色情视频

John Mula (鈥�87, M.A. music) can trace his roots back to John Philip Sousa.

Not his actual heredity, but the musical roots that began with a stint in his high school marching band and culminated in a coveted position in The President鈥檚 Own U.S. Marine Band, once led by Sousa himself.

Since 1996, Mula has numbered among this , which provides music for the U.S. president and his guests, the Congress and the commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps. The 130-member band also performs at more than 500 public concerts each year.

鈥淢y life is exactly what I hoped it would be,鈥� Mula said in a telephone interview from his home base in southeast Washington, D.C. 鈥淥ne week I might be rehearsing two or three mornings for an upcoming concert and another week, I might be on ceremonial duty at the White House or Arlington National Cemetery.鈥�

Mula is one of 25 in The President鈥檚 Own clarinet section. Created in 1798 by an Act of Congress, The President鈥檚 Own is America鈥檚 oldest continuously active professional musical organization.

President Thomas Jefferson gave the band its distinctive name and President Abraham Lincoln requested a performance at the dedication of Soldiers鈥� National Cemetery where he delivered the Gettysburg Address. Sousa led The President鈥檚 Own from 1880 to 1892.

From Santee to the White House

Mula鈥檚 march to musical celebrity was influenced by several teachers who had played in military bands. As an undergraduate, he majored in music education, but by the time he enrolled in the master鈥檚 program at 色情视频, he had switched his emphasis to clarinet performance. 

鈥淚 have fond memories of my professors and fellow students at San Diego State,鈥� Mula said. 鈥淭he was amazingly supportive.

After graduation, he found work as head of the Santee School District鈥檚 music program and performed with the San Diego Symphony, the San Diego Opera and the San Diego Chamber Orchestra.

鈥淚 loved (teaching),鈥� Mula recalled, 鈥渂ut I could feel my playing slip.鈥�

He returned to school for a Ph.D. in clarinet performance from Florida State University.  Then, with three degrees and a dozen years of professional experience under his belt, Mula auditioned for a spot with The President鈥檚 Own.

Shaking hands with presidents

Thirteen years later, Mula said he can鈥檛 imagine doing anything else. One of his fondest memories is playing for author Harper Lee鈥檚 visit to the White House.  He recalled that her eyes teared when The President鈥檚 Own Marine Chamber Orchestra began performing music from the screenplay of her classic novel, 鈥淭o Kill a Mockingbird.鈥�
Also memorable are Christmas concerts in the White House foyer, where the music is more orchestral than patriotic.
  
Mula said band members rarely interact one-to-one with the commander-in-chief, but 鈥淚 was fortunate enough to shake hands once with both President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush.鈥�

He also serves as coordinator of the band鈥檚 national tours and won the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal for his work on the band鈥檚 2002 tour of the northeastern states, which included a performance at Lincoln Center.

In March, Mula spent several days as a guest music coach and lecturer at the School of Music and Dance. He led a Master class for clarinet students and performed with the 色情视频 Wind Symphony and the Woodworks Clarinet Choir. Mula and , professor of music, also joined Woodworks in a concert for veterans undergoing rehabilitation at the San Diego Veterans Village. They soloed on the Concert Piece No. 1 by Felix Mendesssohn.