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There were many opportunities for applause and ovation at the concert given Oct. 24 by “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, and the audience in attendance at Sexson Auditorium took nearly all of them to show its admiration for the group.The performance drew an audience that filled both the lower and balcony levels of Sexson, bringing a mixed crowd of students, faculty and community members of all ages.

The excitement was noticeably high as Col. Michael Colburn, director, led the band in “The Star-Spangled Banner,” with members of the crowd adding their voices to a rousing rendition of the national anthem.

Standout pieces included several marches composed by famed former director John Philip Sousa, among them “Semper Fidelis” and “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” The lively tempo of these universally recognized tunes enticed audience members to clap in rhythm with the beats.

However, soloists Master Sgt. Matthew Harding, on trumpet, and Gunnery Sgt. AnnaMaria Mottola, on piano, were the two musicians who stole the show.

Harding performed “Allegro con brio from Trumpet Concerto,” a piece punctuated by staccato notes and melodic chords, showcasing his musicianship by moving through passages both lively and somber.

For his solo, Harding took center stage at the front of the band, where during particularly up-tempo measures one had a clear view of the exertion that went into playing the trumpet as readily as he did.

George Gershwin’s “Allegro from Concerto in F,” arguably the composer’s most famous piece, according to concert moderator Gunnery Sgt. Kevin Bennear, was another composition that captured the audience’s affection. With Mottola at the helm of a grand piano the piece seemed effortless, the notes effervescent and pure.

One of the night’s surprises came as Bennear, whose baritone voice served as the night’s narration, sang jubilantly to a medley of patriotic tunes, arranged by Master Sgt. Stephen Bulla and entitled “Pride of the People.”

The program closed with “A Salute to the Armed Forces of the United States of America,” a medley that strung together the respective anthems of each division of the armed forces-the Army, Coast Guard, Air Force, Navy and Marines. During each anthem, audience members with ties to present or former members in the respective divisions were asked to stand.

When it came time for its own anthem, the entire band stood at attention, as proud Marines, and the crowd cheered them on.

Colonel Michael J.Colburn is the 27th Director of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band that performed in the Sexson Auditorium on Oct. 24. (Linda Eav)

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