The U.S.Marine Band was founded on July 1798 by an act of Congress and signed by President John Adams. Currently, it is the oldest musical organization in the U.S., and is the oldest continuously active unit in the Corps. The band has played for every President and the first White House performance was on New Year's Day 1801 at the invitation of President Adams. The Band has also played at every Presidential inauguration since President Jefferson's. Composed of some of the best musicians in the world, all of which hold degrees in music, the band has acquired a reputation for professionalism matched by few other military musical organizations. Furthermore, the Band maintains one of the world's finest collections of music in its musical library with more than 12,000 compositions, some dating back to the eighteenth century. Also assigned at 8th & I is the U.S.Marine Corps Drum and Bugle Corps.