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We all know that Elvis Presley was the King of Rock ‘N Roll, Aretha Franklin was the Queen of Soul and Michael Jackson was the King of Pop. This week we will learn about another member of musical royalty: John Philip Sousa, also known as “The March King”.
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John Philip Sousa was born on November 6, 1854 in Washington, D.C. Just up the road from where he was born was the U.S. Marine Corps base, where his father, John Antonio Sousa, played the trombone for the Marine Band.
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By the age of 6, Sousa was beginning to study music seriously. He had already learned to play the violin, and was starting to study other instruments, like piano, flute, baritone, cornet, and, of course, trombone, just like his father.
Sousa’s music teachers also discovered something truly unique about him. He had perfect pitch. If someone has perfect pitch, it means that they are able to sing any note that you ask, perfectly. They are also able to hear a note and tell you exactly what note it is. Not everyone has perfect pitch, and it’s not really something you can “learn.” |
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John Philip Sousa wrote his first big hit in 1889, when he was 35 years old. The Washington Post, a famous newspaper at the time, hired him to write a song to celebrate the winner of their Children’s essay contest. Sousa’s “Washington Post March” was so exciting that it was an instant hit, for which he was paid a whole $35! Pay attention to the volume of the music. You will notice that it changes from loud and exciting to soft and back to loud again, several times. Today’s Listening Example is “The Washington Post March.”
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Do you ever think about what you want to be when you grow up? Do you want to be a ballerina, a fireman, or a police officer? Have you ever wanted to juggle flaming swords while walking on a tightrope? Well, John Philip Sousa did.
One day, at the age of 13, John was sitting on his porch playing his violin. A circus band conductor was secretly listening to Sousa and admired his talent. He was able to convince John that joining the circus band was the way to go and John signed up to leave with the man the next day. Unfortunately for the circus, John’s father found out and put a stop to this plan immediately. |
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His father enlisted John into the Marine Corps band as an apprentice. An apprentice is someone who studies a job by working at that job. Sousa stayed with the Marine Corps band until he was 20 years old.
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During his time working for the theatre orchestra, he met Jane Van Middlesworth Bellis. This beautiful girl stole his heart and he proclaimed meeting her was love at first sight. She was 17, and John was 25, at the time of their marriage. She was so young that she hadn’t learned anything about cooking or cleaning, but he was so in love with her that he didn’t care about any of that. They had three children, John, Jane and Helen, who were all very talented musicians.
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Perhaps the most important part of Sousa’s time with the theater orchestra was learning to conduct. It was during this period of his life that Sousa was able to study with conductors from around the world who taught him the proper ways to conduct an orchestra, as well as how to organize and keep an orchestra running.
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In 1880, John received a telegram that the “President’s Own Marine Band” wanted him to be their leader and conductor. He knew this was a great opportunity for him and he couldn’t wait to become the leader of the first band he ever played for.
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Sousa was a very strict band director. He made sure that his musicians practiced until they were perfect. This made him one of America’s most respected conductors and composers of the time.
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Sousa was able to get his military band recorded onto albums by The Colombia Phonograph Company. These recordings sold very well and made Sousa famous. People from all over came to concerts conducted by John Philips Sousa and his Marine Band.
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If you’ve ever been to a Fourth of July fireworks show where they synchronize the music with the fireworks, like 4th in the Forest, you have heard John Philip Sousa’s music. Sometimes, you’ll hear it where there are rides, like a carousel ride at a fair. Oftentimes, you’ll hear it in television commercials. Sousa’s music has been an icon of American pride for many years, and it will continue to be for many more.
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Sousa’s new band proved to be just what people wanted to hear. They traveled around the world playing Sousa’s compositions for large audiences. It was on one of the European trips that Sousa was inspired to write his most famous march, “The Stars and Stripes Forever”. Being away from America for so long, coupled with his patriotism, inspired him to write what would become one of the most iconic Americana songs ever.
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