MV for a Day 2023 - VT vs. ODU

Like many other Hokie fans across Virginia Tech’s campus and beyond, the Marching Virginians and hundreds of high schoolers welcomed the first game of the season with lots and lots of maroon! This past Saturday, September 2, was not only Virginia Tech’s first football game of the season, but it was also MV for a Day for the Marching Virginians! We had the tremendous opportunity of welcoming nearly 600 high school students to march alongside us in Lane Stadium.

Many of our members have fond memories of marching in high school, and some even attended MV for a Day themselves before becoming a member in college. Saturday was such a special day for each of us; all of the MVs just loved being able to march with all of the high schoolers!

The MV Drumline jumping to Enter Sandman. (Photo courtesy of Beau Wong)

1st Half

Our game started off to a promising start as the Hokies found themselves at 2-0 against Old Dominion. Into the second quarter, quarterback Grant Wells scored the first touchdown of the season with a 20 yard pass up the middle to wide receiver Jaylin Lane. After several plays, the score at halftime was 10 for ODU and 16 for Virginia Tech.

The MVs and high schoolers performing together during halftime. (Photo courtesy of Beau Wong)

Halftime

As our hardworking football team took their break, the Marching Virginians (and our high school friends!) took the stage — or, Worsham Field — during halftime. This past weekend the Marching Virginians put on our Superhero show, which consisted of well-known works from various film series. These included Avengers, Dr. Strange, Black Panther, and Loki. The MV’s performed music from Loki and Dr. Strange, and afterward our high school friends joined us to play music from Black Panther and Avengers. After our performance, we let the football team have their field back.

Touchdown! (Photo courtesy of Beau Wong)

2nd Half

Jumping back into the game, the each football team was hard at work trying to secure a win. Tech scored a touchdown early into the third quarter, with ODU scoring one soon after as well. ODU’s score became stagnant at 17 throughout the rest of the third and fourth quarter. Virginia Tech scored another touchdown, along with a couple field goals afterward. Virginia Tech won 36-17.

Stick around for upcoming posts from our blog! Hokie Nation is thrilled with such a great start to our football season, and the MVs cannot wait to march in Lane Stadium again in a few days! We would like to extend a HUGE thank you to all of our staff, leadership and high school band administration for all of their hard work and cooperation in making the MV for a Day go off without a hitch.

And, as always, go Hokies!

New Faces: The Rookies' Favorites!

With the new season of the Marching Virginians underway, everyone has been hard at work putting our upcoming show “Superhero” onto the field. For many members this is a bittersweet time as the start of their final year in the MVs, but this is also an exciting beginning for others: the rookies! Every year, the rookies must learn MV songs, marches, and traditions, and we wanted to find out what some rookies most enjoy about being in the Marching Virginians.

What’s your favorite part about being an MV?

Arnav Joshi, Civil Engineering, MV Tone. (photo credit to MV Online Content)

“The atmosphere is just really good, you make friends,” said Arnav Joshi, a rookie MV Tone. “You get to play good music, and you just get to have all around fun.”

“My high school band was a lot smaller, so I love the community,” said Claire Haagen, a MV Bone rookie. “Just having a really large band of a lot of people who genuinely love to be here and devote a lot of time to the MVs.”

Daniel Mwaura, Neuroscience, MV Trumpet. (photo credit to MV Online Content)

“My favorite part about being an MV is meeting a lot of cool people,” said Daniel Mwaura, a VTrumpet rookie. “Being able to meet every day, playing good music, and sounding good as a band is great.”

“I just love playing music and being around so many great musicians and putting on these shows and meeting so many people,” said James Martens, a VTrumpet rookie.

“It’s the sense of camaraderie”, said VTuba rookie Shaft. “It feels — especially [my] section, and the band as a whole — feels like a family, but it’s just a lot bigger.”

James Martens, undecided, VTrumpet. (photo credit to MV Online Content)

Going into our first game this Saturday, it seems that the rookies all have their own special slice of being an MV that they enjoy. Be it playing musical medleys, having a unique section bond or being surrounded by so many amazing people, being an MV is a truly special experience. We hope that the rookies of the 2023 season have a fantastic fall semester and love being in the MV family for years to come! After all, you’re not just an MV when at Virginia Tech; you’re MVs4lyfe!

Band Camp 50!

Welcome back, Marching Virginians and fans! We’ve missed seeing your smiling faces around the MVC these past few months. 

Band Camp flew by with field leadership, officers, rookies and returners working hard to get up to speed and get ready for our exciting 50th season ahead. Let’s hear what some of our MVs thought about the week!

Shawn “Ronald” Regalado, VTuba rookie. (photo credit to MV Online Content)

Was band camp what you expected?

“As someone who is coming from a small high school that had about forty-ish members, said VTubas rookie Shawn “Ronald” Regalado, “seeing the pace that we learn everything and the different cultures in each section and the sheer size of the band itself was a lot to take in. It really blew away my expectations going into band camp as a rookie.”

Carter Bohart, MVPix rank captain. (photo credit to MV Online Content)

How was your first week of leadership? 

“I enjoyed meeting all of the new band members and getting to work with them, [to] kind of hand down what I learned as an incoming member,” said new MVPix rank captain Carter Bohart. “[I enjoyed] giving them tips and tricks in the MV marching style and helping them become acclimated to the environment.”

What are you most looking forward to for the 50th season?

“I’m looking forward to bringing back some old shows that we used to march and just celebrating the accomplishments that this band has brought about in 50 years, being one of the youngest bands in the nation,” said Bohart.

Megan Mansfield, returning MV manager. (photo credit to Megan Mansfield)

What are you most looking forward to for the 50th season?

“The community,” said returning manager Megan Mansfield. “Now that I’ve met more people from last season and also [been] helping with uniforms, I know more people from almost every section. So now, the games, cookouts and going out with people, it’s going to be a lot more fun because it’s easier to make connections.”

