Fiscal Note
N/A
Title
Report of the Madison 150 Song Committee designating five City of Madison Official Songs
Body
The Madison 150 Song Committee ("the Committee") was created by Resolution 05-00904, ID 01717, adopted by the Madison Common Council on November 8, 2005, to select - as part of the City's Sesquicentennial celebration - an official song or songs of the City of Madison.
Pursuant to Report ID 02749, the Committee was appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Common Council on January 11, 2006.
The Committee met on March 7, 2006. A decision was made to ask the public for original compositions. A press release was issued inviting people of all backgrounds to submit compositions to be considered for the designation of Madison's official song or songs. The song(s) were to, in some way, reflect the essence of Madison, its history, culture, geography and spirit. All styles of music were welcome.
The Committee received 24 compositions.
At its April 19, 2006 meeting, the Committee narrowed down the field of finalists. Committee members expressed an interest in asking musicians of their acquaintance to compose an original song to then be reviewed by the Committee at its meeting of May 24, 2006.
The Committee met and reviewed the four selections from the April meeting, and they listened to an original song composed at the request of Committee member Andrew Sewell.
The Committee discussed and approved a motion that the following songs be designated as official songs of Madison:
Category: Songs Submitted by the Public
"Oh Wonderful Madison"
by Peter and Lou Berryman
"Madison"
by the Dane Varese Band
"My Friend Madison"
by Amy Shapiro
"Madison"
by Douglas Hamilton
Category: Songs from Within the Committee
Home to Madison by Tracy Silverman.
Accordingly, the Committee recommends to the Mayor and Madison Common Council that the songs listed above be bestowed the honor of the designation of "Official Songs" of the City of Madison.
The Committee further recommends that a recording of these five songs along with this report reflecting their designation as Official Songs of the City of Madison, be added to a time capsule currently being assembled, which will be housed at the Overture Center for the Arts.
Respectfully submitted,
Mario D. Mendoza, Chair
Madison 150 Song Committee