Hi, Randy--

So "Hands across the Sea" was dedicated to the Virginia Tech band!  
Thanks for sharing this valuable nugget of information.  Have you 
passed it along to the VT news office 
(http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/contact_us.php)?   I bet they'd be 
fascinated.  As you quite rightly point out, it's a poignantly timely 
discovery.

Best wishes --

-- Jurretta

On Aug 1, 2007, at 5:57 AM, Randy Cabell wrote:

> I have done some more research re Sousa and Virginia Tech.  It is an 
> amazing story.  The first VPI cadet band was organized about 1892, yet 
> by the early 20th century they were playing at various expositions 
> which were all the rage at that time.  They traveled to the Columbian 
> Exposition in Buffalo NY in 1901 where they performed Sousa's The 
> Thunderer.  He was so impressed with them, that he dedicated his 
> latest march to the band, and that was Hands Across the Sea.  Today, 
> in this time of mourning by all of us for the tragedy at Tech, I think 
> the dedication and the name of the march were prophetic, and give it a 
> special meaning in contemopary musical performances.
>