Joseph Gigante Collection

(1929–1947)

Contents

• Biography
• Bibliography
• Collection Inventory

BIOGRAPHY

Born in Bagheria, Palermo, Italy on October 19, 1887, Joseph Gigante started music lessons at age 11 and later studied at the Bellini Conservatory of Music in Palermo. His main instrument was the flugelhorn. Around 1905, he joined the Italian Army, where he played in the 10th Regiment Band and left Italy for the United States in 1910. He frequently performed in New York and Detroit with the 22nd Regiment Band, but also with the Creatore’s Band, Liberati’s Band, Ferullo’s Band, the Venetian Gondoliers Concert Band, and the Opera Company of New York before settling in Milwaukee, WI.

In Milwaukee, he organized the Joseph Gigante Concert Band in 1928. He conducted the Milwaukee County Park Board Band and from 1937 led the Milwaukee Civic Concert Band, a Works Progress Administration project.

Gigante’s compositions were highly popular in Milwaukee and Italy. In 1937 he was honored with the Gold Medal and Honorary Membership for Composition Contest from the Academy of Music, Salerno, Italy.

Joseph Gigante died on February 16, 1975 in Milwaukee. Shortly before his death, he donated his music collection to the Milwaukee Public library. Later, the collection was transferred to the University of Wisconsin Mills Music Library in Madison, where it currently resides.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Rehrig, William H., “Gigante, Joseph.” The Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music, ed. by Paul E. Bierley. Westerville, OH: Integrity Press, 1996.

Wisconsin Composers: 1848–1948. n.p.: The Federation, 1948.

“Gigante, Bandmaster,” source unknown, 27 June 1930

“Gigante Presents Symphonic Poem at Concert,” source unknown, 23 Jul 1932

“City Bandmaster Writes Elks’ March In Yockey’s Honor,” source unknown, 20 July 1933

“Balbo Sent March Composed in City,” source unknown, 15 Aug 1933

“Balbo Thanks Milwaukeean, source unknown, 27 September 1933

“Balbo Honors Returned to Admirer Here,” source unknown, 27 September 1933

"Italy’s Musician Extol Gigante for His Band Writings,” source unknown, 10 Aug 1933

“Joseph Gigante,” source unknown, 10 August 1933

“Gold Medal Awarded to Joseph Gigante,” source unknown, 10 August 1937

“Joseph Gigante,” Milwaukee Sentinel, 10 August 1937

“Joseph Gigante,” source unknown, 28 February 1938

“[Band Convention],” source unknown, 23 March 1937

“March to Be Played to Honor Emil Blatz,” source unknown, 30 August 1938

“March Dedicated to Director’s Son Features Concert,” source unknown, 12 August 1941

“Wife Sues Musician,” source unknown, 24 April 1948

“Joseph Gigante [obituary],” Milwaukee Journal, 10 May 1975