SFA School of Music to honor David Lambert at Extravaganza 24

David Lambert will be honored as the Outstanding Music Alumnus by the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music during the Friends of Music's annual Extravaganza, which begins at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 29, at the Hotel Fredonia Convention Center.

NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS - The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music will honor David Lee Lambert with the Outstanding Music Alumnus Award on Friday, April 29, during Extravaganza 24. The annual gala banquet, held at the Hotel Fredonia Convention Center, is sponsored by the SFA Friends of Music.

Fred J. Allen, SFA director of bands, will highlight Lambert's accomplishments, and the SFA Wind Symphony, under Lambert's direction, will present Frank Ticheli's arrangement of "Amazing Grace."

Lambert, who served 33 years as a music educator, earned two degrees from SFA. He received his Bachelor of Music in 1971 and his Master of Arts with a concentration in music theory and composition in 1973. He studied percussion and band methods with Mel Montgomery and composition with Dr. Richard A. Coolidge.

After working as assistant director of bands for the Nacogdoches school district, Lambert served as the assistant director of bands in the Fort Bend Independent School District at both Dulles Middle School and Dulles High School and then as the director of bands at Dulles High School.

In 1985, he became the director of fine arts for the FBISD and held that position until he retired in 2004. During his tenure, the district's bands and orchestras were recognized with three honor performances at the Texas Music Educators Association's conference and received 15 invitations to perform at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago.

Lambert, who is an active adjudicator, clinician and consultant, served as the president for the Texas Music Adjudicators Association from 2009 to 2011. He serves as the executive secretary for Region 17 of the University Interscholastic League and holds the same position in the Texas chapter of Phi Beta Mu, the international bandmasters fraternity.

In 2001, the Texas Music Administrators Conference named him Texas Music Administrator of the Year, and the Texas Thespian Conference named him Outstanding Administrator. Two years later, he was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award for Music Administration from the Texas Bandmasters Association. In 2009, he was inducted into the SFA Bandmasters Hall of Fame and received a Distinguished Alumnus Award from Nacogdoches High School.

More than 200 people are expected for this year's Extravaganza, "Shining Stars," which features gourmet dining, performances by student soloists and ensembles, and the presentation of student awards.

Gary Wurtz, SFA associate professor of trumpet, will serve as the master of ceremonies for this year's event.

The Extravaganza 24 Awards Dinner begins at 6:30 p.m., and the deadline for reservations is Monday, April 25. For tickets or more information, call the Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS.