News

Wolf Trap Summer Blast Off - Join “The President’s Own” on Memorial Day weekend and mark the beginning of summer with the annual concert at Wolf Trap. This year’s program is once again packed with great American music, from rousing marches and patriotic classics to a dazzling tribute to Louis Armstrong and the traditional performance of Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s iconic 1812 Overture. The world of Broadway will be well represented with musical selections from Leonard Bernstein’s famous West Side Story in celebration of the centennial of his birth and a musical revue from the Rodgers and Hammerstein hit Oklahoma!, which first opened to great acclaim 75 years ago. This Memorial Day musical showcase is capped with one of the best fireworks displays of the year. Don’t miss a one-of-a-kind Washington event! Free, no tickets required.

Sunday, May 20 at 2 p.m. - Sunday, May 20 at 2 p.m. - Coordinated by violinist Staff Sgt. Christopher Franke, this concert will feature a variety of string ensembles formed by members of “The President’s Own” Marine Chamber Orchestra, including a cello and piano duo; string quintet; and string quartet. The performance is free and open to the public and will take place in John Philip Sousa Band Hall at the Marine Barracks Annex. It will also stream live on the Marine Band website.

Marine Band Concert: Leonard Bernstein Centennial Celebration - Sunday, May 13 at 2 p.m. - Sunday, May 13 at 2 p.m. - The year 2018 marks the 100th year of the birth of the great American conductor, composer, and educator Leonard Bernstein. From his featured conducting debut with the New York Philharmonic in 1943 that catapulted him into the spotlight, to his emotional, final performance with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at the Tanglewood Music Center just a few months before his death in 1990, Bernstein left a mark on the orchestral world that has not been surpassed by any other American conductor. This concert highlights several fascinating moments in Bernstein’s phenomenal career as both a composer and conductor and pays tribute to the creativity and originality of a true American musical icon. The concert, which is free and open to the public, will take place in Northern Virginia Community College's Schlesinger Concert Hall in Alexandria, Va.

Sunday, May 6 at 2 p.m. - Sunday, May 6 at 2 p.m. - Coordinated by oboe and English horn player Gunnery Sgt. Joseph DeLuccio, this concert will feature several different ensembles formed by members of “The President’s Own,” including a brass quintet; string duo; oboe and strings quartet; and various other small wind ensembles. The performance is free and open to the public and will take place in John Philip Sousa Band Hall at the Marine Barracks Annex. It will also stream live on the Marine Band website.

Marine Band Concert: Fair Winds and Following Seas - Sunday, April 29 at 2 p.m. - Sunday, April 29 at 2 p.m. - After 20 years of inspired service, nearly 14 as Assistant Director, Maj. Michelle A. Rakers will make her final appearance with the United States Marine Band during this concert. Maj. Rakers joined “The President’s Own” in 1998 as a trumpeter/cornetist and was appointed an Assistant Director in 2004, the first female conductor in Marine Band history. This engaging program is filled with some of her favorite works, opening with a new transcription of Joan Tower’s Made in America. The program continues with the music of Percy Grainger, Samuel Barber, Leonard Bernstein, and Kent Kennan’s Trumpet Sonata. Don’t miss Maj. Rakers’ final performance with “The President’s Own” as we wish her fair winds and following seas. The concert, which is free and open to the public, will take place in Northern Virginia Community College's Schlesinger Concert Hall in Alexandria, Va.

Sunday, April 22 at 2 p.m. - Sunday, April 22 at 2 p.m. - Coordinated by clarinetist Staff Sgt. Meaghan Kawaller, this concert will feature several different ensembles formed by members of “The President’s Own,” including a brass trio; string duo; clarinet, vocal, and piano trio; and a quintet for violin, cello, bass clarinet, marimba, and piano. The performance is free and open to the public and will take place in John Philip Sousa Band Hall at the Marine Barracks Annex. It will also stream live on the Marine Band website.

2018 March Mania Winner - Commando March by Samuel Barber was the 2018 "Sousa's March Mania" winner.

Young People's Concert: Let's Sing, Sing a Song - Sunday, April 15 at 2 p.m. - Sunday, April 15 at 2 p.m. - For nearly 50 years, Bob McGrath educated, entertained, and inspired generations of children from America’s most inviting neighborhood: Sesame Street. Mr. McGrath joins the Marine Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Capt. Ryan J. Nowlin, for a special concert of classic songs and sing-a-longs from his extraordinary musical and educational career as an original Sesame Street cast member. This 50-minute concert is best suited for kids ages 3-8, but all are welcome. After the performance, children are invited to try instruments in the musical petting zoo and meet Bob after the show for photos and autographs. The concert, which is free and open to the public, will take place in Northern Virginia Community College's Schlesinger Concert Hall in Alexandria, Va.

The Complete Marches of John Philip Sousa Vol. 4 - The President’s Own” United States Marine Band is pleased to announce the release of its fourth volume of “The Complete Marches of John Philip Sousa.” This multi-year recording project, initiated by Director Col. Jason K. Fettig, is the Marine Band’s first comprehensive collection of Sousa’s marches since the 1970s. The collection is in chronological order, and Volume 4 contains 20 marches, covering the years 1899 to 1916, a period that produced such popular marches as “Hands Across the Sea,” “Hail to the Spirit of Liberty,” and “The Fairest of the Fair.” Volumes 1–4 are currently available for free download exclusively on the Marine Band website, along with full PDF scores and parts, scrolling videos, and historical notes about each piece.

Sunday, April 8 at 2 p.m. - Marine Band Concert: The Dream Hour - Sunday, April 8 at 2 p.m. - This Living History concert celebrates one of the longest running programs in radio history, NBC’s “The Dream Hour,” which began in 1922 and continued through the 1940s. The original program featuring the Marine Band was created for shut-ins, and musical selections were largely determined by patrons sending in requests. In celebration of its 220th anniversary, the Marine Band once again presents one of its popular live re-enactments of these famous broadcasts from the Golden Age of radio. The program features Robert Aubry Davis of WETA radio as guest moderator for this mix of music and memories from yesteryear. Free parking in lots 1B and Z. The performance is free and open to the public and will take place in Dekelboum Concert Hall at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland in College Park.

Sunday, March 25 at 2 p.m. - Marine Band Concert: For "The President's Own" - Sunday, March 25 at 2 p.m. - Throughout the 220-year history of the organization, the United States Marine Band has commissioned and premièred new compositions, transcriptions, and arrangements from the pens of such legendary composers as Gustav Holst and John Williams. Many of these time-honored works have made their way into the standard repertoire of concert bands the world over. Featuring a special guest-conducting appearance by the band’s 25th Director, Col. John R. Bourgeois, USMC (ret.), join the Marine Band for a concert of music written especially for “The President’s Own.” The program will also feature a special guest soloist: the winner of the Marine Band 2018 Concerto Competition. The performance is free and open to the public and will take place in Schlesinger Concert Hall at Northern Virginia Community College in Alexandria.