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Biography

Edward J. Madden was born in Derry, NH, after attending public schools there, Portland, Maine, and Manchester, NH, received advanced degrees in Music Education from the University of NH and Boston University. He studied composition with Robert Manton (a pupil of D’Indy), Dr. Hugo Norden, and Gardner Read (a student of Sibelius), trombone with John Coffey and conducting with Richard Burgin both of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

“His virtuosity is in his versatility” once remarked famous violist Raphael Hillyer (Julliard String Quartet) of Madden’s eclectic career as a performer, composer/arranger, conductor, and educator. In education, while residing in the Boston area, he was director of bands and orchestra at Brookline MA High School, held visiting professorships at the U of Alaska, Boston U. and the U of NH. Later with Alaska resident Jo Scott, co-founded the nationally known Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival where for 10 years he was artistic director, symphony orchestra conductor, instructor, and jazz trombone soloist.

A legendary Boston free lance trombone and piano artist he has performed with the orchestras of the Shubert, Colonial, and Wang Center theatres, the Ice Capades, Ice Follies, and even the Ringling Bros. Circus Band! Later formed “Music by Eddie Madden” a “Big Band” society dance orchestra for which he wrote all the arrangements, playing in the New England area, other parts of the country, and also playing with many famous show business personalities. In addition, he has been music director/arranger for 45 original Boston area musicals including those of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology “Tech Show” and Boston’s famous Vincent Club Show.

In 1957 A COLONIAL RHAPSODY, his initial work for concert band was published by Edward B. Marks Music Corporation. It soon became a classic in the band world and still appears on school, community, and All State band programs. Other works for band soon followed published by Marks and several other music houses. His prolific pen has also created original commissioned arrangements and compositions for “Big Bands”, acts, choral groups, orchestras and over 400 titles for the marching bands of Arizona State, Clemson, Brigham Young, Stephen F. Austin, Harvard and other universities. These latter have been heard in the Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and New York’s Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.

Ed Madden’s name is associated with music of high quality in all his chosen idioms. The remarkable characteristic of his writing is his concern for the dominance of melody and/or countermelody along with a penchant for a rich harmonic texture consistent with the classic or contemporary stylistic period in which the work is created. It is these qualities along with an uncommon freshness and orchestration that makes his music so appealing.

His passionate many faceted career has for many years left him little time to “market” his concert band works. Many were commissioned and performed in significant venues including Boston’s Symphony Hall and New York’s Carnegie Hall and while successful had remained unpublished. In 2006 COACH LANE MUSIC PUBLISHING CO. was established and has made available his complete catalog of works for concert band including those previously published by others for which he has retrieved all rights. He is an annual award winning member of ASCAP.

In 2005 Ed Madden and his wife Kathy have made their home in Fountain Hills, Arizona enjoying in passions such as playing in local music groups, and landscaping and gardening.