The Jessamine E. Long Award
The award was named in honor of Jessamine E. Long, founder of the Buffalo Schola Cantorum, now known as the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus. Her leadership provided a place for Western New Yorkers who loved to sing and perform choral music since 1937.
In 1997, the BPC established the Jessamine E. Long Award to honor and recognize recipients who have given exceptional dedication and distinguished service to the chorus and have shown a continuing commitment to choral music in Western New York. This award is the highest level of recognition granted by the chorus. It is not awarded annually, but rather when a deserving recipient is identified. Past recipients are:
- Jane Baird – 1997
- Angela Cruser – 1997
- Maximiano Valdes – 1998
- Thomas Swan – 1999
- Ellen Koessler – 2000
- Bettyalice Riehle – 2001
- Andrea Copley – 2002
- J. Warren Perry – 2003
- Douglas & Barbara Bunker – 2004
- Cameron & Jane Baird Foundation – 2007
- Paul Ferington – 2009
- M&T Bank – 2011
- Catherine Schweitzer – 2014
- JoAnn Falletta – 2018
- Scott Schaefer – 2023
- Jane Mathias – 2023