INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra announced Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly as the recipient of the Sagamore of the Wabash Award, the State of Indiana’s highest honor. Gov. Eric Holcomb presented Maestro Everly with the award during a surprise on-stage appearance at Kroger Symphony on the Prairie on July 21.
Maestro Everly received a standing ovation from the orchestra as well as the audience who were attending the ISO’s Broadway Under the Stars performance.
“The ISO is grateful to Maestro Everly for his artistic leadership of the past two decades,” said James M. Johnson, CEO. “He is indeed a fitting recipient of the Sagamore of the Wabash, as it reflects his deep commitment to musical excellence, building community, and creating opportunities for talented artists to thrive. Maestro Everly’s work in connecting symphonic music with popular culture has opened doors to new generations of fans.”
About Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly
A North American leader in symphonic pops, Maestro Everly has served as Principal Pops Conductor of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra for 20 years. He is widely known for his innovative approach to programs that have brought new audiences to the time-tested and beloved pops genre. During his tenure in Indianapolis, he has added positions as Principal Pops Conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Principal Pops Conductor of the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Ottawa, Canada, and the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra. As Music Director of the National Memorial Day Concert and A Capitol Fourth on PBS, Maestro Everly proudly leads the National Symphony Orchestra in these patriotic celebrations on the National Mall.
Audiences also know Maestro Everly as the Music Director of the AES Indiana Yuletide Celebration, now entering its 37th year. Each year, he composes original music for the Yuletide performances, along with conducting familiar favorites. Throughout the season, whether he’s leading the ISO through memorable Broadway melodies for the Printing Partners Pops Series or Disney’s Toy Story for the popular Bank of America Film Series, Maestro Everly is beloved by fans for his musical expertise and charismatic personality. A great champion of cultivating artistic talent, Maestro Everly finds opportunities to showcase musicians within the ISO as well as artists from around the world. He has led the ISO in its first Pops recording, Yuletide Celebration, Volume One, that included three of his own orchestrations.
Maestro Everly will conduct the following concerts during the 2023-24 season:
- Sept. 15-16: Heather Headley with the ISO
- Oct. 13-14: Cirque: World of Dance
- Oct. 21: Disney in Concert: The Sound of Magic
- Nov. 10-11: An Evening with Liz Callaway
- Jan. 6-7, 2024: Toy Story in Concert
- Jan. 12-13: Cody Fry Live with the ISO
- Feb. 2-3: Revolution: The Music of the Beatles – A Symphonic Experience
- March 15-16: Frankie Moreno and Tony DeSare
- April 19-20: Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Concert
- May 10-11: South Pacific in Concert
- June 7-8: Ultimate John Williams
About the Sagamore of the Wabash award
The Sagamore of the Wabash Award was created during the term of Governor Ralph Gates, who served from 1945 to 1949. The term “sagamore” was used by the American Indian Tribes of the northeastern United States to describe a lesser chief or a great man among the tribe to whom the true chief would look for wisdom and advice. The award is the highest honor that the Governor of Indiana bestows. It is a personal tribute usually given to those who have rendered distinguished service to the state or to the governor. Among those who have received Sagamores have been astronauts, presidents, ambassadors, artists, musicians, politicians, and ordinary citizens who have contributed greatly to our Hoosier heritage.
