ALBERT AUSTIN HARDING
The Illinois University Bands, famed not only for size but also for the excellent quality of their playing, owe their reputation to Doctor Albert A. Harding, for so long a time their leader. Through many years his was the outstanding name among college band conductors in the United States.
“Austin” was born in Georgetown, Illinois, but after his mother’s death when he was a small boy, he lived with his grandparents in the little town of Paris, Illinois.
He acquired his first musical training by tooting a cheap brass cornet in a practice room which was actually an old barn. His music rack was the dashboard of an antiquated sleigh.
His grandfather, a loyal Democrat, was quite disgusted when his grandson played his horn in a Republican rally for William McKinley. “Aus,” as the boy was called, was asked to learn the fife and play in a fife and drum corps organized by the Illinois State Republican Committee. Instead the boy bought a piccolo and became such an expert player that he was appointed leader of the high school band. After his graduation young Harding became leader of a dance orchestra, playing for dances in Champaign and Urbana, Illinois; Terre Haute, Indiana and the surrounding area.
Upon entering the University of Illinois, Harding majored in Engineering and also kept on with his musical activities. He played in the University band as well as in several local organizations. In 1905, his senior year, Harding was asked to direct the University band of about fifty pieces. This position Harding held for forty-three years, building—according to John Philip Sousa—“the greatest college band in the country.”
Harding was a kindly, sympathetic man, always friendly and helpful to his students. He originated the popular Band Clinics, now grown to state, regional and national scope. Another of Dr. Harding’s creative ideas was the use of a-capella singing without instruments on the football field. The “March of the Illini” sung in this way always ended the half-time show in a football game. He also introduced the popular, marching-type glockenspiel, called the “bell-lyra,” because of its lyre-shaped frame.
From the time Harding began with the band in 1905, he trained it in accordance with his belief that a university band should reflect the quality and dignity of the university itself. He always had the theory that the band should play the same type music that is played by the orchestra. He insisted that at least a part of the program should consist of symphonic music.
Dr. Harding received many honors during his years of service in the University. His fame was widespread. In 1936 the music publishers of Great Britain paid Harding’s expenses to England and Europe to obtain his advice and counsel on music publication matters. He was treated with the honors usually accorded a visiting ruler.
In 1941 at the first University and College Band Conference, Harding was unanimously elected Honorary President for life. He was given the high military honor of a Colonel in the Illinois National Guard on the Governor’s staff. Both the Phillips University of Oklahoma and Davidson College of North Carolina awarded Harding the honorary degree of Doctor of Music. He has been guest conductor of many of the most famous bands ever assembled in the United States, and has served as adjudicator of thirty state band contests and four National meets.
Doctor Harding not only directed the vast activities of the University bands and orchestra, but during his years of service he put in countless hours of night work, transcribing, composing and arranging music for these groups. There is little music published with parts for an organization of more than 350 men. But Harding’s knowledge of the range and quality of every variety of instrument and his great talent enabled him to provide much original material for his great band.
Because of his deep admiration for Harding, John Philip Sousa bequeathed his huge band library to the University of Illinois. This band department now possesses one of the most complete musical libraries in this country.
