Submitted by Dan Bassett

It is with great enthusiasm that I, with the full support of the South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble Board of Directors, recommend Adam DeRosa for this year’s Pillars of Pride Award due to his incredible dedication to the South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble, the Lesbian Gay Band Association, and concert bands everywhere. I can think of no other who has given more of his time and talent to these two organizations and to the creation of concert band literature.

Adam began his journey with the South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble (then, the Flamingo Freedom Band) in 2000 and immediately began serving on the Board of Directors as secretary in 2001, then treasurer from 2002-2004, and ultimately as president from 2004-2011. During his presidency, he hired me as the Artistic Director and oversaw the renaming and rebranding of the now South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble (SFPWE). From 2011 – 2017, Adam remained very active in several roles. As grant writer, he raised over $100,000 for SFPWE. As co-founder and coordinator of the Youth Pride Band of South Florida, he has aided in giving hundreds of high school students the incredible experience of working with world-class conductors and composers such as Frank Ticheli and Johan DeMeij. Adam was also integral in raising funds so that $124,000 in college scholarships has been awarded to Youth Pride Band participants to date. In 2017, Adam once again became president of the SFPWE Board of Directors and is still serving in that role. Through his leadership, the SFPWE has invested in the Jon Sims Endowment Fund and hired our first Managing Director in 2019. His vision and tireless efforts continue to push the Pride Wind Ensemble ever forward as one of the shining stars of the South Florida Community.

Adam has been active in LGBA Annual Conferences as Conference Chair for the 2004 (Ft. Lauderdale), 2009 (New Orleans), and 2019 (Orlando) conferences and was on the Conference Committee for the 2014 (Ft. Lauderdale) conference. He has served as a member at large on the LGBA board from 2008- 2011 and as board president from 2011-2013. During his time on the board he served as annual conference liaison, interim Vice President, and helped establish the Pillars of Pride Award. Since leaving the board, he has remained active in LGBA, overseeing the commission of “City Trees” for LGBA’s 30th Anniversary, attending Gay Games in 2010, and 2014, and attending two Inaugural parades in 2009 and 2013. For the 2013 parade, Adam served as co-chair of the planning committee. Finally, he worked with other LGBA past presidents to create the LGBA Presidents’ Circle in 2016 which to date has raised over $30,000 for LGBA.

Adam has a passion for commissioning new works and supporting contemporary composers of wind band music. In addition to overseeing LGBA’s commission of Michael Markowski’s “City Trees,” Adam was key in the commissioning of Robert Longfield’s “The Road Less Traveled” for the SFPWE’s 25th Anniversary, and two pieces commissioned for the 2019 LGBA conference, “Stonewall: 1969” by Randall Standridge, and “My Soul to Keep” by Julie Giroux. Additionally, he has secured a commission by Robert Sheldon to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the Youth Pride Band of South Florida, to be premiered next February, 2021 at the Youth Band concert.

Due to Adam DeRosa’s commitment to the South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble, to the Lesbian Gay Band Association, and to the creation of new works for concert band, I highly recommend that he be named the 2020 Pillar of Pride for Dedication. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions of me or the SFPWE Board of Directors.