Robert Morrison
- Biographical Information
Robert B. Morrison has a long history as a supporter of music and arts education and is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading researchers and advocates for arts education. Mr. Morrison is the founder and CEO of Quadrant Research, the nation’s preeminent arts education data analytics and market research firm. Mr. Morrison’s leadership in research, public policy, and advocacy efforts have led to significant advancements in access to music and arts education programs in America. Mr. Morrison also serves as the Director of Arts Ed NJ, the statewide arts education policy group for New Jersey. Through his work, New Jersey has emerged as the leading state for arts education in the country.Mr. Morrison has a deep body of research and policy work and is recognized as a pioneer in statewide arts education status and condition research. In California, Mr. Morrison’s report The Sound of Silence: The Unprecedented Decline of Music Education in California Public Schools (2004) was one of the catalysts for a $1 billion reinvestment into music and arts education in public schools that was signed into law by then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger; in New Jersey, Mr. Morrison was the managing partner for the groundbreaking New Jersey Arts Education Census Project, completing the first statewide census for arts education in every school building. Mr. Morrison has led similar research projects as director of the groundbreaking national Arts Education Data Project for the states including of Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. These efforts have directly impacted millions of students.In arts education policy, Mr. Morrison worked with the Governor of Arkansas to mandate music and arts programs for every child attending public school in the state – a policy later replicated by the state of Louisiana; in New Jersey, Mr. Morrison worked with the Commissioner of Education to include the arts in the states mandatory accountability system known as NJQSAC leading the state to become the first in the nation to include arts education as part of annual school reporting in 2014.Before founding Quadrant Research, Mr. Morrison was the founder of Music for All, one of the nation’s largest and most influential music education organizations where he remains Chairman Emeritus. Mr. Morrison helped develop and then served as the CEO of the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, where he created a major national brand responsible for donating more than $25 million of musical instruments to restore more than 1,200 music programs. Previously, Mr. Morrison was a senior executive for the NAMM - International Music Products Association, where he also served as Executive Director of the American Music Conference. In this capacity, he worked with the late Michael Kamen and Richard Dreyfus to create the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation.He was a founding member of the National Coalition for Music Education and is recognized for his work to add the arts to our nation’s education goals. He continues to work closely with leading national arts organizations to promote the development and implementation of the National Standards for Arts Education. He has served as the Data Task Force co-chair for State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education, as a member of the boards of the National Creativity Network, Music for All, ArtPride New Jersey, and the New Jersey School Boards Association. He previously served as Chairman of the Board of the publicly traded music software company MakeMusic, Inc. and as a member of the Board of Trustees for both the Berklee College of Music and Little Kids Rock.Mr. Morrison’s advocacy work has earned him both a Prime-Time EMMY and a Peabody Award. He received an honorary doctorate from the State University of New York for his work nationally to advance music and arts education for all children. Mr. Morrison received the Motherland Award – the highest honor from the American Red Cross (ARC) – for developing the nationwide public service campaign that aired supporting the ARC following the attacks of September 11, 2001.