Outside Musical Grooups in the Miami Area

OUTSIDE MUSICAL GROUPS IN THE MIAMI AREA AND THEIR INFLUENCE

Walter L. Elden, P.E. (Ret)

Miami Drum and Fife Corps

Somehow, my father got to know a gentleman, who belonged to the Miami Drum and Fife Corps. This was a band, which marched in parades and played music from the early colonial times, with just drums and fifes. A fife is a flute like instrument, some made of metal and others of black ivory. I believe that we all were members of that group. On one occasion, I remember marchiing in that band in one of the New Year's Orange Bowl parades through Miami.

From that experience, we acquired and kept two of the drums and several of the fifes.

Actual Drum and Fife Used in Miami Drum and Fife Corps
(These are over 60 years in age, and in excellent condition)

Today, my daughter Marianne has one of each instuments (see above photo). Because my brother, Guy, and I could play those drums, and these were of the type you see in the pictures depicting the colonial period, with the drummer, a fife being played and the American flag being carried. Well, anyway, the woman's physical education insturctor at our Junior High school learned that we had these drums and could play them, so she requested and we complied and would meet with the girls physical education class each day, and play the drums, while they practiced marching. Boy that was a real treat.

Miami Boys Drum and Bugle Corps

Now here was a real sharp outfit. In Miami, there was a marching band, called the Miami Boys Drum and Bugle Corps. Of course it was make up only of boys, mostly in their late teens, with one execption. It had a struttrig majorette, who at that time was Anna Mae Quick, according to my older brother, Harry. The instruments consisted of a variety of trumpets, bugles, horns, etc, and drums. The director was a musician named Caesar LaMonaca. Their uniforms were all white, trimmed in gold. One of their highlight selections was a band arrangememt of the March from Aida. It was a most stirring performance, in which at the end a single trumpet would play repeating note at the very highlight part of the conclusion. I can still hear it being played to this day. That band really got me hooked on marching band music. It was so sterring.

Example of a Drum and Bugle Corps - US Naval Academy Band

Greater Miami Youth Orchestra

In addition to the Miami Boys Drum and Bugle Corps, Caesar LaMonaca also formed the Greater Miami Youth Orchestra. A photo of one of these is shown in the figure.

It would perform in open-air concerts in the Bayfront Park's amphitheater. This group brought together young musicians from many of the high schools throughout the Miami area. My brother, Guy, and I would perform in this during high school. We had to travel by bus, from over 10-15 miles out of town, to attend rehersals and concerts. The orchestra would perform sterring marches, overtures and other great music. On one occasion, Director LaMonaca had all of the violins stand in a line and play one selection in unison. That was thrilling.

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