History of the 257th

When the Corcoran Cadets were assembled in 1883, it would have been impossible to foresee the longevity of their service in the District of Columbia. The 257th Army Band is proud of its organizational lineage and association with the Corcoran Cadets; the militia that inspired John Philip Sousa to compose his march of the same name.

The heritage of the 257th is honorable: noted historical performances include the burial of the Unknown Solider in 1921, musical support for the state funeral of Presidents Harding and Kennedy, overseas deployments to Greece and Panama and consecutive invitations to the Great American Brass Band Festival in 2003 and 2004.

During the summer of 2005, the 257th was selected to perform a public relations Concert Tour throughout the northeastern United States. Although centrally located among the finest military bands in the world, The 257th Army Band remains the only military band officially recognized as “The Band of the Nation’s Capital”.