William Bramwell Smith Jr.

William Bramwell Smith Jr. (March 3, 1929 – August 4, 1993), known as W. Bramwell Smith Jr., was a trumpeter, bandmaster, composer, teacher, and administrator.^[1] He is best known as the co-creator for the United States Army Herald Trumpets.

Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Smith began learning the cornet at age 10 under the tutelage of his father and uncles, all professional trumpet players. By the time he was 14, Bramwell Smith was the principal cornet with the Royal Regiment of Canada Band, a volunteer military band that is related to the Royal Regiment of Canada and that has played for every British monarch since Queen Victoria.^[2][1] At 15, he won a national competition for brass instruments, and shortly thereafter at the Peel Music Festival he won first in the cornet class.^[1]

Bramwell Smith studied under Ellis McLintock Sr. at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto from 1945 to 1949.^[1] When he was not studying Bramwell Smith played with dance bands and other orchestras around the area.^[1]

When he was 19, Bramwell Smith left Canada and moved to Washington, D.C. to join the US Marine Band as a trumpet soloist.^[1] While in DC, Bramwell Smith met Gil Mitchell who was the Principal Cornetist in The United States Army Band and had studied under Ernest Williams, a well known cornetist, and Leopold Stokowski as conductor of the New York Symphony Orchestra.^[2] Bramwell Smith left the Marine Band in 1957 to briefly returned to Canada to pursue a music career, but he was quickly persuaded back to return to the United States by Mitchell to join the United States Army Band.^[2]

In 1959 Bramwell Smith helped create the Repertory Brass Ensemble and also in that year, Bramwell Smith and his friend Mitchell co-created the United States Army Herald Trumpets^[1][2][3][4] Mitchell had previously formed a "small brass ensemble" to try to create more musical playing opportunities but this group never became a fully formed group.^[2] Bramwell Smith and Mitchell shared an interest in creating a group within the United States Army that could provide more splendor to the military ceremonies and they worked to persuade their commander Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Curry to authorize such a group.^[2]

Bramwell Smith and Mitchell had been well aware of the history of trumpeters who had been used for centuries to play "calls for battels and fanfares for royal ceremonial occasions."^[2] The group was "patterned after traditional British fanfare trumpet ensembles" and "coronation trumpets"^[3][4][2] The group consists of "trumpets, trombones, euphoniums and percussionists from the United States Army Ceremonial Band".^[2]

Mitchell had previously formed a "small brass ensemble" to try to create more musical playing opportunities but this group never became a fully formed group.

After the creation of the Herald Trumpets, which is subset of the The United States Army Band, the group gained immense prominence and became the "official fanfare ensemble for the President of the United States."^[3] The Herald Trumpets first official performance was in welcoming the Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II for her arrival to Chicago to celebrate the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway.^[3] Later, Bramwell Smith's son recalled that when the leader of the Army Band found out that the Herald Trumpets would be playing for the historic event, he demanded that he conduct the group instead of Mitchell, who was amused by the leaders new found interest in the group.^[2]

In April 1960, the Herald Trumpets had their first official event in Washington DC where they played for the official meeting of Charles de Gaulle and President Dwight D. Eisenhower by playing "Ruffles and Flourishes" and "Hail to the Chief".Mitchell described the event:

As President Eisenhower stepped from his car at Washington National Airport, the United States Army Herald Trumpets sounded “Four Ruffles and Flourishes” and “Hail to the Chief.” It was a brilliant scene…the historically emblazoned deep-throated rope tension drums and the long silver bells of the trumpets forming a perfect line with heraldic tabards glistening in the sunlight. The sound and picture were magnificent, and the inimitable broad grin on President Eisenhower’s face more than announced that from that day forth we were to be a regular part of official Washington ceremonies...This was the first time in the history of the Marine Band that they stood silent while another musical organization sounded honors for the President of the United States. Believe me, they did not take it lightly.^[2]

