Diane Elaine Gorzycki

Diane Elaine Gorzycki: November 9, 1953 – September 30, 2008, passed away peacefully after a two-year battle with a rare uterine cancer. Throughout her illness she maintained a determined will to live and a strong, positive attitude – always with a smile and generosity toward others. She was a true inspiration to all of us. Born in Austin to the late George and Pat Gorzycki, Diane was a 1971 graduate of Austin High School and received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Texas in 1975. She was a life-long member of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. She knew as a child she loved music and wanted to be a band director, and her very distinguished 30-year teaching career began with one year in Seguin at Saegert M.S., returning to Austin to be 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. 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. Even after retirement, Diane continued to be an adjudicator, clinician, and director throughout Texas and the United States. She lectured at conferences in Texas, Arkansas, Michigan, Illinois, and Washington and received invitations to conduct All-State bands in Georgia and South Carolina. 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. Each summer she was a guest conductor at music camps including the University of Texas, Texas Tech University, and Baylor University. Most recently, 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. She was also serving a four-year term on the Texas University Interscholastic League Prescribed Music List Selection Committee. Diane will be immensely missed by hundreds of friends, colleagues, former students and many people whose lives she even briefly touched. She has enriched all of our lives with her knowledge, talent, and great appreciation of music and of life – always with a smile. Diane is survived by her son Scott Harbour, whom she loved even more than music and teaching, sister Linda Gorzycki, both of Austin; and sister Donna Livingston and husband Tim of Edmond, Oklahoma. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Thurs.-Fri., Oct. 2-3, at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 3125 N Lamar Blvd.; burial at 10 a.m., Sat., Oct. 4, Austin Memorial Park, 2800 Hancock Drive; memorial service at 3 p.m., Sat., at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 3201 Windsor Road. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the University of Texas Longhorn Alumni Band Charitable Fund, P.O. Box 1451, Austin, TX 78767 1451; Special Olympics of Texas, 7715 Chevy Chase Drive, Suite 120, Austin, TX 78752; or Hospice Austin, 4107 Spicewood Springs Road, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78759.