Albert Austin Harding
Encyclopedia
Albert Austin Harding was the first Director Of Bands at the University of Illinois
. He was also the first band director at an American university to hold a position of full professorship. The Harding Band Building, the first ever dedicated building for a University Band Department, was named for him.
. His parents were Conway A. and Jennie Stewart Harding. Unfortunately, Jennie died shortly after his birth, and so Conway moved Albert to Paris, Illinois to live with his grandparents. He lived with them until the age of 10.
Albert bought his first Jaubert cornet for only nine or ten dollars from France
. This type of cornet
was probably the cheapest type of Cornet at that time and was nicknamed "Jawbreakers". However, Albert saw beauty in this instrument; he quickly mastered it and moved on to the fife
. By the age of 16, he had moved on to the piccolo
.
Albert began his musical career as the bugler for the Boys Brigade in Paris. Since Paris High School did not yet have a band, he went on to become a bugler for the Paris High School Cadets. Also, he and some of his school mates formed a band called the "Bum Notes Band". Each member of the band played an instrument that they were not very familiar with. Albert chose the baritone.
Albert then joined and eventually led the Paris Beacon Drum and Bugle Corps, named after the Paris, Illinois newspaper the Paris Beacon. In this corps, Albert played the fife and the bugle. The corps even played at a political campaign for president William McKinley
in Canton, Ohio.
At the age of 17, Albert joined the Paris Concert Band. Before graduating high school, he became the leader of the band, and later he succeeded W. D. Wooley as the band director. Meanwhile, his independent musician career was thriving; he was invited to many music groups including marching bands, dance bands, and orchestras.
After high school, Albert joined the Illinois National Guard
, where he spent most of his time as a company bugler, battalion bugler, and regimental bugler. For the most part, he was stationed at Camp Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois
.
Harding was eventually offered a position as part-time instructor and director of the band. Professor Lawrence, the head of the School of Music, offered him this position in the Spring of 1905 since he was very busy with the many responsibilities associated with his position. At the time, Albert was a senior in the College of Engineering, and he was planning on becoming a municipal and sanitary engineer. To Albert, this position was only temporary.
Since the School of Music was growing rapidly, Professor Lawrence had less time available to spend with the band. Thus, Albert's responsibilities in the band gradually increased. According to Albert, beginning in September 1905 Professor Lawrence never picked up and raised a baton over the band again. Albert lead all rehearsals, gave all band instructions, and gave all individual instruction on band instruments after the tryouts that fall.
Later that Spring, Albert conducted his first concert. This concert, called an "Anniversary Concert", was the band's sixteenth annual concert. However, Albert only appeared on the concert program as the Assistant Director.
after two years of conducting the band. As a result, the University of Illinois became the “first university to create a distinct band department under a director of bands". He appeared as both the conductor and director of the band for the first time in the Eighteenth Annual Concert of the University of Illinois Military Band. Later, Albert earned a full professorship in music. He was, therefore, the first band director to do this on an American campus.
On Commencement Day in 1913, Albert married a woman (also raised in Paris, Illinois) named Margaret Rogers. The two were only a year apart; they were high school friends.
Albert then added new dimensions to the University of Illinois Band. He added concert band music and transcriptions of symphonic and chamber pieces to the performances at ceremonies and sporting events. He also enforced professionalism within the band. The band became very unique, especially due to Albert's interest in unusual instruments. Not only did he utilize typical band instruments but in 1924 he added many unusual instruments such as the basset horn, saxonet, B-flat bass sarrusophone, E-flat bass sarrusophone, CC contra-bass sarrusophone, terz flute, A-flat flute, mussette, valve trombone, tenor antoniophone, bass antoniophone, bellstedtromba, bass cornophone and ophicleide. John Philip Sousa
then deemed Albert's band as "the world's greatest college concert band."
In 1918, Albert conducted the University Orchestra in addition to conducting the University Band. However, Frederic B. Stiven replaced Albert as the University Orchestra conductor in 1931. At the time. Stiven was the director of the School of Music.
While Albert was the director, the University of Illinois Band supported many guest conductors. The most legendary was John Philip Sousa, also known as the “March King”. On March 20, 1930 the band performed in a "Complimentary Concert". The conduction of this concert was split in half: Albert was the conductor for the first half, and Sousa was the conductor for the second half. Some of the works Albert conducted were created by Saint Saens, Respighi
, Haydon Wood, Glazounow, and Rimsky-Korsakov. Sousa then conducted other various works. More notably, Sousa conducted a "Symposium of Marches by the March King" which consisted of "The University of Illinois", "Semper Fidelis", and "The Stars and Stripes Forever". Other guest conductors were Edwin Franko Goldman
, Henry Fillmore
, Frank Simon
, Harold Bachman, Guy Holmes
, and Victor Grabel.
Albert also conducted the Illinois Band Clinic. According to John Grashel, Ph.D., Albert’s Illinois Band Clinic was a precursor to the Midwest Clinic, an International Band and Orchestra Conference held annually in Chicago, IL.
