John Philip Sousa Portuguese; November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era known primarily for American military marches. He is known as "The March King" or the "American March King", to distinguish him from his British counterpart Kenneth J. Alford. Among Sousa's best-known marches are "The Stars and Stripes Forever" (National March of the United States of America), "Semper Fidelis" (official march of the United States Marine Corps), "The Liberty Bell", "The Thunderer", and "The Washington Post".
Sousa began his career playing violin and studying music theory and composition under John Esputa and George Felix Benkert. Sousa's father enlisted him in the United States Marine Band as an apprentice in 1868. Sousa left the band in 1875, and over the next five years, he performed as a violinist and learned to conduct. In 1880, Sousa rejoined the Marine Band and served there for 12 years as director, after which he was hired to conduct a band organized by David Blakely, P.S. Gilmore's former agent. Blakely wanted to compete with Gilmore. From 1880 until his death, Sousa focused exclusively on conducting and writing music. He aided in the development of the sousaphone, a large brass instrument similar to the helicon and tuba.
Upon the United States joining World War I, Sousa was awarded a wartime commission of lieutenant to lead the Naval Reserve Band in Illinois. He then returned to conduct the Sousa Band until his death in 1932. In the 1920s, Sousa was promoted to the permanent rank of lieutenant commander in the naval reserve.
Early life and education
John Philip Sousa was born in Washington, D.C., the third of 10 children of João António de Sousa (John Anthony Sousa) (September 22, 1824 – April 27, 1892), who was born in Spain to Portuguese parents, and his wife Maria Elisabeth Trinkhaus (May 20, 1826 – August 25, 1908), who was German and from Bavaria. Sousa began his music education under the tuition of John Esputa Sr., who taught him solfeggio. However, this was short-lived due to the teacher's frequent bad temper. Sousa's real music education began in 1861 or 1862 as a pupil of John Esputa Jr., the son of his previous teacher under whom Sousa studied violin, piano, flute, several brass instruments, and singing. Esputa shared his father's bad temper, and the relationship between teacher and pupil was often strained, but Sousa progressed very rapidly and was also found to have perfect pitch. During this period, Sousa wrote his first composition, "An Album Leaf", but Esputa dismissed it as "bread and cheese", and the composition was subsequently lost.
Sousa's father was a trombonist in the Marine Band, and he enlisted Sousa in the United States Marine Corps as an apprentice at age 13 to keep him from joining a circus band. That same year, Sousa began studying music under George Felix Benkert. Sousa was enlisted under a minority enlistment, meaning that he would not be discharged until his 21st birthday.
Career
Sousa completed his apprenticeship in 1875 and began performing on the violin. He then joined a theatrical pit orchestra where he learned to conduct. Sousa returned to the Marine Band as its head in 1880 and remained as its conductor until 1892. He led "The President's Own" band under five presidents from Rutherford B. Hayes to Benjamin Harrison. Sousa's band played at the inaugural balls of James A. Garfield in 1881 and Benjamin Harrison in 1889.
The marching brass bass or sousaphone is a modified helicon created in 1893 by Philadelphia instrument maker J. W. Pepper at Sousa's request, using several of his suggestions in its design. Sousa wanted a tuba that could sound upward and over the band whether its player was seated or marching. C.G. Conn recreated the instrument in 1898, and this was the model that Sousa preferred to use.
Sousa organized The Sousa Band the year that he left the Marine Band, and it toured from 1892 to 1931 and performed at 15,623 concerts, both in America and internationally, including at the World Exposition in Paris and at the Royal Albert Hall in London. In Paris, the Sousa Band marched through the streets to the Arc de Triomphe, one of only eight parades that the band marched in during its 40 years.
Military service
In 1868, Sousa enlisted in the Marine Corps at age 13 as an apprentice musician (his rank listed as "boy"). He left the Marine Corps in 1875. His second period of service began in 1880 and continued until 1892. During this period, Sousa led the Marine Band through its development into the country's premier military band.
The Columbia Phonograph Company produced 60 recordings of the Marine Band conducted by Sousa, which led to his national fame. In July 1892, Sousa requested a discharge from the Marine Corps to pursue a financially promising civilian career as a band leader. He conducted a farewell concert at the White House on July 30, 1892, and was discharged from the Marine Corps the next day.
