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- Educators - The Future of the Bandworld the of Future The Mr. Sousa Happy Birthday, Marine Band in Washington, and and Washington, in Band the Marine of member a was father His effort.war the of part a were that bands and soldiers of parades the with he familiar became up, growing child a As War. Civil the before days the in D.C., ed to the era in whichlived.he in era the to ed S N Philip Sousa, and this is a wondera is this Sousa, and Philip John musicoflove the America of people The King”. “March the of popularity the on capitalizing by programs and concerts own their on attention focus to this, through and leader, band American great this of career and life celebrate the to America throughout bands for providesThis a unique opportunity Sousa. Philip John sions about many other topics relat discusforopportunities Sousaare of times and life the ofdiscussion order.first a Tied intothe of tunity oppor educational an also is This and entertainingfor audience.the players, the for challenging are which works written well ing, interest are works serious larger, Sousaʼsand concerts, band of part stu dents. Sousa marches your are a welcome educate your and please audiences you help and band, your help King” “March the Let yourownadvantage. to fact that use to opportunity ful parents in immigrant 1854, in Washington, of born was ousa niesr o te it of birth the of anniversary 150th the is 2004 ovember6, BW 2004 BW ------hn on Jh bcm inter became John young when succeed, so did its young conduc young its did and so succeed, grow to continued band the band The leadership.As his under flourished Band. Marine the of I n pplr at f h musical the of part popular successful and very a Marine became the Band and Sousa and tor; sometimestor,conductor. and composer,arranger, an edi as also butperformer, a as only notactive wasHe movedPhiladelphia. he to and orchestras, theater in forming involved per became Sousa Band, Following his time with the Marine hewas with the Marine Band. also learning other instruments andwhile violin, accomplished the studyingmusician, an became Sousa thirteen. of age the at musician apprentice an enlisted in Band the him Marine as father his circus, a joining in ested o eoe h 1t conductor 17th the become to n 1880 he returned to Washington - - - - BW 2004 An ABA Presentation scene in Washington. In 1892 Sousa returned to the United States, crossing west coast to the Missouri River wrote his Washington Post march, the Atlantic Ocean on a steam ship. some 2,000 miles away. and it became a very big hit on As he paced up and down the deck, both sides of the Atlantic, as it was a march began playing in his mindʼs Sousa, the child of immigrants, saw the perfect music to go with a new band. The march continued through- the new generation of immigrants dance craze called “the two-step” out the trip, and when Sousa reached make a great impact on American life. which was popular in both Europe shore, he wrote it down, not changing They worked in the factories, mines, and in America. The popularity of a single note. That march is The Stars and mills in the East. They suffered in this great march led to Sousa being and Stripes Forever, the most popular “sweat shops”, and they helped form called, “The March King”. march in the world. unions to protect their interests.

