one of seventy-six Creative Connectors in the Philadelphia area by Leadership Philadelphia, the region’s premier community leadership organization. Leadership Philadelphia seeks to “shine a light on all the good leadership that happens in this region, and to see if that might encourage more leaders to step forward”.
In a multi-stage project, Leadership Philadelphia has looked not so much at the highly-recgonized elected and appointed leaders, but has instead worked on identifying leaders in the community who “get things done below the radar.” Previous phases of the project have identified Baby Boomer and Emerging Connectors; the third phase brings the focus to Creative Connectors, people in the community, “… who use art, culture, and design to build community and economic vitality.”
Lloyd, along with his fellow Creative Connectors, is profiled on the WHYY Newsworks website (www.newsworks.org/index.php/creative-connectors). Lloyd, the only choral musician on the list of honorees, is cited by Leadership Philadelphia as “… a key figure in a number of musically rooted institutions. His goal is to enrich the community through the choral arts experience.”
A strong believer in the power and value of collaborative musical effort, Lloyd has played significant roles in developing meaningful collaborations between his singing groups (BCCS, Haverford/Bryn Mawr choirs) and additional groups from other regions, countries, demographics, and musical styles. Lloyd’s groups also tour regularly, sharing the choral arts experience with a wide range of audiences.
Notable for being one of relatively few classical musicians chosen, Lloyd’s fellow Creative Connectors comprise a cross section of area arts leaders, including Glen Knapp (Philadelphia Young Playwrights), Catherine Cahill (Mann Center for the Performing Arts), David Devan (Opera Company of Philadelphia), Varissa McMickens (ArtsRising), Hal Real (World Café), Jane Golden (Philadelphia Mural Arts Program), Craig Petersen (Philly Fringe), Karen Davis (Arts & Business Council), Andrew Simonet & Amy Smith (Headlong Dance Theater), and many more.
“Our list of the top 76 Creative Connectors is made up of members of the local arts and culture community who are the glue that binds it together,” says Leadership Philadelphia president Liz Dow. “These are the folks who seem to know everyone, connect for the common good, and get things done without worrying about getting credit for it. That’s leadership.”
Recognized throughout the region as Bucks County’s best large choral ensemble, the Bucks County Choral Society is an auditioned choir of one hundred voices, led by Dr. Lloyd. Singers come from all walks of life and with a range of musical skills, united in a dedication to providing a high quality choral music experience for the community.
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