Start off your summer at Wolf Trap with fireworks on stage and in the sky! “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, the longest standing professional music organization in the US with over 225 years of delighting audiences, performs favorites from popular musicals and marching standards from the Armed Forces’ distinguished songbook. The evening caps off with a spectacular fireworks display.

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Blast Off!

Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts

A powerful program that bridges sound, imagery, and urgent storytelling. Mussorgsky’s iconic Pictures at an Exhibition is brought to life with film, transforming this classic suite into a multi-sensory journey through music and art.

Paired with it is The Bird-While by Gala Flagello, a 2024 Sousa-ABA Ostwald Composition Contest finalist. This striking concerto for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and winds—based on Keith Taylor’s poem “Acolytes in the Bird-While”—explores the beauty of Michigan’s ecosystems and the human struggle to persist in the face of climate change. Featuring guest soloists from "The President's Own" United States Marine Band, this performance brings extraordinary artistry to a message of environmental urgency.

Pictures at an Exhibition

Wake Forest University

Tickets are now sold out for this performance. Waitlists are available at the venue beginning one hour before a performance. There is no guarantee of tickets being available, but historically we’ve been able to get in a large number of people who arrive for our waitlists. We also encourage checking back with us the week of the concert as ticket holder’s plans change and seats may become available last minute, in the days leading up to the performance.

United States Marine Band

May 24, 2026

Blast Off!

May 1, 2026

Pictures at an Exhibition

United States Marine Band