A Marshfield native, pianist, educator and advocate for taking classical music to a wider audience is this year�s recipient of the Laird Youth Leadership Foundation Award for Leadership in Art.

John Milbauer, professor of music at Humboldt State University, Arcata, Calif., will be honored at a dinner on Sunday, April 22. He will receive a certificate and cash award at the opening session of Laird Youth Leadership Day, Monday, April 23, at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. His name will be inscribed on a permanently mounted plaque in the University Center�s Laird Room.

Presentation of the award will be made by Melvin R. Laird, former seventh district congressman and secretary of defense, who established the Laird Youth Leadership Foundation at UWSP with his son, John Laird, president of the Laird Youth Leadership Foundation. The foundation sponsors numerous programs at the university including Laird Youth Leadership Day, the Laird scholarships and the Laird Arts and Education Awards.

In addition to his Humboldt State appointment, Milbauer has been engaged in summer music programs for students, ages 12 to 18, and he teaches master classes for local teachers and their students.

While living in New York City, Milbauer gave solo recitals, accompanied other artists, taught at The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music and was part of the Columbia Artists tour with the New York Theatre Ballet.

While in residence at the Banff Centre in Canada, in an effort to take classical works outside the boundaries of the music community, he organized a free, weekly musical series at a neighboring ski resort that gained in popularity and continued after he left Canada. In addition, he has volunteered as organist at Our Lady of Peace Church in Marshfield, at the Banff Presbyterian Church and at St. Alban�s Episcopal Church in Arcata.

Milbauer holds degrees from Eastman School of Music, The Juilliard School, and Manhattan School of Music and a certificate from the Liszt Academy in Budapest, Hungary. He received a Harvard College Fulbright Grant to study in Hungary through the Hungarian Ministry of Culture and Education Bursary. He participated in the Ernen Musikdorf in Switzerland and has given concerts in Europe, North America and Asia.

He is the son of Mary Anne and John Milbauer, 613 Sycamore Ave., Marshfield.

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