In 1850, the best place to hear John Philip Sousa style marches was in Halifax Nova Scotia , from the 88th Connaught Rangers Regiment & Patrick Gilmore

True, Sousa wasn’t even born yet - but band musician Patrick Gilmore was, and it was Gilmore who created the band concert music that Sousa later made world famous.

In fact, it was Gilmore’s unexpected death in the 1890s that led to Sousa’s break-through to the top of the band concert world.

Young Gilmore was probably in Halifax for the same reason as had drawn thousands of Irish before him : he joined a British regiment stationed in Nova Scotia, knowing it was an easy trip over the border to Amerikay , combined with the delicious thought that this way to freedom across the ocean was even paid for by Her Majesty herself....