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THE CONCERT
The PerformersThe 2009 National Memorial Day Concert features a host of award-winning stars and well-known personalities.
Gary Sinise Gary Sinise
 Joe Mantegna
For more information, visit www.joemantegna.com.
General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.)
Dianne Wiest
Laurence Fishburne
For more information, visit http://www.laurence-fishburne.com/. Katherine McPhee
For more information, visit http://www.katharinemcphee.com/. Trace Adkins
For more information, visit http://traceadkins.com/. Brian Stokes Mitchell
For more information, visit http://www.brianstokes.com/ . Colm Wilkinson
For more information, visit http://www.colmwilkinson.com/ Denyce Graves
For more information, visit http://www.denycegraves.com/ Lang Lang
Robert McDuffie
Maestro Erich Kunzel
For more information, visit: www.erichkunzel.com. The National Symphony Orchestra
For more information on the National Symphony’s programs, please visit www.nationalsymphony.org. Military District of Washington
U.S. Army Herald Trumpets
For more information, visit http://www.usarmyband.com/herald_trumpets/ U.S. Army Chorus
For more information, visit http://www.usarmyband.com/chorus/. U.S. Army Ceremonial Band
For more information, visit The Soldiers' Chorus of The United States Army Field Band
For more information, visit http://www.army.mil/fieldband/pages/ensembles/sc.html U.S. Navy Band "Sea Chanters"
Behind the ScenesThis year’s award-winning production team features the Capital Concerts’ founder and top Hollywood talent. Jerry Colbert
Walter MillerProducer Walter C. Miller is recognized as America’s leading live director and producer, with credits that include television’s top awards shows, such as the Grammy Awards, Country Music Awards, People’s Choice Awards, Tony Awards, American Comedy Awards, Emmy Awards, Daytime Emmy Awards and Golden Globe Awards. In 1999, he won an Emmy for producing the Tony Awards. For Liberty Weekend: Americana Music Concert, Miller received the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Director. Miller has won additional Emmys for S’Wonderful, S’Marvelous, S’Gershwin, a special with Jack Lemmon and Fred Astaire, and for Annie, The Women In A Life Of A Man. His live musical concert credits include Concert of the Americas with Frank Sinatra, in addition to A Capitol Fourth and the National Memorial Day Concert. Paul MillerPaul Miller has been directing television since 1982, with credits that include three seasons each as director of Saturday Night Live and In Living Color. He has received four Emmy nominations, and won an Emmy in 1999 for directing the Tony Awards. He has also been nominated twice for the Directors Guild of America in the Musical/Variety category and won again in 1999 for directing the Tonys. In January of this year, Miller was honored to be asked to direct the ABC News coverage of President Obama’s Inauguration. He has directed the Country Music Awards for the last 11 years and multiple productions of An American Celebration at Ford’s Theatre. On July 4, 1993, Miller teamed professionally with his father, Walter C. Miller, for A Capitol Fourth, and has directed both the National Memorial Day Concert and A Capitol Fourth. Paul Miller is a partner in RickMill Productions, a Hollywood-based entertainment company that has produced numerous series for Comedy Central, as well as specials for HBO and Showtime.
Joan MeyersonWriter Joan Meyerson has received numerous nominations and awards for her work as a writer, producer and director, including the distinguished Writers Guild of America Award for her 2006 script of The National Memorial Day Concert. She was also a writer on the International Documentary Association-nominated PBS mini-series Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire. Other PBS credits include the highly rated mini-series Walking the Bible, an episode of the Emmy Award-winning series Life and Timesand the special Pete Peterson: Assignment Hanoi. Meyerson was also associate producer of the Academy Award-nominated documentary Say Goodbye. She has written, produced and/or directed programs for many well-known series premiering on TLC, Discovery Health and The History Channel, including the David L. Wolper series Legends, Icons & Superstars. Meyerson has written the National Memorial Day Concert since 1996.
