Sergeant First Class Marlena Dillenbeck is a native of Coopersville, Michigan. She holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Bachelor of Music degree from Michigan State University. Prior to joining The U.S. Army Field Band, Sgt. 1st Class Dillenbeck played principal clarinet with the Ann Arbor Symphony, attended the Aspen Music Festival, the National Orchestral Institute, the National Repertory Orchestra, the Jerusalem International Symphony Orchestra Festival, and was a member of the New World Symphony under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas. She has performed with the Colorado Music Festival, the Colorado Symphony, and served as principal clarinetist of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra for ten years.
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.