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Marine Chamber Orchestra: The Darkness and the Light - Sunday, March 24 at 2 p.m. - One of the most striking elements of music is its power to communicate opposites of emotion, and the experience of moving between those emotions. The unique collection of works on this program embodies the visceral journey between these disparate feelings, as well as a virtual journey through the environments of the dark and the light. Michael Gilbertson was a Pulitzer- Prize finalist in music in 2018 and composed his creative concerto for woodwind quintet and chamber orchestra in 2016. Entitled The Cosmos, the work explores the wonders and phenomena of our universe. Paired with this new work is a staple in the solo repertoire, Sergei Prokofiev’s stunning first concerto for piano. The concert concludes with one of the greatest symphonies in the history of classical music, Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 4. Composed when Schubert was only 19 years old and subtitled Tragic by the composer, the Fourth Symphony of the great Austrian prodigy captures the essence of the emotional darkness and light found in music.. The concert, which will take place at Northern Virginia Community College's Schlesinger Concert Hall in Alexandria, is free and no tickets are required.

Chamber Music Series - Sunday, March 17 at 2 p.m. - Several string ensembles will perform various chamber works. The concert, which will take place at John Philip Sousa Band Hall at the Marine Barracks Annex, is free and no tickets are required.

Marine Band: Anthems - Monday, March 11 at 7:30 p.m. -This year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of the great American poet, author, and patriot Walt Whitman. The essence of much of Whitman’s work may be captured within the word “anthem.” His language was one of praise, whether praise for music, for heroism, for nature, or for the human spirit. Whitman observed and elevated common events around him as defining elements of the American experience and celebrated them as virtues in his remarkable prose. In celebration of this special anniversary, the Marine Band has partnered with the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation and the Choral Arts Society of Washington to commission a new work for chorus and band from American composer Dominick DiOrio based on Whitman’s works. Along with the world première of DiOrio’s Silent Moves the Symphony True, the program includes substantial works that also serve as anthems in diverse and interesting ways, culminating with one of the very first symphonies composed for wind band, Hector Berlioz’s monumental Symphonie funèbre et triomphale. The Choral Arts Society of Washington joins the Marine Band for this very special gala concert at the Music Center at Strathmore. Free tickets are required and available at Strathmore.org.

Marine Chamber Orchestra: Musical Firsts - Sunday, March 3 at 2 p.m. - From two different centuries and very different worlds, Sergei Prokofiev and Georges Bizet both wrote their first symphonies while students, Prokofiev at the St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1917, and Bizet at the Conservatoire de Paris in 1855. While already an established composer, Johann Nepomuk Hummel followed Joseph Haydn in composing a trumpet concerto for a well-known Viennese virtuoso, and has since become one of the most performed works for trumpet. Hear these contrasting musical firsts in our first performance at the Ernst Theater in Northern Virginia Community College’s Annandale campus. The concert is free and no tickets are required.

Chamber Music Series - Sunday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. - Coordinated by trumpeter Staff Sgt. Robert Bonner, the concert will feature various ensembles formed by members of "The President's Own" performing unique selections, including a violin and piano duo; brass ensembles; a trombone quartet; and woodwind and string ensembles. The concert, which is free and open to the public, will take place at John Philip Sousa Band Hall in southeast Washington, D.C., and stream live on the Marine Band website.

Marine Band Concert: Signs and Symbols - Sunday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m. - This program takes its inspiration from the deeper meaning expressed in certain fascinating symbols and signs found in the everyday world. From the American patriotism embodied by the form of the eagle and the ancient religious meaning imbued in other animals, to the symbolism found in poetry and song, the collection of new and classic works on this concert explore the way in which music brings these signs and symbols to life. The second half of the program is dedicated to the colorful music of Spanish composer Manuel de Falla and his beautifully crafted ballet The Three-Cornered Hat, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. The concert, which is free and open to the public, will take place at Northern Virginia Community College's Schlesinger Concert Hall in Alexandria. Cover images credit: Pablo Picasso / Original Set and Costume Designs for the Ballet The Three-Cornered Hat

Concerto Competition Finals - Saturday, Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. - Five high school students from around the nation were selected for the final round of the Marine Band Concerto Competition, presented as a recital open to the public. The winner will receive a $2,500 scholarship, presented by the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, and perform his or her solo with the Marine Band in concert on March 31. The recital, which is free and no tickets required, will take place at John Philip Sousa Band Hall in southeast Washington, D.C. and will live stream on the Marine Band website.

Marine Band Concert: Portraits - Sunday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m. - From Don Quichotte, Dulcinee, and Desi Arnaz to Sir Edward Elgar’s “friends pictured within” his magnum opus, this concert paints a series of musical portraits culminating in the renowned Enigma Variations, which celebrates its 120th anniversary this year. The gallery will also feature James Syler’s new work Love Among the Ruins for viola, winds, and percussion, inspired by Robert Browning’s riveting poem of the same name. The concert, which is free and open to the public, will take place at Northern Virginia Community College's Schlesinger Concert Hall in Alexandria.

Marine Chamber Orchestra: Beethoven's First Symphony - Sunday, Jan. 27 at 2 p.m. - With his First Symphony, Ludwig van Beethoven established himself as the heir of the Classical symphony. This bold offering made clear the composer’s adventurous appetite to expand and develop the genre, taking it to heights never before imagined. The program will also feature Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for oboe, clarinet, horn, and bassoon, as well as Felix Mendelssohn’s mysterious and captivating Hebrides Overture, also known as “Fingal’s Cave.” A horn quartet will offer pre-concert music in the lobby beginning at 1:15 p.m. The concert, which is free, will take place at Northern Virginia Community College's Schlesinger Concert Hall in Alexandria.

Chamber Music Series - Sunday, Jan. 20 at 2 p.m. - Coordinated by co-principal flute Master Sgt. Elisabeth Plunk, this concert will feature several different ensembles formed by members of “The President’s Own,” including a string quartet; a brass quintet; a marimba quartet; a clarinet, piano, and vocal trio; and a gypsy jazz ensemble featuring violin, bass, guitar, and accordion. The concert, which is free, will take place in John Philip Sousa Band Hall at the Marine Barracks Annex in Washington, DC.

Marine Band Concert: My Hands Are a City - Sunday, Jan. 13 at 2 p.m. - Jonathan Newman’s Symphony No. 1, My Hands Are a City is a musical depiction of the nation, specifically New York, through the lens of mid-20th century “beat” artists. The historic city of Vienna inspired Franz von Suppé’s Overture, depicting scenes throughout the day in this musical gem. British composer Adam Gorb’s Adrenaline City Overture is inspired by 21st century life in London, both stressful and vibrant, while Aaron Copland’s Quiet City displays the moments of solitude and quiet that inhabitants are capable of stealing away during a late night in the city. A string quartet will offer pre-concert music in the lobby beginning at 1:15 p.m. The concert, which is free, will take place at Northern Virginia Community College's Schlesinger Concert Hall in Alexandria.