All said, the MVs can’t wait for season 50 to really get started. Our first game is against ODU on September 2nd, and will be our annual MV for a Day event! This is a great opportunity for high schoolers to check out our program and see what collegiate marching is really like.

We’ll see you there!

Hokies Pep Band

When MV season comes to a close, many band members aren’t satisfied with performing awesome stand tunes and bringing energy to game day in just the fall. Lucky for them, there’s an amazing opportunity in store in the spring; the Hokies Pep Band!

A Synopsis of the Hokies Pep band

The Pep Band performing for March Madness (Source: HokieSports)

Under the direction of Marching Virginians assistant director Chad Reep, the Hokies Pep Band brings the excitement of an outdoor ensemble into Cassell Coliseum. The Pep Band, being roughly a third of the size of the Marching Virginians, includes all instruments of the outdoor ensemble and adds in guitars, basses, and a drum set. When the Pep Band gets to travel with out basketball teams, the band is even further reduced to about 30. As a vital part of the game day energy, the Pep Band coordinates with the Spirit Squad and the student section (formally referred to as the Cassell Guard) to make game day as exciting as possible!

ACC Tournament Run

The Pep Band had the opportunity to travel with the Hokies Men’s Basketball team to Greensboro, North Carolina to bring the hype to the ACC Tournament! The 11th seed Hokies played the 14th seed Notre Dame Fighting Irish in round one, and were able to secure a win with a final score of 67-64.

The Greensboro Coliseum Pep Band! (Source: Chad Reep)

In round two, the Hokies were faced with the 6th seed NC State Wolfpack and faced a tough loss with a final score of 77-97. Despite the disheartening performance, the Pep Band still got to spend some quality time together and had a great time!

Women’s NCAA Tournament Run

The Hokie Women’s Basketball team had a record breaking run in March Madness, reaching the first program Elite Eight and Final Four, and the Pep Band had the opportunity to travel with them along this historic journey!

Our March Madness Pep Band! (Source: Chad Reep)

Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight — Seattle, WAshington

The Pep Band crowds Chad’s room to ensure they sound the best they can! (Source: Chad Reed)

The Pep Band arrived in Seattle, Washington and had a couple of days to explore the city! Many groups visited some one Seattle’s famous sites: the Space Needle, the Pike Place Market, and the aquarium, just to name a few! Of course, since our Pep Band members are still students, many found places to study across the city, especially at the Seattle Public Library. Leading up to the game, with no other place to rehearse within the hotel, the dedicated Pep Band swarmed to Chad’s room to read/sing through their music!

The Hokies move on! (Source: HokieSports)

On the team’s first Sweet Sixteen appearance since 1999, the Hokies faced 4th seed Tennessee, who were predicted to be evenly matched. After a close game, the Hokies were able to pull away with a final score of 73-64, and moved on to the program’s first Elite Eight!

Forward #13 Taylor Soule, the Pep Band’s biggest fan! (Source: Tech Sideline)

Facing the Hokies in our historic Elite Eight appearance was 3rd seed Ohio State. Proving to be yet another stressful game, the Hokies were once again able to pull away from the Buckeye’s notorious full court press and put up a final score of 84-74. Hurriedly, the Hokies packed their bags and prepared for an early flight to Dallas, Texas for our first ever Final Four!

Final Four — Dallas, Texas

Upon landing, the team was greeted by a small photo op at the airport! Once in the city, the Pep Band once again had the opportunity to explore the city a bit, with many flocking to local TexMex and barbecue restaurants! A handful of Pep Band members even decided to buy cowboy hats to celebrate the occasion!

Now THAT’S a trombone section! (Source: HokieSports)

The Hokies were facing another 3rd seed, LSU, with odds favoring the Tigers. After putting up a fight and gaining a double digit lead, the Hokies couldn’t hold on to the championship appearance, and fell to the Tigers in a 72-79 loss. With much to be proud of, the Hokies flew back home to Blacksburg with their heads held high!

Old Friends, New Memories

For a lot of people, lifelong friendships are made in the Marching Virginians. Whether it’s section bonding time or just striking up a conversation at the MVC, countless relationships begin with marching band. For some other people, these relationships start even earlier than college. A lot of our wonderful MVs came from high school band together, spending eight years doing what they love with the same people. We wanted to highlight these special relationships and commemorate all the years we have spent together making music.

Millbrook High School

Xander Hromiak ‘20, Hayden Gormas ‘21

Xander and Hayden both come from our lovely horn section here in the MVs. They hail from Winchester, VA, both a part of the Millbrook High School Marching Band. Their favorite memory from high school band is “the anticipation of the triple double crunchwrap supreme”.

Hickory High School

Gracie Maslyn '21, Thomas Chase '21, Cole Sawyer '20

Next we travel to Virginia Beach, where we meet Gracie Maslyn, Cole Sawyer, and Thomas Chase, all former members of the Hickory High School Marching Band. This band had a lot of fun with each other, with their favorite memories being going to Band of America Regionals at Liberty University, playing awesome games at band camp, and all the fun memories traveling with each other.

King George High School

Jacob Banerjee ‘19, Jonathan Amorino ‘22

Jacob and Jonathan, both members of the trombone section, have been marching together since their days at King George High School, in King George, VA. While their most memorable moment is the loss of their Senior Night football game, they have had many moments of fun with each other, especially since joining the Marching Virginians.

Grafton High School

Julia Darden ‘21 Jackson Kirsch ‘21, Ax Phan ‘20, Trey Kalil ‘20, Carrie Frecker ‘19, Calvin Moore ‘19, Jackson Davies ‘19, Tim Asher ‘19, Meadow Dawes ‘22

Next up is a gigantic and memorable group of Marching Virginians from Grafton High School, in Yorktown, VA. 9 of our MVs have been marching together for years, but not always successfully. Their favorite memory from HS was when Trey Kalil fell down in the middle of a competition, but got right back up and began marching in step on beat. It was so memorable that the video of the recording has lived long after all of them graduated.

