If you enjoy the horn and drum of a good march, tune in and tap your feet to WRTI’s Sousalarm on weekday mornings at 7:15 A.M. The Sousalarm has been part of my morning commute for years and depending on which mile marker it starts I know if I can take my time or hit the pedal to make work on time.
The program is a play off prolific “March” composer John Philip Sousa, begun by Dave Conent and then continued under the watch of Gregg Whiteside. John Scherch is the current ambassador.
To join the Sousalarm club yourself or nominate someone else send a request to John who will read the nomination over the air with a red mapled voice that comforts with a rich tone somewhere between a bassoon and clarinet.
Wouldn’t that be the perfect start for the music lover in your life!
This week I had the pleasure of nominating my friend Rob, but to make it a surprise I told him that I nominated myself and to listen for my name on Monday morning because I know he hears the Sousalarm too. Luckily, he didn’t steer into the guard rail when he heard his name. Hopefully it gave him a smile. This was his nomination:
“Every spring, thanks to Rob’s passion for music, the Middle School orchestra where he teaches begins to sound bigger than the humble room where they rehearse. The stop and starts from earlier in the year give way to a cohesive oupouring of sound that fills the hall with rhythm and melody that lead many to his door to see the magical transformation taken place inside. I nominate Rob for his lifelong devotion to the clarinet, his family and students.”
I love musics magnetic beauty to connect people. I drew this comic thinking of all the other commuters out there marching together each morning to the Sousalarm.
Marches aren’t just for driving to work. Many have found their way into operas including Aida, La fille du regiment, Faust, and Lohengrin’s famous wedding march.
If you are interested in joining the Sousalarm Club, you can sign up here, You will also get a snazzy gold certificate like Rob and the many other WRTI devotees.
