The Concert

THE PERFORMERS

“A Capitol Fourth” 2013 features performances from some of America's best known celebrities and musical artists:

• Tom Bergeron
• Barry Manilow
• Candice Glover
• Scotty McCreery
• Darren Criss
• Jackie Evancho
• Megan Hilty
• John Williams
• The National Symphony Orchestra
• Maestro Jack Everly
• United States Army Presidential Salute Battery
• Choral Arts Society of Washington
• U.S. Army Herald Trumpets
• U.S. Army Ceremonial Band
• Military District of Washington

Tom Bergeron

Two-time Emmy Award-winning host, Tom Bergeron always guarantees his audience a fun and memorable evening with his wit and humor. Bergeron hosts ABC’s hit “Dancing with the Stars”and “America’s Funniest Videos,” and, in 2009, he had more prime time hours on TV than any other host. Vying for honors as the busiest man in TV, Bergeron released his first book “I’m Hosting as Fast as I Can! Zen and the Art of Staying Sane in Hollywood” to rave reviews.  Bergeron began his broadcasting career in 1972 in his hometown of Haverhill, Massachusetts. He spent over a decade with WBZ-TV in Boston, hosting a number of popular shows. In 1994, he became host of “Breakfast Time”on FX, which morphed into “Fox After Breakfast” when it moved to the FOX network. He became a fill-in anchor on “Good Morning America” in 1997 before he segued to “Hollywood Squares” in 1998. While hosting “Hollywood Squares,” Bergeron kept busy as a fill-in anchor on CBS' “The Early Show” and hosted “Supper Club” for Planet Green. He can now be seen hosting ABC's “America's Funniest Home Videos” and ABC's #1 hit “Dancing with the Stars” and continues to be a guest correspondent for “Good Morning America.”He has been chosen as one of the first class of inductees to the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame at Massosoit College. In between projects, Bergeron has hosted everything from the “60th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards”and “Miss America Pageant,” to the “33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards,”and the“Academy Of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation’s 28th College Television Awards Gala.”Bergeron spends a lot of his free time volunteering his services for several charity events. He was the national celebrity spokesperson for March of Dimes March for Babies, and was awarded their March of Dimes Special President’s Award for Volunteer Excellence. He’s has also been involved in the Muscular Dystrophy Association and acted as the host of the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon.  Bergeron is a confessed gym rat, working out 4-5 days a week with a trainer. He also enjoys running and riding his bike on the beach. He splits his time between Connecticut and California, and lives with his wife and two daughters.

Barry Manilow

With worldwide sales of more than 80 million records, Barry Manilow’s success is a benchmark in popular music. His concerts sell out instantly. He is ranked as the top Adult Contemporary chart artist of all time, according to R&R (Radio & Records) and Billboard Magazines. Rolling Stone crowned him “a giant among entertainers… the showman of our generation,” but it was Frank Sinatra who summed up Manilow best when Ol’ Blue Eyes told the British press, “He’s next.”

Manilow’s roots are in his native Brooklyn, where music was an integral part of his life. By the age of seven, he was taking accordion lessons and playing on a neighbor’s piano. He attended New York College of Music and the Julliard School of Music while working in the mailroom at CBS. He subsequently became musical director for CBS, which led to a lucrative sideline on New York’s advertising jingle circuit.

In 1971, Barry Manilow met Bette Midler and became her music director, arranger, and pianist.  Three years later, Clive Davis famously brought Manilow a recent U.K. hit rock song entitled “Brandy” (by its writer Scott English). Manilow, using his arranging and producing abilities, changed the rock song into the sweeping ballad and changed the title to “Mandy.” The Arista single reached #1 in early 1975, becoming a worldwide hit, igniting one of the most incandescent careers in pop music history.