Clarke County High School

John Kizer ‘20, Claire Holmes ‘19, Olivia Holmes ‘21, Charles Casey ‘21, Nico Ottobre ‘22, Nate Blackwell ‘22

All of these MVs hail from Clarke County High School, in Berryville, VA. They were all in the band together in 2018, and that year had a vampire themed show. One of Nate’s favorite memories that year was getting to march at championships with his arm in a brace because he broke my arm at band camp! He says “It was really cool to march with all of my friends even when I had to march with a concert horn!”

Charlottesville High School

Tommy Fruscello ‘22, Talia Moore ‘22, Claire Wildermann ‘22

Coming from a small high school, these three MVs from Charlottesville High School were very close before coming to Virginia Tech. According to them, Charlottesville High School’s band had bonds that superseded the section divide. All sections shared a lot of memories playing with each other through their tenure in band.

Pulaski County High School

Alex Haynes '22, Charlie “Kachow” Buchinsky '19

Coming closer to home, Alex and Charlie marched together at Pulaski County High School in Dublin, VA. They were able to share so many fun memories together, most notably traveling to All District and All State band.

Dominion High School

Isabel Hasson '19, Gillian Murphy '19, Alex Rutkowski '22, Myles Phillips '18, Aaron George '19, Kristin Rice '20, Samantha Frietchen '19

Lastly, we have an unforgettable group of MVs from Northern VA. The seven of them hail from Dominion High School, in Sterling VA. A fond memory they have from high school was getting to participate in Parade of Champions in 2017, as well as getting first place at a competition in 2018!!

These are just some of the bonds that were able to be strengthened through spending time in the MVs. It is so special to be able to know someone for upwards of eight years! The MVs is truly a place for lifelong friendships.

MVs on the Road – VT vs. Duke

“Wakey, wakey! IT’S GAME DAY!!!!!” at 5:02 a.m.: This is the text that 330 sleepy Marching Virginians received on Saturday morning, November 12th. The Marching Virginians Center is filled with activity as we loaded up and prepared to board our buses to join our team in Durham, North Carolina for our game against Duke!

ON THE ROAD!

The Duke University Marching Band (Source: Andrew Stewart)

Mostly asleep, the MVs piled pillows, blankets, and boxed breakfasts onto 8 charter buses and departed for North Carolina. After an easy 3 hour ride, with one stop to distribute lunches, we arrived on Duke’s campus a little after 10 a.m. As we got settled and prepared for the game to begin, we got to watch the Duke University Marching Band, fondly known as DUMB (yes, seriously), perform their pregame show. Then, it was football time!

Playing Tech Triumph as a part of Duke’s pregame show! (Source: Macey Early)

Interesting to note: this was the first game since 2020 that the MVs have attended wearing anything other than the classic Marching Virginians uniform. We opted instead for our standard issue maroon sweatpants and gray t-shirts/sweatshirts. The game at Duke was also the first away game, excluding UVA and bowl games, that the MVs have attended in the last four years!

1st HALF

QB #6 Grant Wells running the ball (Source: HokieSports)

The first quarter was a pleasant surprise for Hokie fans. The Hokies scored a touchdown on the second play of the game and held off Duke for the entire first quarter, allowing only a field goal. The second quarter started to look a little less promising, as Duke scored their first touchdown and VT gained no points.

Halftime

Then it was halftime! Duke’s marching band took the field once again to perform some popular songs, such as Take My Breath by The Weeknd and That That by PSY and SUGA of BTS. In addition to the DUMB, we were also entertained by skydivers! There were three, and they descended from the sky to land on the field, flying flags and blue smoke along the way!

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2ND HALF

While the MVs did our best to keep Hokie spirits up in Wallace-Wade Stadium, it proved to be difficult as the game progressed. With each quarter, Duke scored another touchdown, and the ending score was 24-7, with Duke taking the win.

Bringing the Spirit of Tech to Duke! (Source: Macey Early)

After the game, the MVs could only be consoled with pizza, which we sat and enjoyed as the stadium cleared out. Once the buses arrived at the stadium, we loaded back up and rode back to Blacksburg in a caravan of charter buses.

H4TH – VT vs. GT

This past week, the Marching Virginians participated in the 26th annual Hokies for the Hungry, a week-long canned food drive and donation competition that benefits the Montgomery County Christmas Store. The Montgomery County Christmas Store serves low income families in the New River Valley area, providing non-perishable food and other useful items during the holiday season.

HOKIES FOR THE HUNGRY

The different sections of the MVs compete in can collection, seeing who can bring in the most amount of items every single day. Bonus items are announced for each day, tripling points for certain items. Thousands of cans of food were counted every single day, to be loaded on a truck at the end of rehearsal. Many amazing members of this organization volunteered to count and load the cans, preparing for our big shipment on Sunday. This year, the winners of the can competition was our amazing horn section, bringing in the highest average amount of cans per person!

Two managers counting cans during the concert on Friday! (Source: Callie Ayala)

Hokies for the Hungry has its biggest day on Saturday, before game day. The band was split into seven smaller bands, designated to certain locations to play for tailgaters. Tailgaters can donate money to hear their favorite song, with some songs being worth up to $200! This is another opportunity to collect cans as well, adding to the final donation right before Sunday. 

Alongside the can donation war, monetary donations are collected throughout the week. Social media was plastered with photos and graphics, successfully raising thousands of additional dollars for the Montgomery County Christmas Store.

