This portrait of John Philip Sousa (1854-1932) was the gift of Mr. Soichiro Takahashi, President of the Japan Sousa Society, presented to Fennell at the Society’s 5th anniversary meeting (Tokyo, November 23rd, 1998).

The music of John Philip Sousa figured prominently in Fennell’s work with the Eastman Wind Ensemble and elsewhere. Under Fennell’s direction, the EWE recorded Sousa marches on the albums Marches by Sousa and Others, Marching Along (also the title of Sousa’s autobiography), Hands Across the Sea, Sound Off!, and Sousa on Review. Writing the jacket notes for Sound Off!, Fennell admitted his “anguish” at having to choose a mere selection from among the March King’s “staggering output” (136 completed marches altogether)! Earlier in his life Fennell had performed under Sousa’s baton at Interlochen in 1931, playing percussion in the premiere performance of the march The Northern Pines, which Sousa had composed in honor of Interlochen.

It was music of Sousa that Frederick Fennell conducted in what would be his final appearance with the Eastman Wind Ensemble. Appearing as Conductor Emeritus in the Eastman Theater on October 15th, 2004, Fennell conducted three Sousa marches in acknowledgement of the year’s Sousa sesquicentennial: Hands Across the Sea, Riders for the Flag, and The Fairest of the Fair.