Kate’s notes: Bradford D. Gilliland, born at Linesville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, was a superbly talented musician and band leader who had, for six seasons, played cornet in the Sousa Band. Two photos of “B. D.” may be found in the Ephemera section of the Gilliland Trails library.
    The following biography, really a professional profile, consists of two articles – one from a now-defunct magazine and another from a newspaper. Though little information of a personal nature is to be found in either article, I have provided some brief genealogical notes following the transcriptions. 
   The Metronome, from which the first article below was transcribed, was a music-guide magazine published from 1881 until 1961; in the early years of its publication the focus was on marching and dance bands. Two photos accompanied this article: one, a portrait of B. D. Gilliland; a second photo is that of the Warren Military Band of Warren, Ohio. The original copy of this periodical is held in the collection of the University of Rochester, Rochester , New York.

The Metronome Orchestra Monthly
New York, NY
March, 1915

THE WARREN MILITARY BAND OF
WARREN, OHIO
B. D. GILLILAND, Bandmaster

    It is with exceptional pleasure that “The Metronome” presents to its readers a few words about this organization, acknowledged as one of the very ablest and best equipped of its kind in this section of the country.
    This band is a direct outcome of the Warren Military Band School and is giving abundant proofs of the very unusual benefits which this institution is offering music students in the way of practical and genuine result-bringing opportunities.
    Bandmaster Gilliland is a conductor, instructor, and all-round musician of more than ordinary abilities, his thoroughly artistic equipment fitting him most admirably for the manifold duties of his position and accounting in a way for the exceptional success with which his band and school have been meeting.
    In his professional capacity, Mr. Gilliland has played with the very best band organizations in this country. For a number of years he played first cornet with Sousa and left there to take a position as bandmaster of the Kilties Band and later his own band, “The Black Hussars.”
    Desiring to establish a Military Band School, Mr. Gilliland selected his old home city of Warren and five years ago opened his school. Its growth was only fettered by lack of room for pupils and this drawback was removed when Mr. Gilliland purchased land on the banks of the Mahoning River, a beautiful site, and erected his own buildings to house the Military Band School.
    The citizens of Warren regard the Band School as one of its most substantial institutions and Mr. Gilliland, as a musician, man and citizen, is held in the highest possible esteem. It is Mr. Gilliland’s excellent qualification and standing as a bandmaster which is drawing students and prospective professional players from all parts of the country.

***************
    This year Mr. Gilliland has succeeded in bringing his band up to a particularly high standard of excellence, owing to a very competent roster of players, including some of the most competent instrumentalists in this country.
    The musical programs presented by Mr. Gilliland give further proof of his ability. As an example of what his offerings consist of, we append the following list of compositions offered at one of his recent concerts:
1. Overture, “Stradella”……………………………..Flotow
2. Intermezzo, “My dog”……………………………Gilliland
3. Waltz, “Espana”………………………………….Waldteufel
4. Humoreske (Opus 101, No. 7)…………………...Dvorak
5. March, “Gralsritter” (Parsifal)……………………Wagner
6. Selection, “The Bohemians”……………………..Puccini
7. Three Quotations…………………………………Sousa
         (a) “The King of France with twenty-thousand
                men, marched up the hill, and then 
                marched down again.”
         (b) “I too was born in Arcadia.”
         (c) “A Nigger in the wood-pile.”
8. “Prelude” (op. 3, No. 2)………………………….Rachmaninow
9. March of Triumph, “Gladiators”…………………Fucik

THE WARREN MILITARY    Mention of the Warren Military Band naturally calls for a few BAND SCHOOL                       words relative to the band and its history.
    Mr. B. D. Gilliland, its founder, came to Warren in the fall of 1909, after closing a long season with the Black Hussar Band. A few young men wanted to take lessons, so Mr. Gilliland started to teach in his own home, and within two weeks he had more students than he could take care of in his limited quarters. To gain more spacious quarters, he rented an old hotel in Warren and in a very short time this was also filled with students. He employed a theory teacher, and at that time the school started on the 8-hour-a-day plan. At the close of the seventh week the School Band  was organized. January 1st, 1910, the school was named and the first band concert was given with a student band of twenty boys. The first year closed May 20th and the band went to Edgewood Park, Shamokin, Pa., and filled an engagement of eighteen weeks.
    September 6th, 1901, the school opened for the second year, but as the old hotel was not large enough, a large dwelling was secured, a band room built and opened with a full school and a clarinet department added. Band rehearsals took place every day; theory lessons every day; concerts every term in the Opera House to standing room only. The second summer the band went to Shamokin, Pa. again for seventeen weeks.
    On September 8th, 1913, the fifth year of the school was opened and in five years it had outgrown three homes. At the present time it is in three new buildings, a home of its own, where it can grow, and where the home will grow with its constantly enlarging needs.

