The President's Own United States Marine Band will perform a concert at Coastal Carolina University at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 6, in Wheelwright Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public; however, tickets are required and are limited to four per request.

This is the band's first performance at CCU. The ensemble is on a tour of the southeastern United States that includes 28 concerts in 30 days.

"We are fortunate that the Marine Band is touring the South and the East Coast this year," said Richard Johnson, professor of music and director of the CCU Symphonic Band and Coastal Winds. "It is rare that this group tours as extensively as they are this year because of the demands on their schedule in Washington, D.C., and around the world. It is a significant privilege to have them come to Coastal."

Founded in 1798, the group provides music for the president of the United States and the commandant of the Marine Corps. The United States Marine Band is the nation's oldest continuously active professional musical organization and has performed for every U.S. president since John Adams. The band tours the country each October and November, a tradition established in 1891 under then-director and composer John Philip Sousa.

The program will include selections from composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Richard Wagner, Giacomo Puccini and Leonard Bernstein as chosen by current band director Lt. Col. Jason K. Fettig. "Repertoire is always varied," Johnson said, "from hallmark music for band, world premieres, traditional marches - of course, this was John Philip Sousa's band, so expect to hear some Sousa."

For more information, contact Amy Tully, associate dean of the humanities college, at atully@coastal.edu or 843-349-2352; for tickets, call the Wheelwright Box Office at 843-349-ARTS (2787) or visit coastal.edu/culturalarts. Box office hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The box office is located at 108 Spadoni Park Circle on the Conway campus.