User:Joseph Setorius/Caesar LaMonaca

Caesar LaMonaca (1887-1983) was the director of the Caesar LaMonaca band which began performing concerts in 1926 for the city of Hollywood, Florida. After a hurricane hit the city of Hollywood, Caesar was hired by the city of Miami. His band gave concerts at Bayfront Park from 1928 until 1978. During his final concert he fell from the podium and broke his hip. Born in San Severo, Italy he came to the United States in 1901, to continue a carrer in music already begun at a very young age. After touring with various ensembles, he came to Miami in the early 1920s to conduct a band at the Roman Pools and by 1926 was director of the Hollywood, Florida municipal band. LaMonaca accepted an offer to return to Miami in 1926 and in 1929, he became director of the Harvey Seeds American Legion Post band, which he led for twenty years. In 1931, he formed the Greater Miami Boys Drum and Bugle Corps, which he headed until 1955. From 1946 to 1955, he also organized and directed a youth symphony that performed twice during the summer months at the Bayfront Park bandshell while his symphonic band was on hiatus.