LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ -- Through his music and marches John Philip Sousa played a significant role in the shaping and defining of the United States' image in the early decades of this country.

Dr. Jerry Rife (left) of Trenton, professor of music at Rider University and an expert on Sousa, is involved in an intense study of the life and music of Sousa through the University's paid research leave program for faculty. He plans to write a scholarly book on Sousa.

Dr. Rife's earlier research on Sousa resulted in him serving as associate producer and director of music research for the 1992 documentary If You Knew Sousa, a 90-minute film for The American Experience series on PBS. Later that same year he produced a 30-minute film, With Song and Good Cheer, for State of the Arts on the New Jersey Network.

In the PBS documentary, people discovered much about Sousa, the composer and person, as well as the secrets of success behind his compositions, Dr. Rife said. That film also examined Sousa's band, which toured America and the world from 1892 to 1932.

For his book, Rife plans to include a complete biology, an analytical examination of Sousa's music, and an investigation of his impact on the formation of the United States' national image in the early decades of this century. "There are very few accurate monographs on Sousa and now scholarly treatments of his music," said Dr. Rife.

The Rider professor is conducting his research at the Library of Congress, the United States Marine Band Archives in Washington, the American Band Association's Research Center, and the University of Illinois. He will also work with William Rerhig and Paul Bierley, editors of the Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music.

Dr. Rife, who joined the Rider fine arts faculty in 1984, frequently performs classical and jazz clarinet at campus programs, and has directed the music for several Rider Theatre musical productions.

Off campus, he directs the highly regarded Blawenburg Band, led the jazz ensemble The Rhythm Kings, and regularly plays with the Dixie Devils.

He earned his Ph.D. in musicology from Michigan State University in 1986, received a M.M. degree in applied clarinet performance in 1973 and his B.S. degree in music education in 1972 from Kansas State University.