WORCESTER—Tracy Kraus, flautist, arts leader, and co-founder of the Worcester Chamber Music Society, has been named the recipient of the 43rd ArtsWorcester Award.
The award recognizes those who have made extraordinary contributions to the city’s cultural life. Kraus will be honored during ArtsWorcester’s annual gathering on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at 5 p.m., with a reception to follow.
Kraus helped re-establish professional chamber music in Worcester, first forming the Abbott Chamber Players in the 1980s, and later co-founding the Worcester Chamber Music Society (WCMS) in 2006 with violinist and violist Peter Sulski. Since then, WCMS has presented more than 260 concerts across Central Massachusetts, while building a devoted local following.
“The Worcester Chamber Music Society has become an essential part of this city’s music scene, with wide-ranging programs that include chamber music’s greatest hits from the last five centuries and extraordinary lesser-known works,” ArtsWorcester noted in its announcement.
The society also launched Neighborhood Strings, a youth program led by WCMS cellist Ariana Falk, which has provided music education to more than 500 children and teens over the past 14 years.
Beyond her work with WCMS, Kraus has served multiple terms on the Worcester Cultural Coalition’s board, including as chair during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. She describes that leadership as a point of particular pride, supporting the Coalition’s diverse membership through an uncertain period.
The award ceremony, held on the seventh floor of the Printers Building at 44 Portland St., will feature a performance by WCMS musicians in honor of Kraus.
Following the presentation, attendees are invited downstairs to ArtsWorcester’s galleries for the opening reception of Material Needs 2025, an exhibition featuring seven artists who received a combined $10,000 in grants last year to support new work.
The event is free and open to the public, with light refreshments and a cash bar available at the reception. Registration is requested at artsworcester.org/events.
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