In January 1945, Albert's wife Margaret was bedridden. The 16th annual band clinic was in session at the time, forcing Albert to make Clarence Sawhill, Assistant Director of Bands, conductor of the band clinic. Then on January 16, 1945 Margaret passed away. She was survived by Albert and their only child Jane Austin Harding.
After forty one years of being the Director of Bands, Albert retired in 1948. He gave Mark Hindsley control of the band.
to retrieve the collection. In particular, Dvorak sorted through the materials in Sousa’s band library and “oversaw the packing and shipping of 39 trunks and two boxes containing 9,700 pounds of music and other materials”.
Albert served as the treasurer of the American Bandmasters Association
for several years. From 1937-1938, he was the ABA's President. In 1956, he succeeded John Philip Sousa and Edwin Franko Goldman as Honorary Life President. For the College Band Directors National Association, Albert became an Honorary Life President, and he was also a founding member of the Alpha Xi chapter of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
. He was also the first band director at an American university to hold a position of full professorship. The Harding Band Building, the first ever dedicated building for a University Band Department, was named for him.
Early life
Albert Austin Harding was born on February 10, 1880 in Georgetown, IllinoisIllinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. His parents were Conway A. and Jennie Stewart Harding. Unfortunately, Jennie died shortly after his birth, and so Conway moved Albert to Paris, Illinois to live with his grandparents. He lived with them until the age of 10.
Albert bought his first Jaubert cornet for only nine or ten dollars from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. This type of cornet
Cornet
The cornet is a brass instrument very similar to the trumpet, distinguished by its conical bore, compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. It is not related to the renaissance and early baroque cornett or cornetto.-History:The cornet was...
was probably the cheapest type of Cornet at that time and was nicknamed "Jawbreakers". However, Albert saw beauty in this instrument; he quickly mastered it and moved on to the fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
. By the age of 16, he had moved on to the piccolo
Piccolo
The piccolo is a half-size flute, and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. The piccolo has the same fingerings as its larger sibling, the standard transverse flute, but the sound it produces is an octave higher than written...
.
Albert began his musical career as the bugler for the Boys Brigade in Paris. Since Paris High School did not yet have a band, he went on to become a bugler for the Paris High School Cadets. Also, he and some of his school mates formed a band called the "Bum Notes Band". Each member of the band played an instrument that they were not very familiar with. Albert chose the baritone.
Albert then joined and eventually led the Paris Beacon Drum and Bugle Corps, named after the Paris, Illinois newspaper the Paris Beacon. In this corps, Albert played the fife and the bugle. The corps even played at a political campaign for president William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
in Canton, Ohio.
At the age of 17, Albert joined the Paris Concert Band. Before graduating high school, he became the leader of the band, and later he succeeded W. D. Wooley as the band director. Meanwhile, his independent musician career was thriving; he was invited to many music groups including marching bands, dance bands, and orchestras.
After high school, Albert joined the Illinois National Guard
Illinois National Guard
The Illinois National Guard comprises both Army National Guard and Air National Guard components. The National Guard is the only United States military force empowered to function in a state status. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and...
, where he spent most of his time as a company bugler, battalion bugler, and regimental bugler. For the most part, he was stationed at Camp Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
.
Career as a Student
In 1902, Albert began attending the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. Almost immediately, Albert joined the University Band and University Orchestra. He was outranked in seniority by two musicians in the cornet part of the band: Carl Ginzel and E.J. Piggot.Harding was eventually offered a position as part-time instructor and director of the band. Professor Lawrence, the head of the School of Music, offered him this position in the Spring of 1905 since he was very busy with the many responsibilities associated with his position. At the time, Albert was a senior in the College of Engineering, and he was planning on becoming a municipal and sanitary engineer. To Albert, this position was only temporary.
Since the School of Music was growing rapidly, Professor Lawrence had less time available to spend with the band. Thus, Albert's responsibilities in the band gradually increased. According to Albert, beginning in September 1905 Professor Lawrence never picked up and raised a baton over the band again. Albert lead all rehearsals, gave all band instructions, and gave all individual instruction on band instruments after the tryouts that fall.
Later that Spring, Albert conducted his first concert. This concert, called an "Anniversary Concert", was the band's sixteenth annual concert. However, Albert only appeared on the concert program as the Assistant Director.
Director of Bands
Finally in 1907 Albert was appointed as the Director of BandsDirector of Bands
A Director of Bands is the head figure of a marching or concert form of bands, a person who leads a musical ensemble. The Director, by history and tradition, must know all the concepts of music and must be able to teach all different kinds of instrumental musicians in order to make a performance at...
after two years of conducting the band. As a result, the University of Illinois became the “first university to create a distinct band department under a director of bands". He appeared as both the conductor and director of the band for the first time in the Eighteenth Annual Concert of the University of Illinois Military Band. Later, Albert earned a full professorship in music. He was, therefore, the first band director to do this on an American campus.
On Commencement Day in 1913, Albert married a woman (also raised in Paris, Illinois) named Margaret Rogers. The two were only a year apart; they were high school friends.