Halftime and Alumni Day

VTubas and Alumni doooo the Hokie Pokie! (Source: HokieSports)

Today was Alumni Day for the Marching Virginians! Alumni Band Day is an opportunity for alumni from the Marching Virginians to come back and perform with the band at halftime. People who have moved away and graduated a long time ago get to come back and have an amazing day with our current members. Hundreds of Alumni got to the MVC bright and early, and were able to relive their college days in rehearsal with their section. Active members of the MVs got to catch up with their older friends, reminiscing on the time spent with them years ago.

Alumni Band Day is an amazing opportunity to stay involved with the Marching Virginians after you finish your time at Virginia Tech. It truly is great to get to know the people who came before you in this wonderful organization.

The Game

WR #11 Tucker Holloway goes all the way with a 90 yd punt return! (Source: HokieSports)

Initially down after the first quarter, the Hokies effectively rallied with 20 points in the second quarter! Through the last two quarters, both the Hokies and the Yellow Jackets were neck and neck, until Georgia Tech was able to just squeak past Virginia Tech, and take home a win with a one-point lead. While this season has been rough on the Hokies and their fans, every week we see the team develop a little bit more, and for now, that’s all we can ask for. The Marching Virginians will always root for our team, no matter what!

Check back next week for the Marching Virginians taking on Duke on the road in Durham, NC!

ValianT

As the rest of marching band season rolls on, we wanted to take a moment to highlight another amazing organization that a lot of our members participate in: Valiant.

Valiant is the Winter Guard team here at Virginia Tech; it is a student-run organization that travels to compete against other Winter Guards during the winter and spring seasons. 

Valiant is run by a student director, picked by the members at the end of each season. This year, the group is run by returning director Catherine Miller, a senior in our own MV Color Guard. This will be her second year as director for Valiant. The director’s role, with the help of an assistant director, is to create the choreography for the show of the season. They decide the music, uniforms, and coordinate everything needed to be done for the organization to compete. Alongside the directors, Valiant also uses managers, who are volunteers to help on competition days with the behind the scenes work of the organization.

Competition Photo from 2021-2022 Season! Source: Bethany Hillmann

The spinners in the organization have many wonderful things to say about this organization. Returning member Bethany Hillmann spoke about her experience as a spinner in Valiant. When asked about her experience in Valiant, she said that it involves a lot of hard work and dedication, but is all worth it seeing the product at the end. One of her favorite memories from last season was getting ready with the team before all of their competitions.

Similar to the Marching Virginians, Valiant is an audition based ensemble. The audition involves an interview with the director, as well as spinning and choreography. The auditionees have to learn two routines in a short time span, performing them for not only the director, but judges who observe and make comments as well. Auditionees also have the option to audition on the rifle, which adds another layer to the process. After a long day of auditions, decisions are made, and the new team gets hard at work on creating a wonderful show for competitions.

This organization takes a lot of time and dedication, but the end product is a marvel to witness. We are so excited to see the show that the team will create for us this season!

Check back next week for our game day recap against Georgia Tech!

Bringing the Hype to Campus – Turner Pep Band

Picture this – it’s the Friday before game day, and campus is just too quiet. The clock strikes noon, and suddenly, live music can be heard from the northern side of campus. Students, faculty, and passerby can hear Tech Triumph, the Hokie Pokie, and other typical game day tunes. The source? It’s the Turner Pep Band!

Lavery Hall

With Turner Dining Hall being one of the few dining halls on the academic side of campus, it’s certainly a prime spot for our music to reach the largest number of Hokies.

Pep Band Pride

Although it’s only a small portion of our 330-member band, we still deliver the same energy and excitement as the entire Marching Virginians would. Each and every member of the Turner Pep Band can be seen jamming out in their best Hokie attire.

Pre-Game Day Traditions

Despite being the day before game day, we still consider Pep Band to be one our favorite Game Day Traditions. Turner Pep Band prepares us to be The Spirit of Tech in Lane Stadium!

…And Beyond

The MVs have had the privilege of performing at Coach Pry’s Arrival to Blacksburg, the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design Ceremony, the 2022 Alumni Picnic, and of course our annual pep band: Hokies for the Hungry, which will take place the morning of the Georgia Tech game for 2022. Help be a part of Virginia Tech’s Ut Prosim mission to provide aid for local Hokies.

Homecoming – VT vs. Miami

Warm-up in the cold! (Source: Beau Wong)

On the morning of October 15th, the Marching Virginians could be heard warming up in the frigid October air. After a brief but productive rehearsal, it was game time! After a three-week hiatus from Hokie football, the MVs were more than excited to get back into Lane and put on a show. That day, we’d be going up against Miami, a team that’s had their own fair share of high and lows this season.

High-fives! (Source: Beau Wong)

The March to Victory was particularly lively and jam-packed this time around. Why? Because it was homecoming, of course! Along with the usual tailgaters and super-fans, hundreds of alumni new and old lined the path to Lane Stadium and high-fived the Marching Virginians as they passed by.

1st Half

After the usual pre-game ritual in Lane, it was game time! The first half was disappointing for Hokie fans, to say the least. There were whispers of losing our streak of not being shut out; it's the third-longest active streak in the nation among FBS schools at over 350 games long. The first quarter ended 0 VT - 10 Miami.

WR #3 Da’Wain Lofton running the ball (Source: HokieSports)

With the Hokies down 0 - 17 at halftime, the MVs knew we had to do all we could to keep morale high in Lane Stadium. We got down onto the field and did what we do best; have the time of our lives out on the field!

