[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 81 (Friday, June 19, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S6720]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   ACKNOWLEDGING THE EXCELLENT WORK OF HEATHER MacLAUGHLIN AND ALAN 
                                JOHNSTON

 Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I rise today to acknowledge the 
excellent work of two musicians from Minnesota. On June 4, Heather 
MacLaughlin and Alan Johnston performed at the Kennedy Center. These 
two are not only excellent musicians, but they are teachers and leaders 
as well.
  Ms. MacLaughlin is one of the Twin Cities' leading collaborative 
pianists. She has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra and St. Paul 
Chamber Orchestra and her performances have been aired on both 
Minnesota and National Public Radio. She is a recipient of the 
prestigious McKnight Artist Fellowship award with violinist Leslie 
Shank. This award will allow the two performers to record the Bartok 
Sonatas for violin and piano and showcase their talents to a national 
audience.
  Mr. Johnston is the founder of the Minneapolis Guitar Quartet (MGC) 
which is nationally recognized for its excellence. The MGC has 
performed throughout the United States and on the nationally syndicated 
radio program St. Paul Sunday Morning. In addition, they have also 
represented the United States abroad, performing in South America and 
Spain.
  On June 4, these two outstanding performers were invited to showcase 
their talents here in our nation's capital at the Kennedy Center for 
the Performing Arts. Through this performance the people of Washington 
benefitted from the talent that we in Minnesota have already been 
exposed to.
  MacLaughlin and Johnston carry on the tradition of great performers 
who share their knowledge with others so that they, too, may realize 
their potential. Both are teachers at the MacPhail Center for the Arts 
in Minneapolis. The MacPhail Center was founded by Minneapolis Symphony 
member William S. MacPhail in 1907. It has grown out of its humble 
beginnings of four teachers and 82 students into the second largest 
community music school in the country. Its 125 instructors teach in 
over 40 instrument areas, and the school has exceptional programs in 
Early Childhood Arts and in Suzuki Talent Education.
  We in Minnesota are proud of our strong arts community and of the 
tradition that the Twin Cities area is developing as a center for 
artistic and cultural expression. The MacPhail Center has made an 
enormous contribution to the study and enjoyment of music in our 
community. I am pleased to congratulate the MacPhail Center as well as 
Heather MacLaughlin and Alan Johnston.

                          ____________________