In what year did John Philip Sousa become the leader of the United States Marine Band?

• A. 1870
• B. 1890
• C. 1880
• D. 1900

Answer: (C)

The year John Philip Sousa became the leader of the United States Marine Band is 1880. That appointment put him in charge of America's premier military ensemble, and it launched his long, influential career as the nation’s leading bandleader and composer of marches. Under his direction, the Marine Band elevated its performance standards and expanded its repertoire, helping to popularize the march as a distinctly American musical form. He led the band for about twelve years, leaving in 1892 to form his own touring Sousa Band, but the 1880 start year marked the beginning of his lasting impact on American band music.