The Herald Trumpets also played "Ruffles and Flourishes" and a version of "Hail Columbia" during de Gaulle official departure which was attended by Vice President Vice President Richard Nixon and his wife Pat Nixon.^[4] It was at this departing event, that immediately after playing Pat Nixon ran over to Mitchell and asked what that "wonderful music" was and Mitchell gave a copy of the score to her.^[2] The next day Richard Nixon sent a letter to General Gailey, Commanding General of the Military District of Washington, stating:

I want to tell you how very thrilled Mrs. Nixon and I were by the salute played on the Herald Trumpets when honors were rendered to me on President de Gaulle's departure from the airport yesterday. There is nothing quite as stirring and inspirational as trumpet music on such an occasion and the musical score as conceived and arranged by Sgt. Gilbert Mitchell and Specialists Bramwell Smith and Raymond Kirby, could not have been more effective. I hope the Herald Trumpets will now become the standard part of the ceremonies when we welcome distinguished visitors to this country. It adds tremendously in color, drama and good music to such occasions and I wish you would extend my congratulations to the above-mentioned gentlemen...^[2]

The Herald Trumpets would go on to become the musical ensemble chiefly responsible for signaling the approach of the President of the United States at state occasions with entrance and exit fanfares.^[5] The Herald Trumpets is most widely seen at state and official arrival ceremonies at the White House where it performs three times in the order of events: first, "Ruffles and Flourishes" and "Hail to the Chief" for the arrival of the President of the United States; second, "Call to Statesmanship" for the arrival of the visiting head of state or chief of government; third, "Presidential Processional" as the President of the United States returns to the White House.^[6]

In 1960, Bramwell Smith had the honor to write and arrange his most played composition when he wrote "Fanfare, Processional, and Recessional" for the 1960 Presidential Inauguration of John F. Kennedy.^[1][2] The "Processional" section is "still played by the Herald Trumpets when performing at the White House for official presidential ceremonies."^[2] He would also compose a Presidential Recessional.^[1] Bramwell Smith was also a "music consultant for the White House".^[1]

Bramwell Smith completed his military enlistment in 1961, and then became chairman of the brass department of American University.^[2]

In 1967, Bramwell Smith came back to Canada where he served as the music director of the RCMP Band, holding the rank of superintendent, and would later direct the RCMP Centennial Review in 1973.^[1][2] He would hold that position until 1975.^[2]

Besides being a member of the Herald Trumpets, Bramwell Smith held various teaching positions including from 1962 to 1967 teaching at American University where he was also chairman of the brass and winds department; from 1978 to 1982 director of bands at Humber College in Toronto while also being the conductor of the Humber Concert Band from 1983 to 1986; and director of the concern band at the University of Toronto in 1987.^[1][2]

Bramwell Smith also worked with music companies while teaching becoming the head clinician for the company of Holton, who produced musical instruments, where he would conduct and play at university seminars on behalf of the company.^[1] He also later became an educational consultant for Yamaha of Canada from 1975 to 1978.^[1]

Brawmwell Smith held other interesting positions during his career including being a consultant to King Hassan II from 1982 to 1983 along with director of music for the Royal Moroccan Air Force Bands in Rabat, Morocco.^[1][2]

Bramwell Smith wrote "Training for reality," Music Journal, Jan 1965.^[1] Bramwell Smith music is recorded in seeral albums: as a soloist trumpet player on the album "Bram Smith and His Trumpet" in 1957 published on the Golden Crest ‎(CR 4012); as a conductor of the RCMP in “Dynamic Sound" in 1972 (Polydor 2917-068) and featured in the film “Artistry in Brass.”^[1][2]

Bramwell Smith's son, Sergeant Major William Bramwell Smith, III, would be taught by him and later studied in Toronto with Arnie Chycoski and Don Johnson. In 1974 Bramwell Smith, III, became a trumpeter with Nimmons 'N' Nine Plus Six.^[1] He also was "principal trumpet in the US Army Band" and was a "non-commissioned officer in charge (NCOIC) of the Herald Trumpets and performs the demanding high E-flat soprano part."^[4][1]

William Bramwell Smith Jr. died on August 4, 1993, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.^[1]