The Billboard March

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, John Nicolas Klohr (1869-1956) was a close friend of the celebrated march composer Henry Fillmore. Klohr began his career as a trombonist, playing for vaudeville shows and several local organizations, and for fifty years played with the Syrian Temple Shrine Band of Cincinnati. Klohr also served as editor and head of the band and orchestra department of the Cincinnati music publishing company John Church Company, later absorbed by the Theodore Presser. Although Fillmore's publishing company was also based in Cincinnati, Klohr understandably published his own works through the John Church Company. He wrote 39 known marches, mainly for less advanced players. The Billboard March was composed in 1901 and dedicated to "the General Amusement Paper, The Billboard" - today is known as Billboard Magazine and still a major magazine in the entertainment industry. The Billboard March became well-known as a circus march, often used for clown walk-arounds, and also for short "playoffs" to end acts. It remains Klohr's most popular work, and has been published in five different editions to date. This new edition by Richard W. Sargeant Jr. returns to Klohr's original orchestration with extended woodwind section, SATB saxophones, a rich, full brass section, glockenspiel, snare drum, cymbals and bass drum, and is a welcome addition to the intermediate level band repertoire.