Who was the most prominent composer and conductor of brass band music?

• A. John Phillip Sousa
• B. Stephen Foster
• C. Duke Ellington
• D. Louis Armstrong

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is recognizing who defined brass-band music through memorable marches and leading influential ensembles. John Philip Sousa did exactly that, building a national reputation as both a prolific composer and a conductor of brass-band repertoire. His marches, like The Washington Post, Semper Fidelis, and Stars and Stripes Forever, became standard repertoire and showcased a clear, marching rhythm, bold brass texture, and concise melodies that defined how brass bands sounded in concert settings. Sousa’s leadership of Sousa’s Band helped bring this music to audiences across the country and beyond, cementing his place as the defining figure in brass-band composition and performance. By contrast, Stephen Foster became known for popular songs, Duke Ellington for jazz orchestration, and Louis Armstrong for innovative jazz performance, none of which center on the brass-band march tradition in the same way.