Each year The U.S. Army Band Aca,!A"PershingAca,!a,,cs Own,Aca,!A? performs its big end-of-the summer concert that concludes with the spirited TchaikovskyAca,!a,,cs Aca,!A"Overture 1812Aca,!A? on the slope of the Washington Monument GroundsAca,!"complete with the cannons of The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) Presidential Salute Battery. This yearAca,!a,,cs performance is scheduled for Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 8 p.m. The FREE performance will be held at the Sylvan Theater on the Washington Monument Grounds between 15th Street and Independence Avenue. No tickets are required for this event. A favorite among Washingtonians, the annual must-see musical extravaganza offers an enjoyable musical program of traditional band music with vocal highlights and Herald Trumpet fanfare. The concert features classical, popular, and patriotic music for audiences of all ages.

Aca,!A"This 1812 Concert is a true crowd pleaser,Aca,!A? said Col. Thomas Rotondi, Jr., commander of The U.S. Army Band Aca,!A"PershingAca,!a,,cs OwnAca,!A?. Aca,!A"The program weAca,!a,,cre offering has something for everyone, no matter what their favorite music may be. The best part of the program, of course, is TchaikovskyAca,!a,,cs epic overture. When the audience hears the first few measures of the piece, you can feel the anticipation for whatAca,!a,,cs coming Aca,!" people just love those cannons!Aca,!A?

The program features selections from John Williams, Karl King, and John Phillip Sousa. The powerful finale is the always spectacular TchaikovskyAca,!a,,cs Overture 1812, including explosive cannon fire by the Presidential Salute Battery of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard).

The Presidential Salute Battery, equipped with four three-inch 5,775-pound World War II vintage anti-tank guns, will fire 75mm blank shells with one-and-a-half pounds of gunpowder. A total of 23 shots will be fired, including the final volley from all four cannons.

Overture 1812 was composed for the 1880 Kremlin Square celebration honoring the Russian victory over the French Napoleon Bonaparte in 1812. Today the overture is revered among concert goersAca,!"from its playful, mocking themes from the French national anthem, La Marseillaise, to the powerful finale with ringing church bells and booming cannons proclaiming victory!

This performance is a highlight of the Washington, D.C., outdoor music season. Come early and bring a blanket or lawn chairs and a picnic (no coolers are permitted on the Monument Grounds) and enjoy the sights and sounds as The U.S. Army Band and the Presidential Salute Battery light up the night.
For more information about the concert and inclement weather notification, call 703-696-3399 or visit the Army Band Website at www.usarmyband.com.