theStearns

University of Texas Symphony Band, horn choir portion of the concert last weekend at the Sarah and Ernest Butler School of Music at The University of Texas at Austin (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Both my money and my daughter go to The University of Texas at Austin. The daughter is a music business major and her final concert of the season (the 458th event of the Butler School of Music’s 2009/2010 season) was last Sunday. The photo above is from a favorite  – the horn choir playing “Canzon duodecimi toni” from Sacrae Symphoniae by Giovanni Gabrieli. “Finale” from Symphony No. 4 in f minor, op. 36 by Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky was impressive.

Horn Choir at the University of Texas Symphony Band concert (photo by Kenn Stearns)

2009 All-American College Band performs at Main Street Train Station (photo by Kenn Stearns)

After a busy summer in Southern California all the AACB students returned to their respective universities and colleges. Some of the students participate in their school bands. Our daughter is a student at The University of Texas at Austin and is a member of the Longhorn Band which recently enjoyed the opportunity to travel to Pasadena for the BCS National Championship football game.

For our daughter it was a chance to return to Southern California. She reconnected with Disney employees, friends, and former AACB members. She also enjoyed performing in Disneyland with the Longhorn Band and at the same Main Street Train Station.

Longhorn Band performs at Main Street Train Station

When our daughter was younger we took her to the Disneyland and Disney World resorts. Like many young girls she dreamed of being a princess and one day marching down Main Street in the parade. It comes as no surprise that for our daughter ”Where Dreams Really Do Come True” is much more than a marketing tagline and holds a special meaning.

Tomorrow The University of Texas at Austin will meet the The University of Alabama for the controversial BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. Longhorn coach Mack Brown told ESPN, “It is very unusual to have two undefeated teams in the national championship. The BCS got lucky.”

• Longhorns v. Crimson Tide
• Mack Brown v. Nick Saban
• Colt McCoy v. Greg McElroy
• Longhorn Band v. Million Dollar Band
• Burnt orange v. Crimson

The Longhorn Band arrives at the Rose Bowl

My youngest daughter is a fourth-generation student at UT, a proud member of the Longhorn Band, and frequently causes us to send the university money for tuition and other expenses. She got to SoCal yesterday, performed with the band at Universal Studios today, marches in the game tomorrow, performs at Disneyland on Friday, and was just captured in the local Houston ABC affiliate evening news story from Pasadena, CA on the championship game. Win or lose, our daughter and all the other students are the real winners by enjoying the opportunity to participate in what promises to be a  memorable event. Let the games begin, and on behalf of our tuition dollars: Hookem!