Photos

This concert will no be impacted by the government shutdown. Sunday, Jan. 6 at 2 p.m. - John Philip Sousa re-entered the service of his country at the age of 64, joining the U.S. Navy during World War I to train bands at the Great Lakes Naval Center outside of Chicago. When the end of the Great War came with the Armistice in November of 1918, Sousa returned to his status as one of the foremost bandleaders and composers in America and his famous Sousa Band resumed touring. The 1919 tour took the band coast to coast with Sousa’s signature musical program mix. But after the Armistice, the concerts also included references to the losses of war and the need for the country to come together to heal. This year’s Sousa Season Opener largely takes its inspiration from this first post-War tour and Sousa’s return to the podium to share his unique brand of musicianship with Americans across the nation. The concert, which is free and no tickets required, will take place at George Mason University's Center for the Arts Concert Hall in Fairfax, Va.