John Sykes, Founder of VH1 Save The Music, to Receive Montblanc Arts Patronage Award

    NEW YORK, May 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The American honoree of the 2001
 Montblanc Arts Patronage Award is John Sykes, founder of the VH1 Save The
 Music Foundation, a non-profit organization established in 1997.  Mr. Sykes
 was selected to receive this honor by an esteemed panel of jurors including
 fashion photographer, Bruce Weber, Karl Lagerfeld, Catherine Deneuve and Pedro
 Almovdovar.  The VH1 Save The Music Foundation restores public school music
 education programs and raises awareness of the importance of music
 participation for our nation's youth.
     Montblanc, the designer, manufacturer, and retailer of fine writing
 instruments, watches, jewelry, leather accessories, eyewear and writing paper,
 created the Montblanc Arts Patronage Award in 1992 to honor individuals who
 have significantly contributed their time and resources to enhance arts and
 culture.  Previous honorees include Jane Alexander, Agnes Gund, Tony Randall
 and David Robinson, Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, Susan Sontag, and Abby
 Rosin.
     "Mr. Sykes' unusual vision is precisely what we seek to honor with the
 Montblanc Arts Patronage Award.  VH1 Save The Music reintroduces what public
 school programs have had to abolish.  We salute Mr. Sykes' initiative to bring
 music back to the schools where it has been lost and to the children who
 should never be denied an understanding of their musical heritage," states
 Lord Douro, Chairman of the Montblanc Cultural Foundation.
     The VH1 Save The Music Foundation is dedicated to restoring instrumental
 music programs in America's public schools, and to raising awareness of the
 positive impact that music participation has on students.  "School budget-cuts
 have deprived a generation of American students of an essential part of our
 cultural heritage, that of music and its role in children's lives," said John
 Sykes, President of VH1 and CMT.  "The Montblanc Arts Patronage Award affirms
 our efforts to inspire children through the making of their own music.  I am
 delighted and honored to be the recipient, on behalf of the VH1 Save the Music
 Foundation, of this year's Montblanc Arts Patronage Award."
 
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SOURCE  VH1 Save The Music Foundation