Musicians Since 1798, the Marine Band's primary mission has been to provide music for the President of the United States. Whether performing for South Lawn arrival ceremonies,state dinners, receptions, or accompanying famous entertainers, the musicians appear at the White House nearly 200 times annually. These performances range from a solo pianist or harpist to the full concert band. The band can form a number of performing ensembles, including the concert and marching bands, chamber orchestras, string ensembles, and dance and dixieland bands. While performing a diverse repertoire, music of American composers traditionally has been a central theme of the band's programming. Today's Marine Band musicians graduates of our nation's most prestigious music schools are selected at highly competitive auditions and often hold advanced degrees in music.