The History of Taylor's Band

By DeWitt Andre, 1924

With the organization of Taylor's Band the music loving people of Montrose saw great possibilities for the future development of the unusual amount of talent which this town possesses.

In the early part of the year of 1922, the Taylor Brothers conceived the idea of maintaining a small but select band for the purpose of developing some small portion of the talent of the younger boys of this town.

In the fall of this same year the association saw a decided increase in membership and in number of instruments. In the meanwhile the band regularly met in the director's home, and on Monday night of each week a two-hour practice was engaged in, at which times nearly every member of the band as present and received an evening full of beneficial instruction.

On Memorial Day of 1923, the band made its first public appearance. Starting from Montrose in the early morning they made a tour of the following towns: South Montrose, Dimock, Springville, Hop Bottom, Kingsley and New Milford. At Dimock a short concert was given at the memorial exercises of the school, which was greatly appreciated by all of the hearers. At Fairdale on July 12, the band was asked to give a convert in connection with a humorous lecture. This resulted in an evident success for all concerned. After the lecture and concert all enjoyed a fine supper given by the ladies of the church.

Other concerts which followed were: At Susquehanna County Fair, at Farmers' Picnic at New Milford, the Montrose-Tunkhannock football game, at a Senior Class benefit and at the centennial observance of the founding of Montrose borough.

"Good Music properly played," is the motto of the band. The idea from the start was to have a small band of fifteen or sixteen so that it might be more easily transported from place to place, and to reach towns which could not easily accommodate a larger group.

At present ([1924] there are fifteen regular members, all but one of which are students of the Montrose schools. They make a pleasing spectacle when in full uniform on stage or on parade.

The band has the distinction of possessing very high grade instruments, including Conn, Prueffer, Pedler, Ludwig and Lyon & Healy.

One of the features of the many concerts was the ability of Master Leon Taylor to lead the band. Master Taylor is a four year-old brother of the regular director, Maurice Taylor.

Maurice Taylor directing the massed Band Concert.
Blueberry Festival, Montrose August 1994

Maurice D. Taylor
Born
April 13, 1906
Dixon, Pennsylvania

Died
November 14, 2001
Montrose, Pennsylvania

1923	Began teaching band instruments and bands. Organized Taylor's Band mostly from private pupils of school age.
1927	Organized the Montrose High School Band.
1930   to 1937	Managed an annual out-door "Massed Band Concert" in Montrose. The 1935 band was made up of 604 players. State police estimated an attendance of 12,000.
1938	Organized the Northeastern counties of Pennsylvania for the Pennsylvania Music Educator's Association; now part of several districts of PMEA.
1939	Published "Easy Steps to the Band," a method for beginning bands which is still available from the publisher and widely used. Continued to write other educational material for band.
1955	Retired from public school teaching to write more instrumental music. Had for 28 years led the award-winning Montrose High School band.
1959	Made "Honorary Life Member" of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association.
1977	50th Anniversary of the Montrose High School Band. Booklet published honoring Mr. Taylor.
1977	Named "Bandmaster of the Year" by Phi Beta Mu - Nu Chapter.
1980	Awarded "Honorary Doctor of Music" degree by Susquehanna University.
1993	Awarded "Citation of Excellence" by the National Band Master's Association.
1994	Guest conductor, alumni band, East Stroudsburg High School's sixtieth anniversary.

Introduction | Gay's West Auburn Band | Brooklyn's Prize Band | Hamlin E. Cogswell | Great Bend Cornet Band | Harford Bands | Harford Soldiers' Orphan School | Kingsley Cornet Band | Canawacta Band | Lawsville Cornet Band | Gibson Cornet Band | The South Gibson Band | Montrose Band | Taylor's Band | The New Milford Cornet Band | Rush Cornet Band | Springville Silver Cornet Band | Erie Band Of Susquehanna

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