Edmond Memorial’s Historic Brass Band 

Tanner Morgan is the director of America’s only Historic Brass Band for high schoolers. His student musicians play authentic songs from the Civil War––on instruments that date from the 1860s and 1870s! 

“These instruments are old, and fragile, and could belong in a museum,” said Morgan. “Some have been in attics for a century, but now I maintain them to keep them in playing condition. The students, selected from the school’s band leadership team, take this very seriously. They know the history of each instrument and protect them by wearing white gloves when playing them.” 

Morgan is the head band director at his alma mater, Edmond Memorial High School, but the Civil War instruments are from his personal collection. “I tell the students that if something breaks, I’ll fix it, but I remind them if an instrument is destroyed, my investment in history is lost forever,” Morgan said. “Some of these instruments don’t even exist anymore.” 

His favorite instrument is an E-flat Over-the-Shoulder Bass Saxhorn. “During the Civil War, every regimental army had a band that marched in front of the soldiers. The troops in the back couldn’t hear well, so a family of instruments was invented with the bells pointing backward. The design became unnecessary after the war, so it’s now a very rare instrument––but it’s highly likely that mine was played during the Civil War.” 

Morgan’s love for historic instruments stems from his childhood captivation with model trains. “My dad and I share a hobby of tinkering with model steam engines, which led to grandfather clocks and player pianos,” Morgan said. “The same skills, like silver soldering, also apply to keeping musical instruments in tip-top shape.” 

Inspired By History 

As a student at the University of Central Oklahoma, Morgan was inspired by music historian, Dr. Ted Honea, who invited Morgan to spearhead a period-specific ensemble. The idea stalled during Covid-19, and then Dr. Honea retired—but Morgan’s interest in old musical instruments continued. He had a small collection of early-1900s instruments, so he started a Victorian Ensemble at his first teaching position in Harrah Public Schools. 

“I’m so proud Tanner Morgan went on with this concept,” said Dr. Honea. “And I’m amazed by these high schoolers. It’s incredibly difficult to get these old instruments in tune together.” 

Dr. Honea donated some of his historical instruments to further Morgan’s cause, and Morgan’s wife, Kaitlyn, the band director at Central Middle School, added from her collection. “Between the two of us, we now own about 100 instruments,” Morgan said. 

When Morgan was hired at Edmond Memorial in 2022, he expanded on the Victorian concept by adding a Saxhorn Band, focused on the civil war period. “Playing musical repertoire from the past is the closest thing to a time machine that you can achieve,” Morgan said. “Original music played on original instruments creates authentic sound, so audiences are hearing how the music would have sounded to President Lincoln himself!” 

The Edmond High School Historical Brass Band is now two years old, and the musicians are earning both admiration and superior contest ratings. “It’s like magic watching people light up as they witness historical music. It’s why I wanted to be a teacher,” Morgan said. “These Civil War instruments are like living machines, taking audiences back in time.” 

“I believe these students will carry this experience with them their whole life,” Dr. Honea said. “That’s what music education is supposed to do—give people something for life.”