Ricardo Averbach, Professor of Music at Miami University, has been awarded the Governor's Award for the Arts in Ohio for the 2018 Individual Artist category. The award is given each year by the Ohio Arts Council, a statewide program that showcases and celebrates Ohio artists, arts organizations, arts patrons and business support of the arts. The award ceremony took place on May 16, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio.

The Individual Artist award recognizes an Ohio artist whose work has made a significant impact on his or her discipline locally, statewide, regionally, or nationally. Averbach is celebrating his 16th year at Miami University where he serves as Director of Orchestral Studies, and is conductor of the Miami University Symphony Orchestra. He has served as president of the College Orchestra Directors Association (CODA) and guest conducted orchestras all over the world. His concerts have been broadcast on radio and television in more than 50 countries. As a dedicated advocate of contemporary music, Averbach has performed and recorded several world premieres for major labels, which have sold more than half a million copies around the globe. 

A resident of Oxford since 2002, Averbach has been promoting the arts in the state of Ohio by collaborating with world-renowned artists, participating in multidisciplinary projects, taking his students on tours nationally and abroad, commissioning Ohio composers, and serving on the Committee for the Arts and Innovative Thinking of the Ohio Department of Education.