Halftime

The Marching Virginians take the field! (Source: Beau Wong)

Preparing to perform the Virginia Tech Alma Mater (Source: Beau Wong)

This show was Homecoming, so we played a blend of traditional tunes and newer, more modern tunes. We played Preamble and the theme from Game of Thrones, which are both new this year, and marched into the shape of the vintage big VT. We finished the Game of Thrones theme with the form of a crown and a big “2022” to celebrate the homecoming royalty for this year. Next, we marched into a big block to play Moonlight and VPI as the homecoming royalty candidates made their way onto the field with their companions. After the three members of the Homecoming Court were named, Lane Stadium sang along to Alma Mater. And what better way to end a show than with every Hokie’s favorite song? The MVs Tech Triumphed off the field and completed our homecoming halftime show to lots of applause from the audience!

2nd Half

RB #24 Malachi Thomas making a picture-perfect play! (source: HokieSports)

The third quarter didn’t provide much hope for the Hokies, as the score was 0 VT - 20 Miami by the end of it. After another scary quarter of no scoring for the Hokies, the Hokies had a miraculous fourth quarter with two touchdowns. Though our shutout streak was saved, it wasn't enough to defeat the Miami Hurricanes, and the Hokies came away with another tough loss. 

The Hokies, hands on each others backs, listening to the band perform (Source: HokieSports)

Though the outcome of the game wasn’t how we’d hoped, the MVs still have a lot to be grateful for. The weather was beautiful and it’s always an honor to cheer on the Hokies. Afterall, we’re called The Spirit of Tech for a reason!

Spirit Week with The Spirit of Tech!

This week is Homecoming at Virginia Tech, a time where we welcome our alumni home and celebrate all the amazing things about our University. With events all week, the competition for Homecoming court, and fun celebrations such as the Friday night parade all leading up to the big game on Saturday, there is so much spirit running rampant through the University. 

For Homecoming week, Tau Beta Sigma organizes a Spirit Week for the Marching Virginians, a competition between the sections to see who has the most spirit in the band. 

Spirit Week consists of themed dress-up days with sections gaining points for participation. In addition to dress up days, points are earned through donations. As an organization, we are committed to serving the community around us, so at the end of the week, all Spirit Week donations get pulled together and will be donated to Cancer Research Institute, a non-profit organization researching cancer based in New York City. At the end of the week, the winning section receives party hats and the ability to choose a stand tune of their choice at Saturday’s football game, Homecoming against Miami.

Section Traditions

During Spirit Week, our Drum Majors, Managers, and Twirlers team up! (Source: Gillian Murphy)

During Spirit Week, there are some fun section traditions that take place. One notable one is of a competition between the combined saxophone section and the tuba section, where they “anti-theme”, purposefully dressing up in the opposite of the assigned theme. According to Saxophone Section Leader Daniel Gaete, they do this to earn the most negative amount of points possible, wanting to show their MV Spirit in their own way. Additionally, for Spirit Week, the Managers combine sections with the Drum Majors and Twirlers, joining forces to win as many points for their team.

Mosaic Monday

Our Nets sporting orange! (Source: Aaron George)

Monday started us off with Mosaic Monday, where sections were assigned a color to wear to earn points for their team. Practice looked beautiful, with hundreds of our amazing members matching each other. The Trombones quickly took the lead, gaining almost 100 points on the first day. Sections went all out, with people dressing from head to toe in their color. After everyone saw how committed the other sections were, donations started rolling in, kickstarting the service initiative.

Tropical Tuesday

Our Tropical Tones! (Source: Andrew Stewart)

Tuesday gave us Tropical Tuesday, where the band dressed up for a warm, tropical vacation on a cold, October night. Sections appeared in leis, hats, and sunglasses. Almost every single section received 100% participation rates, maximizing the amount of points they could earn. The winners from Monday were announced at rehearsal, and sections following close behind began sending in donations to increase their point totals and attempt to dethrone the winning section. The Trombones maintained their lead, with the Trumpets within 15 points. The competition is close, with it still being anyone’s game.

Looking Forward to Game Day!

Our twinning Drum Majors! (Source: Calvin Moore)

As we finish the rest of the week, the anticipation as to who will be the 2022 Marching Virginians Spirit Week winner is high. The themes for the last two days are Wacky Wednesday and Twin Thursday, both themes with a lot of room for creativity. As of Thursday, the lead is still held by the Trombones, but everythign could get turned on it’s head from donations in these last few days! Through this week’s donations, the MVs are taking the time to embody ‘Ut Prosim”, the school’s motto: “That I May Serve.” We are truly an organization devoted to giving back to the wonderful community around us.

Check back next week for our homecoming game recap!

Meet the Blog Writing Team!

It’s been a long couple weeks of back-to-back home football games, so now that we have a small breather, we’re thrilled to introduce our Blog Writing Team for this season! Up until now, all posts were written and edited by our Marketing Communications Officers, Abbie Robertson and Andrew Stewart. Members of the Multimedia Team filled out applications and were selected by the Multimedia Officers based on their aptitudes for photography, graphic design, and for our Blog Writing Team, writing.

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Marketing Communications Officers

Abbie Robertson

Abbie is a sophomore at Virginia Tech from Roanoke, VA, and is double majoring in Mathematics Education and Psychology. This is her second year marching in the tenor sax section in the MVs and is one of the Marketing Communications Officers. After her first year, she knew she needed to put more time into the organization and community that truly made Virginia Tech home. Every band she was in - the Marching Virginians, Campus and Symphony Band, Pep Band - secured her passion for this school, the music department, and the people involved in the bands. Some of her other passions are using her red hair as her only personality trait, making a fool of herself, and recently she’s picked up her old hobby of reading again. She is incredibly excited for what this year has to offer!

Andrew Stewart

Andrew Stewart is a junior from Hillsboro, VA majoring in Industrial and Systems Engineering, and minoring in Human-Computer Interactions. He is in his third year with the Marching Virginians, is serving as a baritone rank captain for his second year, and is a Marketing Communications Officer this year! Apart from The Marching Virginians, Andrew is a proud member of the Hokies Volleyball and Basketball Pep Bands, and is a brother of Kappa Kappa Psi. Outside of the band, Andrew enjoys lifting weights, stargazing, Britney Spears, and telling people about his tattoo. Andrew hopes to apply to the ISE graduate school program to study cognitive engineering or biomechanics. Andrew is very excited to serve the band in every way he can!

