Arrangement
The collection is organized into two series: Series 1, Music; and Series 2, Photographs and Ephemera. Series 1 consists of two Sub-Series: Sub-Series 1, Music Manuscripts; and Sub-Series 2, Published Music.Each of these Sub-Series is organized alphabetically by composer. Whenever possible, an identification of the format of the music for each title (i.e. full score, condensed score, piano score and parts) has been noted with the corresponding abbreviations, FS, CS, PS, PA. Series 2 is organized alphabetically by subject.
Biographical Note
Dr. Mark R. Foutch was born in Oklahoma City, Oklaohoma on July 22, 1922, the son of Mark R. and Grace Wormood Foutch Sr. He began his music studies at an early age. He attended Springfield, Illinois schools as a child and eventually received his optometry degree in 1947 from Monroe College of Optometry. He was a World War II veteran and practiced optometry in Central Illinois for his entire career. Foutch played in various professional and community bands around the United States before forming his own commercial ensemble, "The Mark Foutch Brass Band", which he led from 1954 to 1977. The band was based in Champaign, Illinois and performed concerts in the the style of the "John Philip Sousa Band." In addition he served as the director of the Ansar Temple Shrine Jazz Band out of Springfield, Illinois. Foutch died on November 6, 2002 and was buried in Champaign, Illinois' Mount Hope Cemetery.