On Saturday, Feb. 24, the Marine Band hosted its annual recital for the finalists of the 2017-18 Concerto Competition for High School Musicians at the John Philip Sousa Band Hall in Washington, D.C. President and CEO of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation Lt. Gen. Robert R. Blackman Jr., USMC (Ret) presented a $2,500 scholarship to the winner, tuba player Robert Black, who will return to Washington, D.C., on March 25 to perform as a soloist with the Marine Band. Runner up flutist Jennifer Wang received a $500 scholarship from the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation.

Black is a junior at Vernon Hills High School in Illinois. In 2017 he received an honorable mention for the Birch Creek Burton Concerto Competition Award, performed with the Illinois All-State Honors Orchestra, and was the winner of North Suburban Wind Ensemble Concerto Competition. From 2011-14 he received the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp Falcone Scholarship and he has performed in the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras for the past 6 years.

Link to photos