John Philip Sousa for Monty Python's Flying Circus), "The Thunderer" and "The Washington Post". Sousa began his career playing violin and studying music theory and composition under John Esputa and George Felix Benkert. His father enlisted him in the United States Marine Band as an apprentice in 1868. After departing the band in 1875, Sousa learned to conduct. From 1880 until his death, he focused exclusively on conducting and the writing of music. He eventually rejoined the Marine Band and served there for 12 years as director. On leaving the Marine Band, Sousa organized his own band. Sousa aided in the development of
John Philip Sousa Junior High School (Bronx) the affected schools, saying its method for overhauling the staff at those institutions violated existing labor contracts. The school closed its doors in June 2015. John Philip Sousa Junior High School (Bronx) John Philip Sousa Junior High School (also known as "JHS 142", "MS 142" and "John Philip Sousa Middle School") was a middle school located on Baychester Avenue, across the street from Cardinal Spellman High School, in the Edenwald section of the borough of the Bronx in New York City, New York. The school was named after John Philip Sousa and opened its doors in 1958. The school celebrated