The Jean and Francis Madeira "Excellence in Music" Award is named in honor of the founding conductor of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra and his wife, a renowned opera singer.  The Philharmonic was founded in 1945 by Francis Madeira who went on to be its director and conductor as well as a member of the Brown faculty.  He retired in 1978 and this award was initiated by The Brown Club of Rhode Island and the Pembroke Club of Providence in 1981 in order to annually recognize a Brown student concentrating in music who has exhibited exceptional ability and promise in their course of study.

Help Support the Award

Unlike other departmental major awards that are endowed, the Madeira Award is funded entirely through membership fees to the Brown Club of Rhode Island. If you'd like to make a separate tax-deductible contribution to help, you may send a check to the Alumni Association specifying it's for the "BCRI - Madeira Award."  Or you can give directly online. Thank you for your generous support!