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
American march music The true march music form was not utilized until the start of the march music era, and was eventually standardized by none other than John Philip Sousa. While the march music form varies tremendously amongst different styles of the march, all marches must have the following: The following two march forms are the most popular and frequently used by march music composers. The military march can be heavily credited to John Philip Sousa. He is said to have standardized the military march form, and it is used in over half of his marches. Therefore, the military march form is this: