Dr. Stanley Clarke

Musicians Institute in Los Angeles awarded Stanley Clarke an honorary Doctor of Music degree during MI’s commencement ceremony on March 21st.

Beth Marlis, VP of Education for MI, shares “Stanley Clarke embodies the true value of education and the duty of an artist to mentor and give back to the next generation. He has selflessly and generously created opportunities for talented, emerging musicians to further their education and realize their own creative vision. By his actions, Stanley has demonstrated that geography, politics, and privilege must not be allowed to act as the natural enemies of creative energy, education and possibility.”

Clarke credited his mother, an opera singer, as a major force in his career, and told the graduating students, “All I can say to you guys is, whatever gift you have, wherever you got it from, really respect it. Take it and run with it, because it’s yours.”