Trumpet and Cornet Player Staff Sergeant James McAloon Jr. of Williamstown, N.J., joined “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band in August 2023.

Staff Sgt. McAloon began his musical instruction on trumpet at age 4. After graduating from Williamstown High School in 2015, he earned a bachelor’s degree in trumpet performance from the University of Hartford in 2019. He then completed a master’s degree in trumpet performance in 2022 from Rice University. His teachers included Kevin Cobb and Phil Snedecor of the University of Hartford and Charlie Geyer and Barbara Butler from Rice University.

Prior to joining the Marine Band, Staff Sgt. McAloon performed with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Lucerne Festival Academy in 2018, substituted with the Houston Grand Opera, and performed at the Spoleto Arts Festival and Taipei Music Academy and Festival.

Staff Sgt. McAloon performs with the Marine Band and Marine Chamber Orchestra at the White House, in the Washington, D.C., area, and across the country during the band’s annual concert tour.