Paul Maybery

In Memoriam

Paul Maybery, the founding director of the Yankee Brass Band, passed away September 9th, 2023 after a long period of failing health. Paul directed the Yankee Brass from its founding in 1986 through 2019, a period of 34 seasons.

Much of the repertoire played by the band consists of Paul’s transcriptions and restored settings of original music for brass band from the 1930’s to the 1880’s. Paul contributed to the establishment of many 19th century style bands in the United States, all of whom will continue to owe him a great debt of gratitude for his encouragement, guidance, and of course music. May he rest in peace.

If you wish to contribute a thought or reminiscence about Paul, please visit the Contact page and select In Memoriam of Paul Maybery in the “What can we help you with today?” options.

Founding Music Director, 1986-2019

Paul Maybery has developed an international reputation, leading a versatile musical life as an arranger, conductor, educator, tubist, and musicologist. Since 1982 he has served as music director of the Great Western Rocky Mountain Brass Band Festival in Silverton, Colorado, and, since 1986 the Yankee Brass Band, based first at the Hotel Coolidge in White River Junction, Vermont for ten years and later at Norwich University in Vermont, Colby College in Maine, Keene State College in New Hampshire, and Moravian College in Pennsylvania. From 1995 through 1999 he led the Wildcat Brass Band in Indiana, Pennsylvania, as Principal Guest Conductor. For five seasons he led the brass band for the Grand Military Encampment in San Diego, for seven years was Music Director of the Calhoun-Isles Community in Minneapolis, and for nearly ten years, Associate Music Director at Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Starting in 1998, he served as Divisional Music and Ministry Arts Director for The Salvation Army’s Northern Division in Minnesota and North Dakota, where he was Bandmaster of the Northern Division Band.

As a free lance tubaist Paul has played with professional symphony and opera orchestras as well as touring celebrity shows such as Mel Torme, Shari Lewis, Dave Brubeck, Holiday on Ice and the World’s Toughest and Longhorn Rodeos. In the studio he has played in, conducted, and produced numerous recording sessions for radio, phonograph, television, and film. As an arranger and orchestrator his credits included six CDs with pop recording artist Lorie Line, and music for several films including the PBS documentaries The Civil War, Baseball and Jazz. His scores have been played by organizations such as the Minnesota Orchestra, the Chicago and New York Staff Bands of the Salvation Army, and the United States Marine Band. They are recorded on major labels by the Chestnut Brass Company, The Dodworth Saxhorn Band, The Americus Brass Band, and Classic Brass. In 1996, a concert of his film score for the Ken Burns Documentary, Baseball,was played at the White House for a special WETA event. More recently in 2001, a concert of his critically edited mid-19th century historic brass band scores was performed on the John Philip Sousa stage at the Kennedy Performing Arts Center.

An advocate of historically informed performance, Paul Maybery’s musicological activity focuses on the 19th century American band, its music and ephemera. Considered as an applied musicologist, he has researched historic band performance practice from America’s Golden Age of Bands and has prepared over 300 modern performance editions, which he publishes with Paul Maybery Editions. More recently he has completed a twenty-year project, The Yankee Olio,a historical anthology of 50 solos for the Eb cornet, and a number of critical scores of the works of John Philip Sousa. He has an extensive collection of band memorabilia, including, photo images and postcards of bands and bandstands, uniforms and equipment, and a complete brass band instrumentation of Conn Worcester-made “Wonder” instruments. More recently his arrangements for British-style brass bands are being played world-wide.

Paul Maybery received his early musical education in the public schools of New Jersey and earned his B.A. degree with distinguished honors in 1969 from Glassboro State College (now Rowan University). He pursued advanced studies at the University of Copenhagen and the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. In 1987 he earned the M.A. in Musicology from the University of Minnesota, graduating with honors, where he has also pursued his Ph.D. studies.

Since 1978 he has served on the Artist Faculty of Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is listed in Who’s Who in American Music, Dictionary of International Biography, International Who’s Who in Music,and Who’s Who in Society.

Paul Maybery shares his expertise and enthusiasm for the rare and exciting music of 19th century America by guest conducting and narrating concerts of this vintage music with professional, college, and community bands.