MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2018 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Polk, Fillingane, Barnett, Hudson, Dearing, Jackson (11th), Jackson (32nd)
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE MUSICAL EXCELLENCE AND DISTINGUISHED NATIONAL REPUTATION OF DR. JAY DEAN, MUSIC DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR OF THE SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI, UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT.
WHEREAS, Jay Dean has been the Music Director and Conductor of the Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra since 1988. During his tenure, the orchestra has grown into a university ensemble that has earned a distinguished national reputation. Founded in 1920, the Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra is the oldest operating symphony orchestra in the State of Mississippi. It presents a number of annual subscription concerts per season in Hattiesburg, as well as many concerts throughout Mississippi. In addition to its regular symphonic concerts, the Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra performs as the orchestra for all opera and musical theatre productions; and
WHEREAS, Jay will retire his position as the Music Director and Conductor of the Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra and the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company in June 2018. This semester will end his 30th year in those positions; and
WHEREAS, in "Bringing the World to Mississippi," the Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra regularly performs to sold-out houses with audience members representing a diverse cross-section of the southeastern United States. His recruiting efforts have turned the organization into a multinational conglomerate; and
WHEREAS, he has conducted concerts featuring world-renown soloists such as Plácido Domingo, Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Sir James Galway and Joshua Bell, as well as major popular artists such as Doc Severinsen, The Pointer Sisters, Patti LaBelle, Dionne Warwick, Patti Austin, Ricky Skaggs and Sandi Patty; and
WHEREAS, Dean received his Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) Degree in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Texas at Austin. Before coming to The University of Southern Mississippi, he was Music Director of DeKalb Youth Symphony Orchestra in Atlanta, the Mercer University/Atlanta Chamber Orchestra, the Columbus State University Orchestra, the Atlanta Festival Orchestra and Chorus, the Austin Civic Orchestra, and the Southwest Chamber Orchestra. He also served as Assistant Conductor for the Austin Lyric Opera; and
WHEREAS, he has been the Executive Director of the Professional Resource Institute for Musical Excellence, the Executive Director of the Vicksburg International Chamber Music Festival, President of the Mississippi Orchestra Teachers Association, the Artistic Director of the Southern Arts Festival, State President of the National Opera Association, Regional Membership Chair for the International Conductors Guild, and Past President of the Mississippi Music Educators Association Orchestra Division. He also served as the Representative from the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning on the Advisory Board for the formation of Mississippi School for the Arts, and has served on the Board of the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters and the Mississippi Opera Education Committee. He was also Music Coordinator for four International Art Exhibitions presented by the Mississippi Commission for International Cultural Exchange. Dr. Dean is a member of the International Conductor's Guild; and
WHEREAS, the Symphony Orchestra is among University of Southern Mississippi Arts Programs that annually generate more than $5 Million in economic activity across the state. In 2009, the State of Mississippi recognized his and the orchestra's efforts with the Governor's Award for Leadership in the Arts. In 2011, he was recognized with a "Leadership in the Arts" Award from the Historic Hattiesburg Downtown Association and the Excellence for Global Arts and Culture Award from the Mississippi World Trade Center; and
WHEREAS, Jay Dean understands the importance of presenting classical music and opera to students and audiences in Mississippi. His long history with the performing arts in our state has defined his legacy in preserving and presenting classical music which has brought honor to his university, his community and to the State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize the musical excellence and distinguished national reputation of Dr. Jay Dean, Music Director and Conductor of the Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, upon the occasion of his retirement, and extend to Jay and his family our best wishes for continued success in presenting music to Mississippi.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Jay Dean, forwarded to the President of the University of Southern Mississippi, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, and to the Mississippi Arts Commission, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.