After twelve good years, Sousa left Sousa was a great patriot. He had Across the plains and the prairies, the Marine Band to form his own served two terms in the Marine they grew wheat, and they raised professional band, the Sousa Band. Corps. He later enlisted in the Army pigs, and they helped change the The combination of Sousa, his man- to serve in the Spanish-American face of America. ager, David Blakely, and a talented War, and when World War I broke band of musicians proved to be a out, he once again volunteered. This n 1901 the President of the United great success. For the next many time he joined the Navy. At the age States, for the first time ever, years the Sousa band performed of 62, he was in charge of the band entertainedI a black man to dinner all over America. They became the training center at the Great Lakes in the White House. Shortly after most popular musical attraction at Naval Training Station in Illinois. that an Italian, Guglielmo Marconi, many the greatest events of that transmitted the first wireless signal era, and toured from coast to coast, Sousaʼs life covered an amazing across the Atlantic – a major devel- bringing band music to people in cit- time of transformation of not only opment in communications. ies large and small. bands and music, but of our country, and the world. In 1903 the Wright Brothers flew Following the successful American their first airplane. tours, Sousa and his Band toured n 1854, when he was born, slavery Europe, taking the continent by was legal in the United States, In 1905 Einstein conceived his theo- storm. They were immensely suc- andI it was an important part of the ry of relativity, and also cessful and popular in Europe, and economy in certain regions. By 1861 in 1905 Russia had its first revolu- they then scheduled their first con- America was at war, as the armies tion, cert tour around the world. of the Confederacy and of the Union became involved in one of the bitter- In 1908 Sousaʼs friend, Henry Ford, nce again, they played to huge, est and most costly wars in history. produced his first Model Tʼs, chang- Oenthusiastic audiences, and the He saw the end of slavery, and the ing forever the production of auto- Sousa Band became the best known, emergence of a new America fol- mobiles for the masses. and most popular musical group in lowing that tragic war. Countless the world. thousands of Americans went west In 1912 the great “unsinkable ship”, on the wagon trains, traveling the the Titanic, sank. In 1896, Sousa and his wife were vaca- Oregon and the Santa Fe Trails, and tioning in Europe when Sousa learned in 1869 the first transcontinental In 1914 World War I began, and the of the death of his long-time manager, railroad was complete, linking the U.S. entered the war in 1917. David Blakely. They immediately BW 2004 An ABA Presentation Also in 1914, the Panama Canal a world class skeet shooter, an avid concert. This can be your bandʼs, and opened. baseball player (pitcher), an enter- your schoolʼs, and your communityʼs tainer extraordinaire, a prosperous tribute to the “March King”. In 1917 the Communists took over businessman, and one of the greatest Russia. American stars of the late 19th and INTERDISCIPLINARY In 1918, World War I ended, after early 20th century. EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES costing some 10 million lives. In 1987, his composition, The Stars Sousaʼs lifetime covers a remarkable In 1920 American women won the and Stripes Forever, officially became span of American history, including right to vote. the national march of the United social changes, political changes, cul- States of America. It is the most tural changes and musical and artis- In 1927 Lindbergh flew across the played and most recorded instrumen- tic changes. These are excellent top- Atlantic Ocean. tal work in the world. ics for Humanities projects, History, In 1929 the United States Stock Geography, Sociology, or Government Market crashed, bringing on the What can you and your band do to courses. Sousa and the Sousa band Great Depression. commemorate the life and legacy redefined the concert band, and ele- of this great American? There are vated its stature in both America and In 1932 Franklin D. Roosevelt many opportunities in every school in the capitals of Europe. And they defeated President Herbert Hoover, and in every community. This is one introduced great music by great com- and became President of the United project that you may want to discuss posers to generations of Americans, States, and with your students or your players. who would not have otherwise had the opportunity to hear performances In 1932 John Philip Sousa, at the Following are some suggestions that of music by Wagner, Saint-Saens, and age of 77, died of a heart attack, in a you might want to consider. other masters. hotel room in Reading, Pennsylvania following a rehearsal of the Ringgold PRESENT YOUR OWN “SOUSA HELP YOUR LIBRARIAN HELP Band. The last number he conducted CONCERT”, or A “TRIBUTE TO YOU was, appropriately, The Stars and SOUSA” in this Sesquicentennial Stripes Forever. Yearʼs concerts The Sousa books are not only infor- mative, but they are also entertain- here are wonderful new editions ohn