Anthony A. Mitchell
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Commander
Anthony A. Mitchell (August 26, 1918 – January 20, 2009), born Antonio Alberto Miceli, was an American clarinet
ist, composer and conductor who led the United States Navy Band
from 1962 until his retirement from the Navy in 1968. He was a prolific composer of marches
, including "Our Nation's Capital", the official march of Washington, D.C.
, the eldest of twelve children. His parents were Sicilian immigrants who changed the family name to Mitchell a year after his birth. Mitchell began playing the saxophone
at age five and soon added the clarinet. His first teacher was his father, who had encouraged his interest in music. Although a painter and decorator by trade, his father was a skilled musician and the leader of the Clearfield town band. In 1936 the nineteen year old Mitchell enlisted in the US Navy and moved to Washington D.C. to study at the newly established Navy School of Music. After graduating with honors two years later, he was accepted into the US Navy Band as a clarinetist. In 1945 he became the clarinet soloist for the band, and the following year graduated from The Catholic University of America
with a Bachelor of Music
degree.
and musical director of a weekly television broadcast featuring leading artists of the day. By 1956, he had risen to the rank of Warrant Officer
, was promoted to Third
Leader, and began conducting the Navy Band on many of its national tours. In early 1960 Mitchell and band were on a Presidential tour of South America dubbed “Operation Amigo” when on 25 February the band experienced its worst tragedy.
19 members of the band's string section, including its assistant director, were traveling on a Navy R6D transport plane en route to Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil
for a presidential reception between Brazilian President Juscelino Kubitschek and President Eisenhower when the plane collided on final approach with a Brazilian airliner over Guanabara bay
. The crash killed all 19 members of the band including Lt. Johann Harold Fultz, the assistant director. Mitchell was originally supposed to be on board that aircraft, but was spared when Lt. Fultz said, 'Mitch, I don't need you tomorrow. Why don't you stay here?' Following the crash the band was ordered to continue their tour without change. The band members were devastated by the loss, and many quit upon returning to the States. The Band's leader of 20 years, Cdr. Charles Brendler, retired from the Navy in 1962. Mitchell was his personal choice to replace him. On the day Mitchell assumed his post (February 26, 1962), he led the US Navy band in Washington's official welcome to astronaut John Glenn
.
was the Navy's contribution to a unique four album set featuring each military branch band—the first time the bands had released their recordings commercially. Organized by the Department of Defense
, the special release was to raise funds for the National Cultural Center in Washington D.C. (renamed the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
in 1964). In June 1963, the Navy Band's album entered the Billboard
Top 40 album chart. It was re-released on CD in 2009.
During his time as Band Leader, Mitchell conducted the Navy Band's daily performances on the east steps of the U.S. Capitol, as well as their weekly Monday night concerts at the Capital. Mitchell led the band on national tours, including its first ever performance at New York City
's Carnegie Hall
in 1966. He also founded an annual Washington Area Soloist Festival for young musicians, and introduced a series of children's concerts. For his initiatives to bring music to young people, he received an honorary Doctor of Music Degree from Saint Francis University
. His numerous compositions included "Our Nation's Capital", the official march of the District of Columbia, and the "National Cultural Center March" (later renamed the "John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts March") which was played during fund-raising events for the Center and later at its inauguration.
as well as serving as a music education advisor and music competition judge. Mitchell died at the age of 91 on January 20, 2009 of complications from lupus
. He was survived by his five children and ten of his brothers and sisters. One of his younger brothers had also played for the Navy Band (as a trumpeter and singer), and another was for many years the clarinet soloist for the US Air Force Band.
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
Anthony A. Mitchell (August 26, 1918 – January 20, 2009), born Antonio Alberto Miceli, was an American clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
ist, composer and conductor who led the United States Navy Band
United States Navy Band
The United States Navy Band, based at the historic Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., has served the nation as the official musical organization of the United States Navy since 1925...
from 1962 until his retirement from the Navy in 1968. He was a prolific composer of marches
March (music)
A march, as a musical genre, is a piece of music with a strong regular rhythm which in origin was expressly written for marching to and most frequently performed by a military band. In mood, marches range from the moving death march in Wagner's Götterdämmerung to the brisk military marches of John...
, including "Our Nation's Capital", the official march of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Early life
Mitchell was born on 26 August 1917 in Clearfield, PennsylvaniaClearfield, Pennsylvania
Clearfield is a borough in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,631 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clearfield County.-Geography:Clearfield is located at ....
, the eldest of twelve children. His parents were Sicilian immigrants who changed the family name to Mitchell a year after his birth. Mitchell began playing the saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
at age five and soon added the clarinet. His first teacher was his father, who had encouraged his interest in music. Although a painter and decorator by trade, his father was a skilled musician and the leader of the Clearfield town band. In 1936 the nineteen year old Mitchell enlisted in the US Navy and moved to Washington D.C. to study at the newly established Navy School of Music. After graduating with honors two years later, he was accepted into the US Navy Band as a clarinetist. In 1945 he became the clarinet soloist for the band, and the following year graduated from The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
with a Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Music is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree; the majority of work consists of prescribed music courses and study in applied music, usually requiring a...
degree.