***************

    The object of the Warren Military Band School is the higher education in music. The institution embraces theoretically and practically all branches of military band and orchestra music.
    The theoretical instruction consists of a four-year course in the theory of music and composition, complete in all branches, and each school year consists of three twelve-week terms.
    The instruments taught include piccolo, flute, oboe, bassoon, saxophone, clarinet, cornet, horn, trombone, euphonium, bass, drums, and traps. The system prevailing at the school provides a private practice room for each student and two practice hours each day. These hours alternate with the students’ lessons, class hours and rehearsal. Each day he is given a private lesson on his instrument, a lesson in theory, a lesson in solfeggio and two band rehearsals. This, together with the time spent in study, occupies the entire day. Such occupation will naturally form the basis of a thorough, practical, musical education in the shortest possible time consistent with absolute thoroughness. Everything necessary for the making of a competent musician is gained at this school by actual experience. The student has daily rehearsals with a first-class, military band, the privilege of “trying out” his own compositions and arrangements, and has every opportunity of getting experience that will fit him for any position in the musical profession.
    There are three band rehearsals a day. Second band, conducted by third and fourth year students. Third band, conducted by first and second year students. First Band, conducted by B. D. Gilliland. All bands are under the personal supervision of the director of the school.

** end article **

Postscript: There was some language in the above article that I found to be highly objectionable. It was only after a period of some serious reflection that I decided to transcribe the article just as it was published, with consideration given to the reality of that particular period in history.

The Youngstown Daily Vindicator
Youngstown, Ohio
13 July, 1927

NOTED DIRECTOR
IN SCHOOL WORK
___________

Prof. Gilliland to Take Charge
Of Bands and Orchestras
In Trumbull
____________

    Mineral Ridge, July 13. – School circles are greatly elated over the securing of Prof. Brad D. Gilliland of Warren to take charge of the bands and orchestras of Mineral Ridge and Evansville schools.
    Starting at 15 as a cornetist with Prouty’s Orchestra of Boston, one of the great musical organizations of the ‘80’s, he has steadily advanced in his chosen profession, becoming in turn, solo cornetist, director, composer and producer.
    Mr. Gilliland has a scrap book containing hundreds of clippings regarding his bands. It begins with the Sousa tour in 1903, contains programs before the Duke of Sutherland, Sir Horace Plunkett and other notables, including the story and programs of Prof. Gilliland’s opera “Manuella,” in which Youngstown singers took part; numerous other concert programs in this country and abroad and a number of clippings about the kilties, black hussars and other bands which Prof. Gilliland has conducted. He played 108 weeks with the Bennett-Moulton Opera Co., never missing a performance, two years in the south, two years as cornet soloist with the Castle Square Opera Co., Boston followed by two years as conductor of the operas produced by that celebrated company, two years with Uncle Sam as soloist in the U. S. Marine Band, and then his seven years with Sousa and his band during which he visited 133 countries and crossed the ocean eight times.
    After his two years conduct and management of the world famous Kilties Band, Prof. Gilliland founded the Warren Military Band school, of which he was director for nine years.
    It was while touring Great Britain with the Kilties that he played at Sandringham by command of King Edward VII. His majesty was so pleased with the performance that he presented Prof. Gilliland with a diamond studded baton and decorated him with the Victoria medal for excellence.
    As director of Al Koran Shrine Band in Cleveland, of the Wittenburg College band, Aut Mori Grotto Band of Youngstown, and of his own organization in Warren, he has proven himself master of the baton.
    Of him, Sousa says “He is the best instructor of band instruments in America.”

--transcriptions by Kate Maynard, 2013

Genealogical notes:  According to the band leader’s application for a marriage license, dated September 6, 1905 and issued at Cuyahoga County, Ohio, 33 year-old Bradford D. Gilliland was born at Linesville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania to Uriah and Olive (Thyer) Gilliland. His prospective bride was Lydia Hutchison, age 31, daughter of John D. and Lydia (Foster) Hutchison of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. This was the first marriage for both. I have no information on possible children of this couple.
   On July 28, 1931, Bradford D. Gilliland died of a heart attack in Ashtabula, Ohio, at the home of his sister.