Manilow would describe himself as a musician before he would call himself a singer. From the beginning, his love of music was, and still is, in arranging, composing, and songwriting, all of which are evident in his latest album – his first original album in 10 years, “15 MINUTES.” More than two years in the making, Manilow produced the recording with Michael Lloyd and reunited with lyricist Enoch Anderson for the June 14, 2011 release. Inspired by the Andy Warhol quote:  “In the future, everybody will be world famous for fifteen minutes,” this edgy, guitar-driven pop album is a captivating musical odyssey exploring the perils and pinnacles of fame’s double edged sword. Since its release, “15 MINUTES” has seen great success; the album debuted at #7 on the Billboard Top 200, and #1 on the Independent Chart. 

On May 12, 2012, Manilow released “Live in London,” his highest charting live album since 1974. This album features several of his most popular hits, including "Can't Smile Without You,""Mandy," and "Copacabana (At The Copa)." “Live in London” has seen great success, earning the #1 spot on Billboard’s Top Internet Albums, #5 Indie Albums, and #24 of Billboard's Top 200.

Manilow is ranked as the top Adult Contemporary chart artist of all time, according to R&R (Radio & Records), with 50 Top 40 Hits. The list includes all-time favorites that Manilow still sings today: “Mandy,” “It’s A Miracle,” “Could It Be Magic,” “I Write the Songs,” “Tryin’ To Get the Feeling Again,” “This One’s For You,” “Weekend In New England,” “Looks Like We Made It,” “Can’t Smile Without You,” “Even Now,” and the Grammy Award-winning “Copacabana (At the Copa).”  All of these songs (and more) were anthologized on the commemorative 1992 four-CD boxed-set, “Barry Manilow: The Complete Collection and Then Some.”

A winner of Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Awards, Manilow’s film credits include the Oscar-nominated song “Ready To Take A Chance Again” (from 1978’s “Foul Play”), the production of Bette Midler’s “Perfect Isn’t Easy” (from Walt Disney’s “Oliver and Company”), and writing and scoring the soundtracks for the animated features “Thumbelina” and “The Pebble and the Penguin.”

Manilow recently completed his critically acclaimed run on New York’s Great White Way. “Manilow On Broadway” was met with overwhelming critical praise and audience appreciation from the consistently sold-out crowds. In 2013, Manilow will be taking “Manilow On Broadway” to venues across the country.

Manilow was inducted into the National Academy of Popular Music’s Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002, alongside Ashford & Simpson, Michael Jackson, Randy Newman, and Sting. In 2012, he was inducted into the Great American Songbook Hall of Fame.

Music is Manilow’s passion -- both in the studio and in the classroom -- having raised millions of dollars through his Manilow Music Project. In response to drastic budget cuts in arts programs across the U.S., the Manilow Music Project is keeping the music alive by ensuring that middle school and high school students have instruments in their hands to use in their music classes. Manilow aggressively continues to collect instruments for school children across America by leading donation campaigns in every concert city he visits by giving a Yamaha piano to each local school district. As Manilow says, “Anyone can make a difference. Just call your local schools and ask them what they need. Get ‘em a new set of drums! Music changes a young person’s life.”

After spending an unprecedented 10 years at the top of the pop music charts, this multi-talented producer, arranger, musician, composer, singer, and performer has succeeded with albums focused on 50’s Jazz, Techno-Jazz, Big Band Swing, Show Tunes, Sinatra Swing, songs from the Great American Songbook, Christmas music and his latest - a rock ‘n roll album. Makes one’s head spin. No wonder Rolling Stone dubbed him “the showman of our generation.”

Candice Glover

The newly crowned winner of the 12th season of “American Idol,” Candice Glover, won over the hearts of millions with her powerful voice and unforgettable performances. Now, the 23 year-old singer from St. Helena Island, SC, will release her debut album, “Music Speaks” this summer.  The album, anticipated for a July 16th release on 19 Recordings/Interscope Records, is available now for pre-order on the iTunes Store (www.iTunes.com/AmericanIdol).  Fans who pre-order will instantly get Glover’s moving single and “American Idol” coronation song, “I Am Beautiful.”  Glover’s debut CD is being rushed for pre-orders at www.candiceglover-official.com.  Leading up to the album release, Glover has numerous performances and appearances including “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “Live! with Kelly & Michael,” PBS’s 24th annual “National Memorial Day Concert,” and “A Capitol Fourth.“ Next, Glover embarks on the “American Idol Live!” 2013 concert tour.  The 40-show tour kicks off June 29th in St. Louis, MO, and stops in major cities including, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami before wrapping in Nashville, TN.  Tickets are on sale now via www.americanidol.com/tour and www.aeglive.com.

