[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 82 (Thursday, May 11, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E627]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN RECOGNITION OF KEN FISCHER FOR 30 YEARS OF SERVICE ON BEHALF OF THE 
                       UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DEBBIE DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 11, 2017

  Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ken Fischer for 
his 30 years as President of the University of Michigan's University 
Musical Society. Under Mr. Fischer's leadership, UMS has become one of 
the leading performing arts organizations in the country, brought some 
of the world's top performers and artists to the University of 
Michigan, and provided unparalleled cultural and artistic opportunities 
at the University and to the southeast Michigan community.
  Mr. Fischer has been the President of UMS since 1987. During these 
years, Mr. Fischer has helped the UMS grow and expand its artistic 
offerings to the wider southeast Michigan community by attracting 
world-class performers to UMS, including the Royal Shakespeare Company 
and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition, UMS has partnered 
with local communities to expand access to the arts. He has done 
extensive work with metro Detroit's Arab American community, which 
launched a multiyear program to showcase art from different regions and 
cultures. Under Mr. Fischer's direction, UMS has also commissioned many 
new works, sponsored artist residences, and organized collaborative 
performances with local, national and international artists.
  Mr. Fischer's outstanding tenure has positioned UMS for success in 
the coming years. In addition to introducing new programs and expanding 
the organization's outreach to students and new members of the 
southeast Michigan community, Mr. Fischer has also grown the 
organization's development efforts to support these new initiatives. 
Since appointing Mr. Fischer as President, UMS's budget has increased 
fourfold, allowing it to reach new audiences. Mr. Fischer has also 
worked to further intercultural understanding by serving as a speaker 
and cultural ambassador to Brazil, China, Lithuania and Mexico under 
the direction of the U.S. State Department. Because of Mr. Fischer's 
outstanding leadership for three decades, UMS was chosen as a 2014 
recipient of the National Medal of the Arts, which is awarded by the 
President of the United States to organizations that have demonstrated 
artistic excellence.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Ken Fischer 
for his 30 years of success as President of the University of 
Michigan's University Musical Society. Mr. Fischer talent and passion 
for the arts has built a world-class organization that offers access to 
artistic performances to a variety of audiences.