80th Anniversary Concert event photo
Sunday
September 27, 2026
3:00 PM
Event Details

Celebrate America’s 250th birthday and The U.S. Army Field Band’s 80th anniversary with a special concert at the Hylton Center featuring the Concert Band, Soldiers’ Chorus, Jazz Ambassadors, Six-String Soldiers, and Army Rappers. Presented in collaboration with George Mason University’s Veterans and the Arts Initiative, this dynamic program brings together iconic classical works, popular favorites, and innovative performances showcasing the very best of American military music.

About the Ensembles:
Concert Band
Concert Band

The Concert Band, the oldest and largest of The U.S. Army Field Band’s five ensembles, has performed for over 100 million people worldwide since its founding in 1946. This elite 65-member group has toured across all 50 states and 25 countries, performing in venues ranging from the Berlin Philharmonie and Carnegie Hall to state fairs and high school gyms. Often joined by the Soldiers’ Chorus, the band presents marches, overtures, popular and patriotic music, and solos. They’ve collaborated with renowned orchestras like the Boston Pops and Detroit Symphony and participated in presidential inaugurations and diplomatic events, embodying American pride and professionalism in every performance.

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Soldiers' Chorus
Soldiers' Chorus

The Soldiers’ Chorus, founded in 1957, is the vocal complement of The United States Army Field Band of Washington, DC. The 24-member mixed choral ensemble travels throughout the nation and abroad, performing as a separate component and in joint concerts with the Concert Band of The Musical Ambassadors of the Army. The chorus has performed in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, India, the Far East, and throughout Europe, entertaining audiences of all ages.

The immense talent of Soldiers’ Chorus personnel provide the ensemble with unique flexibility, and in addition to presenting selections from the vast choral repertoire, each member of the ensemble is an accomplished soloist in their own right. Performances often include the music of Broadway, barbershop quartet, Americana, as well as Pop, Rock, and R&B. Critics have acclaimed recent appearances with the Boston Pops, the Cincinnati Pops, and the Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit, Nashville, and National symphony orchestras, giving the chorus a nationwide reputation for musical excellence and inspiring patriotism.

Other notable performances include four World Fairs, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Kennedy Center Honors Programs, the rededication of the Statue of Liberty, the 100th anniversary of Grand Canyon National Park, PBS’s annual National Memorial Day Concert, and the state funerals of Presidents Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush, and Jimmy Carter. 

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Jazz Ambassadors
Jazz Ambassadors

The Jazz Ambassadors, the U.S. Army’s premier big band, was formed in 1969 and is celebrated both nationally and internationally for performing America’s original art form—jazz. Known as “America’s Big Band,” this 19-member ensemble showcases versatile programming, including classic big band standards, solos, patriotic tunes, contemporary jazz, and original compositions by its members. Many of these works are available through their jazz education initiative, Perspectives.

The Jazz Ambassadors have performed across all 50 states and in Canada, Mexico, Europe, Japan, and India, joining prestigious orchestras like the Boston Pops and National Symphony and appearing at major jazz festivals in Montreux, Newport, and Toronto. Their performances reflect a rich legacy, met with acclaim for celebrating jazz’s unique spirit worldwide.

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Six-String Soldiers
Six-String Soldiers

Six-String Soldiers is a six-member country music group performing Americana and patriotic music in order to Inspire a national pride in the country and help the American people have more connection to their Army. The group was formed in 2015 by active-duty Soldiers who received national media attention after a Facebook video of the group playing The Beatles’ “Here Comes The Sun” went viral. Since then, they have appeared on The Late Show with Stephen ColbertMorning Express with Robin MeadeHarry with Harry Connick Jr., and Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family show.

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