American Bandmasters Association Archives

Individual Collection name:
American Bandmasters Association Archives

Repository name:
Special Collections in Performing Arts, Performing Arts Library, University of Maryland

Type: Official records of the American Bandmasters Association

Collection dates: 1929-current

Extent: 30 linear feet

Description: This collection contains the records of the American Bandmasters Association board of directors, officers, committees, annual conferences, and the ABA Research Center. It also contains copies of the Journal of Band Research, the ABA Newsletter and other publications, as well as oral histories and information on the ABA's Ostwald Award.

Statement of provenance: The provenance of this collection parallels that of the ABA Research Center as a whole.

Governing documents: The governance of this collection parallels that of the ABA Research Center as a whole. The agreement organizing the Center was dated June 13, 1963 and was amended on February 26, 1980 by H. Joanne Harrer, Director of Libraries; Butler R. Eitel, ABA president; and Jack H. Mahan, ABA Secretary-Treasurer.

Finding Aid: An unpublished finding aid is available in the repository.

Collection-level cataloging record call number: MSCPA 63-1

SCPA shelf location: SCPA Collections Room, Aisle C

Access: Materials from this collection must be used in the Performing Arts Library's Irving and Margery Morgan Lowens Special Collections Room, 10 to 5, Monday through Friday. Please make an appointment with the curator.

Organizational History: In the summer of 1928, Edwin Franko Goldman, leader of the Goldman Band; Victor Grabel, conductor of the Chicago Concert Band; and Captain William Stannard, Leader of the United States Army Band, met in Columbus, Ohio to discuss ways of easing the problems facing the leaders of America's professional and military bands. That August, Captain Stannard recorded his vision for the American Bandmasters Association in a letter to Albert Austin Harding, Director of Bands at the University of Illinois, "we conceived the idea of creating an ABA for the purpose of furthering the interests of outstanding American Band Masters, and of interesting composers, arrangers, and music publishers in Wind Band music."

The fledgling organization was able to secure the endorsement of America's most famous bandleader, and soon Commander John Philip Sousa agreed to serve as the first Honorary Life President of the ABA. On July 5, 1929 the charter members of the ABA met in New York. These earliest members included Edwin Franko Goldman; Charles Benter, Director of the United States Navy Band; J. J. Gagnier, Director of His Majesty's Grenadier Guards Band, of Montreal; Victor J. Grabel, Conductor of the Chicago Concert Band; Albert Austin Harding, Director of Bands at the University of Illinois; Richard B. Hayward, Director of the Toronto Concert Band; Charles O'Neill, Director of the Royal 22nd Regiment Band of Quebec; Arthur Pryor, Director of Arthur Pryor's Band; and Frank Simon, Director of the ARMCO Band in Middletown, Ohio. The first annual convention of the ABA was held in March of 1930 in Middletown.  The Association has met annually since 1930, except for during World War II.

The ABA has championed the causes of American bands and bandmasters throughout its history. Its members' accomplishments include the election of John Philip Sousa to the Hall of Fame of Great Americans, the publication of the Journal of Band Research, and the establishment of several awards and prizes, including the Ostwald Band Composition Contest and the Edwin Franko Goldman Memorial Citation. Of course, one of their most important achievements is the continued support of the American Bandmasters Association Research Center at the University of Maryland.

Organization Website: American Bandmasters Association

Series Arrangement:
Series I: Board of Directors
Series II: Officers
Series III: Committees
Series IV: Annual Conferences
Series V: Publications
Series VI: Oral Histories
Series VII: Memorabilia

Series Description:
Series I: Board of Directors, contains correspondence and information bulletins relating to the ABA's Board of Directors. This series also houses proposed and approved drafts of the ABA's constitution and by-laws, as well as correspondence concerning those drafts.

Series II: Officers, contains materials relating to particular ABA officers. These are divided into subseries by office, then by officer/term and arranged chronologically. The most important offices covered in this series are those of President and Secretary/Treasurer. All individuals to serve in those capacities are listed in this finding aid, and in some cases the researcher is directed to other collections covering those officers. In some cases the ABA Archives do not yet contain materials related to a particular President or Secretary/Treasurer. This is indicated in the finding aid. Presidential papers often include materials on annual meetings that augment those found in Series IV. The materials of the Secretary/Treasurer include annual reports, information on changes in the membership, correspondence, deposit slips, and official convention minutes. Some convention minutes may be restricted.

Series III: Committees and Initiatives, contains reports and correspondence pertaining to ABA committees. Materials are divided into subseries by title of committee or initiative. Some of the committees included here are the: Philosophy and Purpose, Nominating, Membership, and Public Relations Committees. In addition, this series contains materials related to the Ostwald Composition Contest, the Edwin Franko Goldman Memorial Citation, the ABA Research Center, and various legal issues affecting the ABA. Researchers are reminded to investigate the Presidential papers housed in Series II for additional information on committees active during the period under investigation.

Series IV: Annual Conference, contains programs, correspondence, travel information, news clippings, and planning materials pertaining to each of the ABA's annual meetings. This series is divided into subseries by year of convention. Researchers are again advised to consult Series II for the period under investigation.

Series V: Publications, contains manuscripts and correspondence pertaining to the Journal of Band Research, the ABA Newsletter, the ABA Directory, "Lest We Forget" A Membership History of the ABA, the ABA Bulletin, and several other publications.

Series VI: Oral History, contains interviews and keynote addresses, in various media pertaining to the history of the ABA.

Series VII: Memorabilia, contains various items related to the ABA.

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