Scotty McCreery

Country music superstar, Scotty McCreery, has had a blindingly rapid rise to stardom since he became “American Idol's” youngest male winner at age 17, as well as the show’s first country male winner in 2011. The Garner, NC native quickly emerged as one of country music’s most successful new artists after the release of his debut album, “Clear As Day.” The album topped the Billboard Top 200 and Top Country charts, earning him a spot in the Guinness World Records Book for being the youngest male in history to score a #1 album on the all-genre chart with a debut release. “Clear As Day” also garnered the highest sales of any country solo album released that year, held the #1 spot on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart for six weeks, and earned platinum status in just three months. The album’s first two singles, “I Love You This Big” and “The Trouble With Girls,” were also certified gold. The hot streak continued as McCreery went on to win New Artist of the Year at both the 2011 American Country Awards and the 2012 Academy of Country Music Awards. He also picked up the USA Weekend Breakthrough Video of the Year for “The Trouble With Girls” at the 2012 CMT Music Awards. McCreery was ranked #1 on Billboard's list of Top New Country Artists in 2011 and also ranked #4 on Billboard’s list of “21 Under 21: Music’s Hottest Minors 2012,” for his second consecutive year. His 2012 holiday release, “Christmas With Scotty McCreery” debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Seasonal Albums chart and was certified gold in just five weeks. McCreery has toured with Brad Paisley and The Band Perry, and recently launched his first headline tour, the Weekend Roadtrip Tour 2013. In between tour dates and recording his upcoming new album, McCreery also balances college life, while pursuing an undergraduate degree at NC State University.

Darren Criss

This summer, musician and actor Darren Criss will embark on his first ever North American solo tour. Entitled “Listen Up,” the sold-out tour will visit sixteen cities, including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Toronto, and San Francisco, where the tour will kick-off on May 29th.  Additionally, Criss will make his theatrical debut in the film “Girl Most Likely,” alongside Kristen Wiig, Annett Benning, and Matt Dillon. Criss has gone from YouTube sensation to a six‐time Billboard charting musician and composer, who currently stars as Blaine Anderson on Fox's Emmy and Golden Globe Award‐winning series “Glee.” His breakout performance of Katy Perry's “Teenage Dream” debuted at #1 on Billboard for the first time in the show’s history and sold over 200,000 tracks in its first week. Criss made his first major television appearance in 2009 as Josh Burton on ABC’s “Eastwick,” with Rebecca Romijn, Lindsay Price, and Jaime Ray Newman, and also appeared in CBS’ “Cold Case.” Prior to his television career, the San Francisco native created a Harry Potter musical parody entitled, “A Very Potter Musical.” Within weeks of posting the musical online, it became a YouTube hit, garnering millions of views and musical theater‐world attention. Using “A Very Potter Musical” as a springboard, Criss and his writing partners started StarKid Productions, a Chicago-based musical theatre company.

Jackie Evancho

Jackie Evancho’s first performance on NBC’s variety show “America’s Got Talent” left audiences and judges astonished that such a perfect, beautiful, soprano voice could come from a 10 year-old girl. During her next appearance in the competition, judges asked Jackie to improvise a tune which she performed flawlessly. It wasn’t just her musical gift and her age that floored the “America’s Got Talent” audience, but Evancho’s presence, poise, and charm that truly made them take notice. One of the show’s judges, Piers Morgan, explained, “You’ve got the whole package.”

The young soprano from Pittsburgh with the stunning voice won runner-up and launched her soon-to-be legendary career, signing with Columbia Records shortly thereafter. 