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Gladys Knight performs her moving rendition of “Let There Be Peace On Earth.” (2008) 
REFLECTIONS “Bravo! Your production and airing of the National Memorial Day Concert was wonderful. Our entire family enjoyed the wonderful music and the heartwarming messages. I am so proud to be a USCG veteran of the United States and was very moved by the performance this evening. After watching, we have decided that we will travel to Washington next year for the Concert.” George P. Coussoule
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Gary Sinise is a film, theater and television actor, as well as a director and producer. He received an Academy Award nomination in 1995 as Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his portrayal of Lieutenant Dan in Forest Gump. He is a three-time Golden Globe nominee and received the award in 1996 for the title role in Truman. He is a two-time Emmy Award nominee and won the award in 1998 for his lead role in George Wallace. Sinise is a four-time Tony Award nominee and a four-time nominee and two-time winner of the Screen Actor’s Guild Award (Truman and George Wallace). His numerous other awards include a Best Supporting Actor Award from the National Board of Review and the Commander’s Award from the Disabled American Veterans, both for Forest Gump. Additional film credits include Apollo 13, Ransom, The Green Mile, Snake Eyes, The Forgotten and The Human Stain. Currently, Sinise is starring as Detective Mack “Mac” Taylor in CBS’s CSI: New York. Over the past four years, Sinise has traveled to Iraq (three times) and Afghanistan in support of the troops. He has also started “Operation Iraqi Children” that enables schools in the United States to go to 
Joe Mantegna has received critical acclaim for his award-winning performances on the stage and in numerous film and television productions. He was awarded the Tony and Joseph Jefferson awards for his role in David Mamet’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Glengarry Glen Ross. His long-standing association with Mamet also includes the premieres of A Life in the Theatre, The Disappearance of the Jews and Speed The Plow on Broadway. Mantegna directed a highly praised production of Mamet’s Lakeboat, which enjoyed a successful theatrical run in Los Angeles. He later directed the film version. He has starred in more than 80 films, among them The Godfather III, Alice, Celebrity, Liberty Heights, Bugsy, Forget Paris, Uncle Nino, Nine Lives, Searching for Bobby Fisher and Baby’s Day Out. He starred in the critically acclaimed Mamet films House of Games, Homicide, and Things Change, for which he received the Best Actor Award at the Venice Film Festival. Long a baseball fan, Mantegna conceived and co-wrote the off-Broadway play Bleacher Bums, which earned him an Emmy when it was subsequently produced for television. For his work in the HBO special The Rat Pack, he was nominated for both an Emmy and a Golden Globe Award for his portrayal of Dean Martin. He received his second Emmy nomination for his role of Pippi De Lena in the CBS mini-series The Last Don. His latest Emmy nomination was for his work in the miniseries The Starter Wife. Other television credits include starring roles in the CBS series First Monday and Joan of Arcadia, and, of course, his recurring role as Fat Tony in The Simpsons, which he reprised in the recently released feature film of the animated comedy. In 2004, Mantegna was named chairperson for the National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs. This organization helps focus public attention on VA medical centers with the goal of increasing the number of VA volunteers. Born and raised in Chicago, he now lives in Los Angeles and currently stars as agent David Rossi on CBS’s Criminal Minds.
One of the most respected statesmen in U.S. history, General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.) has appeared in the National Memorial Day Concert multiple times from 1991 to 2007. General Powell became the 65th Secretary of State in January 2001 and served in that role until January 2005. Powell was previously a key aide to the Secretary of Defense and National Security Advisor to President Reagan. He also served 35 years in the United States Army, rising to the rank of Four-Star General and serving as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989 – 1993). During this time, he oversaw 28 crises, including the Panama intervention of 1989 and Operation Desert Storm in the 1991 Persian Gulf War. He went on to lead the State Department in major efforts to solve regional and civil conflicts – in the Middle East, Sudan, Congo and Liberia, the Balkans, Northern Ireland and elsewhere. Born in New York City on April 5, 1937, General Powell was raised in the South Bronx. His parents, Luther and Maud Powell, immigrated to the United States from Jamaica. General Powell was educated in the New York City public schools, graduating from Morris High School and the City College of New York (CCNY), where he earned a bachelor’s degree in geology. He also participated in ROTC at CCNY and received a commission as an Army second lieutenant upon graduation in June 1958. He received a Master of Business Administration degree from George Washington University. General Powell is the recipient of numerous U.S. military awards and decorations, including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (with three Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Distinguished Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Soldier’s Medal, Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart. General Powell’s civilian awards include two Presidential Medals of Freedom, the President’s Citizens Medal, the Congressional Gold Medal and the Secretary of Energy Distinguished Service Medal. He has received awards from more than two dozen countries. These include the French Legion of Honor and an honorary knighthood bestowed by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. General Powell is the author of the best-selling autobiography My American Journey. 
