This year, we are thrilled to be honoring Michael Buck for his contributions to the crescendos of our students and our school. Mike has been a devoted supporter of the organization since 2011 and is a Lifetime Trustee on our Board of Directors. His dedicated Board service spans nearly a decade, and he is the inaugural Chair of TPMS’s newly formed Program Committee. Over his many years of leadership working with the organization, Mike has served as a personal mentor to students and as a volunteer cello instructor at the Albany Park program. Through the generous support of the Buck Family Foundation, TPMS has built curriculum infrastructure to grow our presence on the leading edge of quality music instruction in historically underserved communities. Mike is a constant presence at our student performances, and his deep care for the students and mission of The People’s Music School is evident in every interaction. Our crescendo has been enabled in large part by his leadership and dedication, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to honor him at Big Night: Crescendo!

Mike is a portfolio manager at Driehaus Capital Management on the US Growth Equities Team with a focus on the consumer discretionary, consumer staples and financials sectors. Mr. Buck began his career at Deloitte Consulting, LLC as a business analyst until he joined Driehaus Capital Management in 2002. He received his B.A. and B.M. in economics and cello performance from Northwestern University in 2000. Mr. Buck is also co-founder and President of Ovation Press, Ltd., a publisher of sheet music and books for string players.