Forum Network

Bill Nowlin began writing about the Boston Red Sox as a young teenager, for a self-published neighborhood newspaper. Though the paper's circulation hovered in the single-digit range, it was the first step on what would become a life-long journey for Nowlin. Since the early '90s he has established himself as an authority on the much-beloved Sox via 15 published books and over 100 articles in various newspapers, magazines, and journals. His books include *Mr. Red Sox: The Johnny Pesky Story*, *Fenway Lives*, *Ted Williams: The Pursuit of Perfection*, *Blood Feud: The Red Sox*, *the Yankees*, *The Struggle of Good vs. Evil*, and *Day by Day with the Boston Red Sox* (the first two titles co-authored with fellow Sox enthusiast Jim Prime). Nowlin's devoted scholarship - particularly his detailed exploration of the life and legacy of Ted Williams - led to his recent election as Vice-President of the Society for American Baseball Research, as well as his continuing role as publications editor for the Ted Williams Museum in Florida. These days he appears frequently on radio and television in the Boston area, discussing his favorite team, the Boston Red Sox. Bill Nowlin grew up in Lexington, Massachusetts. For the first dozen years of Rounder Records' existence, Bill also served as a professor of political science at the University of Lowell; Dr. Nowlin retired from teaching in 1982.

Walsh, 61, is Wellesley's twelfth president, a position she assumed on October 1, 1993. She is the fourth alumna to head Wellesley, the nation's leading college for women. Under her leadership, the College has undertaken a number of new initiatives, including a revision of the curriculum, expanded programs in global education, expanded experiential and service learning opportunities and new interdisciplinary programs, including environmental sciences, neuroscience, and computer sciences. During Walsh's presidency, several new facilities have been constructed, including the Lulu Chow Wang Campus Center, the Knapp Media and Technology Center, the Knapp Social Science Center and the Newhouse Center for the Humanities. Walsh is a 1966 graduate of Wellesley, where she majored in English. At Boston University, she earned an M.S. degree in journalism (1971) and a Ph.D. in health policy from the University Professors Program (1983). She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and currently serves on the boards of Amherst College and the State Street Corporation.

Palmer is a writer, teacher, and activist who focuses on issues in education, community, leadership, spirituality, and social change. His work spans a wide range of institutions, colleges and universities, public schools, community organizations, religious institutions, corporations, and foundations. He serves as senior associate of the American Association of Higher Education, as senior advisor to the Fetzer Institute, and is the founder and senior advisor for the Center for Courage & Renewal. Palmer has published a dozen poems, more than 100 essays and numerous books, including several best-selling and award-winning titles. His work includes: *The Company of Strangers: Christians and the Renewal of American Public Life* (1983), *To Know as We are Known: Education as a Spiritual Journey* (1983), *The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teachers Life* (1998) and *A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life *(2004). Palmer has been awarded eight honorary doctorates and several national awards, including two Distinguished Achievement Awards from the National Educational Press Association, an Award of Excellence from the Associated Church Press, and major grants from the Danforth Foundation, the Lilly Endowment and the Fetzer Institute. The Leadership Project, a 1998 U.S. survey of 10,000 administrators and faculty named Palmer one of the 30 most influential senior leaders in higher education and one of 10 key agenda-setters of the past decade.

In addition to leading Shirim since 1985 and Naftule's Dream since 1996, Clarinetist Glenn Dickson won a 1997 Massachusetts Cultural Council Artist Grant for Composition and has studied and performed with microtonal jazz legend Joe Maneri. He was a featured soloist on the soundtrack of Sidney Lumet's *A Stranger Among Us* and wrote the music Shirim performed on the soundtrack of Woody Allen's *Deconstructing Harry*. Michael McLaughlin, piano and accordion, is an educator, performer and noted composer. He performs with Naftule's Dream and composes much of their music. He has won two awards from the American Composers Forum Boston and received a 2001 Mass Cultural Council Fellowship Award in Composition. His works have been performed by Trio Capriccio, The Chameleon Arts Ensemble, The Niagara Symphony, The Newton Symphony and the Boston Chamber Ensemble. Guitar and banjo player Brandon Seabrook performs with Naftule's Dream, Paul Brody's Sadawi, the Klezmer Conservatory band and Klezperanto. Tuba player Jim Gray studied at Boston University with J. Samuel Pilafian. He has performed with the Canton Symphony, The Cleveland Pops Orchestra, the Paramount Brass, and the Jazz Composer's Alliance Orchestra. Jim is a founding member of the avant-klezmer experience: Naftule's Dream. Eric Rosenthal, drums, has developed a prominent career playing jazz and improvised music, recording and performing internationally with the big band Either/Orchestra, Roswell Rudd, Anthony Braxton, blues artist David Maxwell, John Voigt, Bhob Rainey, Jack Wright and others. He is currently a member of the Charlie Kolhase Quintet, the Dave Bryant Quartet and the avant klezmer groups Naftule's Dream and Paul Brody's Sadawi based in Berlin.

Madafo Lloyd Wilson has presented as a storyteller and musician since the early 1980s. His programs are patterned in the spirit of the "Griot"; those individuals responsible for keeping the history, traditions, principles and values of the people alive and vibrant. A Madafo Storytelling presentation breathes life into the age old Art Form and speaks from the African experience in America.

The Boston Pops Gospel Choir was originally brought together to perform in the first Gospel Night at POPS in 1993. Gospel Night is a result of the vision and commitment of the Boston Symphony Orchestras Cultural Diversity Committee. This vision was particularly championed by the late Vondal M. Taylor, Jr. (1954-95), who was Vice-Chair of the Cultural Diversity Committee, and an overseer of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The Cultural Diversity Committee, in its effort to increase the diversity of Symphony Halls patronage, developed Gospel Night to appeal to a broader-than-traditional audience. Gospel Night has since become an annual event that continues to feature the choir. After the death of Vondal Taylor in 1995, Brother Dennis Slaughter, who had performed with the choir since 1993, decided to develop Boston Community Choir as an entity outside of Symphony Hall. Through his efforts and musical direction, the Boston Community Choir has become well-known throughout the Boston area for its inspired and uplifting performances.

A multi-instrumentalist, composer, and scholar, Hankus Netsky teaches improvisation and Jewish music. He is the founder and director of the Klezmer Conservatory Band, an internationally renowned Yiddish music ensemble. Netsky has previously taught Jewish music at Hebrew College and Wesleyan University, and has lectured extensively in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Several of his essays on klezmer music have been published by the University of California Press. Netsky has produced numerous recordings, including almost a dozen by the Klezmer Conservatory Band. He has composed extensively for film and television, and has collaborated with such artists as Itzhak Perlman, Robin Williams, Joel Grey, and Theodore Bikel. At Commencement 2001, Hankus Netsky received NEC's Louis and Adrienne Krasner Teaching Excellence Award. Netsky has also been the recipient of NEC's Outstanding Alumni Award and Laurence Lesser Award for excellence in teaching. Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology, Wesleyan University. B.M. with honors, M.M. with honors, NEC. Studies at Carnegie Mellon University. Jazz with Jaki Byard and George Russell; contemporary improvisation with Ran Blake. He is a former member of the faculty for the Yiddish Folk Arts Institute and Hebrew College.

Jeffrey Matthews is associate professor and director of the business leadership program at the University of Puget Sound. He holds a PhD in history from the University of Kentucky. His many published articles include: *Yankee Enterprise: The Houghtons of Massachusetts and, The Rise & Fall of Corning Incorporated, 1851-1871 in Essays in Economic and Business History.*