Dianne Wiest was most recently seen in Arthur Miller’s ALL MY SONS on Broadway. Other New York theatre appearances include The Seagull at Classic Stage Company, Wendy Wasserstein’s Third, Memory House by Kathleen Tolan, Salome, Oedlpus, The Shawl, Hunting Cockroaches, After the Fall, Beyond Therapy and The Art of Dining. Film credits include The Purple Rose of Cairo, Hannah and her Sisters (Oscar), Radio Days, September and Bullets Over Broadway (Oscar), all by Woody Allen. She also appeared in Parenthood (Oscar Nomination), Edward Scissorhands and The Birdcage. She was last seen on screen in Charlie Kaufman’s movie Synecdoche, New York and currently stars in the series In Treatment (Emmy).
Laurence Fishburne’s work as a versatile actor/producer/director is certainly impressive. With regard to Fishburne the man, the adage “still waters run deep” fits. He has a quiet, commanding presence with a range and strength that is evident through his stirring character portrayals. Fishburne has been acting in films and on stage since he was 10, starting with the soap opera One Life To Live. He was accepted into New York’s High School of Performing Arts, then at 15, he headed off to the Philippines to work with some of the greatest actors of our time, and under the most extreme circumstances, on the epic motion picture Apocalypse Now. Fishburne’s career encompasses various portrayals of men both from both fictional and historical realms and includes work in the genres of stage, film and television. He won a Tony Award for his portrayal of Sterling Johnson in August Wilson’s Two Trains Running, and in 1993, received an Academy Award nomination for an Oscar as Best Actor of 1993 for his portrayal of Ike Turner in the film What's Love Got to do With It. His performance in Fox TV’s Tribeca landed him an Emmy. Fishburne received an Emmy nomination (for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Special) and an NAACP Image Award (1998) for his starring role in the HBO drama Miss Evers’ Boys, which he executive produced. For his starring role in the original HBO film Tuskegee Airmen, he received an NAACP Image Award for Best Actor in a Mini-Series and Golden Globe, Emmy and Cable Ace nominations for Best Actor in a Mini-Series. The project, which tells the story of America’s first African American combat pilots, was an inspiration for Fishburne, and his pride in the project shows in his performance. His almost 40-year career includes work in many of the world’s favorite films. A mere sampling of his work includes Rumble Fish, The Color Purple, Boyz n the Hood, Mystic River and, of course, The Matrix trilogy. More recently, his work has included the highly touted Akeelah and the Bee, Bobby, 21 and his role in CBS’s number one series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, which bring Fishburne into living rooms everywhere each week. Laurence Fishburne continues to give back, serving as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. In 2007, Harvard University honored him with an Artist of the Year Award for his outstanding contributions to American and International Performing Arts, as well for as his many humanitarian contributions. 
Katharine McPhee is an actress and Verve Forecast Universal Music Group recording artist. She recently completed production in Hawaii on the feature film You May Not Kiss the Bride, in which she stars opposite Mena Suvari and Dave Annable. She is currently recording her sophomore album, due for fall release. McPhee was last seen in House Bunny, starring opposite Anna Farris in the hit comedy produced by Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions. She was the 2006 American Idol runner-up, and her much-anticipated self-titled debut on RCA/19 Recordings exploded on the Billboard 200 and landed at number two. It was also the best chart debut for a solo female artist since July 2006. McPhee’s first single, Somewhere Over the Rainbow/My Destiny, debuted at number two on Billboard’s Hot Singles Sales chart. In 2007, McPhee garnered a Young Hollywood Award for Best Break-Out Female Vocalist and has been the face of Sexy Hair as well as a spokesperson for Neutrogena.
