[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 128 (Friday, October 13, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1773]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1773]]
   HONORING THE NASHVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 
         HISTORIC PERFORMANCE AT CARNEGIE HALL IN NEW YORK CITY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BOB CLEMENT

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 12, 2000

  Mr. CLEMENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Nashville 
Symphony on the occasion of its historic first performance at Carnegie 
Hall in New York City. In particular, I would like to recognize the 
outstanding efforts of Executive Director Alan D. Valentine and his 
staff, conductor Kenneth Schermerhorn, Associate Conductor Karen Lynne 
Deal, and the Board of Directors including Symphony Campaign 2000 
Chairman Martha Ingram. Although every person involved played a role in 
this effort, these individuals in particular gave of their time and 
energy to ensure the symphony would have the opportunity to shine in 
the national spotlight.
  On September 25th the Nashville Symphony culminated an East Coast 
tour by performing for the first time at Carnegie Hall in New York 
City. Well over a thousand Middle Tennesseans attended the sold-out 
show including Mayor Bill Purcell, my wife Mary, and me. The stunning 
performance garnered rave reviews from the New York Times and the 
Tennessean proving to the nation what Nashville has known for years 
about the symphony's excellence in artistry and skill.
  Now in its 55th season, the Nashville Symphony has entertained and 
educated thousands of individuals at performances across the nation. At 
home, the symphony has earned the respect of our community through 
years of perseverance through its varied history. With the assistance 
and commitment of individuals like Martha Ingram, the Nashville 
Symphony has graciously survived, and today boasts a roster of eighty-
seven contracted musicians. In fact the group just released the new 
compact discs, ``Howard Hanson: Orchestral Works Volume I,'' and 
``Charles Ives: Symphony No. 2,'' on the Naxos label to coincide with 
their Carnegie Hall debut.
  The symphony is the largest performing arts organization in 
Tennessee, and regularly partners with the community and area schools 
to educate the public about symphonic music and classical music. 
Studies have shown that exposing children to music at a young age 
increases their ability to learn and retain information. In fact, my 
two daughters, Elizabeth and Rachel began playing the violin at the age 
of five. Both have benefited tremendously from their exposure to 
symphonic and classical music.
  In the same way, each young person should have the opportunity to 
enjoy and participate in the arts. The symphony plays a vital role in 
educating young people in our area by offering a number of educational 
opportunities such as Ensembles in the Schools; Martin Luther King Jr. 
Essay Contest; String and Band Bash; AmSouth Classroom Classics; and 
Young People's Concerts at War Memorial Auditorium. The symphony 
reaches 80,000 children in Middle Tennessee each year. This commitment 
to exposing future generations to the arts is to be commended.
  The history of the symphony dates back to 1920 when a group of 
Nashville musicians formed the ``Symphony Society'' with its own 
orchestra and roster. Unfortunately that group fell to the wayside 
during the Great Depression. However, the cause was taken up again 
after World War II, when Nashville native and war veteran Walter Sharp 
returned home from the war on a mission to form a symphony orchestra in 
his hometown. Sharp succeeded and gained the support of the community 
when he founded the Nashville Symphony Orchestra.
  Today the Nashville Symphony performs more than 200 shows per year. 
Many of these performances are in conjunction with other area arts 
organizations such as Nashville Ballet, Nashville Opera, Nashville 
Institute for the Arts, and Tennessee Performing Arts Center. In 
addition the symphony has performed with Luciano Pavarotti, Charlotte 
Church, Amy Grant, Vince Gill, and many other internationally renowned 
artists.
  With an exceptional donor base and strong community support, the 
Nashville Symphony stands on a strong foundation to entertain and 
enlighten new generations in the 21st Century and beyond.

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