John R. Bourgeois

Col. John R. Bourgeois

Biography

Col. John R. Bourgeois (b. 31 August 1934, Gibson, La.) is an American composer, conductor, and arranger.

The career of Col. Bourgeois, the 25th director of the United States Marine Band, spanned nine presidential administrations, from Eisenhower to Clinton. He retired from the Marine Corps after serving as the band's director and music advisor to the White House for 17 years.

Col. Bourgeois attended Loyola University New Orleans. While a student there, he performed with the New Orleans Philharmonic Orchestra and the New Orleans Opera Company. He joined the Marine Corps in 1956 and was stationed with the Department of the Pacific Marine Band. In 1958 he joined "The Presidents Own" United States Marine Band as a french hornist and member of the arranging staff. He became the 25th director of the United States Marine Band on May 31, 1979.

Under his leadership, the Marine Band presented its first overseas performances. In 1990, Col. Bourgeois led the band on a historic 18-day concert tour of the former Soviet Union. Col. Bourgeois directed 19 national concert tours - a tradition started by John Philip Sousa in 1891.

Since his retirement, he has continued to be extremely active as a guest conductor and clinician and is also an Artist-in Residence at his alma mater, Loyola University New Orleans.

Bourgeois also currently serves as Vice President of the Board of Trustees of the Sinfonia Educational Foundation. He was initiated as an honorary member of the Zeta Pi chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity at Loyola University in 1956, and as a member of the Fraternity's Alpha Alpha National Honorary Chapter in 1997. He was the Fraternity's 2000 recipient of the Charles E. Lutton Man of Music Award, presented at its national convention in Dallas, Texas.

Works for Winds

• 2nd March from "Gustave III" (as arranger) (1833/2022)
• Abschied der Slawin (as editor) (1912/1995)
• Adagio (as arranger) (1871/2018)
• Adagio from "Concerto No 1, Op 73" (as arranger) (1811/)
• Ballet of the Snowflakes (as arranger) (1875/2021)
• Beau Ideal (as editor) (1893/2005)
• Bethena (1905/2020)
• Cavalry Scouts (/2019)
• Children of the Regiment (as editor) (ca. 1915/1996)
• Cossak Dance (as transcriber) (/2008)
• Dances from The Oprichnik (as arranger) (1872/2008)
• Danzas Brasilireas (as arranger) (/2020)
• Danzas Cubanas (as arranger) (185-/2016)
• Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral (as transcriber) (1850/1997)
• Fanfare Sounds (as editor) (/2017)
• Fantasie Pastorale Hongroise (as transcriber) (1965/2009)
• Fantasie (as editor) (1913/)
• Festival March (as arranger) (1879/2012)
• Florentiner March (as editor) (1907/1999)
• Four Characteristic Dances (as arranger) (1892/2010)
• From Maine to Oregon (as arranger) (1913/2004)
• The Gallant Seventh (as arranger) (1922/2003)
• Galop (as arranger) (1859/2001)
• Goldberg Variations (as arranger) (1740/2016)
• Hands Across the Sea (as arranger) (1889/2016)
• Heliotrope Bouquet (as arranger) (1907/2017)
• Homage March (as arranger) (1864/2004)
• Honey Boys on Parade (as arranger) (1914/1998)
• Ignatian Fanfare (2012)
• In Memoriam (as arranger) (1910/2009)
• In Storm and Sunshine (as editor) (1885/2001)
• Intermezzo from "Goyescas" (as transcriber) (1915/)
• King Heinrich’s Call (as transcriber) (1850/1983)
• King of Terror (as editor) (1882/2011)
• Little Masquerade Suite (as arranger) (1922/2010)
• L’Inglesina (as editor) (1897/2000)
• Looking Upward Suite (as editor) (1902/1904/1999)
• Maple Leaf Rag (as arranger) (1899/2022)
• March from Tabasco (as editor) (1894/2004)
• March from the Ballet "Corso Donate" (as transcriber) (1841/2014)
• March from "The Sleeping Beauty" (as arranger) (1890/2018)
• March of the Belgian Parachutists (as arranger) (1945/2000)
• March of the Tankmen (as arranger) (/2015)
• Marche Indienne (as editor) (/1998)
• Marching Along (as arranger) (1999)
• Military March in D (as editor) (1816/2003)
• Northwind March (as editor) (1895/2004)
• Old Comrades (as arranger) (1899/1996)
• Overture to "Mignon" (as compiler) (1866/)
• Overture to "Voyage to the Moon" (as transcriber) (1875/2017)
• Parade Militaire (as editor)
• People Who Live in Glass Houses (as arranger) (1909/2004)
• Piccadilly (as arranger) (1903/2014)
• Polish Dance (as arranger) (2010)
• Polonaise (as transcriber) (1885/2009)
• Polonaise from “Eugene Onegin" (as arranger) (/2022)
• Polonaise from "Pan Voyevoda" (as arranger) (1903/2013)
• Prelude to Parsifal (as transcriber) (1882/2016)
• Prince Albrecht's March (as editor) (2006)
• Processional (as editor) (1918/2006)
• The Ragtime Dance (as arranger) (1902/2019)
• Ragtime Nightingale (as arranger) (1915/2016)
• Revelation March (as arranger) (1901/2002)
• Second Connecticut Regiment (as editor) (1876/2001)
• Second March from "Gustave III" (as arranger) (1892/2022)
• Semper Fidelis (as editor) (1888/1996)
• Siegfried's Funeral March from "Gotterdammerung" (as transcriber) (1848/)
• A Slavic Farewell. See: Abschied der Slawin
• Soldiers’ Chorus (as arranger) (1859/2018)
• Sound Off (as editor) (1885/2005)
• The Stars and Stripes Forever (as editor) (1896/2004)
• Suite Ancienne (as arranger) (1911/2011)
• Sunflower Slow Drag (as arranger) (/2010)
• The Sword of Victory (as editor) (2009)
• Symphony No. 3 (as editor) (1950/1995)
• Tchaikovsky Ballet Suite (as arranger) (2012)
• Three Dances from "The Maid of Orleans" (as transcriber) (1879/2007)
• Torch Dance (as editor) (184-/2003)
• Transit of Venus (as editor) (1883/2013)
• Turkish Fragments (as arranger) (2019)
• Two Preludes by Giuseppe Verdi (as arranger) (2015)
• Vienna Jubilation Overture (as transcriber) (1890/2016)

Resources

• John R. Bourgeois website Accessed 23 September 2022
• John R. Bourgeois, Wikipedia
• "John R. Bourgeois." Wingert-Jones Publications. Web.