Trace Adkins is a multi-faceted entertainer – musician, author, philanthropist and actor – but first and foremost, a country singer. He has built a solid career full of chart-topping hits, national TV appearances, commercial endorsements and highly successful tours. An esteemed Opry member since 2003, he has clearly earned his place among the most identifiable and important country artists of his generation. Since exploding on the country music scene in 1996, Adkins’ albums have achieved Gold, Platinum or multi-Platinum status, with three albums making their entry at a top spot on the country album charts. Adkins’ songs possess insightful lyrics and cover a wide range of interests – many from his own life experiences. It’s no wonder that more than 26 of his singles have landed on Billboard’s Top 40 Country Singles charts, with 14 breaking into the Top 10. Some of his biggest hits include Every Light In The House Is On, (This Ain’t) No Thinkin’ Thing, I Left Something Turned On At Home, Hot Mama, Arlington, Songs About Me, Ladies Love Country Boys and You’re Gonna Miss This. The latter became his 2008 monster hit, topping the charts for three consecutive weeks and garnering numerous ACM, CMA and Grammy nominations. Last year, Adkins became a household name after appearing on Donald Trump’s hit reality series The Celebrity Apprentice (NBC). He ultimately became one of the show’s two finalists and has since raised more than $300,000 for his charity, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN). Adkins’ first book, A Personal Stand: Observations and Opinions from a Freethinking Roughneck (Random House) – revealing the singer’s strong political and social views – has remained a strong seller since its release in November 2007. In 2008, he traveled to the Persian Gulf on his second USO tour, where he performed for troops stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq. This year, he’s set to perform more than 100 shows all across the country, including 35 summer dates with country superstar Toby Keith. Adkins has just released his tenth album for Capitol Records, titled TRACE ADKINS “X” (TEN). The album has already spawned two Top 20 hits with the debut single Muddy Water and Marry For Money, which became the fastest-rising single of his career. 
Dubbed “The Last Leading Man” by the New York Times, Brian Stokes Mitchell is the quintessential musical theatre performer, yet his work on the big and small screens, as well as in concert halls around the country, has been equally acclaimed. Stokes’ performances as a solo vocalist have been praised by critics nationwide, with sold-out performances at the Hollywood Bowl, Disney Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Tanglewood, Ravinia and Symphony Hall. His musical versatility and thrilling voice – an instrument the New York Times says “rumbles out of him like thunder underlined by drum rolls” – has kept him in demand by some of the country’s finest conductors and orchestras. Most recently, Stokes took to the famed stage at Carnegie Hall for his solo debut, a sold-out evening with a 42- piece orchestra conducted by Paul Gemignani. Joining him for select numbers were some of his past leading ladies, including Reba McEntire, Heather Headley and Phylicia Rashad. It may be on the Broadway stage, however, that Brian Stokes Mitchell has received the most adulation, including Broadway’s highest honor, the Tony Award. Stokes was most recently on Broadway in the revival of Man of La Mancha, portraying the dual roles of Cervantes and Don Quixote and earning a Tony nomination and a Helen Hayes Award for his work. The revival of Cole Porter’s Kiss Me, Kate – in which he portrayed Fred Graham and Petruchio – earned Stokes a Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle award. He also received a Tony nomination for his performance as Coalhouse Walker, Jr. in the epic musical Ragtime, and for his dramatic turn as the title character in August Wilson’s Tony-nominated play King Hedley II. Stockes’ other Broadway ventures include Kiss of the Spider Woman, Jelly’s Last Jam (in which he replaced Gregory Hines), David Merrick’s Oh, Kay! and Mail, which earned him a Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut. In 1998, he joined the likes of Helen Hayes, Sir John Gielgud, Alec Guinness and James Earl Jones when he became the recipient of the Drama League’s Distinguished Performance Award, the nation’s oldest theatrical honor, for his commanding performance in Ragtime. 