Albert then added new dimensions to the University of Illinois Band. He added concert band music and transcriptions of symphonic and chamber pieces to the performances at ceremonies and sporting events. He also enforced professionalism within the band. The band became very unique, especially due to Albert's interest in unusual instruments. Not only did he utilize typical band instruments but in 1924 he added many unusual instruments such as the basset horn, saxonet, B-flat bass sarrusophone, E-flat bass sarrusophone, CC contra-bass sarrusophone, terz flute, A-flat flute, mussette, valve trombone, tenor antoniophone, bass antoniophone, bellstedtromba, bass cornophone and ophicleide. John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era, known particularly for American military and patriotic marches. Because of his mastery of march composition, he is known as "The March King" or the "American March King" due to his British counterpart Kenneth J....
then deemed Albert's band as "the world's greatest college concert band."
In 1918, Albert conducted the University Orchestra in addition to conducting the University Band. However, Frederic B. Stiven replaced Albert as the University Orchestra conductor in 1931. At the time. Stiven was the director of the School of Music.
While Albert was the director, the University of Illinois Band supported many guest conductors. The most legendary was John Philip Sousa, also known as the “March King”. On March 20, 1930 the band performed in a "Complimentary Concert". The conduction of this concert was split in half: Albert was the conductor for the first half, and Sousa was the conductor for the second half. Some of the works Albert conducted were created by Saint Saens, Respighi
Respighi
Respighi may refer to:* Ottorino Respighi , Italian musician and composer* Elsa Respighi, wife of Ottorino Respighi* Pietro Respighi, Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church...
, Haydon Wood, Glazounow, and Rimsky-Korsakov. Sousa then conducted other various works. More notably, Sousa conducted a "Symposium of Marches by the March King" which consisted of "The University of Illinois", "Semper Fidelis", and "The Stars and Stripes Forever". Other guest conductors were Edwin Franko Goldman
Edwin Franko Goldman
Edwin Franko Goldman is one of America's prominent band composers of the early 20th century. He composed over 150 works, more notably his marches. He is known for founding the renowned Goldman Band of New York City and the American Bandmasters Association...
, Henry Fillmore
Henry Fillmore
Henry Fillmore was an American musician, composer, publisher, and bandleader, best-known for his many marches and screamers.-Biography:James Henry Fillmore Jr. was born in Cincinnati, Ohio as the eldest of five children...
, Frank Simon
Frank Simon
Francis Wilfred Simon was an English footballer.-Playing career:Simon played for Manchester City and Crewe Alexandra before joining Port Vale in July 1920. Other than a run of five games in December 1921 he was only ever used as a back-up player and was released at the end of the 1921–22...
, Harold Bachman, Guy Holmes
Guy Holmes
Guy Gorham Holmes was an English footballer who represented Great Britain at the 1936 Summer Olympics. Holmes played amateur football for Ilford.-References:...
, and Victor Grabel.
Albert also conducted the Illinois Band Clinic. According to John Grashel, Ph.D., Albert’s Illinois Band Clinic was a precursor to the Midwest Clinic, an International Band and Orchestra Conference held annually in Chicago, IL.
In January 1945, Albert's wife Margaret was bedridden. The 16th annual band clinic was in session at the time, forcing Albert to make Clarence Sawhill, Assistant Director of Bands, conductor of the band clinic. Then on January 16, 1945 Margaret passed away. She was survived by Albert and their only child Jane Austin Harding.
After forty one years of being the Director of Bands, Albert retired in 1948. He gave Mark Hindsley control of the band.
Relationship with Sousa
Albert and Sousa shared a “very close personal and professional relationship”. According to archivist Phyllis W. Danner, the Sousa band was performing in Champaign, IL in 1906 when he met Albert at a reception. A “mentoring relationship developed between the two… and the friendship between the two lasted until Sousa’s death nearly three decades later”. Sousa planned on giving Albert the materials from his band library as a “gesture of his high esteem” for Albert and his band. However, it was not written in his will in 1932 when Sousa died. In attempt to retrieve the collection, Albert wrote letters to the Sousa family and their attorneys. After a few months, the family agreed, and Ray Dvorak, Albert’s assistant at the time, traveled to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to retrieve the collection. In particular, Dvorak sorted through the materials in Sousa’s band library and “oversaw the packing and shipping of 39 trunks and two boxes containing 9,700 pounds of music and other materials”.
Death and Accomplishments
Albert had been plagued with an illness after his retirement. On December 3, 1958 Albert Austin Harding died. The A. A. Harding Band Building was dedicated in March of that year.Albert served as the treasurer of the American Bandmasters Association
American Bandmasters Association
The American Bandmasters Association was formed in 1929 by Edwin Franko Goldman to promote concert band music. Goldman sought to raise esteem for concert bands among musicians and audiences...
for several years. From 1937-1938, he was the ABA's President. In 1956, he succeeded John Philip Sousa and Edwin Franko Goldman as Honorary Life President. For the College Band Directors National Association, Albert became an Honorary Life President, and he was also a founding member of the Alpha Xi chapter of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music...
.