“Blair was the catalyst that kicked off the most important parts of my life,” says Eliot Pfanstiehl.
“I got involved in Student Government under Mike Michaelson’s guidance, and at the same time I was involved with Dick Pioli’s musicals.” He was also “an uninspired flute player in Ernie Koch’s march- ing band,” Sophomore and Senior Class President, President Pro Tempore of the Student Senate, and a member of the Thespian Club.
In 1970, he was active in the Street 70 program (which later became the foundation for the Round-
house Theater) for the Montgomery County Department of Education. Over the next four decades,
Eliot committed his life to being in (or founding) numerous programs and projects in community service and performing arts. These included the Mont-gomery County Arts Council, the League of Washington Theatres, the Maryland State Arts Council, and Maryland Citizens for the Arts and Leadership Maryland.
Eliot’s legacy will certainly be his stewardship of The Music Center at Strathmore a 1,976-seat music hall and education center, and its affiliated programs, especially its youth programs in arts education. Since the Music Center opened more than 140,000 area schoolchildren have had a chance to better understand the importance and value of having music and the arts in their lives. For that, they can thank Eliot Pfanstiehl.