The Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra and the National Association of the Teachers of Singing Establish Memorials

MILWAUKEE—6.13.24--Hal Leonard is happy to share that two prominent funds have been announced in honor of Rick Walters, their esteemed friend and colleague who passed in April. Rick worked at Hal Leonard for 39 years, most recently as their Vice President of Classical and Vocal Publications, before retiring in 2023.

Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO) announced the creation of the Rick Walters Memorial Award for Student Composers to honor his legacy as a dedicated and devoted teaching artist and mentor to composition students in their John Downey Creation Project. Through the Creation Project, student composers create, develop, write, and premier their original work, all within one season. Through Rick’s mentorship, many composers have seen their work through fruition and have grown personally and musically through the process. Interested parties can donate here. Please note, for the MYSO form, enter the amount of money you want to donate and then select the option to dedicate the donation "in memory of Rick Walters." That will get it put into the correct fund.

The National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) has established the Rick Walters Memorial Fund, which is dedicated to creating the Rick Walters Award for the NATS National Student Auditions. This award honors the legacy of Rick Walters, a cherished friend of NATS, whose profound contributions to the world of classical and vocal music publishing continue to resonate within their community. Interested parties can donate to the NATS fund here.

Hal Leonard Chairman Larry Morton stated, “Rick’s impact on the world of classical and vocal music publishing was immense. His unwavering passion and commitment to preserving and presenting repertoire for students and their teachers have left an indelible mark. Not a vocal competition or audition happens without singers using materials Rick helped create with our editorial teams. He closely worked with some of the greatest musical theater composers of all time, including his close, personal relationship with the late Broadway icon, Stephen Sondheim.”

Learn more about Rick here.