For more than two centuries, the U.S. Marine Band has carried its musical traditions from the White House to communities across the country. On Friday, that tradition makes its next stop at Salisbury University.
“The President’s Own” will perform at 7:30 p.m. October 2 in the Jackson Family Auditorium at Holloway Hall, kicking off the band’s 2026 national concert tour. The program includes traditional band repertoire, contemporary works, Sousa marches and solo performances.
Master Sgt. Amy McCabe, the band’s principal trumpet and cornet player, said the ensemble balances more than 200 years of history with an evolving repertoire.
“A lot of things change, but a lot of things stay the same,” McCabe said. “Those musical traditions pass on and have largely remained the same for 200-plus years.”
For McCabe and Staff Sgt. Daniel Taubenheim, bringing that music to a university campus also brings back memories of their own introductions to the Marine Band.
Taubenheim was a middle school student in Illinois when he first heard the group on tour.
“They blew me away beyond what I thought was even possible,” he said.
McCabe had a similar experience when the band visited her university. She remembers hearing eight trumpet players perform together and wondering whether she could someday join them.
Now, 20 years after joining the Marine Band, McCabe hopes Friday’s performance might provide that same inspiration for young musicians in Salisbury.
“I didn’t know a trumpet section could sound like that,” she said. “I hope that we’re just providing a really great example of what music can be.”
The concert on October 2nd is free. A post-concert Q&A and dessert reception will follow.
