“Phenomenal” Winners Solo with the Marine Band

According to Director Colonel Michael Colburn, the two students chosen as the inaugural winners of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band Concerto Contest are “phenomenal” musicians. They proved it during solo performances with the band during a concert at the MENC National Biennial Conference in Milwaukee in April.

 Col. Michael Colburn congratulates Ibanda Ruhumbika on his selection.

Oboist Timothy Gocklin from Manchester, New Hampshire, and tuba player Ibanda Ruhumbika of Athens, Georgia, also won a $2,500 cash prize from the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation.
“We were delighted to have such an incredibly high level of talent for our inaugural talent competition,” said Captain Michelle A. Rakers, assistant director of the Marine Band.

Timothy Gocklin performs at the MENC Conference in Milwaukee.

Applications for the 2009 contest must be postmarked by November 15. Application packets are posted at www.marineband.usmc.mil. The finals will take place at the John Philip Sousa Band Hall in Washington DC on February 21, 2009.

-- Rosalind C. Fehr, May 5, 2008. © MENC: The National Association for Music Education (www.menc.org)