The first Robert A. Muh Award to honor an MIT graduate for noteworthy achievements in the humanities, arts and social sciences will be presented to award-winning dancer and choreographer Gus Solomons Jr. on March 1 at a reception to honor Mr. Solomons.
Philip S. Khoury, dean of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, said, "Bob Muh has created a wonderful opportunity for the school to recognize MIT alumni who have helped to advance the three learning areas represented in the school nationally and internationally. It is also wonderful that Bob Muh and Gus Solomons Jr. overlapped as MIT undergraduates!"
Mr. Solomons will present a master class and a talk on his life and work as a choreographer on March 1 at 6pm in the T-Club Lounge at the Stratton Student Center. This event is open to the public. Audience members are invited to participate in a group conversation with Mr. Solomons following his talk.
The Robert A. Muh Award was first announced in October 2000 at the 50th anniversary celebration of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. The award includes a $5,000 stipend.
Mr. Solomons (SB 1961, architecture), the artistic director and founder in 1972 of the Solomons Dance Company, originated more than 70 works as a dance soloist in the companies of Donald McKayle, Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham. He teaches dance at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and has written for the Village Voice, Dance Magazine and the Chronicle of Higher Education. While attending MIT, he studied ballet with E. Virginia Williams, founder of the Boston Ballet Company. In September 2000, Mr. Solomons received the prestigious Bessie Award for his outstanding achievements in choreography.
Mr. Muh (SB 1959, management), a life member of the MIT Corporation and longtime chair of the Humanities Visiting Committee, endowed the award to honor an MIT alumnus or alumna who has made significant contributions to education, scholarship or performance, academic administration or arts management in the humanities, arts or social sciences. The award will rotate among the three major learning areas in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.
Mr. Muh and his wife, Berit, are the parents of two daughters, Alison and Carrie. Carrie received the SB in biology in 1996 and the SB and SM in political science in 1997.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on February 28, 2001.
