National Memorial Day Concert
The National Memorial Day Concert is a free annual concert performed on the west lawn of the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., in commemoration of Memorial Day between 1989 and 2019. In 2020, the Concert was broadcast on PBS and streamed, but was not live, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is held on the fourth or last Sunday in May. It is broadcast on PBS, and can also be seen overseas by U.S. military personnel in more than 175 countries and aboard more than 200 U.S. Navy ships at sea on American Forces Network.[1] The concert is viewed and heard by millions across the country and the world, as well as, in every year but 2020, attended by more than half a million people at the United States Capitol. The concert, the American counterpart of The Royal British Legion's Festival of Remembrance held the Saturday before Remembrance Sunday in November, usually begins with the American national anthem by the National Symphony Orchestra, followed by music and dramatic readings. This multi-award-winning television event honors the military service of all our men and women in uniform, their families and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
National Memorial Day Concert | |
---|---|
A boy holding an American flag during the 2009 National Memorial Day Concert | |
Created by | Jerry Colbert |
Directed by | Paul Miller |
Creative directors |
|
Presented by |
|
Opening theme | "The Star-Spangled Banner" |
Ending theme | Armed Forces Medley |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Production locations | West Lawn of the United States Capitol Washington, D.C., U.S. (1989–2019) Broadcast but not live (2020) |
Running time | 90 minutes |
Release | |
Original network | PBS |
Original release | May 28, 1989 – present |
External links | |
Website |