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American music history will come to life in Brookings as the �ձ�av��Ƶ School of Performing Arts presents “A Sousa Symposium” on April 10-11 at the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center.

Supported by a Chairman’s Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the Celebrate America! initiative, this two-day gathering will bring leading scholars, performers and historic collections together to celebrate the enduring legacy of John Philip Sousa — America’s famed “March King” — through engaging lectures, rare artifacts and live performances connected to the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The symposium continues the School of Performing Arts’ long tradition of marking historic milestones. In the lead-up to the 2026 America 250 celebration, Director David Reynolds and faculty explored ways to create a signature event rooted in American cultural history.

Sousa emerged as a natural focal point thanks to his ties to the state and to Brookings — including his two sold-out 1928 concerts in Brookings, his interaction with the South Dakota State College band downtown as he stepped off the train and the historic Collegian interview conducted during that visit.

Symposium attendees can take part in a unique Brookings-based experience led by �ձ�av��Ƶ professor Jacob Wallace: a narrated bus tour retracing Sousa’s 1928 visit. Participants will stop at key sites, hear original newspaper accounts and see how Sousa’s presence shaped Brookings.

Leading scholars from across the country will present new research on Sousa’s musical, cultural and political impact. Presenters include:

• Rod Gerhardstein (Pacific Lutheran University) on the Sousa Band’s Pacific Northwest tours
• Tracey Brent-Chessum (University of Central Florida) on Sousa’s contributions to American musical theatre
• Patrick Warfield (University of Minnesota) on Sousa as dramatist and cultural figure
• Scott Schwartz (Sousa Archives and Center for American Music) on Sousa and baseball’s Golden Age
• Jacob Wallace (�ձ�av��Ƶ) on Sousa’s 1928 Brookings visit
• Scott Muntefering (Wartburg College) on Sousa and the Mitchell Corn Palace
• Gunnery Sgt. Charles Paul (United States Marine Band) on Sousa and “The President’s Own”
• Chief Warrant Officer Four (Ret.) Frederick Ellwein on 250 years of American military field music
• Sarah Jo Aymond (University of Nebraska-Lincoln) on Sousa and the professionalization of the wind band
• David Reynolds and Thomas Reynolds (�ձ�av��Ƶ) on Jay Sims, Sousa’s longtime personnel manager

Artifacts will be on display from the United States Marine Band, the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music, the National Music Museum and the Siouxland Heritage Museums. Highlights include Sousa Band uniforms, letters from Sousa himself and materials documenting his nationwide tours.

The symposium is free and open to the public; however, registration is required. Register on the Sousa Symposium webpage, where a full calendar of events is available.

For more information, contact the �ձ�av��Ƶ School of Performing Arts at 605-688-5187.