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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE LIFE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF DAVID ELLIS
WHEREAS, David Ellis, General Manager of the Evanston Symphony Orchestra for 18 years, died at the age of 75 on July 26, 1022. The loss to his family, friends and the Evanston Symphony is immeasurable; and
WHEREAS, Ellis was born in Johnson City, Tennessee, into a military family. His parents and four younger siblings eventually settled in San Diego where Ellis would attend the University of California San Diego, earning a B.S. in geology (with a minor in music) followed by an M.S. in geological oceanography from Oregon State; and
WHEREAS, while Ellis was an excellent athlete having participated in several marathons and was a lifelong tennis player, he was known foremost for his love and knowledge of classical music; and
WHEREAS, throughout his professional life Ellis wore many hats, making use of his science degrees at Northwestern University before receiving an MBA from the University of Chicago. He transitioned into a career in finance while at Harza Engineering, and was then hired by Consolidated Foods (now Sara Lee) where he worked for many years in the position of Assistant Treasurer; and
WHEREAS, a long-time subscriber to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Lyric Opera, he was able to combine his deep knowledge of music with his experience in finance when he accepted the role of General Manager of the Evanston Symphony; and
WHEREAS, Ellis had an encyclopedic knowledge of classical music and a head filled with facts ranging from every Mozart K?chel number to which recording of a Mahler symphony - he had them all - was the best, to arcane, funny anecdotes about eccentric conductors. He also knew all of the musicians and all of the ESO's subscribers, including their concert hall seat numbers; and
WHEREAS, an article about Ellis in a 2021 edition of the ESO's Noteworthy, a newsletter that the ESO sent to subscribers read: David can tell you about the differences in sound q...
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