Dade Cultural Alliance Honors Founder of Miami-Based International Two-Piano Competition; Pianist Loretta Dranoff Receives Arts Management Excellence Award.

MIAMI -- The Murray Dranoff Foundation, sponsor of the Biennial Murray Dranoff International Two-Piano Competition, today announced that its founder, Loretta Dranoff, will be honored with the Dade Cultural Alliance's Arts Management Excellence Award, which will be presented at the "Serving the Arts Luncheon" hosted by the Arts & Business Council of Miami, Tuesday, May 23 in Miami.

The Award recognizes Ms. Dranoff's untiring commitment to advancing artistic careers as the founder of the world's first competition dedicated solely to Two-Piano Music. The Dranoff Competition, judged by world renowned pianists, piano teachers and music critics and journalists, has been held in Miami since 1987 and is next scheduled for early 2008.

"Loretta Dranoff came to the Arts community in Dade County with such passion and drive to start the world's first professional competition for duo pianism and create a marketplace for an art form that was largely unknown here," said Laura Bruney, Dade Cultural Alliance Board member. "By bringing in top artists, and commissioning and premiering new music for South Florida audiences, she has raised appreciation of Two-Piano music and secured the Dranoff Competition's place as a cultural institution of which Miami should be justly proud."

The recently held 10th Dranoff Competition awarded more than $50,000 in cash prizes to winning duo-piano teams from Japan, Italy, Israel, Spain and Puerto Rico who competed in regional preliminary rounds held around the world and finals in Miami.

"We are extremely honored by this recognition of Loretta's accomplishments," said Carlene Sawyer, Executive Director, Dranoff Foundation. "This award will help to further the Foundation's work in organizing the competition, commissioning new music and conducting educational outreach in our local community."

A student of world renowned pianist and pedagogue Clarence Adler - whose son, composer Richard Adler ("Damn Yankees," "Pajama Game"), is still involved with the Dranoff Foundation today - Ms. Dranoff became part of one of world's leading Two-Piano Teams. From 1941 to 1975 she performed with her husband all over the world as Columbia performance artists. In 1947, the Dranoffs were the first piano duo to have their recital televised.

About the Murray Dranoff Foundation

As a member organization of the World Federation of International Music Competitions, The Murray Dranoff Foundation is dedicated to the presentation of Two Piano music, and its outstanding artists to the publics of the world. Foundation programs develop audiences and appreciation for this unique art form through education, performance, and the commission of new Two Piano compositions by world renowned composers, including Morton Gould, John Corigliano, William Bolcom, and Ned Rorem.