Top 10 sousa marches

He is one of the most famous American bandmasters and composers of military marches from the late Romantic era. He grew up in an environment charged with military band music; not only was he son of a trombone player in the U. Sousa is admired because of his successful endeavors that elevated the genre of military band music to its zenith.

He began his musical training at the age of 6, learning violin under the tutelage of John Esputa and harmony and musical composition from George Felix Benkert. Over the years, he sharpened his skills and at the young age of 16 he composed his first march, Salutation. After finishing his apprenticeship, Sousa began playing the violin at theatre orchestras and learnt how to conduct.

A few years later in , he assumed the leadership of the US Marine Band, which he went on to keep for the next 12 years. Not only was his band proficient in military music but it mastered a branch of Western classical music as well, symphonies. The band gave Sousa opportunities to go on tours to U. S, Europe and eventually around the world in However, as the First World War began he gave up his involvement in his band and committed himself to headship of the naval bands.

Famous sousa marches

In he returned to civilian life and reorganized his band. After the War, he developed a new passion for rights of musicians and composers. Furthermore, he also left behind a hefty number of songs, dance pieces, suites and humoresques. This ultimately highlights the important place that Sousa holds in American society due his talent as a composer and his patriotism.

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