March 21, 2016 -- “Sousa’s March Mania,” a tournament pitting 32 marches against each other for the Marine Band online community to determine which one is the favorite, is now two weeks into the first round of matches. Marches by John Philip Sousa, “The March King,” have dominated many of the match ups, with The Washington Post walloping Patrick S. Gilmore’s Famous 22nd Regiment 804 to 237 and The Liberty Bell eking by Independentia (R. B. Hall) 542 to 528. In very close matches between Sousa’s own compositions, his march “Right Forward” barely defeated “Guide Right” 160 to 156 and “The Wolverine” triumphed by clawing its way past “The Invincible Eagle” winning by only five votes, 376 to 371. While many of the “The March King’s” marches have held their own, his march “The Gallant Seventh” didn’t fare as well, falling to John Klohr’s “The Billboard March” 210 to 205. And Henry Fillmore’s “The Circus Bee” flew by Sousa’s “The Fairest of the Fair” by almost 200 votes, winning 404 to 248. The 2014 March Mania champ, “Entry March of the Boyares,” by Johannes Halvorsen marched past E. E. Bagley’s famous “National Emblem” 621 to 587.
“Sousa’s March Mania” will continue with new matches every day through April 6. Participants can visit the Marine Band website to listen to the competing marches, download and print a tournament bracket, and vote for favorites. Participants are also invited to share completed brackets with the Marine Band at facebook.com/marineband or marineband.publicaffairs@usmc.mil.
At the end of the tournament, anyone with a perfect bracket will be a winner of “Sousa’s March Mania” and will be named a “March King” for a day!
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