The United States Army Band (“Pershing’s Own”) - Springtime in Washington, D.C.

By COL Bruce R. Pulver, Commander

The United States Army Band (“Pershing’s Own”) kicked off the Spring season by holding its annual American Trombone Workshop.  Steve Turre of the Saturday Night Live Band performed with The U.S. Army Blues.  Other featured soloists included SSG Felix Padilla (West Point Band), GySgt Daniel Brady (U.S. Marine Band), MUCS Colin Wise (U.S. Navy Band), Bradley Kerns (faculty at the University of Kentucky), Hillary Simms (American Brass Quintet and faculty member at the Julliard School), and Peter Moore (Principal Trombone with the London Symphony Orchestra and Professor at the Royal Academy of Music).

Among the thousands of missions that Pershing’s Own performs each year, some other notable recent events included the Band and Chorus providing music for the National Military Easter Sunrise Service at Arlington National Cemetery on Easter Sunday.

The next day, both Pershing’s Own and The Old Guard Fife & Drum Corps performed at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll.

Pershing’s Own and The Old Guard Fife & Drum Corps were at the White House again the following week, supporting the arrival ceremony for the Prime Minister of Japan.  All told, Pershing’s Own supported six different missions in conjunction with this state visit, including the state dinner, wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, and a joint session of Congress.

That same week, the Brass Quintet along with vocalists from the Chorus were at the United States Capitol for the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony in honor of “Rosie the Riveter.”

Pershing’s Own and The Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps again joined forces to march in the Washington D.C. Cherry Blossom Parade.

Both organizations are currently hard at work preparing for the kick-off of the Twilight Tattoo, which will run through the Summer.