Marines TV

In celebration of the Marine Band's 215th anniversary, John Williams, the Academy Award-winning composer and conductor laureate of the Boston Pops, conducted the band in a fanfare he wrote specifically for the ensemble's anniversary. The work is aptly titled "For 'The President's Own.'" On July 3, 2013, the band rehearsed with Mr. Williams and recorded the new band work. Following the recording session, Marine Band Director Colonel Michael J. Colburn talked with Mr. Williams about the piece and his experience working with "The President's Own." Williams has a special relationship with "The President's Own," having conducted the group on its 2003 and 2008 anniversary concerts in Washington, D.C., and in 2009 during a tour concert at Royce Hall in Los Angeles.

On May 16, 1973, French horn player Ruth Johnson became the first woman to join the Marine Band. Available in high definition.

Conducted and created by Assistant Director Major Jason K. Fettig, the Marine Band presents its annual Young People's Concert: "Sound Off!" at 2 p.m., Sunday, April 14, 2013, at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center at Northern Virginia Community College in Alexandria, Va. The band will kick off the concert with familiar music from the movies then suddenly the sounds will disappear and the concert-goers must consider a world without any music at all. Throughout the concert, Maj. Fettig and the band will help the audience re-build sound from the ground up, exploring piece-by-piece the most important ingredients of the musical mixture, including melody, harmony, rhythm, and form. The band will provide the live soundtrack for improvised skits and spontaneous artwork created by young people and members of the audience during the show. It promises to be a fun-filled afternoon of musical discovery and a unique experience the entire family can share in together. The concert is free and no tickets are required.

Long before the legendary Sammy Nestico was arranging music for acclaimed artists such as Count Basie and Quincy Jones, he served as the Chief Arranger for the United States Marine Band. Although his career with "The President's Own" was only five years, the legacy of his talent continues to grow. Conducted by Marine Band Director Colonel Michael J. Colburn, the Marine Band, Marine Chamber Orchestra, and Marine Dance Band will perform the Living History concert titled "Simply Sammy" at 2 p.m., Sunday, April 14, 2013, at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center at Northern Virginia Community College in Alexandria, Va. The program will feature music that Sammy arranged or composed while he was a Marine Band member. The concert is free and no tickets are required.