Biography of Edwin Franko Goldman

EDWIN FRANKO GOLDMAN

And the Goldman Band

By Jack Kopstein

For more than 90 years the Goldman band has been recognized as a vital part of America’s concert life. It has served not only to thrill and entertain the public, but also to cultivate in a purely professional manner the traditions and repertoire nurtured by two centuries of American bands. Eminent composer-conductor Edwin Franko Goldman founded the band in 1911 and the present band still retains the Goldman name under the current designation the GOLDMAN MEMORIAL BAND.

In speaking of his father, Richard Franko Goldman related in a broadcast interview that “the new image of the modern concert band is largely the work of one man Edwin Frank Goldman”. He went on to say “early in 1909 my father began to recognize that the musicians in New York who performed in the summer bands, most of whom were from the symphonies and the Metropolitan Opera, did not take the summer performances very seriously. The bands seldom rehearsed and considered the work only as a source of extra income. My father realized the enormous potential for a good wind ensemble. Subsequently in 1911 he founded a group which was initially called the New York Military Band. Later in 1920 when he was firmly established the ensemble became known as the Goldman Band”. … Continue Reading »

Tags: concerts in new york, edwin franko goldman, franko, goldman band, military band
Posted in Historical Notes, Musicians | No Comments »