The Moore County Concert Band will present the second in a series of its 30th anniversary concerts on Sunday, March 25, at the Carolina Hotel.

Music Director David Seiberling has chosen for the theme of this concert "Sounds of Sousa at the Carolina."

John Philip Sousa is popularily known as "The March King" and for his work as the director of the United States Marine Band and the inventor of the sousaphone.

Few, however, are aware that Sousa was an accomplished violinist and composer of a wide range of musical works, including 15 operettas. Among his original works for bands are suites, humoresques, fantasies, descriptive pieces, dances and, of course, marches.

In addition to the more than 200 songs in his operettas, he was the composer of 70 additional vocal works, many of which were transcribed for use with his band.

Following his 12-year tenure with the Marine Band, he formed his own highly acclaimed Sousa Band, which traveled both nationally and internationally. Sousa was also a noted writer, having written three novels and his autobiography.

The Moore County Band will welcome guest conductor Marcus L. Neiman, a renowned Sousa scholar noted for his characterization of the famed conductor.

The concert play list has been chosen to resemble one that would have been a typical Sousa concert in the early 1900s.

It includes an overture, trombone solo, spiritual, operetta, clarinet duet and several Sousa marches. The band will feature trombone soloist Harold McKinney and clarinetists Mary Ann Goff and Soo Goh.

McKinney is active as a trombonist and teacher, and is a retired member of the music faculty of Appalachian State University.

Goff is an educator and an accomplished clarinetist, and is married to Marcus Neiman. Goh is principal clarinetist of the Fayetteville Symphony and a member of the faculty of UNC Pembroke.

In addition to Sousa marches, the band will be playing selections from the works of Franz Von Suppe, Arthur Prior, Gilbert and Sullivan, Felix Mendelssohn, Dmitri Shostakovitch and arrangements by David Seiberling.

The Moore County Concert Band is an all-volunteer band and offers four free concerts each year.

Future concerts will be May 27 and July 4 at the Carolina Hotel.

For additional information call (910) 295-2303.