The Minnesota March

The Minnesota March
by John Philip Sousa
Year1927
GenreMarch
Dedication"The faculty and students of the University of Minnesota"
Published1927, New York and Cleveland[1]
PublisherSam Fox Publishing Company
Audio sample
U.S. Marine Band performing the march

“The Minnesota March” is a march for wind band written by John Philip Sousa in 1927 for the University of Minnesota. Sousa received an informal request for the march from Minnesota football coach Clarence Spears, and agreed to a request from a committee of university officials in October 1926.[2] Sousa used Indian themes in this march, and later added field drum and bugle parts.[3] The march was published by the Sam Fox Publishing Company[4] and was premiered by Sousa and his band on September 3, 1927 at the Minnesota State Fair.[2] It was first performed at the University of Minnesota the next month, on October 26, with a performance by the university band.[2]

The piece was one of four marches written by Sousa expressly for a university.[2] It is now used as one of the university's school songs, with lyrics written in 1927 by university band director Michael Jalma. The piece is regularly performed by the University of Minnesota Marching Band and pep bands and often sung by students at various athletic events and ceremonies.[5]

  1. ^ "The Music Trade Review". Music Trade Review. 85 (13). Federated Business Publications, Inc.: 34 1927. Archived from the original on February 3, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d "Minnesota March". University of Minnesota: College of Liberal Arts. Archived from the original on May 22, 2023. Retrieved 2024-02-03. Adapted from the U of M Marching Band Centennial Book, Minnesota Hats Off to Thee, ©1992
  3. ^ Bierley, Paul E (1984). The Works of John Philip Sousa. Columbus, Ohio: Integrity Press. ISBN 978-0-918048-04-2. LCCN 84080665. OL 2876313M. Retrieved 23 June 2021
  4. ^ "The Music Trade Review". Music Trade Review. 85 (13). Federated Business Publications, Inc.: 34 1927. Archived from the original on February 3, 2024.
  5. ^ "Minnesota March | School of Music : University of Minnesota". music.umn.edu. Retrieved 2016-04-22.