House Concurrent Resolution 66

(As Adopted by House)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE MISSISSIPPI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 75th DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY SEASON AND FOR THE IMPRESSIVE AND INSPIRING LEGACY OF MUSICAL CONTRIBUTIONS THAT IT HAS PROVIDED TO THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.

WHEREAS, the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is the largest professional performing arts organization in the state and performs for more than 75,000 Mississippians each year at more than 120 concerts statewide; and

WHEREAS, the current 2019-2020 season marks 75 years of serving as one of the greatest cultural forces in Mississippi and evidences a vital partnership between the MSO and the State of Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, the origin of the MSO traces back to a choral concert at Belhaven College in February 1944, when a chorus was accompanied by a small volunteer orchestra of recruited instrumentalists, and through support and collaboration between Belhaven and Millsaps Colleges along with local business leaders, the Jackson Symphony Orchestra took shape with its first concert performance on October 19, 1944, in the Victory Room of the landmark Hotel Heidelberg on Capital Street, with an overflow crowd of 500 attending the invitation-only concert that kicked off the first season; and

WHEREAS, key people involved in the Orchestra's formation include Maurice Thompson, Gordon Marks, Haldine Strain, William Young Westervelt, Guy T. Gillespie, Marion Smith, A. Boyd Campbell, J. Army Brown, and musicians came from the faculties of colleges and schools, nearby military bases, women's music clubs, and the business community; and

WHEREAS, the MSO has prospered under the leadership of skilled conductors Theodore Caskey Russell, Lewis Dalvit, Colman Pearce, and the current Conductor and Music Director Crafton Beck, who is now in his 19th season; and

WHEREAS, Michael Beattie has proudly served as president and executive director of the MSO since 2004; and

WHEREAS, in the Orchestra's earliest days, Conductor Russell inaugurated programs which are still in existence including string instruction in schools, outdoor pop concerts, formal concerts, and children's concerts; and

WHEREAS, formation of the Symphony League in 1955, as a supporting organization, was a turning point for the Jackson Symphony Orchestra in its efforts to sponsor fundraising events and other supporting activities; and

WHEREAS, the Jackson Symphony Orchestra became the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra in 1989, in response to its growing influence statewide; and

WHEREAS, the MSO has called the Jackson Municipal Auditorium (now named Thalia Mara Hall) as its home stage since 1955 and performs many of its concerts in that location, and the orchestra also performs in smaller more intimate venues including churches and colleges in the Jackson metropolitan area; and

WHEREAS, the MSO has been well received in its annual visits to Old Trace Park on the Ross Barnett Reservoir for the popular Pepsi Pops outdoor concerts, and performing the same music in McComb and Vicksburg; and

WHEREAS, the MSO tours statewide as a full orchestra, a chamber orchestra, and as one of three resident ensembles: Woodwind Quintet, Brass Quintet and String Quartet. Annual and biannual visits by the MSO to cities around the state include Vicksburg, Pascagoula, McComb, Brookhaven, and Poplarville. Other cities visited include Greenville, Greenwood, Canton, Columbus, Cleveland, Meridian and Hattiesburg; and

WHEREAS, music education has been a major component of the MSO's contributions in the State of Mississippi and former Conductor Russell founded and conducted the Junior Symphony. The MSO supports the Mississippi Symphony Youth Orchestras and an education program through which more than 800 school children receive daily instruction in violin, viola and cello; and the MSO sponsors various festivals, competitions, and an annual week-long summer string camp for aspiring young musicians; and

WHEREAS, more than 17,000 public school children in grades four, five, and six attend children's concerts each year and "Kinder Concerts" include about 3,000 kindergarten students in attendance. The String Quartet and Brass and Woodwind Quintets conduct "informances" to acquaint fifth graders with instruments and compositions. More than 550 students are currently enrolled in string instruction programs, and three youth orchestras include members chosen by audition from around the state; and

WHEREAS, individual orchestra members, including professional musicians from around the nation and world who have made Mississippi their home, continue to enrich musical environments around the state by teaching at schools and colleges, playing in churches, and performing for a variety of cultural and entertainment events; and

WHEREAS, the MSO leadership has honorably served as dedicated stewards of an annual budget of $1.7 million through support from the Jackson Symphony League and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Mississippi Arts Commission, the City of Jackson and numerous other individuals, foundations and corporations; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to commend artistic organizations like the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra that provide our citizens with the highest quality of musical performance and our children with a high quality of music education instruction and appreciation:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, the leadership of the organization and the musicians who share their talents, for providing this great state with 75 years of excellent performances and congratulate them on the occasion of its 75th Diamond Anniversary season.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the leadership of the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.