The American Bandmasters Association (ABA) was formed in 1929 by

Edwin Franko Goldman Edwin Franko Goldman (January 1, 1878 – February 21, 1956) was an American composer and conductor. One of the most significant American band composers of the early 20th century, Goldman composed over 150 works, but is best known for his marches. ...

to promote

concert band A concert band, also called a wind band, wind ensemble, wind symphony, wind orchestra, symphonic band, the symphonic winds, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of members of the woodwind, brass, and percussion famil ...

music.Raoul F. Camus. "American Bandmasters Association." In Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online, http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/A2083794 (accessed February 13, 2012). Goldman sought to raise esteem for concert bands among musicians and audiences. The reputations of concert bands suffered in comparison to symphony orchestras due to factors including "the concert band’s concert venue, often out-of-doors, the difficulty of conductors to obtain a quality music education, a limited repertoire that with the exception of marches was largely borrowed from the libraries of the orchestra, and a lack of camaraderie among the leading bandmasters/conductors of the period." The ABA'
current Constitution
states that the organization shall: * honor outstanding achievement by invitation to membership; * encourage prominent composers of all countries to write for the concert band; * by example and leadership further enhance the concert band and its music within our cultural heritage. Membership is extended to the leaders of the wind band movement and is considered to be the highest honor given within the wind studies realm. The current president is Lowell E. Graham. Previous presidents include Goldman, Karl King, Charles O'Neill,

Herbert L. Clarke Herbert Lincoln Clarke (September 12, 1867 – January 30, 1945) was an American cornetist, feature soloist, bandmaster, and composer. He is considered the most prominent cornetist of his time. Clarke's legacy includes composing a portion of th ...

Henry Fillmore Henry Fillmore (December 3, 1881 – December 7, 1956) was an American musician, composer, publisher, and bandleader, best known for his many marches and screamers, a few of which he wrote for the Band of the Hour at the University of Miami in ...

, and William D. Revelli.

John Philip Sousa John Philip Sousa ( ; 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 dist ...

was the first honorary life president. Membership is extended through invitation to conductors/teachers/directors considered to be exemplary professionals within the field. Associate Membership is available through invitation to "firms, organizations, and individuals engaged in the music industry or related field" who are closely affiliated with the ABA."Associate Members"
, undated The association has contributed to the wind and percussion band community through the spheres of literature, performance, and pedagogy. The ABA is responsible for the commissioning of many of the wind band's most revered works, including

Lincolnshire Posy ''Lincolnshire Posy'' is a musical composition by Percy Grainger for concert band commissioned in 1937 by the American Bandmasters Association. Considered by John Bird, the author of Grainger's biography, to be his masterpiece, the work has six ...

Percy Grainger Percy Aldridge Grainger (born George Percy Grainger; 8 July 188220 February 1961) was an Australian-born composer, arranger and pianist who lived in the United States from 1914 and became an American citizen in 1918. In the course of a long an ...

, ''Pageant'' by

Vincent Persichetti Vincent Ludwig Persichetti (June 6, 1915 – August 14, 1987) was an American composer, teacher, and pianist. An important musical educator and writer, he was known for his integration of various new ideas in musical composition into his own wo ...

, ''Strange Humors'' by John Mackey, and ''Endurance'' by

Timothy Mahr Timothy Mahr (born March 20, 1956) is a professor of music at St. Olaf College, and an American composer and conductor. Early life Mahr was born in Reedsburg, Wisconsin. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Theory and Composition in 1977 an ...

. A list of the current and historical officers and membership can be found in the publication
Lest We Forget
', which is updated regularly. The ABA sponsors the

Sousa/Ostwald Award The Sousa/Ostwald Award is an annual award given by the American Bandmasters Association for a composition for concert band A concert band, also called a wind band, wind ensemble, wind symphony, wind orchestra, symphonic band, the symphonic ...

, which rewards compositions for bands. The organization also produces the ''Journal of Band Research''.

References

External links

The American Bandmasters Association WebsiteThe American Bandmasters Association Archives, Special Collections in Performing Arts at the University of MarylandThe American Bandmasters Association Research Center, Special Collections in Performing Arts at the University of Maryland
{{Authority control Wind bands Organizations established in 1929 Music organizations based in the United States 1929 establishments in the United States