To lovers of musical theatre around the world Colm Wilkinson definitely needs no introduction. On stages in London, New York, Toronto and beyond he has firmly established himself as one of theatre’s greatest performers. His definitive portrayal of such leading characters as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables and the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera have brought the Irish born singer huge critical acclaim, a trophy case crammed with awards and the adoration of millions of theatregoers. Wilkinson achieved international fame when he created the role of Jean Valjean with The Royal Shakespeare Company in the hit musical Les Miserables. After appearing in London’s West End and on Broadway, Wilkinson was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for best actor as well as Tony and Drama Desk Nominations. He also won the Helen Hayes Award, The Outer Critics Circle Award and the Theatre World Award. He returned to the role of Jean Valjean for one night only in the now legendary London 10th Anniversary Concert of Les Miserables. The DVD version of the concert has been seen by millions around the world. Wilkinson also created the role of the Phantom for Andrew Lloyd-Webber at the Sydmonton Festival in 1986. He went on to star in the Toronto production of this musical for four and a half years. He earned the Dora Mavor Moore Award for his portrayal of the Phantom in 1989-90. He returned to Les Miserables in 1998 in Toronto and won his second Dora Mavor Moore Award for his role as Valjean. On March 8th 2009 Wilkinson participated in the Birthday Celebration Gala for Senator Edward Kennedy in Washington D.C. An event that was attended by prominent stars of stage and screen and the foremost political figures in the world including the U.S. President Barack Obama. A talented actor, Wilkinson will be starring in the upcoming season 3 of The Tudors, the award winning series starting April 5th 2009, on Showtime at 9.00 p.m. (ET/PT) in America. He portrays Lord Thomas Darcy, a leader of the rebellion against Henry VIII and his reformation. Colm Wilkinson will take his stage show Broadway and Beyond into Ireland this Spring and America in the Fall. He will perform a selection of his favorite songs from the world of theatre and popular music, including Bring Him Home, Music of the Night, Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah and his own composition I Cannot Stay from his latest CD Some of My Best Friends Are Songs. 
Recognized worldwide as one of today’s most exciting vocal stars, Denyce Graves continues to gather unparalleled popular and critical acclaim in performances on four continents. USA Today identified her as “an operatic superstar of the 21st Century.” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution exclaimed, “If the human voice has the power to move you, you will be touched by Denyce Graves.” Her career has taken her to the world’s great opera houses and concert halls. Her expressive, rich vocalism, elegant stage presence and exciting theatrical abilities allow her to pursue a wide breadth of operatic portrayals, while delighting audiences in concert and recital appearances. Denyce Graves has become particularly well-known to operatic audiences for her portrayals of the title roles in Carmen and Samson et Dalila. These signature roles have brought Graves to the Metropolitan Opera, Vienna Staatsoper, Royal Opera, Covent Garden, San Francisco Opera, Opéra National de Paris, Lyric Opera of Chicago and The Washington Opera, among many others. Graves is a native of Washington, DC, where she attended the Duke Ellington School for the Performing Arts. She continued her education at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and the New England Conservatory. In 1998, Graves received an honorary doctorate from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music. She was named one of the 50 Leaders of Tomorrow by Ebony magazine and was one of Glamour magazine’s 1997 Women of the Year. In 1999, WQXR Radio in New York named her one of classical music’s Standard Bearers for the 21st Century. Denyce Graves has been invited to perform at the White House on several occasions, and throughout each season provides many benefit performances for causes that are special to her. 