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Blog Writing Team

Julia Darden

Julia is a second year History major from Yorktown, Virginia. She focuses mainly on American and European History and wants to use her education to work in Museums. This is her second year in the Marching Virginians saxophone section and her second year on the multimedia team. Outside of MV’s she has participated in Campus Band and Symphony Band. Julia has played saxophone for nine years and she was Band President and Drum Major for the Grafton High School Marching band her junior and senior years of high school. Hobbies outside of band include reading an absurd amount of books, making bomb smoothies, and telling everyone around her that “they sang this on Glee”!

Emy Delaporte

Emy is a dual degree sophomore in technical writing and journalism with double minors in natural resources and conservation. This is her second season marching with and blogging for the Marching Virginians! She’s a proud member of the MVPix. Outside of the band, she’s an editor for the Silhouette magazine and blog and a staff writer for the Collegiate Times, as well as a member of the Bird Club, The Wildlife Society, the National Deer Association, and more. Emy likes to spend her free time birding, volunteering in CNRE’s Wildlife Habitat and Population Analysis lab, writing novels, camping, going on drives, and taking in the cold night air.

Sarah-Faith Mukuna

Sarah-Faith is a second year engineering major from Fairfax County, VA, with plans to declare Biological Systems Engineering on the Health Professions (specifically pre-med) track. She also minors in French. She is a proud member of Rank 69, the managers section! One of her biggest hobbies is writing, which is why she is so excited to serve the band on this team! Sarah-Faith also loves listening to music and playing her instruments; she just started playing the tenor sax! Outside of MVs, Sarah-Faith is the Treasurer of Tau Beta Sigma and a member of National Society of Black Engineers. In her free time, she loves reading books (90% chance it’s Percy Jackson), going to the gym, and cooking.

Emery Poulsen

Emery is a senior from Fairfax County, Virginia and is studying Environmental Data Science. This is her fourth and final year as a member of the Marching Virginians, where she serves the band as its Treasurer. She has loved her time in the baritone section, where she finds herself laughing constantly. Trying out for the MVs was the best decision Emery could have made coming into college, and she hopes to communicate that through her blog posts! She's excited to write for Marching with the Virginians for a fourth year. Outside of the Marching Virginians, Emery is involved in numerous other student organizations, including serving as the Treasurer for Kappa Kappa Psi, being a Programming Executive for the Big Event at Virginia Tech, practicing with the Virginia Tech Running Club, or playing in the Hokies Pep Band. In her occasional spare time, Emery loves running, hiking, and trying new foods.

Atlas Vernier

Atlas is a fifth-year student at Tech pursuing dual degrees in Industrial & Systems Engineering and French. This is their fifth year playing piccolo in the Marching Virginians, where they are the proud rank captain of Rank 7! They serve as a photographer and a writer for the MV Blog. Outside of marching band, Atlas is a researcher, focusing on immersive augmented/virtual reality experiences and autonomous collaborative robotics. They are also a translator and subtitler for multiple international broadcasts, as well as a post-production lead for a TV series set to be released in 2023. Atlas is so excited to be a part of the multimedia team, and they can't wait to share their experiences and stories!

Pregame – VT vs. West Virginia

Our March to Victory (source: HokieSports)

Thursday night football has a special effect on Hokie Nation — with Lane Stadium sold out of seats and a game against old-time rivals, the game was a hard-fought battle! This was the first time we had played against West Virginia at home since 2004, when Virginia Tech left the Big East Conference. The rivalry, starting in 1912, is currently led by West Virginia with 30 wins for West Virginia, 23 for Virginia Tech, and 1 tie. The crown jewel of the rivalry, however, is the “Black Diamond Trophy”: a trophy that began getting exchanged between the two schools in 1997 and named as such to represent the coal country across the two neighboring states.

Pregame

The MVs spelling out “TECH” (Source: HokieSports)

The Corps presenting the colors (Source: HokieSports)

This game was special to the Marching Virginians because it was out pregame performance! Instead of taking the field during halftime, the MVs took to the field before kick-off and performed out classic pregame show, filled with tunes classic to the Marching Virginians and Virginia Tech. The band began the performance by running onto the field in the form of the commonwealth of Virginia, and performed Superman. We gave a bow and played Shenandoah while two of our VTubas ran around the commonwealth. As the tubas ending in the location of Blacksburg, the band launched into cut time, and moved into the form of “The Big VT”, a set that is iconic to the band. We performed VPI Victory March –– a march that was composed in 1941 to commemorate an invigorating football victory, and has been performed ever since –– as we landed in a spell-out of the word Hokies. We then form another VT in the opposite direction, and then run in a massive circle, a move that is affectionally referred to as the Toilet Bowl. We spell out TECH facing both sides of the field, and then began out presentation of the flags of the United States, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Corps of Cadets flag, and a Virginia Tech flag. We performed Copland’s Colors, an arrangement of Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, as we presented a company front with the flag bearers right in the front, which was a very powerful moment and resulted in great applause! We then performed the national anthem, Tech Triumph, and then formed the tunnel for the team to run through at the end of Enter Sandman. It was an amazing experience to be a part of one of the best entrances in college football!

1st half

The Hokies taking the field through a tunnel of MVs (Source: HokieSports)

After an eventful pregame, the MVs were ready to do what we do best; hunker down and cheer on the Hokies to victory! The defense fought hard against West Virginia’s advances, only allowing three points to be scored during the first quarter. The second quarter, the Hokies offense stepped up, scoring a touchdown in the second quarter to lead over WVU’s 6 points after another field goal. With just 11 seconds left in the first half and the Hokies still full of hope, the Mountaineers scored a 24-yard touchdown to gain a 13 - 7 lead over the Hokies.

