United States Marine Band The United States Marine Band is the premier band of the United States Marine Corps . Established by act of Congress on July 11 , 1798 , it is the oldest of the United States military bands and the oldest professional musical organization in the United States . Today , the Marine Band also includes the Marine Chamber Orchestra and Marine Chamber Ensembles . The Marine Band is entirely separate from its sister military band , the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps ( " The Commandant ' s Own " ) and the 12 active duty Marine Corps field bands . The Marine Band is uniquely known as " The President ' s Own " because of its historic connection to the President of the United States . The relationship between the Marine Band and the White House began on New Year ' s Day 1801 , when President John Adams invited the band to perform at the Executive Mansion . Later that year , Thomas Jefferson initiated the tradition of Marine Band performances by requesting that it perform at his inauguration . The Marine Band has played at every United States presidential inauguration since . Today , the Marine Band performs in approximately 500 events every year including state funerals , state arrival ceremonies , state dinner s , parades , concerts , and other social events . The Marine Band also travels across the country each October and November during its fall concert tour , a tradition that began in 1891 under its most famous director , composer John Philip Sousa . Members and organization . The Marine Band recruits experienced musicians ; members are selected through a rigorous audition procedure and must satisfy additional security and physical requirements to be eligible . Selected band members serve under a four - year contract as active duty enlisted Marines and are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice and physical standards . They are the only members of the United States Armed Forces not required to undergo recruit training and do not perform combat missions . Also , they are not assigned to any unit other than the Marine Band . The band members start at the rank of Staff Sergeant , and wear rank insignia with a lyre replacing the normal crossed rifles . Commissioned officers are drawn from the band , although drum major s are career Marines and are selected from Fleet Marine Force bands , as they are responsible for the military development of the band ' s members . As of 2010 , the USMC spends about $ 10 million annually to support the band . Performances . The Marine Band ' s performance schedule is coordinated by the Marine Band Branch of Headquarters Marine Corps Public Affairs , which works with the Director of the Marine Band and the Marine Band Operations Office to schedule performances and ceremonies by the band , chamber orchestra , and chamber ensembles . The Marine Band also has a professional support staff ( Library , Recording Lab , Stage Managers , and Stage Crew ) as well as the Administration , Public Affairs , and Supply offices , who work to coordinate , promote , and facilitate performances throughout the year . The full band has a complement of about 130 members , but rarely do they all play together . A 42 - piece Marine Band is used for all Pentagon and formal military arrivals and patriotic openers for large events . Patriotic openers are 15 minutes of patriotic music , including the presentation and retirement of the colors , the " The Star - Spangled Banner " ( national anthem ) , and the " Marines ' Hymn . " Patriotic openers are performed throughout the Washington Metropolitan Area at a variety of events for military organizations , federal agencies , and associations . Events that the Marine Band participates in include : Leadership . The early leadership of the Marine Band consisted of both a Drum Major and a Fife Major , who wore identical uniforms . The Drum Major was considered the Leader of the Marine Band , while the Fife Major ' s responsibility was to train the fifers . The first leader of the United States Marine Band was William Farr , who is listed in historical records as having served as Drum Major from January 21 , 1799 . After the retirement of Drum Major Raphael Triay in 1855 , then - Fife Major Francis Scala became Drum Major . On July 25 , 1861 , President Abraham Lincoln signed an Act of Congress to reorganize the Marine Band . This act abolished the rank of Fife Major ( and in 1881 the fife was removed from Marine Corps instrumentation entirely ) , created the positions of Leader of the Band / Principal Musician , Drum Major , and authorized 30 musicians . Scala was the first Marine Band musician to receive the title " Leader of the Band " ; John Roach was selected as Drum Major . The earliest recorded Second Leader of the United States Marine Band was Salvador Petrola . Marine Band cornetist Walter F . Smith , who performed under 17th director , John Philip Sousa , became the first official Second Leader when an Act of Congress established the positions of First Leader and Second Leader of the Marine Band in March 1899 . During the Dwight D . Eisenhower administration , the titles First Leader and Second Leader were replaced by Director and Assistant Director . When Albert F . Schoepper was appointed as Director in 1955 , a second Assistant Director was added to the Marine Band leadership . Today , the Assistant Director positions are designated in two titles : Senior Assistant Director and Executive Officer , and Assistant Director . Today , the Drum Major serves as the senior enlisted member of " The President ' s Own " and is responsible for the band ' s appearance , ceremonial drill , and military decorum . He is charged with directing the band in ceremonies , including the inaugural parade , and regularly leads the band in review for Presidents and visiting heads of state and other dignitaries . The Drum Major ' s uniform is unique ; he wears a bearskin headpiece and carries a ceremonial mace used to signal commands to the musicians . The drum major also wears the officer ' s version of the Eagle , Globe , and Anchor ( the Marine Corps emblem ) . He also wears an ornate baldric , similar to a sash , embroidered with the band ' s crest and the Marine Corps ' battle honors , as well as miniatures of his own medals . Composers . Sousa composed several of his finest marches , including " Semper Fidelis " , while serving as director of the Marine Band . Thomas Powell Knox joined the Marine Band in 1961 as a trumpet player and moved to the arranging staff in 1966 . Three years later , Knox was appointed chief arranger and continued to compose and arrange for the Marine Band until his retirement in 1985 . Some of his more notable compositions include " God of Our Fathers " ( commissioned for Ronald Reagan ' s first inauguration ) and " American Pageant , " which was commissioned for Richard Nixon ' s first inauguration . Knox arranged or composed over 300 pieces , many of which are still played by the Marine Band and other bands across America . Music .