Heralded as the “hottest artist on the classical music planet” by the New York Times, 26-year-old Lang Lang has played sold out recitals and concerts in every major city in the world and is the first Chinese pianist to be engaged by the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic and the top American orchestras. Testimony to his success, Lang Lang recently appeared in the 2009 Time 100 – Time magazine's annual list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. In August 2008, over 5 billion people viewed Lang Lang’s performance in Beijing’s opening ceremony for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad where he was seen as a symbol of the youth and future of China. Lang Lang continued his presence on the world stage, pairing up with jazz great, Herbie Hancock, for an astounding performance at the 2008 Grammy's. The two pianists will continue to collaborate with an inaugural world tour in summer 2009. Most recently, Lang Lang has been chosen as an official worldwide ambassador to the 2010 Shanghai Expo.
In the 08-09 season Lang Lang shared music in all aspects possible, particular to children by focusing on education and outreach programs for their involvement in music. He held educational music residencies in Chicago, Toronto, San Francisco, London, Rome and Stockholm. In October 2008, he launched the Lang Lang International Music Foundation in New York with the support of the Grammy’s and UNICEF. The Lang Lang International Music Foundation was created to foster classical music education for children.
During the summer of 2008, his biography, Journey of a Thousand Miles, published by Random House in eight languages, was released to critical acclaim. Due to his commitment to the education of children, he released a version of his autobiography specifically for younger readers, entitled Playing with Flying Keys.
Lang Lang began playing piano at the age of 3 and by the age of 5 he had won the Shenyang competition and given his first public recital. Entering Beijing’s Central Music Conservatory at age 9, he won first prize at the Tchaikovsky International Young Musicians Competition and played the complete 24 Chopin etudes at the Beijing Concert Hall at age 13. Lang Lang’s break into stardom came at age 17 when he was called upon for a dramatic last-minute substitution at the “Gala of the Century”, playing the Tchaikovsky concerto with the Chicago Symphony.
Lang Lang has performed for numerous international dignitaries including the former Secretary-General of the United Nations Kofi Annan, President George H. W. Bush, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, President Hu Jin-Tao of China, President Horst Koehler of Germany, H.R.H. Prince Charles, as well as Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
In 2004, he was appointed International Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Lang Lang gives Master Classes regularly throughout the world including at the Juilliard School, the Curtis Institute of Music, Manhattan School of Music and Hannover Conservatory as well as all the top conservatories of China. 
Robert McDuffie has appeared as soloist with most of the major orchestras of the world, including the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics; the Chicago, San Francisco, National, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, St. Louis, Montreal and Toronto Symphonies; the Philadelphia, Cleveland, Minnesota Orchestras; the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra; the North German Radio Orchestra; the Frankfurt Radio Orchestra; the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen; the Hamburg Symphony; Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala; Santa Cecilia Orchestra of Rome; Jerusalem Symphony; Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional de Mexico; Orquesta Sinfónica de Mineria; and all of the major orchestras of Australia. Recent appearances abroad include performances with the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquetaine in France, the Philharmonie in Cologne with the Bochum Symphoniker, KBS Symphony in Seoul, the National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan in Taipei, the Hamburg Symphony (followed by a 22-city U.S. tour), the Jerusalem Symphony (followed by a 16-city U.S. tour) and the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. This season is highlighted by the premiere of Concerto for Violin No. 2, The American Four Seasons – a new work written for McDuffie by Philip Glass. There will be a World Premiere with the Toronto Symphony, a European Premiere with the London Philharmonic and a Festival Premiere in Aspen. McDuffie will record the concerto for Telarc, along with Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, performed with the Venice Baroque Orchestra. He will return to the Cartagena, Aspen and Amelia Island Festivals, as well as to the Rome Chamber Music Festival, of which he is Founder and Artistic Director. McDuffie plays with the National Symphony Orchestra on the West Lawn of the Capitol on the annual Memorial Day Concert, which airs live over PBS. Future plans include a U.S. tour with the Dűsseldorf Symphony with Andrey Boreyko. McDuffie will perform the Glass Concerto for Violin No. 2 and Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons with the Venice Baroque Orchestra during a 35-city tour of the United States in fall 2010. Other upcoming tours include Europe in fall 2011 and Asia in fall 2012. In September 2010, McDuffie he will perform and record the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with the Houston Symphony. McDuffie is a Grammy-nominated artist, whose acclaimed Telarc and EMI recordings include the violin concertos of Mendelssohn, Bruch, Adams, Glass, Barber, Rozsa, Bernstein, William Schuman and Viennese favorites. He plays a 1735 Guarneri del Gesu violin, known as the "Ladenburg." He has been profiled on NBC’s Today, CBS Sunday Morning, PBS’s Charlie Rose, A&E’s Breakfast with the Arts, and in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. McDuffie is a Distinguished University Professor of Music at Mercer University in his hometown of Macon, Georgia. In fall 2009, the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University will enter its third academic year. The Mayor of Rome recently awarded McDuffie the prestigious Premio Simpatia in recognition of his contribution to the cultural life of that city. Robert McDuffie lives in New York with his wife and two children. 
