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Diane Gorzycki

Diane Elaine Gorzycki, for which Gorzycki Middle School is named, worked for Austin ISD as a band director for 30 years. Born in Austin, Ms. Gorzycki was a 1971 graduate of Austin High School and received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Texas in 1975. She knew as a child she loved music and wanted to be a band director. She was Director of Bands at Porter M.S. (1977-93) and Bailey M.S. (1993-2006). In 2006, she was appointed Austin ISD Administrative Supervisor of Fine Arts. She retired in 2007 when she learned she had cancer and passed away September 2008 at the age of 54. She had a strong, positive attitude – always with a smile and generosity toward others.

Bands under Ms. Gorzycki’s direction received numerous invitations to perform at music conferences of national significance, including the Music Educators National Conference, the J.P. Sousa Middle School Honor Band Clinic, the Western International Band Clinic, the College Band Directors National Association/National Band Association Southern Division Conference, and the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. Her bands received honors each year in the Texas University Interscholastic League, accumulated 28 “Best in Class” honors in major national music festivals, and were selected as finalist in the Texas Honor Band competition. Her band was the 2001 recipient of the prestigious Sudler Silver Cup International Award. She was presented the National Band Association “Citation of Excellence” on three separate occasions, and her bands were the recipient of three Proclamations from the Texas State Senate. Ms. Gorzycki served as a member of the John Philip Sousa Foundation “Sudler Cup” Selection Committee, was on the National Band Association Board of Directors as a Middle School Representative, and was an appointed member of the Texas University Interscholastic League Prescribed Music List Selection Committee. She is a past state board member of the Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Mu International Bandmaster Fraternity, Texas Music Educators Association, and Texas Music Educators Conference. She has also served as past president, as well as a member of the Board of Directors, of the University of Texas Longhorn Alumni Band. She has been the scholarship chairman for Women Band Directors International, a member of Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, Music Educators National Conference, Phi Delta Kappa, and has held lifetime memberships in Sigma Alpha Iota and Tau Beta Sigma.