The Amarillo Symphony in Texas has named Colonel Larry H. Lang as its next executive director, starting a month from now.
He’s upgrading from a similar job in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Lang is a former commander and artistic director of the United Air Force Band in Washington D.C.
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Congratulations to Col. Lang! He has been doing many interesting things for music, and am glad to see he will be serving as Executive Director for the Amarillo Symphony (as the song goes, I’ll “See You in September”!). One very special memory I hold truly dear, is his 2016 performance as conductor of the “Hanukah Fantasy” with the United States Air Force Band and the Singing Sergeants. He will certainly bring his experience and expertise to the Amarillo orchestra and take them forward.
And follows another Colonel, James Alfonte some 40 years ago.
The musicians are lucky he’s not from the Marine Corps:
Sir, yes Sir.
Let’s hope he knows the way there.
I am sorry but I cannot wrap my head around a military officer leading a symphony orchestra you know what they say”military Justice is to Justice as military music is to music”.
Frank Byrne, a retired military person was CEO of the Kansas City Symphony for many years . Both Frank and Larry ran musical organizations in the service. Skills are transferable to Symphony Orchestra management.
Former military officers, especially Colonel and up, are frequently recruited by corporations for management positions.
If someone made it to Colonel we at least know that some other people with large responsibilities thought the person was highly capable.
Col. Lang’s achievements in Washington with the USAF Band were, to say the least, luminiscent. I wish the best to him and to this orchestra. The Amarillo ensemble has hired a splendid leader and experienced musician who happens to overflow with the sort of charisma most mortals lack.
Congratulations to all involved!
Confirm below Col. Lang’s supreme artistry:
https://www.google.com/search?q=usaf+band+flash+mob&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:b431db3d,vid:gr4-akvoJuU,st:0
Upgrading, excuse me? The Flagstaff Symphony is a pretty high-level organization, not a small-town wannabe. I would think, having lived there as a native Texan, that it would be a drop to move to Amarillo
We should seize the moment to acknowledge Frank Byrne, who was executive director of the Kansas City Symphony for quite a few years after a career with one of our military orchestras in Washington DC. These orchestras play lots of concerts, need to schedule rehearsals, understand and undertake all of the logistics that civilian orchestras do, so why not use the skills developed elsewhere along the way?
Spot on. Many musicians in our military music organizations have studied in top tier music schools.
He’s a musician, not a drill sergeant, and puts to rest the stereotype of people are in the military because they can’t make it on the outside. To be fair, there is a large number who are in for that reason.
Way to go Larry