Crash
Early on in his career with the Navy Band, Mitchell became their dance band's leader (then a separate unit) and moved into conducting. For some time after World War II, he also was the conductorand musical director of a weekly television broadcast featuring leading artists of the day. By 1956, he had risen to the rank of Warrant Officer
Warrant Officer
A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...
, was promoted to Third
Leader, and began conducting the Navy Band on many of its national tours. In early 1960 Mitchell and band were on a Presidential tour of South America dubbed “Operation Amigo” when on 25 February the band experienced its worst tragedy.
19 members of the band's string section, including its assistant director, were traveling on a Navy R6D transport plane en route to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
for a presidential reception between Brazilian President Juscelino Kubitschek and President Eisenhower when the plane collided on final approach with a Brazilian airliner over Guanabara bay
Guanabara Bay
Guanabara Bay is an oceanic bay located in southeastern Brazil in the state of Rio de Janeiro. On its western shore lies the city of Rio de Janeiro, and on its eastern shore the cities of Niterói and São Gonçalo. Four other municipalities surround the bay's shores...
. The crash killed all 19 members of the band including Lt. Johann Harold Fultz, the assistant director. Mitchell was originally supposed to be on board that aircraft, but was spared when Lt. Fultz said, 'Mitch, I don't need you tomorrow. Why don't you stay here?' Following the crash the band was ordered to continue their tour without change. The band members were devastated by the loss, and many quit upon returning to the States. The Band's leader of 20 years, Cdr. Charles Brendler, retired from the Navy in 1962. Mitchell was his personal choice to replace him. On the day Mitchell assumed his post (February 26, 1962), he led the US Navy band in Washington's official welcome to astronaut John Glenn
John Glenn
John Herschel Glenn, Jr. is a former United States Marine Corps pilot, astronaut, and United States senator who was the first American to orbit the Earth and the third American in space. Glenn was a Marine Corps fighter pilot before joining NASA's Mercury program as a member of NASA's original...
.
Band Leader
In 1963 the Navy Band under Lt. Anthony "Mitch" Mitchell's leadership recorded The National Cultural Center Presents the United States Navy Band for RCA Victor. The LPLP record
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
was the Navy's contribution to a unique four album set featuring each military branch band—the first time the bands had released their recordings commercially. Organized by the Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
, the special release was to raise funds for the National Cultural Center in Washington D.C. (renamed the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center located on the Potomac River, adjacent to the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C...
in 1964). In June 1963, the Navy Band's album entered the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Top 40 album chart. It was re-released on CD in 2009.
During his time as Band Leader, Mitchell conducted the Navy Band's daily performances on the east steps of the U.S. Capitol, as well as their weekly Monday night concerts at the Capital. Mitchell led the band on national tours, including its first ever performance at New York City
New 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...
's Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
in 1966. He also founded an annual Washington Area Soloist Festival for young musicians, and introduced a series of children's concerts. For his initiatives to bring music to young people, he received an honorary Doctor of Music Degree from Saint Francis University
Saint Francis University
Saint Francis University is a four-year, coeducational Catholic liberal arts university in Loretto, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1847 and conducted under the tradition of the Franciscan Friars of the Third Order Regular...
. His numerous compositions included "Our Nation's Capital", the official march of the District of Columbia, and the "National Cultural Center March" (later renamed the "John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts March") which was played during fund-raising events for the Center and later at its inauguration.
Retirement
Mitchell retired from the Navy on December 30, 1968 with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. After his retirement, he worked as a music teacher in a junior high school in MarylandMaryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
as well as serving as a music education advisor and music competition judge. Mitchell died at the age of 91 on January 20, 2009 of complications from lupus
Lupus
Lupus most commonly refers to the disease systemic lupus erythematosus.Lupus may also refer to:-Medicine:* Lupus erythematosus, a chronic autoimmune disease with several different forms...
. He was survived by his five children and ten of his brothers and sisters. One of his younger brothers had also played for the Navy Band (as a trumpeter and singer), and another was for many years the clarinet soloist for the US Air Force Band.
Discography
| Title | Orchestra | Year | Record label |
|---|---|---|---|
| The National Culture Center Presents The United States Navy Band | United States Navy Band | 1963 | RCA Victor LSP 2688 |
| Three Hit Albums from the United States Military Bands | United States Navy Band, United States Marine Corps Band, United States Air Force Band |
2009 (reissue on CD of the 1963 RCA Victor set) | Collector's Choice |
External links
- "Our Nation's Capital", played by the U.S. Navy Band