Edwin Franko Goldman
1878-1956

Born in Louisville, Kentucky on January 1, 1878, Edwin Franko Goldman was destined to become one of the greatest figures in the American band movement. Upon the death of his father in 1887 Edwin and his four siblings were sent to live in an orphanage while his mother worked to establish herself as a piano teacher. At the age of fourteen he received a scholarship to study music at the National Conservatory of Music in New York City under the leadership of Antonin Dvorák. He excelled as a cornetist and by 1899 was the principal cornetist with the Metropolitan Opera orchestra.

In 1911 he founded and became the conductor of the New York Military Band which was soon renamed the Goldman Band. By 1918 Goldman had established a series of outdoor concerts in the parks of New York City which were attended by thousands of enthuisiast supporters. Radio broadcasts of the Goldman Band concerts reached over 150 million people.

Goldman was a prolific composer of 150 pieces of band music including over 100 marches. He also commissioned works by other leading composers of his time. On February 21, 1956 Edwin Franko Goldman passed away. His legacy to the American culture was the elevation in stature of the concert band in the symphonic music world.

Music by Edwin Franko Goldman listed in the Meridian Community Band Library

Alouette March
Anniversary March
Chimes of Liberty
Columbia March
Jubilee
On the Alert
On the Campus
On the Hudson
On the Mall
Onward-Upward March