“She is a prodigy; they break the rules by definition,” wrote music critic Andrew Duckenbrod in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette after seeing a then 11 year-old perform to a sold-out crowd in her hometown in October 2011. “[Her] voice mesmerizes. She has become one of the performers who has been defining the ‘crossover classic’ category of singers – those who are equally comfortable with Puccini or pop.”

In a little over two years, Evancho’s unique, gorgeous, soprano voice has won her millions of fans and her recordings have dominated the music and DVD charts. Now 13, Jackie has garnered the support of legendary music producers like David Foster and filmmakers such as Robert Redford. Billboard Magazine named Evancho to their list of music movers-and-shakers under the age of 21 in 2011, and again in 2012 because the soprano’s “spellbinding, operatic vocals possess a power and poignancy that often moves listeners multiple times her age to tears.”

Evancho’s debut EP, “O Holy Night,” was released in November 2010 and became the year's #1 best-selling debut recording, with sales exceeding 1 million copies, and earning her a platinum certification. In June 2011, Evancho released her first studio album, “Dream With Me.” A mix of operatic arias, show tunes, and pop standards, it debuted on the Billboard Top 200 chart at #2 and was certified gold after only four weeks of release. “Heavenly Christmas,” was released in November 2011 and became one of the top-selling holiday albums of the year.

Evancho has participated in the lighting of the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C., where she sang—and delighted—President and Mrs. Obama. Two months later, she was again invited to perform for the President and Congressional leaders during the National Prayer Breakfast.

In early 2012, Evancho was selected to travel to Russia to perform in front of 100,000 people prior to the opening of the St. Petersburg Economic Forum. Representing the United States, she was honored to sing with two opera stars, Dmitri Hvorostovsky of Russia and Sumi Jo of Korea. Her fan base also extends to Japan, where she was invited to perform for the Royal Family at the Imperial Palace. She tours regularly with the Tokyo Philharmonic to sold-out venues. 

Her U.S. shows are also sell-outs, and have been taped for broadcast on PBS for the “Great Performances” series. Evancho’s first PBS special was one of the top pledge producing performances in PBS’ history. When PBS aired “Dream With Me In Concert” during the latter half of 2011, it instantly became one of their most broadcast programs of the year and was used extensively during pledge drives.

She was asked to do another show for the “Great Performances” series in 2012: “Jackie Evancho: Music of the Movies,”which features Evancho singing classic songs from movies as diverse as “South Pacific” (“Some Enchanted Evening”), “Titanic” (“My Heart Will Go On”), and “Cinema Paridiso” (“Se”). It premiered in August on PBS stations around the country and will be rebroadcast in the months ahead (check local listings).

Capping off an incredible year, Evancho released her third studio album, “Songs From The Silver Screen,” on October 2, 2012. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Classical charts and at #7 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart.

Most recently, she has tried her hand at both acting and modeling. She made her acting debut in “The Company You Keep.” Legendary actor/director/producer Robert Redford cast Evancho to play his daughter in the thriller, scheduled to be released April 2013. “I am so happy that Mr. Redford picked me to be in his film. And I am excited to learn from performers that are amazing at what they do,” says Evancho, who will be part of a star-studded cast that includes Susan Sarandon, Shia LaBeouf, Anna Kendrick, Terrance Howard, Nick Nolte, and Stanley Tucci.

Off screen, Evancho was selected by GUESS owner, Paul Marciano, to star in both the Fall 2012 and Fall 2013 GUESS Kids clothing campaigns. “I have had so much fun and done so many challenging things this year. But while I really enjoyed all the traveling and the acting and had such a great time posing in all those great clothes for GUESS, singing is still the thing I love the most,” she said.

This past March, Evancho, performed as part of an unprecedented Cirque du Soleil extravaganza at the Bellagio’s O Theatre to support “One Night for One Drop” on World Water Day. For the first time ever, all Cirque du Soleil shows closed their doors in order for 200 performers to collaborate in the once-in-a-lifetime show. Evancho starred as the show’s special guest and participated in a breathtaking water and aerial performance.

