HR0668 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0668 LRB096 13667 KXB 28429 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate the members of the Naperville Municipal Band as they celebrate the Band's 150th anniversary; and

WHEREAS, The Naperville Brass Band held its first formal concert on July 4, 1859; the band appeared in stylish blue and white uniforms and its concert was described in the Dupage Sentinel as admirable; and

WHEREAS, After the Civil War, the Naperville Brass Band was re-organized and adopted the name Naperville Light Guard Band; the band played in celebration of the Dupage county centennial and consisted of some 14-20 members; the Naperville Light Guard Band celebrated its 15th anniversary in Naperville with a concert in Court House square on July 4, 1882; and

WHEREAS, Due to financial hard times, the Light Guard Band dissolved completely in 1900, only to be resurrected in 1906 with the financial sponsorship of the Kroehler Manufacturing Company and renamed the Lounge Factory Band, bringing concerts to Naperville until 1917; in 1917, the Band once again underwent a name change to the Naperville City Band when Kroehler withdrew its support of the Band; and

WHEREAS, In 1928, the State of Illinois granted a charter to the Naperville Municipal Band formalizing the name change, and on April 22, 1931, a formal contract with the City of Naperville, by vote of the Naperville citizens, established permanent funding and committed the Band to 10 summer concerts and 3 holiday parades or concerts; and

WHEREAS, The Band has represented Naperville at national music conventions in St. Louis and Danville, Kentucky and was awarded the prestigious Sudler Scroll from the John Philip Sousa Foundation for outstanding musicianship and for over 100 years of history and service to the Naperville community and school systems; and

WHEREAS, In January of 2000, The United States House of Representatives and the Library of Congress designated the Naperville Municipal Band as a Local Legacy and presented the award to Director Keller in Washington, D.C.; and

WHEREAS, 2005 found the Band opening and dedicating its new permanent home, the Naperville Community Concert Center, after raising some $250,000 to equip the new building approved by the citizens and City Council of Naperville; and

WHEREAS, The Naperville Municipal Band provides scholarships to promising students of the city's band programs, and its members offer leadership and example to inspire a continuing stream of quality musicians for the Band itself; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the Naperville Municipal Band and its members for its long history and dedication to bringing quality entertainment to the community; and be it further

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