The Life of John Philip Sousa
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1854
John Philip Sousa born on November 6
Father: John Antonio Sousa (1824-1892)
Mother: Marie Elisabeth (Trinkaus) Sousa (1826-1908)
1861
Begins music and violin studies with John Esputa
1868
Enlists as an “apprentice” in the U.S. Marine Band on June 9
1871
Honorably discharged from the Marines on December 31
1872
Begins second enlistment in the Marines on July 8
1873
Copyrights early compositions, “The Review March” and “The Cuckoo Galop”
1874
Honorably discharged from the Marines on May 18
Studies composition with George Felix Benkert (until 1876)
Becomes conductor of the Washington, D.C., Opera House (until 1877)
Conducts road company in Matt Morgan’s Living Pictures (until 1878)
Plays 1st violin under Offenbach at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia (until 1878)
Plays in Mrs. Drew’s Arch Street Theater Orchestra in Philadelphia (until 1879)
1875
Conducts road company in The Phoenix throughout the U.S.
1876
Plays in Chestnut Street Theater Orchestra in Philadelphia
1879
Becomes music director of Gorman’s Philadelphia Church Choir Company in H.M.S. Pinafore
Tours with H.M.S. Pinafore
1879
Marries Jane van Middlesworth (Bellis) on December 30, 1879
1880
Composes Our Flirtations (a play with music) and tours as conductor of the group
Enlists in the Marines for a third time as leader, or principal musician
1880-92
Serves as conductor of “The President’s Own,” the U.S. Marine Band under presidents Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland, and Harrison
1884
Composes first successful operetta Desiree
1889
Composes “The Washington Post March,” which brings him world fame--and $35 in royalties
1891
Takes the U.S. Marine Band on its first tour of the U.S.
1892
Honorably discharged from the Marines on July 30
First concert by Sousa’s New Marine Band in Plainfield, NJ, on September 26
Sousa Band tours annually, performing more than 15,000 concerts (until 1931)
Sousa Band performs at the dedication of buildings at the World’s Columbian Exposition (World’s Fair) in Chicago in October
1893
Engaged by Theodore Thomas to play in concerts at World’s Columbian Exposition, May-June
1895
Completes full score for operetta El Capitan
1896
David Blakely (Sousa’s manager) dies in New York while Sousa is on vacation in Europe
First performance of operetta El Capitan in Boston on April 13
Completes piano score for “The Stars and Stripes Forever” on Christmas Day
1897
Completes band score for “The Stars and Stripes Forever” in Boston on April 26
First performance of operetta The Bride Elect in New Haven, CT, on December 28
1898
First performance of operetta The Charlatan in Montreal, Canada, on August 29
1900
Begins engagement as the official American band at the Universal Exposition (World’s Fair) in Paris, France (also tours Europe), May-September
1901
Sousa Band tours Great Britain; first command performance at Sandringham on December 1
1903
Sousa Band again tours Great Britain
1910
Sousa Band begins world tour on December 24
1911
World tour is completed at the New York Hippodrome on December 10
1913
First performance of operetta The American Maid in Rochester, NY, on January 27
1915
Sousa Band performs at Panama Pacific Exposition in San Francisco, CA, May-July
1917
Sousa enlists in the U.S. Navy at the age of 62 and forms the 300-piece “Jackie” Band at the Great Lakes Naval
Training Center near Chicago. Discharged as a lieutenant commander
1921
Receives injury upon fall from his horse at Willow Grove, PA, on September 6
1922
Sousa Band tours Cuba
1928
Sousa celebrates golden jubilee as conductor; band begins Golden Jubilee Tour
1929
Sousa Band begins broadcasting on NBC on May 6
1930
Sousa travels to England to give performances of “The Royal Welch Fusiliers March,” June-July
1931
Completes last published march, “The Circumnavigators Club,” on October 29
1932
Rehearses with the Ringgold Band in Reading, PA, March 5; the final piece rehearsed is “The Stars and Stripes Forever” march
Dies in Reading, PA, on March 6
Buried in Congressional Cemetery, Washington, D.C., on March 10