Pictures from the 2022 ABA Convention, March 2-6, Indianapolis, Indiana

The American Bandmasters Association, founded in 1929, with John Philip Sousa as Honorary Life President, recognizes outstanding achievement on the part of Concert Band conductors and composers. The current membership (invitational) comprises approximately 300 band conductors and composers in the USA and Canada, and 80 Associate Members (music businesses and corporations that provide significant services to bands and to the publication of band music.)

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!  Congratulations to Zhou Tian, winner of the 2022 Sousa-ABA-Ostwald Composition Contest Award for his composition Sinfonia. Tian serves as Associate Professor of Composition at Michigan State University. Read more here.

A Message from the President . . .

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to our membership as I begin my tenure as the 84th President of the American Bandmasters Association. The ABA is an organization that is unique in the larger band community; we understand our connection to the past and cherish the memories of, and the lessons learned from, those who have come before us. We also strive to elevate those we are fortunate to encounter in our band communities. And we are compelled through the Concert Band to enhance a greater contribution to the musical life of all peoples.

All of us in the band community seem to be emerging from the impact of the pandemic with a renewed energy to the creative process, to producing music together, and to the enjoyment of sharing live music with our bands and audiences. I believe we can capitalize on this moment and strengthen the presence of the ABA in the greater band community. Through the work of our well-established committees and the promising possibilities brought forth by some of our newer committees, we can realize the charge found in our constitution to, “by example and leadership, further enhance the Concert Band and its music within our cultural heritage.” To accomplish this goal, I challenge our membership to bring forth both new ideas to the ABA and methods to improve current ABA projects.

I would like to thank Jay Gephart for his leadership as president during the past two years; it has been a challenging time for all of us and your wisdom and guidance on behalf of the American Bandmasters Association is appreciated. I also thank the hosts of our 2022 convention in Indianapolis: Tom and Dee Dee Caneva, Michael and Nancy Colburn, Rodney Dorsey and Dorinda Nance, and Jay and Jana Gephart for such a fantastic convention and the opportunity to renew our friendships and strengthen our relationships.

Kerry Taylor, President
The American Bandmasters Association