88R13006 BK-D
By: Price H.R. No. 2230
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Amarillo Symphony is celebrating the 100th
anniversary of its founding throughout its 2023-2024 season; and
WHEREAS, The only professional symphony in the Texas
Panhandle region, the Amarillo Symphony traces its origins to 1924,
when a 12-member group of musicians known as the Philharmonic Club
began playing special concerts for residents in their homes; by
1926, the club had a full-time conductor, Ellis B. Hall, the first
in a long line of maestros who have helped transform the group into
a full-fledged, professional symphonic ensemble; and
WHEREAS, In the late 1960s, the Philharmonic changed its name
to the Amarillo Symphony; in 1968, it began playing in the Amarillo
Civic Center Auditorium, which served as its home for nearly four
decades, until the symphony moved to the Globe-News Center for the
Performing Arts in 2006; and
WHEREAS, The Amarillo Symphony has grown alongside the
25,000-square-mile region that it serves, and today, it consists of
85 musicians who perform eight-concert seasons; the symphony is
committed to not only providing diverse, engaging, and inspiring
musical experiences to the public, but also fostering music
education through initiatives and events such as its Youth
Orchestra, Class Act program, educational concerts, and Greater
Southwest Music Festival; and
WHEREAS, Over the course of the past century, the Amarillo
Symphony has become an important part of the cultural fabric of the
Panhandle region, and it is a pleasure to join in celebrating the
longevity of this cherished institution and the many ways it has
enriched the community; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the centennial of the Amarillo
Symphony and commend its orchestra members, staff, and board of
directors for their hard work in fulfilling the organization's
mission to inspire, educate, and bring together Panhandle residents
through the power of music; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the Amarillo Symphony as an expression of high regard
by the Texas House of Representatives.