HR0559 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0559 LRB096 13528 GRL 28270 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate the members of the Naperville Municipal Band on the occasion of the organization's 150th anniversary; and

WHEREAS, The Naperville Municipal Band dates back to 1859, when a group of 15 men assembled, practiced, and played for a 4th of July picnic at Burlington Park in Naperville; the band's earliest members included Joseph Hiltenbrand, John V. Kreger, Wes Beidelman, Joseph Krapf, John Collins, Joseph Bapst, Jacob Heim, Valentine Dieter, and James Vallete; Mr. Vallette's cornet is currently on display at the Interlochen National Music Camp in Michigan; and

WHEREAS, The Naperville Municipal Band used to perform on Saturday nights in downtown Naperville, usually setting up on a street corner under the street light so musicians could see the music; in the 1890s, the City of Naperville built a band shell in Central Park, which lasted until 1926; the band as it is known today was organized in 1929 under the direction of Elmer Koerner, a mathematics teacher and band instructor in the Naperville Public Schools; and

WHEREAS, The Naperville Municipal Band was incorporated as "The Naperville Municipal Band" as a not-for-profit under a new Illinois Band Law, with a tax supporting the band passed by Naperville voters on April 30, 1930; a wooden band shell was constructed in Central Park in the mid-1930s and was used until it was condemned by the city in 1963; the voters of Naperville once again came to the band's rescue with a referendum to build a new concrete "permanent" shell; the shell was completed and dedicated in June of 1966; unfortunately, it too was condemned and demolished in 1999; in response, the City of Naperville approved the construction of a substantial structure that will serve not only as a concert facility, but also as a year-round home for the band; the ground-breaking ceremony for the structure took place on January 4, 2002; and

WHEREAS, The Naperville Municipal Band has played under a variety of names throughout its history, including the Naperville Light Guard Band, the Naperville Lounge Factory, and the Naperville City Band; in addition to playing concerts in the Naperville park, the band travels to area parades and provides music for civic functions, such as the inauguration of city council members and the dedication of a new city hall; and

WHEREAS, The Naperville Municipal Band is full of tradition, having many long-time members; currently, the band features 100 members that come from many different backgrounds, including teachers, housewives, butchers, bankers, dentists, and doctors; Ron Keller, who taught instrumental music in the Naperville District 203 school system, has been the band's musical director since 1965; he is the great-grandson of original member Joseph Bapst and began playing with the band 40 years ago; and

WHEREAS, The Naperville Municipal Band is currently working on a project to recreate the original "Naperville Light Guard Band", with uniforms and instruments of the period circa 1880-1900; and

WHEREAS, The Naperville Municipal Band and its diverse group of musicians draws crowds of as many as 5,000 people to its Thursday night summer concerts at the Elmer Koerner Band Shell in Central Park; in 1991, the band won the Sudler Scroll from the John Philip Sousa Foundation for excellence in community bands, making the band the sixth to receive this award since its inception in 1985; and

WHEREAS, The members of the Naperville Municipal Band serve as models of hard work, integrity, and dedication for the people of the State of Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the members of the Naperville Municipal Band on the occasion of the organization's 150th anniversary and wish them continued success and happiness in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Naperville Municipal Band as a symbol of our esteem and respect.