Harold Josiah Crosby (February 11, 1886 – January 18, 1920) was a composer and arranger of band and orchestra music best known for his marches. Crosby was born in

Dexter, Maine Dexter is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,803 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bangor metropolitan statistical area. Dexter Regional High School, which serves Dexter as well as other nearby small town ...

and studied at

Colby College Colby College is a private liberal arts college in Waterville, Maine. It was founded in 1813 as the Maine Literary and Theological Institution, then renamed Waterville College after the city where it resides. The donations of Christian philanthr ...

, the

University of Maine The University of Maine (UMaine or UMO) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Orono, Maine. It was established in 1865 as the land-grant college of Maine and is the Flagship universities, flagshi ...

, and the

New England Conservatory of Music The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a Private college, private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest independent music Music school, conservatory in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. The ...

. He played trombone, euphonium (baritone), piano, and organ for several orchestras and theater ensembles. Crosby's marches rose to prominence in the early 20th century, with several pieces becoming staples of military bands during World War I. He died in New York City on January 18, 1920. Three volumes of the

Heritage of the March ''Heritage of the March'' is a series of 185 vinyl records of marches and galops released from 1973 to 1988. It remains the largest single march music record series in history, featuring close to 3,000 different marches. The records were distribut ...

record series were dedicated to his work.

References

1886 births 1920 deaths American male composers American composers People from Dexter, Maine Colby College alumni University of Maine alumni New England Conservatory alumni Musicians from Maine 20th-century American male musicians {{US-composer-19thC-stub