27th Annual Sousa Tribute Concert

Valparaiso University proudly announces the 27th annual Sousa Tribute Concert, to be held on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. in the university’s iconic Chapel of the Resurrection. Admission is free and open to the public, with general admission seating and no tickets required.

This beloved annual celebration of American music will feature performances by the Valparaiso Community/University Concert Band, the Valparaiso University Luce Concert Band, and the Valparaiso University Chamber Concert Band, all under the direction of Dr. Jeffrey Scott Doebler, Professor of Music and Director of Bands at Valparaiso University.

The concert will spotlight an array of guest artists, including:

• Emily Yiannias, soprano and executive director of the LaPorte County Symphony Orchestra
• Seth Carlson ’15, guest conductor and organist, and conductor of the Miami Sousa Band
• Mary Beth Mihevc ’25, trumpet soloist

This year’s program pays tribute to John Philip Sousa, whose musical legacy and historic ties to Valparaiso—where he and his band performed four times between 1898 and 1914—continue to inspire. The performance will include four works by Sousa: The Pride of Pittsburgh, Revival March, Resumption March, and the timeless The Stars and Stripes Forever.

Additional concert highlights include:

• Jupiter from The Planets by Gustav Holst
• West Point March, featuring nine familiar military bugle calls
• Concerto Grosso for Saxophone Quartet and Band by Frank Bencriscutto
• Solos by Mary Beth Mihevc and Emily Yiannias
• Guest organist and conductor Seth Carlson
• The visionary The Soaring Hawk by Timothy Mahr
• The second-ever performance of Uncharted, the 37th commission of the Indiana Bandmasters Association

The full repertoire spans works from Beethoven, Delibes, Chaminade, Strauss, and other classical and contemporary composers, making this a must-see event for music lovers of all ages.