SJ48: Celebrating the life of Dorothy Leah Gerber.


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 48
Celebrating the life of Dorothy Leah Gerber.

 

Agreed to by the Senate, January 16, 2020
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 20, 2020

 

WHEREAS, Dorothy Leah Gerber, renowned musical talent and a vibrant advocate of music literacy, died on May 16, 2019; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Gerber was born on July 18, 1940, in Boston, Massachusetts; after growing up in Long Branch, New Jersey, and studying music at the University of Colorado Boulder, she ultimately settled with her family in Reston; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Gerber was a strong, active voice in the musical community throughout her life as both a choral artist and a music teacher; her advocacy of music literacy for a quarter-century at Montessori Country School in Herndon made her much beloved by her students; and

WHEREAS, as a teacher and a board of trustees lifetime advisor at Montessori Country School, Dorothy Gerber filled her students with the joy of music and an appreciation of music history and ensured high-caliber programs and talented teachers were in place to continue the school’s success; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Gerber was a member of the Choral Arts Society of Washington for over 25 years; the group’s numerous performances with the National Symphony Orchestra led her to sing and record with world-renowned conductors, including Mstislav Rostropovich and Leonard Bernstein; and

WHEREAS, with the Choral Arts Society of Washington, Dorothy Gerber performed all over the world, including Spoleto, Moscow’s Red Square, Notre Dame in Paris, Carnegie Hall in New York City, Teatro Colon in Argentina, and Royal Albert Hall in England; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Gerber also led a madrigal singing group, the Morley Muse, performing throughout the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area for over a decade; and

WHEREAS, active in politics, Dorothy Gerber volunteered for the campaign of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and supported get-out-the-vote efforts for several years; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Gerber shared a love of birding with young children and adults, teaching them how to identify birds, calls, and songs and educating them on the variety of species and natural habitats; she also devoted time and financial support to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology; and

WHEREAS, a devout Episcopalian, Dorothy Gerber’s early devotion to the music and liturgy of the Episcopal Church lasted a lifetime and inspired her life’s work; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Gerber was proud of her family’s history, which included the heroism of her great-grandfather, who escaped slavery to fight in the Civil War; all her life, she lived up to this legacy through her actions and deeds; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Gerber will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by her husband, Hermann; her daughters, Heidi and Amy, and their families; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Dorothy Leah Gerber, esteemed choral artist and champion of musical education; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Dorothy Leah Gerber as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for her memory.

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 48

Offered January 8, 2020
Prefiled January 7, 2020
Celebrating the life of Dorothy Leah Gerber.

Patrons-- Boysko and Favola; Delegates: Askew, Carr, Delaney, Hayes, Hope, Jenkins, Kory, Lindsey, Murphy, Rasoul, Reid, Samirah, Simon, Simonds, Subramanyam, Watts and Willett

WHEREAS, Dorothy Leah Gerber, renowned musical talent and a vibrant advocate of music literacy, died on May 16, 2019; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Gerber was born on July 18, 1940, in Boston, Massachusetts; after growing up in Long Branch, New Jersey, and studying music at the University of Colorado Boulder, she ultimately settled with her family in Reston; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Gerber was a strong, active voice in the musical community throughout her life as both a choral artist and a music teacher; her advocacy of music literacy for a quarter-century at Montessori Country School in Herndon made her much beloved by her students; and

WHEREAS, as a teacher and a board of trustees lifetime advisor at Montessori Country School, Dorothy Gerber filled her students with the joy of music and an appreciation of music history and ensured high-caliber programs and talented teachers were in place to continue the school’s success; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Gerber was a member of the Choral Arts Society of Washington for over 25 years; the group’s numerous performances with the National Symphony Orchestra led her to sing and record with world-renowned conductors, including Mstislav Rostropovich and Leonard Bernstein; and

WHEREAS, with the Choral Arts Society of Washington, Dorothy Gerber performed all over the world, including Spoleto, Moscow’s Red Square, Notre Dame in Paris, Carnegie Hall in New York City, Teatro Colon in Argentina, and Royal Albert Hall in England; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Gerber also led a madrigal singing group, the Morley Muse, performing throughout the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area for over a decade; and

WHEREAS, active in politics, Dorothy Gerber volunteered for the campaign of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and supported get-out-the-vote efforts for several years; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Gerber shared a love of birding with young children and adults, teaching them how to identify birds, calls, and songs and educating them on the variety of species and natural habitats; she also devoted time and financial support to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology; and

WHEREAS, a devout Episcopalian, Dorothy Gerber’s early devotion to the music and liturgy of the Episcopal Church lasted a lifetime and inspired her life’s work; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Gerber was proud of her family’s history, which included the heroism of her great-grandfather, who escaped slavery to fight in the Civil War; all her life, she lived up to this legacy through her actions and deeds; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Gerber will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by her husband, Hermann; her daughters, Heidi and Amy, and their families; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Dorothy Leah Gerber, esteemed choral artist and champion of musical education; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Dorothy Leah Gerber as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for her memory.