Looking back, she says her desire to perform was born after her family saw the film version of “The Phantom of the Opera” when she was just seven years old. The film made such a lasting impression on her that the showstopper “Music of the Night” was the first song she selected for “Songs From The Silver Screen.”

It’s not the sort of dramatic tune that other pre-teen singers would pick to record, but Evancho’s understanding of classical phrasing, perfect pitch, and diction continually allow her to tackle difficult music that is far beyond the ability of her peers.

Megan Hilty

Megan Hilty stars as the seasoned triple-threat Ivy Lynn in NBC’s musical drama “Smash.” She was recently signed to Sony Music in a partnership between Sony Masterworks and Columbia Records, and her new album, “It Happens All The Time,” was released in March. It includes fresh interpretations of compositions by contemporary songwriters and producers. This summer, Hilty will star in a reading of a new Broadway-bound production of Cole Porter’s “Can-Can.”  She was previously seen as Lorelei Lee, the diamond-loving blonde made famous by Carol Channing, in the Encores!production of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” to which she earned rave reviews. Additionally, her voice was featured as Rosetta in Disney's “Tinker Bell: Secret of the Wings.” She’s previously recorded vocals in Disney's “The Secret Life of Magic Gourd,” “Phineas & Ferb,” “Glenn Martin DDS,” “American Dad,” “Tinker Bell and the Pixie Hollow Games,” and “Robot & Monster,” as well as singing as Snow White in the film “Shrek the Third.”  Hilty recently wrapped production on Summertime Entertainment's animated film “Dorothy of Oz” with Kelsey Grammer, Hugh Dancy, and Lea Michele, slated for release in 2013. She can also be heard alongside Placido Domingo on the opera star’s duet album. A native of Seattle, Hilty moved to New York City after graduating from the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University, and quickly made her Broadway debut as Glinda in “Wicked.” She went on to perform the role in both the national tour and Los Angeles. After receiving critical acclaim for her portrayal of Doralee Rhodes in Broadway’s “9 to 5: The Musical,” Hilty was honored with nominations for Lead Actress in a Musical at the Drama Desk Awards, Outer Critics Circle Awards, the Drama League Awards, and LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards. She has previously performed with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center, and with the Cincinnati Symphony. She was also featured at TNT’s 2012 “Christmas in Washington” special and continues to perform at prestigious venues nationwide. Her television credits include guest starring roles in “Melissa & Joey,” “Bones,” “The Closer,” “Desperate Housewives,” “CSI,” “Shark,” “Ugly Betty,” “Eli Stone” and “The Suite Life of Zach & Cody.”  Among Hilty’s film credits are “The Bitter Feast” and the short film “The Happiest Man Alive,” opposite Justin Chambers.

John Williams

In a career spanning five decades, John Williams has become one of America’s most accomplished and successful composers for film and for the concert stage, and he remains one of our nation’s most distinguished and contributive musical voices. He has composed the music and served as music director for more than one hundred films, including all six “Star Wars” films, the first three “Harry Potter” films, “Superman,”“JFK,” “Born on the Fourth of July,” “Memoirs of a Geisha,” “Far and Away,” “The Accidental Tourist,” and “Home Alone.” His 40-year artistic partnership with director Steven Spielberg has resulted in many of Hollywood’s most acclaimed and successful films, including “Schindler’s List,” “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial,” “Jaws,” “Jurassic Park,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” the “Indiana Jones” films, “Munich,” “Saving Private Ryan,” “The Adventures of Tintin,” “War Horse,” and “Lincoln.”His contributions to television music include scores for more than 200 television films for the groundbreaking, early anthology series “Alcoa Theatre,” “Kraft Television Theatre,” “Chrysler Theatre,” and “Playhouse 90,” as well as themes for “NBC Nightly News” (“The Mission”), NBC’s “Meet the Press,” and the PBS arts showcase “Great Performances.”He also composed themes for the 1984, 1988, and 1996 Summer Olympic Games, and the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. He has received five Academy Awards and forty-eight Oscar nominations, making him the Academy’s most nominated living person and the second-most nominated person in the history of the Oscars. He has received seven British Academy Awards (BAFTA), twenty-one Grammys, four Golden Globes, five Emmys, and numerous gold and platinum records. In 2003, he received the Olympic Order (the IOC’s highest honor) for his contributions to the Olympic movement. He received the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor in December of 2004. In 2009, Williams was inducted into the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, and he received the National Medal of Arts, the highest award given to artists by the U.S. Government.  In January 1980, Williams was named nineteenth music director of the Boston Pops Orchestra, succeeding the legendary Arthur Fiedler.  He currently holds the title of Boston Pops Laureate Conductor, which he assumed following his retirement in December 1993, after fourteen highly successful seasons. He also holds the title of Artist-in-Residence at Tanglewood. Williams has composed numerous works for the concert stage, among them two symphonies, and concertos commissioned by several of the world’s leading orchestras, including a cello concerto for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, a bassoon concerto for the New York Philharmonic, a trumpet concerto for The Cleveland Orchestra, and a horn concerto for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. In 2009, Williams composed and arranged “Air and Simple Gifts” especially for the first inaugural ceremony of President Barack Obama, and in September 2009, the Boston Symphony premiered a new concerto for harp and orchestra entitled “On Willows and Birches.”

