[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 958 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 958

 Expressing support for the recognition of the Dillard Center for the 
    Arts Jazz Band for winning first place in the 2018 Essentially 
Ellington Competition, one of the most prestigious national high school 
                 jazz band competitions in the country.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 22, 2018

    Mr. Hastings (for himself, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Ms. Wilson of 
    Florida, Mr. Deutch, and Ms. Frankel of Florida) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education 
                           and the Workforce

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                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing support for the recognition of the Dillard Center for the 
    Arts Jazz Band for winning first place in the 2018 Essentially 
Ellington Competition, one of the most prestigious national high school 
                 jazz band competitions in the country.

Whereas Dillard High School was founded in the early 20th century, with funds 
        from noted philanthropist and outspoken advocate for Black education 
        James Hardy Dillard, as the first public school for people of African 
        descent in Fort Lauderdale, Florida;
Whereas the music program at Dillard High School, as part of the Dillard Center 
        for the Arts, gained fame when the legendary jazz saxophonist Julian 
        ``Cannonball'' Adderley served as an instructor of applied music in the 
        1940s;
Whereas jazz is an original American art form originating in African-American 
        communities from New Orleans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries 
        and is considered to be America's classical music;
Whereas the Dillard Center of the Arts Music Program has developed countless 
        student performers into highly accomplished musicians;
Whereas each year, students from 15 high schools from across the Nation are 
        invited by Jazz at Lincoln Center to visit New York and perform in the 
        Essentially Ellington Competition, a jazz competition honoring the works 
        for the great American jazz composer and bandleader Duke Ellington;
Whereas this year, Dillard Center for the Arts was one of the 15 high schools 
        selected to compete in the Essentially Ellington Competition, led by 
        band director Christopher Dorsey, who has been in this position since 
        2004;
Whereas Dillard Center for the Arts students Liam Vargas, Megan Theis, Rachel 
        Coleman, Marquiec Butler, Kieran Hitsman, Juan Cortes, Woodson Previlma, 
        Keyly Granada, Summer Camargo, Cyrus Mackey, Isaac Sepulveda, Ryan 
        Granada, Keon Gooding, Charles Blagrove, Mariah Delgado, Matthew Rivera, 
        Nathaniel Noel, Farid Cano, Miguel Medina, Miles Lennox, Nolan 
        Nwachukwu, Jamesly Jeanmary, Joel Anderson, Miguel Russell, and Nadia 
        Nicole Bailey all traveled to New York, New York, together and performed 
        onstage in the Lincoln Center as part of this competition;
Whereas one of the students of Dillard Center for the Arts, Summer Camargo, is 
        an accomplished jazz composer, was selected as the winner of the 2018 
        Essentially Ellington Student Composition/Arranging Contest, and will 
        have her composition recorded by the Jazz at the Lincoln Center 
        Orchestra with legendary trumpeter and jazz composer Wynton Marsalis;
Whereas the Dillard Center for the Arts Jazz Band was selected as the first 
        place winner of the Essentially Ellington contest by an esteemed panel 
        of judges including Wynton Marsalis, Bill Charlap, Jeff Hamilton, Todd 
        Williams, and Erica von Kleist;
Whereas this esteemed panel recognized the efforts of the rhythm section and the 
        trumpet section of the Dillard Center for the Arts Jazz Band, as well as 
        the musicianship of vocalist Nadia Nicole Bailey, trumpeter Summer 
        Camargo, clarinetist and saxophonist Kieran Histman, percussionist 
        Jamesly Jeanmary, and bassist Nolan Nwachukwu;
Whereas, on May 12, 2018, the Dillard Center for the Arts Jazz Band accepted the 
        first place trophy, a $5,000 cash prize, and gave a performance onstage 
        at the Lincoln Center; and
Whereas this is the third time the Dillard Center for the Arts Jazz Band won at 
        the Essentially Ellington Competition, after having won in both 2011 and 
        2012: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) congratulates the Dillard Center for the Arts Jazz Band 
        for its first place win at the Essentially Ellington 
        Competition; and
            (2) commends the Dillard Center for the Arts for its 
        contributions to the education and nurturing of outstanding 
        young jazz musicians.
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