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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The city of Austin lost a gifted musician and an |
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inspiring educator with the passing of Bruce Dinkins on June 22, |
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2011, at the age of 60; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Buffalo, New York, Mr. Dinkins was born |
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on April 12, 1951, to Autumn and Claude Dinkins; he discovered his |
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passion for the clarinet at an early age and earned the distinction |
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of first chair in the Florida All-State Band while he was still in |
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high school; he went on to earn his bachelor's degree in clarinet |
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performance from the University of Tampa and his master's degree |
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from The New England Conservatory before pursuing additional |
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graduate studies at Florida State University and The Juilliard |
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School; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Dinkins toured Europe as part of the New England |
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Conservatory Orchestra, featuring Gunther Schuller and Leonard |
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Bernstein; he also performed with the Jacksonville and Macon |
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Symphonies, conducted the Memphis Youth Symphony, and served as the |
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conductor-in-residence of the Sewanee Summer Music Festival in |
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Sewanee, Tennessee, for more than 25 summers; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Dinkins began his notable teaching career at |
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Florida Junior College and Jacksonville University; he worked with |
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Emory University in Atlanta and later became a high school band |
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director, holding positions in Georgia and South Carolina before |
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arriving in the Lone Star State; and |
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WHEREAS, For the past decade, Mr. Dinkins led the band at |
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James Bowie High School in Austin; he was beloved by his students, |
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and under his able direction, they achieved great success; in |
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addition to earning the University Interscholastic League concert |
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and marching Sweepstakes awards every year, the group was honored |
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by the John Philip Sousa Foundation with the prestigious Sudler |
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Shield and became Grand National Champions at the Smoky Mountain |
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Music Festival; Mr. Dinkins was also personally recognized with his |
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induction into the American Bandmasters Association, an |
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accomplishment of which he was especially proud; and |
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WHEREAS, In all of his endeavors, he enjoyed the support of |
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his wife of 29 years, Hildy, and he took great joy in his children, |
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Jordan and Adam; and |
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WHEREAS, Though it is impossible to gauge the full effect of a |
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man's life, some individuals leave their unmistakable mark on the |
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world as they move through it, and Bruce Dinkins's contributions to |
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his students and profession will long resonate in the lives of all |
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who knew him; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of |
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Bruce Dinkins and extend deepest sympathy to the members of his |
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family: to his wife, Hildy Edelman Dinkins; to his daughter, |
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Jordan; to his son, Adam; to his brother, Paul Dinkins, and his |
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wife, Sharon; and to his other relatives and many friends; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Bruce |
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Dinkins. |