Philip Sousa was an American ing. The caring band director will of many of Sousaʼs finest march- phenomenon! see that his students have access to J es,T which enable todayʼs bands and these books, but you do NOT have He led and conducted the most famous conductors to perform these legend- to spend your money or the band band in the world. He was a prolific ary American band classics with style composer, composing operettas, songs and effectiveness, and with integrity. budget to do this. and vocal solos, suites and descriptive pieces, arrangements and transcrip- A “Sousa Concert” can be great fun, All librarians want to purchase books tions, and over 136 of the greatest and very attractive. Presenting a con- and materials that the teachers want marches ever written. He was also a cert in the Sousa style can be very in their different academic areas, and popular and successful author, writing effective programming. that students will not only enjoy, but 7 books, and at least 138 articles for from which they will benefit. magazines and newspapers. If an entire Sousa Concert is not appropriate, or realistic, try includ- here are some terrific books He was an accomplished horseman, ing one good Sousa march in each Tabout Sousa that your students BW 2004 An ABA Presentation will enjoy, and that YOU will enjoy his autobiography, Marching Along. SUPPORT THE FUND RAISING also. They are books that need to be The author has diligently presented EFFORTS FOR THE NEW in our school libraries so students the Sousa story with attention to SOUSA STATUTE IN OUR interested in music, the arts, or this details and to accuracy. His first draft NATIONʼS CAPITAL era of American history, can use of this book was read and checked by them as references; or which they Sousaʼs daughter, and by 50 former Join bands all over America, to help can read for pleasure. Tell your members of the Sousa Band. raise funds for the first ever full- librarian about these books. THE WORKS OF JOHN PHILIP size, full length statue of the greatest Several of these are: SOUSA, by Paul Bierley, pub. by band leader in history, to be place JOHN PHILIP SOUSA, American Integrity Press. This is an annotated in our nationʼs capital in front of Phenomenon, by Paul Bierley, pub. listing of all the works that were the new Marine Band facility. More by Warner Bros.(earlier editions were known to be by Sousa when the book detailed information can be found from Integrity Press). A wonderful went to press in 1984. Included are on the Sousa Foundation web-site. biography, with excellent information not only the famous marches, but lon- Donations can be sent to: about Sousa as a child; Sousa the ger more serious compositions, songs Victor Zajec, Treasurer man; Sousa the leader and conductor; and vocal works, operettas, solos and Sousa Statue Project Sousa the American hero and star; the ensembles, and literary works includ- 18603 Aberdeen eras and environments in which he ing books and articles. This is a trea- Homewood, IL 60430 lived and worked, and the international sure trove of information. impact of his band and his music. SOUSA NATIONAL HIGH SPONSOR OR HELP SPONSOR SCHOOL HONOR BAND ARCHING ALONG, by John AND SUPPORT A “JOHN PHILIP Philip Sousa, ed. by Paul SOUSA JUNIOR HONOR BAND” onor and support your best high Bierley,M pub. by Integrity Press. This school musicians by encourag- autobiography is the March Kingʼs This is a special program for middle ingH and supporting their application very personal account of his early school or junior high musicians, to perform in the Sousa National life, childhood, musical career, and sponsored and coordinated by the Honor Band, conducted by Col. life, beginning in Washington, D.C. John Philip Sousa Foundation, a John R. Bourgeois, former leader in 1854 in the days preceding the non-profit organization. These honor and conductor of “The Presidentʼs Civil War. It continues through his bands have been a great success in Own” United States Marine Band. days as the 17th conductor of the U. every state in which they have been S. Marine Band, through the creation held. They are filling an impor- The band will meet in New Orleans, of his own Sousa Band, and through tant need, rewarding, and providing rehearsing and performing on the his challenges and adventures, as motivational opportunities for our campus of Loyola University, June his career carried him to the heights talented younger performers. 11 – 15, 2005. Applications and of success as one of the best known additional information may be found and most revered American icons. or more information see the on the John Philip Sousa Foundation FJohn Philip Sousa Foundation web-site, under the project heading: THE MARCH KING AND HIS web-site, or for further informa- Honor Band. BAND, by Kenneth Berger, pub. by tion, contact the Sousa Foundation Exposition Press. Published in 1957, project co-chairs: Gladys Wright (e- Further inquiries may be addressed this book was the first Sousa biog- mail: [email protected]) ph. 765- to Bruce Dinkins raphy to tell the story of Sousaʼs last 403-1730; or Robert Foster (e-mail: e-mail: [email protected]) four years – which are not included in [email protected]) ph. 785-864-3326, Phone. 512-414-3838.