The National Symphony Orchestra

The National Symphony Orchestra of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, led by Music Director Christoph Eschenbach, is recognized not only nationally, but internationally as well, and is considered one of the world's finest ensembles. The Orchestra, in its 82nd season (2012-13), maintains a busy concert schedule in this country and abroad. Within the last year the NSO has visited nine countries on four continents. The NSO performs approximately 175 concerts each season, including a classical subscription series, pops concerts, a summer series at Wolf Trap, and one of the nation’s most varied and extensive educational programs. The National Symphony is particularly distinguished for its commitment to the music and musicians of this country, exemplified through several innovative projects, among them the American Residency program, which took the National Symphony to 21 states performing concerts and providing educational services, with all proceeds benefiting artistic organizations in the local states. Through the John and June Hechinger Commissioning Fund, the Orchestra has commissioned more than 60 works by American composers; two have earned Pulitzer Prizes, and the series also includes cycles of fanfares and encores, which, taken as a whole, are representative of the diverse influences in American composition today. The Orchestra provides free public concerts on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, as well as at other venues around the Washington, DC area. For more information on the National Symphony’s programs, please visit www.nationalsymphony.org.

Maestro Jack Everly

Jack Everly is the Principal Pops Conductor of the Baltimore and Indianapolis Symphony Orchestras, Naples Philharmonic Orchestra, and National Arts Center Orchestra (Ottawa). He has been on stage with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, appears annually with The Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom Music Center, and is a frequent guest conductor with orchestras including Pittsburgh, Edmonton, and Oklahoma City. Originally appointed by Mikhail Baryshnikov, Everly was a conductor of the American Ballet Theatre for 14 years, where he served as Music Director. In addition to his ABT tenure, he has teamed with Marvin Hamlisch in Broadway shows that Hamlisch scored, including “The Goodbye Girl,” “They’re Playing Our Song,” and “A Chorus Line.” He conducted Carol Channing in “Hello, Dolly!” in two separate Broadway productions. In television and film, Everly has appeared on “In Performance at the White House” and conducted the songs for Disney’s animated classic “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” He has been Music Director on numerous Broadway cast recordings and conducted the critically praised “Everything’s Coming Up Roses: The Complete Overtures of Broadway’s Jule Styne.” Everly conducted Sandi Patty’s 2011 release “Broadway Stories” and Daniel Rodriguez’s “In the Presence” from 2005, both with the Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra of Prague. In 1998, Everly created the Symphonic Pops Consortium, serving as Music Director. The consortium, based in Indianapolis, produces a new theatrical pops program each season. In the past fourteen years, more than 250 performances of SPC programs have taken place across the U.S. and Canada. Maestro Everly holds an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from Franklin College in his home state of Indiana.

