MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. -- The National Museum of the Marine Corps is hosting holiday music by ensembles from the Quantico Marine Corps Band every day, with the exception of Sunday through Wednesday. The concerts, like the museum, are free and open to the public. (See the sidebar for the schedule.)
“This is the third year in a row that the Quantico Marine Corps Band has come to perform at the museum,” said Gwenn Adams, public relations chief, National Museum of the Marine Corps. “This event began in 2010 with the band’s first performance at the museum.”
The ensembles include a handbell choir, brass quintet, jazz trio and saxophone quartet. They will play in the museum’s Leatherneck Gallery.
“It’s not something that we get to do very often,” said Sgt. Alaura Gogue, a flutist. “I don’t think that there is a greater gift than music, because it’s something that, no matter who you are and what language you speak, everyone can understand.”
The one-hour concerts help spread holiday cheer along with word of the band’s musical talent.
“This event really helps us spread the holiday spirit and it puts the band’s name out there,” said Sgt. Bruce Ingram, a French horn player. “It’s not every day that we get to practice small unit leadership, so this event also gives us the opportunity to do that as well.”
As the band played Dec. 5, a crowd formed around them, and, when they finished a wave of applause from both young and old washed over them.
“Being able to see the realistic holiday smiles on people’s faces really makes everything we do worthwhile,” said Ingram.
Correspondent: cuong.le@usmc.mil