His great grandson, John Phillip Sousa IV, will lead this year’s festival parade and also will “share a wide range of fascinating topics and concerts,” Holz said, including updates about developments in film and books in the works about his famous forebear.
Another presenter will be Scott Schwartz of the University of Illinois, who will discuss the connection between Sousa and baseball.
"The years 1900-1919 are considered the golden age of the John Philip Sousa Band and baseball in America, and the combination of music and baseball history have been a source of inspiration to music scholars and baseball enthusiasts for over a century, Schwartz writes in an abstract of his presentation.
“His world-renowned Sousa Band also served as his baseball team whenever they were given opportunities to play other communities’ baseball teams while on many of their concert tours. This presentation will briefly examine the history of early baseball in America and its impact on John Philip Sousa and the Sousa Band."
Holz added, “Sousa went on to write a march called “The National Game,” and frequently a baseball bat ended up being used in the second half of the march as a kind of baton. No doubt Schwartz will have all kinds of stories like this.”
Holz, who teaches trumpet and conducts the Asbury University Orchestra, is also excited about the appearance of 12-year-old trumpet virtuoso Natalie Mungey, who will give a mini-recital Friday afternoon as part of the history conference.
The public is invited to register for the day. The cost is $70, which includes lunch and a Civil War-era luncheon band concert by Dodworth Saxhorn Band, two coffee breaks and all conference materials. Folks can register that day in between 8:30 and 9 a.m. at the high school.
Brass Band Festival History Conference Schedule
Friday, June 12
9 a.m. — Welcome and Announcements: Ronald W. Holz, Conference Host
9:05 a.m. — Short Sousa Concert: Indiana Wind Symphony; Charles Conrad, director
9:20 a.m. — The March as Musical Drama and the Spectacle of John Philip Sousa, Patrick Warfield, University of Maryland
10 a.m. — John Philip Sousa's Adaptations of His Band Works for Theater Orchestra, Jon Mitchell, University of Massachusetts (Boston)
10:35 a.m. — Coffee break
11 a.m. — Aspects of Sousa Performance Practice, Col. John Bourgeois, retired director, United States Marine Band
12:10 p.m. — Luncheon with concert by Dodworth Saxhorn Band, Corie Root, artistic director
1:10 p.m. — Recent and exciting developments in both film and book concerning John Philip Sousa; John Philip Sousa IV
1:50 p.m. — John Philip Sousa's Soprano Soloists; Charles and Ann Conrad, Indiana Wind Symphony
2:30 p.m. — Mini Recital, Natalie Dungey, trumpet
3 p.m. — Coffee break
3:20 p.m. — John Philip Sousa and America’s Golden Age of Baseball; Scott Schwartz, University of Illinois, Sousa Archives
4 p.m.— Panel discussion with audience, Ronald Holz, moderator.
