[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 72 (Thursday, April 27, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2613-S2614]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      REMEMBERING DR. ANDRE LARSON

 Mr. ROUNDS. Mr. President, today I wish to honor the life and 
legacy of Dr. Andre Larson, who passed away on March 24, 2017, at the 
age of 74. Dr. Larson grew up in Brookings, SD, and graduated from the 
University of South Dakota, USD, in Vermillion with a BFA in music 
education and later, a MM degree in music literature.
  A lifelong advocate for fine arts and music, Dr. Larson created the 
renowned National Music Museum in Vermillion, on USD's campus. Today it 
has the most complete collection of well-preserved and historically 
important musical instruments in the world.

[[Page S2614]]

  The National Music Museum houses and preserves over 15,000 rare 
musical instruments: Stradivarius violins, and one of the only two 
Stradivarius mandolins that exist, dombaks and didgeridoos, the oldest 
playing harpsicord, more than a dozen saxophones made by the 
instrument's inventor, Adolphe Sax, bouzoukis, hurdy-gurdies, and a 
bombardon, a 1772 bowlback mandolin, a Javanese gamelan, lutes, flutes, 
harmonicas, and zithers, the world's oldest cello, called the King 
cello and created around 1550 A.D., Johnny Cash's guitar, and 
everything in-between, including a substantial collection of historic 
instrument documents.
  Dr. Andre Larson was inspired by his father, Arne B. Larson, who was 
a high school music teacher, bandleader, and later a college music 
professor. Arne began collecting musical artifacts and instruments 
while serving in World War II, and his passion for music was not lost 
on his son, Andre. Wanting to share his and his father's passion, Andre 
conceptualized, planned, and implemented the development of the 
National Music Museum in Vermillion. In 1972, he was hired as the first 
director of the museum, then named the Shrine to Music Museum, with his 
father's 2,500 instruments as the foundation. Andre served as director 
of the museum until his retirement in 2011.
  Under Dr. Andre Larson's leadership, the museum expanded 
significantly from one room in the Carnegie Library to now occupying 
the entire building today. His intelligence and great knowledge of 
instruments and history enabled him to select the best instruments for 
the collection. He also had a very unique skill in matching instruments 
to generous donors who would allow the museum to showcase their 
purchases.
  In addition to teaching at the University of South Dakota and running 
the museum, Dr. Larson also created, produced, and marketed many 
musical events every year that sometimes included internationally known 
musicians performing music with the museum instruments. He also created 
the Nation's only graduate degree program in the history of musical 
instruments.
  Throughout his life, Dr. Larson also served three terms as the 
president of the American Musical Instrument Society. He edited its 
newsletter for 18 years, and he was honored with the Curt Sachs Award, 
the highest honor given by the American Musical Instrument Society. In 
2016, he was elected to the South Dakota Hall of Fame for his 
contributions to the arts in South Dakota.
  Dr. Andre Larson's commitment to excellence and his dedication to 
music have inspired thousands of students and music lovers, not just 
across South Dakota, but throughout the entire Nation. His work in 
creating the National Music Museum will continue to inspire others for 
as long as there is music and there are people.

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