The US 2nd Marine Division Band is really something! The band went viral with their immaculate take on the country’s national march, “Stars and Stripes Forever.” The 47-member band presented a tight and moving rendition of John Philip Sousa’s timeless march. Besides their impeccable musical performances, the band also managed some quite handy maneuvers on the field, presenting shapes such as stars and spelling out the initials of the United States Marine Corps with their formation.
When The Bands of HM Royal Marines uploaded the march on YouTube, it quickly gained traction, with 3.7 million viewers tuning in. The band gave the performance on Horse Guards Parade ground in London, alongside the Massed Bands of HM Royal Marines. The Music Man readers may note that the performance drew quite a reaction from fans in the comments, who not only admired the musicianship but also found the song to be a moving reminder of the sacrifices made by the armed forces.
Viewers really admired the march from the 2nd Marine Division Band and added comments below the video such as “For some reason this made me emotional. Especially when the Marines did the slow march. How incredible” and “What a great performance. Bravo! Absolute American classic all the way. Thanks to the Marine Corps Band. You are perfection.”
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The 2nd Marine Division Band was really in fine form on that day, as their performances at the Horse Guards Parade ground produced not one but two hit videos. Another popular number the band performed that day is their rendition of “The Marines’ Hymn,” which again featured superb musicianship and an athletic presentation on the grounds.
The 2nd Marine Division Band is based in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and is also known as the Division’s Own. The band keeps a busy schedule of performances, and so far in 2024, has performed once or twice a month at various ceremonies, festivals, and concerts. The Music Man readers will surely agree that the band knows how to deliver “Stars and Stripes Forever” with a whole lot of style. The composer of the march, John Philip Sousa, was a United States Marine Corps veteran. He became known as The March King for penning several of the nation’s best-known marches. Sousa wrote “Stars and Stripes Forever” in 1896, and it has remained a favorite in the years since, used for various purposes both at formal events and in popular culture.
If you would like to hear more from the 2nd Marine Division Band, you can follow them on [Facebook] and [Instagram] for more incredible performances and updates.