Anthony A . Mitchell Lieutenant Commander Anthony A . Mitchell ( August 26 , 1918 – January 20 , 2009 ) , born Antonio Alberto Miceli , was an American clarinet ist , composer and conductor who led the United States Navy Band from 1962 until his retirement from the Navy in 1968 . He was a prolific composer of marches , including " Our Nation ' s Capital " , the official march of Washington , D . C . Early life . Mitchell was born on 26 August 1917 in Clearfield , Pennsylvania , the eldest of twelve children . His parents were Sicilian immigrants who changed the family name to Mitchell a year after his birth . Mitchell began playing the saxophone at age five and soon added the clarinet . His first teacher was his father , who had encouraged his interest in music . Although a painter and decorator by trade , his father was a skilled musician and the leader of the Clearfield town band . In 1936 the nineteen - year - old Mitchell enlisted in the US Navy and moved to Washington D . C . to study at the newly established Navy School of Music . After graduating with honors two years later , he was accepted into the US Navy Band as a clarinetist . In 1945 he became the clarinet soloist for the band , and the following year graduated from The Catholic University of America with a Bachelor of Music degree . Crash . Early on in his career with the Navy Band , Mitchell became their dance band ' s leader ( then a separate unit ) and moved into conducting . For some time after World War II , he also was the conductor and musical director of a weekly television broadcast featuring leading artists of the day . By 1956 , he had risen to the rank of Warrant Officer , was promoted to Third Leader , and began conducting the Navy Band on many of its national tours . In early 1960 Mitchell and band were on a Presidential tour of South America dubbed “ Operation Amigo ” when on 25 February the band experienced its worst tragedy . 19 members of the band ' s string section , including its assistant director , were traveling on a Navy R6D transport plane en route to Rio de Janeiro , Brazil for a presidential reception between Brazilian President Juscelino Kubitschek and U . S . President Dwight D . Eisenhower when the plane collided on final approach with a Brazilian airliner over Guanabara bay . The crash killed all 19 members of the band including Lt . Johann Harold Fultz , the assistant director . Mitchell was originally supposed to be on board that aircraft , but was spared when Lt . Fultz said , ' Mitch , I don ' t need you tomorrow . Why don ' t you stay here ? ' Following the crash the band was ordered to continue their tour without change . The band members were devastated by the loss , and many quit upon returning to the States . The Band ' s leader of 20 years , Cdr . Charles Brendler , retired from the Navy in 1962 . Mitchell was his personal choice to replace him . On the day Mitchell assumed his post ( February 26 , 1962 ) , he led the US Navy band in Washington ' s official welcome to astronaut John Glenn . Band leader . In 1963 the Navy Band under Lt . Anthony " Mitch " Mitchell ' s leadership recorded " The National Cultural Center Presents the United States Navy Band " for RCA Victor . The LP was the Navy ' s contribution to a unique four album set featuring each military branch band — the first time the bands had released their recordings commercially . Organized by the Department of Defense , the special release was to raise funds for the National Cultural Center in Washington D . C . ( renamed the John F . Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 1964 ) . In June 1963 , the Navy Band ' s album entered the Billboard Top 40 album chart . It was re - released on CD in 2009 . During his time as Band Leader , Mitchell conducted the Navy Band ' s daily performances on the east steps of the U . S . Capitol , as well as their weekly Monday night concerts at the Capital . Mitchell led the band on national tours , including its first ever performance at New York City ' s Carnegie Hall in 1966 . He also founded an annual Washington Area Soloist Festival for young musicians , and introduced a series of children ' s concerts . For his initiatives to bring music to young people , he received an honorary Doctor of Music Degree from Saint Francis University . His numerous compositions included " Our Nation ' s Capital " , the official march of the District of Columbia , and the " National Cultural Center March " ( later renamed the " John F . Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts March " ) which was played during fund - raising events for the Center and later at its inauguration . Retirement . Mitchell retired from the navy on December 30 , 1968 , with the rank of lieutenant commander . After his retirement , he worked as a music teacher in a junior high school in Maryland as well as serving as a music education adviser and music competition judge . He celebrated 63 years of marriage with his wife , Helen Rittenhouse Mitchell , before she died at age 87 in the spring of 2005 . Mitchell died at the age of 91 on January 20 , 2009 , of complications from lupus . He was survived by his five children and ten of his brothers and sisters . One of his younger brothers had also played for the Navy Band ( as a trumpeter and singer ) , and another was for many years the clarinet soloist for the US Air Force Band . External links . music