Halftime

The Pride of West Virginia (Source: WVU Foundation)

What’s better than watching one band perform at halftime? Watching two, of course! We got the special treat of hosting West Virginia’s band, the Mountaineer Marching Band, as they performed a Bruno Mars-themed show, featuring hits like Treasure, 24K Magic, and Runaway Baby. The Highty-Tighties, Virginia Tech’s regimental band, also performed a show –– their one halftime performance of the season. In the north end zone of Lane Stadium, the Marching Virginians enjoyed their only chance to sit back and relax while other bands entertained the crowd with a halftime show.

2nd Half

Running Back #23 Keshawn King breaking through West Virginia’s defense (Source: HokieSports)

After yet another 3 point gain for WVU, the Hokies closed within 16-10 on a field goal with around 4 and a half minutes left in the third quarter. Unfortunately, West Virginia answered, scoring on a 6-yard run at the beginning of the fourth quarter. It got ugly from there, with the Hokies scoring no points in the fourth quarter and the Mountaineers scoring an additional 17 to finish out the game.

Interesting to note –– the Hokies were hindered by penalties all night, committing a whopping 15 penalties for 132 yards. This is the highest number of penalties committed by the Hokies this season; the previous record being 14 penalties for 100 yards against ODU. The team was also riddled with penalties on both offense and defense, slowing any progress the team fought to make.

Though the football team wasn’t dominant on the field that night, they’re still #1 in the hearts of the Marching Virginians. We have loved our new tradition of singing Tech Triumph with the team at the end of the game, no matter the outcome. The relationship between the band and the team is a special one, and we look forward to supporting the Hokies for years to come.

Check back next week as we introduce our blog writing team!

All information referenced is courtesy of Wikipedia, the Virginia Tech History site, HokieSports, and ESPN.

Military Appreciation – VT vs. Wofford

This past Saturday was our annual Military Appreciation game! Hokie fans followed the “White Effect”, veterans were recognized, and the Highty-Tighties joined the Marching Virginians for our halftime show! The Hokies played Wofford College, a private college from Spartanburg, SC (and previous employer of our men’s basketball coach, Mike Young!). Despite an 11 AM kick-off — the earliest in Hokie football history — Lane Stadium was filled with 62,043 fans ready to cheer on the team!

1st Quarter

The Hokies take the field! (source: HokieSports)

While jumping to Enter Sandman, the fans and student sections sounded a bit more awake and ready for Hokie football! After the early-morning kick-off, the Hokies and Terriers pushed back and forth for the majority of the quarter. The Hokies averaged 5.6 yards per play on first downs, forcing the Terriers to continuously fall back. Towards the end of the quarter, the Hokies eventually got within range to go for a field goal on a fourth down, putting them in the lead. The score at the end of the first quarter was Wofford 0 – VT 3.

2nd Quarter

#2 Jadan Blue making a legendary catch! (source: HokieSports)

The second quarter allowed the Hokies to showcase our wide receiver, #2 Jadan Blue! Blade made three separate memorable catches over the course of the game, sending the crowd into hysteria! Blue also made his first touchdown as a Hokie during the second quarter, helping the Hokies put up a 17-point quarter! The Terreirs couldn’t handle the pressure put on them by our quarterback, #6 Grant Wells. The score at the end of the second quarter was Wofford 0 – VT 20.

Halftime

A tank formation as the band performs the Army hymn (source: HokieSports)

The Highty-Tighties (source: HokieSports)

The Marching Virginians opened our performance with Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the U.S.A. We then began our Armed Forces Medley, a collection of the anthems for each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. Starting with Wild Blue Yonder, the Air Force’s anthem, we formed a plane on the field; Anchors Aweigh, the anthem of the Navy, was performed from the form of an anchor; the Marine’s Hymn was performed from a spell-out of the word “Marines”; Semper Paratus, the anthem of the Coast Guard, was performed in the form of a boat and the letters “C” and “G”; and The Army Goes Rolling Along was performed from the form of a tank". We then performed our national march, The Stars and Stripes Forever, and invited the Highty-Tighties onto the field to help us complete the form of the United States. Cadets in the Air Force ROTC unfurled a large U.S. flag in the middle of the set, and the combined bands received grateful applause! The combined bands ended our halftime performance with every Hokie’s favorite song, Tech Triumph!

The Marching Virginians and the Highty-Tighties form the United States (Source: HokieSports)

3rd Quarter

The Lunch Pail Defense (source: HokieSports)

When the MVs returned to the stands, the Hokies Lunch Pail Defense had its time to shine! Thanks to our star linebacker #4 Dax Hollifield, the Hokies allowed a mere 1.52 yards per run from Wofford, bolstering the Hokies defense as one of the strongest in the ACC at the moment! The score at the end of the third quarter was unchanged: Wofford 0 – VT 20.

4th Quarter

#22 Bryce Duke's first touchdown of the season!

(Source: HokieSports)

#22 Bryce Duke's first touchdown of the season!

(source: HokieSports)

#22 Bryce Duke's first touchdown of the season!

(source: HokieSports)

The fourth quarter opened up the opportunity for another first touchdown as a Hokie for running back #22 Bryce Duke. That many Hokie touchdowns wouldn’t have been possible without QB Grant Wells putting up 314 throwing yards! Much to the Hokies disappointment, however, the dreams of the game being Wofford’s third consecutive shutout were ended with less than ten minutes left in the quarter, as Wofford made a 3-yard touchdown run. While the touchdown put a slight damper on the mood, the Hokies still kept pushing through to the very end! The final score was Wofford 7 – VT 27. The Hokies record currently stands at 2-1 overall.

