Kansas City Hosts Sousa Spectacular Concert
Pinnacle Winds, the world-renowned John Philip Sousa Band, will present “A Sousa Spectacular” in Kansas City on Sunday, June 29, at 2:00 p.m. The concert takes place at the First Church of the Nazarene, 11811 State Line Road.
This event is a rare chance to experience top-notch musicians performing in the famous Sousa Style, reminiscent of the early twentieth century’s thrilling concerts. The program features soloists Herbert L. Clarke (also known as Dwight Rhodes) and Jenny Lind (Nicole Williams), as well as overtures such as La Gazza Ladra and Poet and Peasant. Audiences can also expect novelty selections and a Euphonium duet with Simone Mantilla and John Perfetto.
Encores will include marches written by Sousa himself, staying true to the spirit of the band’s historical roots. Tickets are available on the Pinnacle Winds website and at the door. Seating is unassigned and first-come, first-served. General admission is $20, with seniors and students at $10.
John Philip Sousa, famously dubbed the “March King,” left a mark on American music that still echoes today, as evidenced by the popularity of these concerts.
Who was Sousa, exactly?
Born in 1854 in Washington, D.C., he joined the U.S. Marine Band as a teenager and quickly rose to lead it, transforming the group into a national treasure. Sousa’s own band, founded in 1892, toured the world for decades, filling concert halls and town squares with energetic performances. Signature pieces like “The Stars and Stripes Forever” became staples of American culture.
Audiences loved the blend of stirring marches, classical arrangements, and dazzling soloists. Sousa’s showmanship, keen sense for crowd-pleasing programs, and commitment to musical excellence made his band an enduring symbol of Americana.
This concert offers the opportunity to experience a genuine piece of Americana from a period when touring concert bands shaped the country’s music culture, the group said in a press release.
–Dwight Widaman
