“Col. Larry H. Lang, commander and conductor of the U.S. Air Force band from 2012-2019, is to be the Amarillo (TX) Symphony’s executive director as of March, 2022,” writes Nicholas Beard in Monday’s (1/31) Musical America (subscription required). “He succeeds David Hyslop, who’s been serving as interim since September of 2021 and will stay on briefly as consultant; previously Andrew Hay held the position…. Lang arrives after nearly three years in the same post as executive director of the Flagstaff (AZ) Symphony. Moving to Amarillo, he says, brings him closer to his grandchildren. In Flagstaff he is to be succeeded by development manager Stephanie Stallings. Lang has spent 29 years in the USAF, serving in various capacities, from combat to conducting. The Amarillo orchestra is coming up on its centenary and is in a search for a new music director. Pre-pandemic its annual operating budget was $2.1M; having recently emerged with Chamber Music Amarillo that number is in the $2.4million range. Alan Rhodes, president of the Amarillo Symphony board, expressed confidence in his new hire: ‘Larry understands the power of music … to build coalitions and positive … relationships.’ ”
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