Omaha Symphony Music Director Thomas Wilkins has been named the Governor’s Arts Awards Outstanding Artist of the Year.
The award is given out to an artist working in any discipline who has made a significant contribution to their art form and to the state.
Wilkins says people like Branford Marsalis and Omaha Symphony Executive Director James Johnson wrote letters to the Nebraska Arts Council to nominate him for the award.
Wilkins says he’s touched by the honor and feels lucky to have the job he does.
"I get to live my life’s dream, having wanted to do this since I was 8-years old. But also having been here for a period of time and being able to put my own imprint on both the work ethic and how we define excellence, my players bring a lot more to the table immediately than they did 9 years ago.”
Wilkins will receive his award at the 2014 Governor’s Arts Awards dinner on Tuesday March 25th at the Embassy Suites Hotel in La Vista.