John R. Bledsoe
Commander, United States Navy (Retired)

John Richard Bledsoe is a native of Miami, Florida, where he began his professional career as a french horn instrumentalist while attending the University of Miami. After enlisting in the Navy in 1958 he was assigned to duties with bands in the US Sixth Fleet and elsewhere. From 1963-67 he performed with the concert band of the US Navy Band in Washington, DC, and served as the band's drum major. Following duty as an enlisted bandmaster in the Atlantic Fleet, he was promoted to officer status and returned to Washington as Director, Sea Chanters. Subsequent tours of duty included assignments in the Bureau of Naval Personnel and with the Office of Navy Information.

Between September 1975 and January 1979 he was Leader, US Naval Academy Band, Annapolis, MD. Additional Navy assignments were as Leader, Navy Band Orlando; Executive Officer, School of Music, Norfolk, VA; and as Director, Atlantic Fleet Band, Norfolk, VA. He retired from the Navy in 1990 with the permanent rank of commander.

While at the Naval Academy, he instituted the practice of presenting concerts on a regular series basis, with winter and summer seasons. To honor the Bicentennial of the United States, in 1976 the Naval Academy Band, in conjunction with the City of Annapolis, founded the present series of summer concerts at the city dock. During the same period, what has become the band's annual "side-by-side" concert was begun to showcase the talents of local high school musicians.

In the years since leaving the Navy he has pursued academic interests as Professor of Humanities at Valencia Community College, Orlando, FL. His earned degrees are Bachelor of Arts in Music (The University of the State of New York, Albany); Master of Arts in Humanities (Old Dominion University, Norfolk); Doctor of Philosophy (Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL). His interest in medieval and Renaissance music and the historicism of military ceremonies led to his authorship of Rituals of Kingship and Homage: The Jacobean Court Masque.

HISTORY