Violinist Celeste Blase '75 Plays at President Ford's State Funeral

January 8, 2007

January 8, 2007, Greencastle, Ind. - "Violinist Celeste Blase isn't a stranger to ceremony. A member of the U.S. Marine Band, she has performed at several presidential inaugurations," begins a story in Cincinnati's Community Press on the 1975 DePauw University graduate. "However, she said playing at the state funeral of former president Gerald R. Ford left just as much an impression on her." Blase says, "It was a great honor."

The Press' Forrest Sellers writes, "Blase majored in music at both DePauw University and the Peabody Conservatory of Music... Blase said the U.S. Marine Band performs at many of the state dinners, but she said the funeral provided a time to reflect on more than 30 years of history. The band played the prelude to the ceremony as well as several hymns." Blase, who is a a master gunnery sergeant, tells the publication that the band "will perform for Queen Elizabeth II, who will visit the United States in May."