Henry Panion III, Ph.D.The Bob Moog Foundation has named University of Alabama at Birmingham University Professor of Music Henry Panion III, Ph.D., to its Board of Directors.
In an announcement Monday, March 15, the Bob Moog Foundation said it is proud to welcome the “prolific producer, composer, arranger, conductor, orchestrator, and lauded professor of music technology and music theory” to its board.
“Henry Panion is a giant in the world of music and music technology education, an award-winning musician, and an outstanding community leader,” said David Mash, president of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. “We are thrilled to have Henry join our Board of Directors, and look forward to his contributions toward our mission to promote the legacy of Bob Moog, especially in the area of bringing education in the science of sound to more children across the United States through Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool.”
Panion said he could not be more honored “than to have an opportunity to work with members of this most distinguished board to carry forth this great legacy, as the scientific inventions of Bob Moog have helped shape the entire music profession unlike any other.
“As an educator, music technologist and practicing musician, the mission and goals of the foundation align so perfectly with my passion for educating the young and providing them with tools for success as I have been fortunate to have,” Panion said.
Moog (1934-2005) was an innovator in the world of electronic music for more than 50 years, expanding the boundaries of sonic expression and affecting the lives of musicians and music-lovers around the globe, according to the foundation’s website. His invention of the Moog synthesizer in 1964, in collaboration with Herb Deutsch, revolutionized almost every genre of music, offering performers new sonic possibilities in which to express their creativity. For many musicians, the synthesizer transformed their lives and work. Moog’s impact and the legacy are ongoing.
Holding degrees in music education and music theory from Alabama A&M University and The Ohio State University, Panion is best known for his work as conductor and arranger for Stevie Wonder, and has led a number of world-renowned orchestras, including the Royal Philharmonic, the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra, the Birmingham (England) Symphony, the Orchestra of Paris and the Melbourne (Australia) Symphony.
He has worked closely with artists including The Winans, Yolanda Adams, Chet Atkins, Aretha Franklin, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Chaka Khan and many more. Panion’s own musical works have been programmed nationally by major orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Atlanta Symphony, Cincinnati Pops, Cleveland Symphony and Philadelphia Orchestra. He has garnered multiple Grammy, Dove and other national awards, and among other honors, Panion was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame in 1995 and was the 2009 recipient of the Congressional Black Caucus’ Civic and Cultural Advancement Award. Panion is president and CEO of Audiostate 55 Recording Studios.
Visit the Foundation’s Board of Directors page for more on Panion and his career. For more information about Panion’s projects, visit www.henrypanion.com/.