United States Marine Band to Play Free Concert in State College

Update Sept. 27: Tickets for the concert are now sold out. 

The nation’s oldest continuously active professional musical organization is coming to State College to perform a free concert.

‘The President’s Own’ United States Marine Band will play at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 4 in the State College Area High School North Building auditorium. Free tickets are required for admission and can be obtained here. 

The band was established by an act of Congress in 1798. In addition to its mission is to provide music for the President of the United States and Commandant of the Marine Corps, the band gives hundreds of public performances each year and is currently on a 28-concert tour spanning 10 states.

After first performing at Thomas Jefferson’s inauguration in 1801, it is believed the band has performed at every Presidential Inauguration since. According to the band’s official history, it was Jefferson who recognized the unique relationship between the band and the presidency and gave it the name ‘The President’s Own.’

On its 2017 tour, the Marine Band, under the direction of Col. Jason K. Fettig, is performing a blend of popular and patriotic works, along with virtuoso solos, orchestral transcriptions and original music for concert band. All performances open with a fanfare and march and conclude with John Philip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever” and a salute to our Armed Forces. Sousa was the band’s 17th director and began the touring tradition in 1891.

Fettig is the band’s 28th director, after joining as a clarinetist in 1997. He became director in 2014 and in that role he is the music adviser to the White House and regularly conducts the Marine Band and Marine Chamber Orchestra at the Execu­tive Mansion and at all Presidential Inaugurations.

The band includes among its musicians two vocalists and concert moderators — Master Sergeant Kevin Bennear and Gunnery Sergeant Sara Sheffield.