The United States Marine Band

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

The United States Marine Band is the premier ensemble of the United States Marine Corps. Congress established the band on 11 July 1798, making it the oldest American military band and the oldest professional musical organisation in the country. Since 1801 it has carried the nickname The President's Own. This arose when President John Adams invited the band to play at the presidential palace on New Year's Day, and Thomas Jefferson asked for it for his inauguration. Since then the band has played at every American presidential inauguration.

Music and breakthrough

The band plays some five hundred times a year, at state funerals, state visits, White House dinners, parades and concerts. On summer Friday evenings it performs at the parades at the Marine Barracks in Washington. The group has about 130 members, who apply through a rigorous audition and serve four years as service members, but do not have to go through basic training. Besides the main band there is a chamber orchestra and there are smaller ensembles. Every autumn the band goes on a tour of the country, a tradition that began in 1891.

Influence

The most famous leader was the composer John Philip Sousa. During his time as director he wrote marches such as Semper Fidelis, and led the band in the late nineteenth century. In this way the Marine Band has contributed to the repertoire of the American march and to popular wind music.

Listening