An American patriotic march written and composed by John Philip Sousa in 1896 to embody American patriotism. Since 1987, by an act of the U.S. Congress, it is the official National March of the United States of America. Its unique structure combines a stirring piccolo obligato (representing the South) with brass countermelodies (the West) and a main theme (the North), bringing them together to represent the Union. Arranged in celebration of the group’s first performance at The Chautauqua Institution in 1999.