[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 52 (Wednesday, May 4, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
        WELCOMING THE 150 ENSEMBLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS

  Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Senate Resolution 211 
welcoming the 150 ensemble symphony orchestra and chorus submitted 
earlier today by Senator Riegle; that the resolution be agreed to; that 
the preamble be agreed to; that the motion to reconsider be laid on the 
table; and that any statements appear at the appropriate place in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  So the resolution (S. Res. 211) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, is as follows:

                              S. Res. 211

       Whereas the 150 Ensemble Symphony Orchestra and Chorus of 
     Hellenic Radio and Television, under the direction of Mikis 
     Theodorakis, shall conduct a month-long goodwill tour of 
     Canada and the United States during May 1994;
       Whereas the proceeds from the concert tour of the 150 
     Ensemble Symphony Orchestra and Chorus of Hellenic Radio and 
     Television will benefit a number of philanthropic 
     organizations, including the Greek reforestation effort 
     sponsored by the Plant Your Roots in Greece Foundation;
       Whereas the leader of the concert tour, Mikis Theodorakis, 
     returns to North America after an absence of nearly 2 
     decades, and shall lead the Ensemble and Chorus in 
     performances of his own works;
       Whereas the leader of the concert tour, Mikis Theodorakis, 
     is an internationally renowned musical genius and is 
     considered to be Greece's greatest living composer, and has 
     composed more than 200 popular songs, 10 symphonies, 3 
     ballets, 2 oratorios, a folk opera, and the Olympic anthem 
     (which was first performed at the 1992 Summer Olympic Games 
     in Barcelona, Spain), and the film scores to ``Z'' and 
     ``Zorba the Greek'';
       Whereas the leader of the concert tour, Mikis Theodorakis, 
     was born in 1925 on the Greek island of Khios, taught himself 
     to write music from memory and without access to musical 
     instruments, and studied at the Paris Conservatory;
       Whereas the leader of the concert tour, Mikis Theodorakis, 
     combines his exceptional artistic talent with a deep love of 
     his country, and is dedicated to heightening international 
     awareness of human rights and environmental issues, and 
     ending child hunger in the world; and
       Whereas the United States is fortunate to welcome the 150 
     Ensemble Symphony Orchestra and Chorus of Hellenic Radio and 
     Television, under the direction of Mikis Theodorakis, for the 
     series of concerts they will present during May 1994: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) the Senate welcomes the 150 Ensemble Symphony Orchestra 
     and Chorus of Hellenic Radio and Television, under the 
     direction of Mikis Theodorakis, to the United States and 
     applauds their talent and enthusiasm for their work; and
       (2) the Senate acknowledges the musical contributions of 
     leader of the concert tour, Mikis Theodorakis, and supports 
     and appreciates his efforts to promote human rights, raise 
     awareness of environmental issues, and end child hunger.

  Mr. RIEGLE. Madam President, I would like to thank my colleagues for 
their unanimous support of the resolution honoring the tour of the 150 
ensemble symphony orchestra and chorus of Hellenic radio and 
television. It is my distinct pleasure to honor this group, which will 
be conducting a goodwill tour of Canada and the United States during 
the month of May. I welcome them to the United States and I applaud 
their outstanding musical achievements and commitment to philanthropic 
pursuits.
  I would also like to take this opportunity to pay special tribute to 
the leader of the concert tour, the renowned Greek composer, Mikis 
Theodorakis. Mr. Theodorakis is widely considered to be Greece's 
greatest living composer, and is best known for his film scores for 
``Z'' and ``Zorba the Greek.'' He is returning to the United States 
after a 2-year absence, and I would like to extend a warm welcome on 
behalf of my colleagues in the Senate, and the Greek-Americans we 
represent nationwide.
  Mr. Theodorakis' accomplishments are especially noteworthy due to his 
modest upbringing. As a child he developed an early love for music, but 
his family was unable to purchase many musical instruments. He overcame 
this difficulty by teaching himself to compose music by memory and 
without the benefit of musical equipment. Mr. Theodorakis developed 
this talent throughout his childhood, and in 1953 he entered the Paris 
Conservatory, which served as a starting point for his brilliant 
musical career.
  In addition to his artistic talent, Mr. Theodorakis is known for his 
nationalism and pride in his country, and his dedication to 
international humanitarian issues. Despite his early Communist 
associations, his political ideology stems more from his intense 
patriotism rather than his affiliation to a particular political 
ideology. In fact, he abandoned his post with the Communist Party to 
accept a position with the conservative government, believing that 
Greece needed to modernize and that its many political parties needed 
to work together. Today he extends his commitment to issues of 
international concern including human rights, environmental issues, and 
ending child hunger.
  The people of Greece are fortunate to claim Mikis Theodorakis as a 
national figure. His exceptional musical talent, combined with a deep 
love of his country, is an inspiration to millions of Greeks worldwide. 
The United States is truly privileged to welcome Mr. Theodorakis along 
with the 150 ensemble symphony orchestra and chorus of Hellenic radio 
and television, and I am proud to pay this tribute to their upcoming 
tour.

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