Musician 1st Class Amanda Ballantine, from Indianapolis, Ind., performs a solo with the U.S. Navy Band Commodores at the closing performance of the 45th International Saxophone Symposium. The Commodores’ performance was this year’s marquee event at the two day conference. First held in 1978 in the historic Sail Loft on the Washington Navy Yard,, home of the U.S. Navy Band, the International Saxophone Symposium has grown to become a major conference gathering each January at George Mason University featuring a mix of performances, masterclasses and lectures designed for musicians of all ages, and is the Navy Band’s largest education outreach program.