After five years, "The President's Own" United States Marine Band is returning to Warsaw.
The world-renown band will perform Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the Warsaw Community High School Tiger Den. Doors open at 6:45 p.m.
Free tickets will become available Sept. 8 at the WCHS PAC. There is a maximum of four tickets per person, and there is no reserve seating.The Times-Union is once again sponsoring the visit from the Marine Band.
The Marine band is only stopping in Indiana three times this year. They will be at Ball State University, Muncie, Oct. 7; Purdue University, Oct. 8; and Warsaw on Oct. 20.
According to the official Marine Band Web site, "For more than two centuries, the United States Marine Band has been part of events that have shaped the nation. Established by an Act of Congress in 1798, the Marine Band is America's oldest professional musical organization. Its primary mission is to provide music for the president of the United States and the commandant of the United States Marine Corps.
"Now in its third century, the Marine Band continues a tradition of excellence that earned the title 'The President's Own' from President Thomas Jefferson. Musicians are selected at auditions like those of major symphony orchestras, and they enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps for duty with the Marine Band only. Most members are graduates of the nation's finest music schools, and nearly 60 percent hold advanced degrees in music."
Some of the highlights of the band, according to the Web site, include:
On July 20, 2008, Maestro John Williams returned to the podium of "The President's Own" to celebrate its 210th anniversary. Performing for a capacity audience at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Williams once again led the band in a concert of his most beloved works.
On March 20, 2004, Minnesota Orchestra music director Osmo Vänskä conducted the band in a concert of legendary music for winds, including Igor Stravinsky's Symphonies of Wind Instruments.
On July 12, 2003, The Marine Band performed at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to celebrate its 205th anniversary in a concert featuring guest conductor John Williams, renowned composer of American film and concert works and laureate conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra.
In July 2001, "The President's Own" performed in Switzerland in conjunction with the 10th International Conference of the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles. Performances included a gala concert at the Luzern Culture and Convention Center, which featured the international premiere of David Rakowski's Ten of a Kind, later named a finalist for the 2001 Pulitzer Prize in Music.
On July 11, 1998, The Marine Band celebrated its 200th anniversary with a command performance at the White House and gala concert at the Kennedy Center attended by President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.
On May 24, 1998, The Marine Band became the only organization to be inducted into the inaugural class of the American Classical Music Hall of Fame in Cincinnati.
Marine Band musicians appear at the White House more than 300 times each year for events including South Lawn arrival ceremonies, State Dinners and receptions. These performances range from a solo harpist or chamber orchestra to a dance band or full concert band, making versatility essential for the members. Additionally, the band participates in more than 500 public and official performances annually. Each fall, the Marine Band travels through a region of the United States during its national concert tour, a century-old tradition initiated by John Philip Sousa, the Marine Band's legendary 17th director.
The Marine Band made its White House debut on New Year's Day, 1801, in a performance for President John Adams. In March of that year, the band performed for the inaugural of Thomas Jefferson, and has performed for every Presidential inaugural since. An accomplished musician himself, Jefferson recognized the unique relationship between the band and the chief executive by giving the Marine Band the title "The President's Own."
For more information on the Oct. 20 concert, call the WCHS PAC Box Office at 574-371-5099, Ext. 2374.