Erich Kunzel’s distinguished career is personified by his 2006 National Medal of Arts, presented by President and Mrs. Bush in a ceremony at the White House. The highest honor given to artists by the United States Government, the National Medial of Arts is awarded to those who have made outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support and availability of the arts in the United States. Hailed by the Chicago Tribune as “The Prince of Pops,” Maestro Kunzel celebrated the 50th Anniversary of his professional conducting debut in the 2007-2008 season. His international conducting appearances and sales of more than 10 million recordings have brought him fame over the far reaches of the world. Since 1977, Maestro Kunzel has recorded more than 85 albums on the Telarc label with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. More than 55 of these albums have appeared on the top 10 Billboard Charts. In fact, he was named Billboard magazine’s Classical Crossover Artist of the Year for an unprecedented four consecutive years. Several Grammy Awards, the distinguished Grand Prix Du Disque and the Sony Tiffany Walkman Award for “visionary recording activities” highlight Maestro Kunzel’s impressive recording achievements. In September 2008, he was inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame. His remarkable career with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra began in 1965. National tours have included many concerts in Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, the Grand Ol’ Opry in Nashville and the Blossom Music Festival in Ohio. International tours have included a celebrated visit to China in 2005 (the first appearance of a pops orchestra in that country), highlighted by concerts in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. In August 2008, Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops made a historic return to China to participate in the Opening Festivities of the Summer Olympics. Maestro Kunzel conducted the first ever pops concert in China in 1998 with the China National Symphony Orchestra in Beijing. On several occasions, he has conducted the World Super Orchestra in concerts at the Tokyo International Music Festival. This year, he led the Vienna Volksopera Symphony Orchestra in a Gala New Year's Eve Tour in eight concerts in Japan. Annually since 1991, Maestro Kunzel has led the National Symphony Orchestra on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol in PBS’s internationally televised Memorial Day and Fourth of July Concerts. In addition, he has conducted the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra on many other special holiday programs on PBS over the last decade. A student of and personal assistant to the great French Maestro Pierre Monteux, Erich Kunzel made his professional conducting debut with the Santa Fe Opera in 1957 (immediately after graduating from Dartmouth College). In addition to his many appearances with that company, he has conducted many performances with the San Francisco Opera Company, the Canadian Opera Company, the Cincinnati Opera and the Vienna Volksopera. He continues a very active guest conducting career in concerts in North America, Europe and Asia. 
The National Symphony Orchestra of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, under the music direction of Leonard Slatkin, is recognized both nationally but internationally, and is considered one of the world’s finest ensembles. Now in its 78th season (2008-09), the Orchestra maintains a busy concert schedule in this country and abroad, performing 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. This is exemplified by several innovative projects, among them the American Residency program, which has so far taken the National Symphony to 18 states performing concerts and providing educational services, with all proceeds benefiting local arts organizations. Through the John and June Hechinger Commissioning Fund, the Orchestra has commissioned more than 60 works by American composers; two have earned Pulitzer Prizes. 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. 
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.
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, DC, the ensemble has performed for countless events of national and international significance. These include 12 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. 
