For ‘The President’s Own’ Marine Band every tour date ‘is like a special event’

This year marks the 225th anniversary of one of the nation’s oldest musical institutions: “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band.

Founded in 1798 by an act of Congress, the Marine Band is the only musical entity whose primary mission is to provide music for the president of the United States. 

On March 4, 1801, the Marine Band performed at the inauguration of  Thomas Jefferson and has done so for every presidential inaugural since then. Regarded as the “godfather” of the Marine Band, Jefferson also is credited with originating the title of “The President’s Own.” 

In October, “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band will begin a fall tour, with a Chicago stop at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 21 in a Symphony Center Presents Special Concert. Tickets are free but must be reserved in advance beginning Sept. 25 at cso.org.

The band’s music director, Col. Jason Fettig, recently spoke about the upcoming tour and the state of band music in America. An edited version of the conversation follows:

How do you put together the program for a Marine Band concert? 

There’s certainly a shape to it. We have a huge range of constituents and venues, and we try to be sure that the music fits all of those different environments. There will be a healthy dose of patriotic music and Sousa marches, but we also present symphonic band and orchestra repertoire. We’ll have a virtuoso cornet solo, which was a staple of band concerts in Sousa’s era. We’ll play a piece that we commissioned, Fanfare for Democracy by Jim Stephenson, which was premiered at President Biden’s inauguration. We’ll have a vocalist. And we’ll do [the] “Star Wars” [theme] by John Williams, who has had a long association with the Marine Band. 

Is there a difference in approach between wind ensembles, with one on a part, and bands, with multiple players on a part? 

Wind ensembles were born from the orchestra tradition, in the mid-20th century. Our tradition is from the 19th and early 20th century, with a more symphonic, organ-like sound. It’s a different skill set. 

Most of your players come from conservatories that train musicians to play in orchestras. Is there an adjustment to playing in the Marine Band? 

Yes, there’s a learning curve, but it’s a wonderful process. When I came into the band as a clarinetist, I had to adjust my own playing to be part of a section, and it expanded my musicianship. 

How do you keep it fresh for musicians who have made a career of the Marine Band? 

Every member of the organization gets an opportunity to grow. If they want to learn a new skill, or even a new instrument, there are places to do it. Our principal bassoon also plays the pennywhistle in our Irish band. We needed a guitar, and one of our musicians learned guitar. The White House requires so many different kinds of music, we rely on our members to step up. They can also work on administration, tour coordination, all kinds of things you couldn't imagine in conservatory. 

What's the process of commissioning new music? 

That’s part of our identity. There are so few professional bands in this country so that championing living composers is a responsibility. I’m always on the lookout. We’ll approach established orchestra composers who haven’t written for band, and we have competitions where we call for scores from young composers. Between the band and the chamber orchestra, we average three to five premieres a year. 

The major work on an orchestra program is usually 30 or 45 minutes long, but an equivalent band work is usually 10 or 15 minutes. Does that aspect limit composers of new band music? 

That has been changing over the last 30 years or so, as band music is being taken more seriously as an art form. But the potpourri program is traditional. As much as I love Mahler, that’s a substantial cultural meal to eat, and it’s not for everyone. We gather a wider audience with diverse programming. 

Most major American cities have a full-time professional orchestra. Do you have any theories about why there is not similar support for bands? 

It often comes down to money. Military bands don’t have to focus on ticket sales. We only serve the public. There’s a robust system of collegiate bands, and there are a lot of small civic bands that are nonprofits, with volunteer musicians. Believe me, there’s nothing I’d love more than to have more professional bands in this country. There’s a place for it in the culture. It would just take money to sustain it. 

Do you get annoyed when people assume that band is only for educational purposes?  

All music has the opportunity to educate, but so much of the band community is in the school system. Our work in the Marine Band is partly to break that idea. Music is music. It’s an emotional connection. But education is a byproduct. Playing in a group teaches you to work together, compromise, be vulnerable. It’s why so many musicians succeed in other fields. 

You perform in a wide variety of settings on tour. What’s it like to be in a place like Orchestra Hall? 

Every night on tour feels like a special event. If we’re playing in a high school gym, there’s an intimacy that’s wonderful to feel. But the first time we played in Orchestra Hall, five years ago, the audience was electric. It’ll be wonderful to share that experience with that crowd. The line between orchestra and band is getting fuzzier. We play each other’s music, we use each other’s halls. The Chicago Symphony has been so gracious to invite us into their hall, and we’re so grateful to partner with them.