John Philip Sousa

Born November 6, 1854 in Washington, DC

Died March 6. 1932

Nationality: American

Period/Style: Late 19^th & Early 20^th Century.  Marches.

About the composer:

John Philip Sousa is one of the leading American composers.  He is known as "The March King" because of the tremendous number of marches he wrote during his lifetime.  He started to play the violin, flute, cornet, piano, trombone, and began to study singing when he was six years of age.  His father, Antonio, played trombone in the U. S. Marine band, so he grew up around military band music.  At the age of 13, he tried to run away and join a circus band, so rather than let him do that, his father enlisted him in the Marines.  After he was discharged from the Marines, he began conducting theater orchestras, including shows on Broadway. In 1880, he returned to Washington where, for the next 12 years, he conducted the Marine Band "President's Own", a group which played anytime the president had an event.  After he left the service in 1992, he started his own touring band and they traveled all over Europe and the United States.  During WW I, Sousa joined the Naval Reserve at the age of 62 and was paid a salary of $1 per month.  After the war, he continued to tour with his band, until his death in 1932.

About the music:

A march is designed to accompany marching of a large group, especially soldiers.  Marches have strongly accented beats in groups of four, and regular phrases of four measures.  The standard form is three-part, with a contrasting trio section which has a more melodious character than the outer parts. 

Suggested activities:

What other composers wrote marches?

Discover some of the names of Sousa's marches and find out why he named them that way.