In 1956, The U.S. Army Chorus was established as the vocal counterpart of The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” and is one of the nation’s only professional, all-male choruses. From its inception, The U.S. Army Chorus has established and maintained a reputation of excellence in the performance of male choral literature. Beyond the traditional military music and patriotic standards, the repertoire of The U.S. Army Chorus covers a broad spectrum that includes pop, Broadway, folk and classical music. The U.S. Army Chorus performs often at the White House and in support of functions hosted by the U.S. Departments of State and Defense. The Chorus is a standard feature at events for each presidential inaugural, and has been featured in official ceremonies and special events at the U.S. Capitol. The men of the Army Chorus, most of whom hold advanced degrees in music, are selected from among the nation’s finest musicians. In 2006, the group celebrated its 50th anniversary with concerts that included a reunion of past members, many of whom have gone on to successful careers in music education and as soloists on Broadway and opera stages around the world. 
In June of 1943, The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” was ordered overseas to perform for American fighting Soldiers and Allies in Europe. During that two-year overseas tour, a representative element known as the “auxiliary band” was established to fulfill the diplomatic and military ceremonial needs in the Nation’s Capital. Eventually that group was renamed The U.S. Army Ceremonial Band. 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 more than 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 substituting 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 the most visible missions performed by The United States Army Band. 
The Soldiers’ Chorus, founded in 1957, is the vocal complement of the United States Army Field Band of Washington, DC. The 29-member mixed choral ensemble travels throughout the nation and abroad, performing as a separate component and in joint concerts with the Concert Band of the “Musical Ambassadors of the Army.” The chorus has performed in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, India, the Far East and throughout Europe, entertaining audiences of all ages. The musical backgrounds of Soldiers’ Chorus personnel – ranging from opera and musical theatre to music education and vocal coaching – provides unique programming flexibility. In addition to selections from a vast choral repertoire, Soldiers’ Chorus performances often include the music of Broadway, opera, barbershop quartet and Americana. This versatility has earned the Soldiers’ Chorus an international reputation for musical excellence and patriotic inspiration. Recent appearances with the Boston Pops, the Cincinnati Pops, and the Detroit, Dallas and National symphony orchestras have met with critical acclaim. Other notable performances include four world fairs, American Choral Directors Association conferences, music educator conventions, Kennedy Center Honors Programs, the 750th anniversary of Berlin and the rededication of the Statue of Liberty. 
The United States Navy Band Sea Chanters is the official chorus of the United States Navy. The ensemble performs a wide variety of music, ranging from traditional choral music, including the sea chantey, to Broadway musicals. Under the leadership of Chief Musician Georgina L. Todd, the Sea Chanters appear throughout the United States and often perform at the White House, the Vice President’s Home and for other Washington dignitaries. In 1956, Lt. Harold Fultz, then the Band’s assistant leader, organized a vocal ensemble from the Navy School of Music in Anacostia to sing chanteys and patriotic songs for the State of the Nation dinner. With the ensemble’s immediate success, Admiral Arleigh Burke, then Chief of Naval Operations, transferred the group to the Navy Band, named them the “Sea Chanters” and tasked this all-male chorus with perpetuating the songs of the sea. Female voices were added in 1980, increasing the chorus’s repertoire. The Sea Chanters have become one of the preeminent professional choral ensembles in the country. They have performed at national events and have played a vital role in comforting the nation in times of mourning. Throughout their history, the Sea Chanters have remained true to the Navy’s watchwords of pride and professionalism. For more information, visit 
In 1981, Executive Producer Jerry Colbert presented the first PBS Fourth of July concert with the National Symphony Orchestra and guest artists performing live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. In 1990, he introduced the National Memorial Day Concert. Since then, both holiday specials have become among the highest-rated performance programs on PBS. In addition to his annual work on these concerts, Colbert has produced Mr. Justice Brennan, Sister Adrian, the Mother Teresa of Scranton, The Regulators: Our Invisible Government and H.R. 6161: An Act of Congress. Colbert was previously Deputy Director of the Center for Understanding Media in New York. 