80R16839 JGH-D

By: Howard of Travis H.R. No. 1774

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, The celebrated Austin Symphonic Band is commemorating its 25th year with a Silver Anniversary Concert on April 28, 2007; and

WHEREAS, This special concert will feature performances by two past conductors, Frank Simon and Randol Bass, and its current director, Richard Floyd, and the concert program includes an original composition by Mr. Bass, commissioned especially for the concert; and

WHEREAS, The Austin Symphonic Band is a group of volunteers, most of whom are not professional musicians, but are school counselors, lawyers, administrative assistants, computer programmers, engineers, and members of many other professions; contributing their talents to the Austin area, they have performed regular Mother's Day and Father's Day concerts at Zilker Park, as well as their subscription series concerts; and

WHEREAS, The band has also performed in Pflugerville, Georgetown, Hays County, and Lakeway and has accompanied the 4th of July fireworks in Round Rock and Bastrop; smaller ensembles of band members perform at nursing homes and community events, and the band played at the grand opening of Austin Bergstrom Airport in 1999; and

WHEREAS, As the Official Band of the City of Austin, the Austin Symphonic Band has served as a cultural ambassador for the city in San Antonio, Dallas, New Orleans, Seattle, and Chicago, and it has performed at the conferences of such prestigious organizations as the National Band Association, the Texas Bandmasters Association, the Texas Music Educators, and the American Bandmasters Association; and

WHEREAS, The band's several honors and awards include the 1993 Silver Scroll Award from the John Philip Sousa Foundation and a rare third invitation to perform at the Mid-West International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago in December 2007; and

WHEREAS, The Austin Symphonic Band is one of Austin's cultural treasures, its volunteers sharing their talent and their love of music with the citizens of Austin and with delighted audiences across Texas and the nation, and the band's 25th anniversary is an appropriate occasion to take note of this fine organization; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas Legislature hereby congratulate the Austin Symphonic Band on its 25th anniversary and extend to the band's director and members best wishes for continued success; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the Austin Symphonic Band as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.