HR0824 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0824 LRB099 14845 MST 39016 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to recognize the 25th anniversary of founding of the Illinois Brass Band; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Brass Band was founded in 1991 by George Faster and William Homer, who modeled it after the United Kingdom's Desford Colliery Caterpillar Band, which toured the United States in 1990; the Illinois Brass Band entered its first North American Brass Band Association competition in 1993 and the next year won first place honors; and

WHEREAS, By 2002, the Illinois Brass Band had won 6 North American Brass Band Association championships in 7 years, all while continuing to delight audiences throughout the Chicago area with a repertoire ranging from brass band classics to show tunes and jazz; in 2003, the Illinois Brass Band became the first brass band outside the Commonwealth to attend the British Open Brass Band Championships; and

WHEREAS, Over the years, the Illinois Brass Band has presented dozens of concerts indoors and out and showcased exceptional artists, including Roger Webster, Michael Mulcahy, and Brett Baker; the Illinois Brass Band has produced 6 recordings to date; "Cookin' with Brass", the latest recording project by the Illinois Brass Band, is the first recording by the band in over 10 years; the tracks were recorded over a series of sessions in May and early June 2013 at First United Methodist Church in Arlington Heights, where the band regularly rehearses; the pieces selected are a selection of pieces that might be typically performed at one of the band's outdoor summer concerts; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Brass Band is a 30-member British style brass band and is a 6-time national champion of the North American Brass Band Association; the band is a Section 501(c)(3) recognized organization and is supported in part by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a State agency; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the 25th anniversary of the Illinois Brass Band and we wish them many more successful years; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we declare June 11, 2016 as Illinois Brass Band Day; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Illinois Brass Band as an expression of our esteem and respect.