The American Bandmasters Association

THE AMERICAN BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION

Home Members Only Officers Board of Directors History

AMERICAN BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION

ABA Past Presidents at the 83rd National Convention

Row One: Col. John R. Bourgeois, Scott Taylor, Dr. John Locke, Paula Crider, Don Wilcox, Ray Cramer, Joseph Hermann, Col. Arnald Gabriel, Dr. Thomas Fraschillo, Dr. Stanley Michalski
Row Two: Dr. Timothy Rhea, Robert Foster, Dr. Terry Austin, Frank Wickes, Thomas Leslie, Dr. David Waybright, James Keene, Dennis Zeisler, Dr. Myron Welch, Jeff Bianchi

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.)

The objectives of ABA are:

* the recognition of outstanding achievement in the field of Concert Band and its music

* helpfulness and fellowship among members

* an increasingly higher standard of artistic excellence for the Concert Band, its performers, conductors, and literature

* a constantly greater contribution through the Concert Band to the musical life and culture of all peoples.

Congratulations to the Recently Elected
ABA Honorary Life Presidents

Col. John R. Bourgeois
Director Emeritus, The United States Marine Band

Col. Arnald D. Gabriel
Conductor Emeritus, United States Air Force Band
Professor Emeritus of Music, George Mason University

ABA Welcomes the 2017 New Members



Scott Boerma	Michael Daugherty	Darrin Davis

Eric Hammer	Bradley Kent	Joseph Parisi

Matthew Temple	Kevin Walczyk	Scotty Walker

Luigi Zaninelli

ABA ACTIVITY

A MESSAGE FROM THE ABA PRESIDENT

Click here to read Gary Smith's message.

2017 ANNUAL REPORT

Click here to read the 2017 Annual Report.

The Dallas Winds Announces Its Annual Call For The 2017-2018 Fanfares!

In 2000, the Dallas Winds created a tradition of performing brass fanfares 15 minutes prior to curtain in the lobby of the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, Texas, for each subscription concert. Our patrons eagerly gather in the lobby to hear these fanfares that have become an important part of our concert going experience.

Please encourage your composers or composition students to compose or submit their unpublished fanfares to the address below postmarked by July 15, 2017. Fanfares should be no longer than 3.5 minutes in length.

All composition titles will be credited in the Dallas Winds printed program with the composers name. Seven fanfares will be selected by the screening committee for performance during the 2017-2018 season.

Submissions MUST include a score, complete parts, and a sound file or recording.

   The maximum ensemble of musicians is:
   6 Trumpet
   5 Horn
   3 Trombone
   2 Euphonium
   2 Tuba
   (Percussion as needed, but limited to a maximum of snare drum, bass drum, cymbals and two tympani)

Hard Copy Entries must be postmarked by July 15th, 2017 and mailed to:
   Call for Fanfares
   Dallas Winds
   PO BOX 595026
   Dallas, Texas 75359-5026

   Digital submissions should be directed to:
   Chrystal_L_Stevens@yahoo.com
   Subject Line: 2017-2018 Dallas Winds Call For Fanfares
   E-submissions must include Score, Parts and MP3

ABA ANNOUNCES THE NEWEST EDWIN FRANKO GOLDMAN MEMORIAL CITATION 2017

Edward J. Downing
Click here to read more

PICTURES AND PROGRAM FROM THE 2017 ABA CONVENTION

Click here to see pictures and the convention program.

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN'S 200TH ANNIVERSARY

Click here to hear archival recordings of the Symphony Band

FUTURE CONVENTION DATES

Fort Worth, Texas: March 7-10, 2018
Denver, Embassy Suites Loveland, Colorado: March 6-9, 2019

THE SOUSA/ABA/OSTWALD CONTEST

The winner of the 2016 Sousa/ABA/Ostwald Contest is Paul Dooley (b. 1983) for Masks and Machines.

The work was performed on March 10, 2017, by the United States Marine Band, The President’s Own, and conducted by Lt. Col. Jason Fetig, Conductor of the Marine Band, at the 83rd annual convention held at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY. A portion of the work may be heard on Paul Dooley’s website:https://www.pauldooley.net/works/masksandmachinesband

For general information on the Sousa/ABA/Ostwald Contest, click here.

RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP ON THE ABA WEBSITE

You can now conveniently renew your ABA membership with a credit card, debit card or PayPal account by clicking here.

PURCHASE MEMBERSHIP PIN

You can now conveniently purchase an ABA Membership Pin for $78 by clicking here.

HARRIS FUND & ABA FOUNDATION CONTRIBUTIONS

For your convenience Harris Fund and ABA Foundation Contributions may now be made online. Any contribution will arrive immediately in the Secretary-Treasurer’s office and will be acknowledged as always in the convention program. If you would like to make a donation to the Foundation in memory of a specific member or with any specific intentions, you may add a note when making your payment through PayPal.

Specific instructions on using PayPal are noted on contribution pages. PayPal is easy, safe, and very convenient. As some believe, you DO NOT have to access your bank account. Simply use a credit or debit card when prompted. Click the links below to make your contribution(s).

Make a Harris Fund Contribution

Make an ABA Foundation Contribution

ABA ONLINE DIRECTORY

To view or print the directory, click here.

If you have not already updated your directory listing, click here to read how to do so. If you would like to further update your profile please click here.

ABA POSITION PAPER AVAILABLE

School Band Directors may be interested in an ABA position paper that was generated by the ABA School Bands Task Force, Bill Gora — Chair, and adopted at the 2006 ABA convention. If so, click here.