John philip sousa iv biography template

John Philip Sousa was born in Washington, D.C., on November 6, 1854.  His father, John Antonio Sousa, played trombone in the Marine Band and inspired his son at an early age to pursue music.

Young Sousa’s studies of music began when he was about six years old.  He played most of the instruments in the orchestra, plus piano, but his favorite was the violin.

At the age of 13, Sousa considered joining a circus band in order to begin a musical career, but his father had other ideas.  The elder Sousa enrolled his son in the Marine Band as an apprentice.  John Philip Sousa remained in this position until the age of 20, meanwhile continuing his studies of music theory and composition.

After leaving the Marine Band, Sousa’s next move was to play violin in a theatrical orchestra, an opportunity which introduced him to conducting.  Sousa discovered that he had a love for this aspect of music, and after practicing his new skill for two years he