Ben Gunnarson joins “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band

Ben Gunnarson, a master’s student in the USC Thornton Winds & Percussion program, has won a position in “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, the oldest active musical organization in the country. Gunnarson will join a community of Thornton graduates, including clarinetists Angelo Quail (MM ‘15) and Andrew Jacobi (MM ‘14, GCRT ‘16) and percussionists Mary LaBlanc (‘22) and Jeffrey Grant (GCRT ‘14).

“The President’s Own” provides music for the President of the United States and the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Faculty members Thomas Hooten, Jennifer Marotta and Christian Amonson are former musicians of the celebrated Marine Band.

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Ben Gunnarson with Col. Jason Fettig, former director of the US Marine Band, at a USC Thornton Winds concert in 2023. (Photo courtesy of Ben Gunnarson)