Sousa was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Naval Reserve on May 31, 1917, shortly after the United States declared war on Germany and entered World War I. He was 62 years old, the mandatory retirement age for Navy officers. During the war, Sousa led the Navy Band at the Great Lakes Naval Station near Chicago, and he donated all of his naval salary except a token $1 per month to the Sailors' and Marines' Relief Fund. Sousa was discharged from active duty after the end of the war in November 1918 and returned to conducting his own band. In the early 1920s, Sousa was promoted to lieutenant commander in the Naval Reserve but did not return to active duty. He frequently wore his Navy uniform during performances for the remainder of his life.
For his service during the war, Sousa received the World War I Victory Medal and was elected as a Veteran Companion of the Military Order of Foreign Wars. He was also a member of the New York Athletic Club and Post 754 of the American Legion.
Personal life
On December 30, 1879, Sousa married Jane van Middlesworth Bellis (February 22, 1862 – March 11, 1944), who was descended from Adam Bellis who served in the New Jersey troops during the American Revolutionary War. They had three children: John Jr. (April 1, 1881 – May 18, 1937), Jane Priscilla (August 7, 1882 – October 28, 1958), and Helen (January 21, 1887 – October 14, 1975).
If you want to read more, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Philip_Sousa
- SERVES
- 12
- COOK TIME
- 30 Min
If you're tired of serving the same ol' side dishes every fall, then you've got to give our Butternut Squash Fritters a try. Fried until golden and crispy, there's no way anyone can resist having one...or two. And they're even better if you drizzle a little syrup over them!
- 5 cups shredded butternut squash (see Note)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- In a large bowl, combine squash, onion, and egg; mix well. Add flour, salt, and pepper and mix until thoroughly combined.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil until hot. Place about 1/3 cup squash mixture into skillet for each fritter, pressing down lightly with a spatula. Cook 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until golden on both sides. Place on paper towel-lined platter and cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining squash mixture.
1943 – Chevy Chase, American comedian and actor
1949 – Sigourney Weaver, American actress
1956 – Stephanie Zimbalist, American actress
1970 – Matt Damon, American actor
On October 8th, National Hero Day honors the people we look up to and who inspire us to be the best person we can possibly be.
If asked to define the word hero, many of us will name the qualities that demand a person rise above, the qualities that genuinely drive a person to be stronger, smarter, kinder and more than the average human being. They are the people who give when they have nothing to give. Heroes act before anyone else realizes there’s a problem. They volunteer to put someone else before them.
Our heroes may be the first responders who save us from a dangerous situation. They may be a mentor, like a parent or a teacher. As role models, heroes guide us through the examples they set. They live their lives in such a way that we’re honored to know them and hope to live up to their example.
And heroes, real-life heroes, rarely get recognized. That’s why National Hero Day encourages you to recognize the heroes in your life.
Heroes All Around Us
Some wear uniforms, like Christy McIntosh of Pensacola, FL who served in the U.S. Army Reserves. Or like high-school football player Zac Clark of Ohio whose quick thinking and strength lifted a Volkswagen off of his neighbor, saving his life.
Other heroes spur us to action or to lead a better life. They may do this through their words like Jim Cook of Oklahoma who wrote to columnist Jim Priest, teaching him a little something about character and love. A real-life hero might take us on a journey we can only imagine taking. Like Dr. Garrett Reisman, a former NASA astronaut and engineer who later joined SpaceX.
Another kind of hero makes things happen. Whether it’s filling a need or making the impossible happen, some heroes go to amazing lengths to get a job done. For example, Donald Harris of New Jersey who by day was a real estate manager but at Christmastime answered a letter to Santa via the U.S. Postal Service’s Letters to Santa program. His answer to a request to make a father’s life easier was to enlist his associates in obtaining a townhouse for the family at a much lower rent.
Heroes come in many forms, you see. They rescue us, inspire us, and most of all, they believe in us.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Honor the heroes in your life. Give them a shout-out on social media or bring them coffee from their favorite coffee shop. Bake some cookies or write them a letter. Let them know how much they inspire you, how much you appreciate them. Be a hero in someone’s life, too. Use your talent to teach someone a vital skill. Other ways to be heroic include:
- Donating blood
- Volunteering
- Giving to a charity that serves those in need
- Organize a fundraiser for a non-profit organization
- Listen to the needs of others and fill the void