United States Army Presidential Salute Battery

The 3rd U.S. Infantry Salute Guns Platoon is responsible for rendering honors to visiting foreign dignitaries and heads of state at the White House, the Pentagon and elsewhere in the Washington D.C., area. The platoon also fires the final salutes during many funerals at Arlington National Cemetery. The guns platoon is the only unit of its kind in the Army, and its busy schedule includes more than 300 ceremonies each year. For more information, please visit: http://www.army.mil/.

Choral Arts Society of Washington

The Choral Arts Society of Washington is a preeminent choral organization in the United States.  Founded in 1965 by Norman Scribner, Artistic Director Emeritus, Choral Arts, now completing its 48th season, welcomes Scott Tucker as the new Artistic Director. Tucker comes to the organization from Cornell University and is a perfect complement to Choral Arts, a symphonic chorus of over 170 professional-caliber volunteer singers, respected for its excellence in performing classical and contemporary repertoire through diverse channels.  Choral Arts’ programs include an annual concert series presented at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and other reputable venues in the DC metropolitan area, domestic and international tours, recordings, and other broadcast and digital media appearances. In a city known for the choral music, Choral Arts stands out as a leader among its peers, earning awards, not only for its artistic excellence, but its administrative leadership and services to the community. Choral Arts has always been, and continues to be, deeply rooted within the DC community and beyond. For more information, visit http://www.choralarts.org

U.S. Army Herald Trumpets

The United States Army Herald Trumpets is the official fanfare ensemble for the President of the United States. Founded in 1959 and patterned after traditional British “fanfare” trumpet ensembles, The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets was formed to add splendor to official military ceremonies. A performing element of The United States U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” in Washington, D.C., the ensemble has performed for countless events of national and international significance. These include twelve presidential inaugurals, the “G8” Economic Summits in 1984, 1990 and 2004, the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations and, most recently, the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI at the White House in April 2008. In addition to its official duties, The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets has performed in the opening ceremonies for the 1980 and 2002 Winter Olympic Games, the 1984 Summer Olympic Games and the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. The ensemble has also performed at such nationally and internationally televised events as Super Bowl XXXIX, The Kennedy Center Honors and the relighting of the Statue of Liberty. The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets has been featured with orchestras from around the world, including the National Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Pops and the Cincinnati Pops. For more information, visit www.usarmyband.com/herald_trumpets/

U.S. Army Ceremonial Band

The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” has been the premier musical organization of the U.S. Army since 1922. Army Chief of Staff General John J. “Black Jack” Pershing founded the band, emulating European military bands he had heard during the First World War. “Pershing’s Own” continues to play an important role in events of national and international significance, and leads every inaugural parade, a tradition begun in 1925 with the inauguration of President Calvin Coolidge. Since its original organization, The U.S. Army Ceremonial Band has grown to meet a wide range of commitments. While the Ceremonial Band’s primary mission is to support over 2,000 military funerals each year in Arlington National Cemetery, the band performs other missions of national and international importance. These missions include wreath-laying ceremonies by heads of state and other foreign dignitaries at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, monthly retirement parades, special reviews, and arrival and departure honors for foreign dignitaries at the White House and Pentagon. Recent major events include 2005 Presidential Inaugural festivities, the State Funerals of Presidents Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford, and ceremonies honoring Her Majesty The Queen of England Elizabeth II during her visit to the United States in May 2007. The 70 musicians of The U.S. Army Ceremonial Band come from some of the most prestigious music conservatories and universities in the country. Beyond their ceremonial roles, members of The U.S. Army Ceremonial Band routinely display their versatility and superb musicianship while performing with other elements of The U.S. Army Band, in chamber group performances, on recital programs, and as soloists for summer concerts. Commitments performed by The U.S. Army Ceremonial Band are an integral and indispensable part of the overall mission of “Pershing’s Own” and are some of the most visible missions performed by The United States Army Band. For more information, visit: http://www.usarmyband.com/ceremonial-band.

Military District of Washington

The Military District of Washington works with Capital Concerts in coordinating the Department of Defense participation of the Premier Service Bands and Service Honor Guards.