Catholic Transcript Online

Mercedez Menéndez, Ezequiel Menéndez and, at podium, Rotarian Don Bonner.

AVON – The Rotary Club of Avon-Canton has presented its Paul Harris Fellow award to Ezequiel Menéndez of Avon, mu-sic director of the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford.

The award is named after the founder of Rotary International.

Since he started at the cathe-dral in 1998, the music program has grown to be one of the largest in Connecticut, encompassing multi-ple choirs, a resident orchestra and an active concert series. He initiated the Sacred Sounds Music Series at the cathedral.

Rotarian Don Bonner said Dr. Menéndez, "was chosen to receive the Paul Harris award … because he is tenacious in his efforts to support causes but never looks for accolades. He is someone who inspires others to work in support of people in need. Ezequiel truly exemplifies our Rotary motto – ‘Service above Self.’"

Dr. Menéndez also co-founded Hartford Concerts for Charities, which raised funds for such local organizations as the Institute for the Hispanic Family, Foodshare and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hartford as well as for causes in Haiti and Sri Lanka.

A native of Argentina, Dr. Menéndez graduated from the Conservatorio Gilardo Gilardi in Argentina as Professor Superior de Organo. In 1992, he received his Master of Music degree from Yale University and in May 2006, he received the Doctor of Musical Art degree from Boston Univer-sity. He and his wife, Mercedez, have four children.