NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Charlie Feldman, Maria Schneider and Susan Butler have been elected to serve on the New York Chapter Board of the Recording Academy. Feldman will serve as president, Schneider as vice president and Butler as secretary. The newly elected leadership will work in conjunction with the executive staff and the chapter's governors to oversee each chapter's programs and initiatives.
"We are pleased to have such a talented and creative group of industry professionals assist in developing The Academy's mission," said Recording Academy President Neil Portnow. "With their expertise and that of the national staff, we will continue to enhance the services we offer our members and broaden our outreach."
The New York Chapter of The Recording Academy serves the music community through regional professional development and networking events, health and human services, advocacy initiatives and music education programs for students of all ages.
Feldman is currently the vice president of Writer- Publisher Relations at BMI. He supervised music for two films by Robert Duvall, Tender Mercies and Assassination Tango, as well as the documentary celebrating R&B, Only The Strong Survive. Feldman previously served as president and trustee of the New York Chapter and has served on the chapter's signature event Heroes Awards/Recording Academy Honors Committee since its inception.
Schneider is an accomplished jazz composer with a Geammy win and seven nominations. She has received Album of the Year by Downbeat's Critics and Readers Polls and Jazz Journalists Awards. Schneider has played an integral part of numerous orchestras worldwide and was recently commissioned by Jazz at Lincoln Center, Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra and has written music for various other groups, including Phish.
Butler is a chapter board member and Billboard's senior correspondent. She previously served as music attorney for 21 years representing such clients as Steve Vai's Favored Nations label and Ryuichi Sakamoto. Butler worked on, edited and raised more than $30,000 for the New York Chapter's Working The Web DVD, which enabled the chapter to send free copies to more than 17,000 Academy members. –Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