#4 Connor Blumrick and the team sing to Tech Triumph (source: HokieSports)

Check back next week for when the Hokies take on West Virginia at home for the Black Diamond Trophy!

All information referenced is courtesy of HokieSports, ESPN, and Bill Roth of the Virginia Tech Sports Network.

MV for a Day – VT vs. BC

It was an electrifying night in Lane Stadium this past Saturday as the Hokies took on Boston College in our first home game of the season! Coming off of a rocky start to the football season, the Hokies, backed by the Marching Virginians and every Hokie fan, cheered out team on to a 27-10 victory!

Though the game was exciting, the Marching Virginians had an even more exciting day – it was MV for a Day! We had over 500 high school students join us on Worsham Field from 10 states and over 70 schools to perform one of our show tunes,We Don’t Talk About Bruno, and a game-day classic, The Hokie Pokie.

1st Quarter

The Hokies take the field! (Source: HokieSports)

From the moment the Marching Virginians entered Lane Stadium, the excitement of game day became infectious! Many of the upperclassmen were refreshed to be back to jumping in Lane Stadium with 330 of their best friends! Once the game started, the Marching Virginians had no time to rest — not even a minute into the quarter, #9 Armani Chatman intercepts a pass and runs it straight to the 10 yard line! The crowd became deafeningly loud as all of our hopes for an exciting season were coming to realization. The score was BC 0 – VT 10 at the end of the first quarter.

2nd Quarter

#4 Conner Blumrick avoiding a tackle (Source: HokieSports)

Just one minute into the second quarter, #23 Keshawn King ran a 65-yard touchdown that got every Hokie on their feet! The Marching Virginians were ecstatic to see our team do so well under our new head coach, Brent Pry. For the remainder of the quarter, the Hokie’s Lunch Pail Defense proved to be hard to break, lead by #45 TyJuan Garbutt, having his greatest game of his career. With minutes left in the half, the Marching Virginians left the stands, and prepared to take the field for halftime! The score was BC 3 – VT 17 at the end of the second quarter.

Halftime

When halftime came around, the MVs took the field with our hype video playing on the jumbotron. We opened with the fiery latin tune, El Toro Caliente, featuring trumpet soloists Tommy Doubleday, Spencer Melillo, and Thomas McWithey.

Our trumpet section performing El Toro Caliente (source: HokieSports)

We then invited all 500 high schoolers onto the field to perform the hit song from Disney’s Encanto, We Don’t Talk About Bruno. We then had our VTubas rush to the front of the field to perform a fan favorite, The Hokie Pokie. After out tubas put on a stellar performance, we ended our halftime performance with every Hokie’s favorite song, Tech Triumph.

VTubas and MVs for a Day doing the Hokie Pokie (source: HokieSports)

3rd Quarter

#92 William Ross going for a kick (Source: HokieSports)

After halftime, the action picked up again as the Hokies Lunch Pail Defense once again held off Boston College, with a total of 6 sacks and 11 tackles for loss. As the Hokies continued to move the ball, #80 Kaleb Smith made a one-armed catch that brought the Hokies straight into the red zone! The score was BC 10 – VT 24 at the end of the third quarter.

4th Quarter

The Hokies cheer along to the Marching Virginians performing Tech Triumph (Source: HokieSports)

The Marching Virginians continued to cheer on our team to another field goal as light rain started falling. In some of the final moments of the game, it became clear that the Hokies were on their way to win the game they came in with 51.2% odds. The final score was BC 10 – VT 27. At the end of the game, the football team — as they do after every win — came to the north end zone to hear the band play and sing Tech Triumph, and Coach Pry celebrated along with us. It was a picture perfect opening home game to our season, and to the Pry Era of Hokie football!

Coach Pry celebrates his first home, season, and ACC win with Virginia Tech! (Source: HokieSports)

Check back next week for when the Hokies take on Wofford!

All information referenced is from ESPN and HokieSports.com

Game-Day Traditions

Our first home game of the season is just around the corner, and we’re super excited to be back in Lane Stadium! Ahead of the game against Boston College, we’d like to take some time to talk about some of our game-day traditions. While each section of the band has their own specific traditions that they hold dear, we’ll be looking at some of the traditions practiced by the entire band!

Motorcycles

Once game day officially starts with the Spirit of Tech donning their uniforms, we warm up with a fun game of “motorcycles”. Motorcycles consists of Dr. Polly calling out a number 1 through 7, and the MVs squatting down to different depths and shouting, eventually getting to 7 and (typically) falling on the ground.

(Source: Nayha Pochiraju)

March to Victory

The trek to Lane Stadium, beginning at the Marching Virginians Center, entails cheering fans, hyping up tailgaters, and plenty of high-fives. Each section of the MVs has synchronized dances, jigs, and cheers to hype everyone up!

(Source: Beau Wong)

Stack

Stack is the Marching Virginians Center’s very own Hokie Bird. Named in honor of Ryan “Stack” Clark, a baritone player who lost his life in the April 16th tragedy, Stack has become an important part of MV tradition. During our March to Victory, every MV gives Stack a pat on the back for good luck and to honor his memory.

(Source: Abbie Robertson)

The Hokie Pokie and Tech Triumph

During the game, the tubas take to the field to perform the Hokie Pokie, a staple of Hokie football tradition! After a hard fought game, the football team meets the Marching Virginians at the north end-zone to hear the band sing and perform Tech Triumph!

(Source: Nayha Pochiraju)

Superman

Ever since it was first performed during our pregame performance in 1982, the MVs have played the “Superman” theme at the end of a VT football game. This song connects the MVs to past, present, and future Marching Virginians. Some of our sections help people to “fly” like Superman by hoisting them up at the swell of the tune.

(Source: Andrew Single)

See you next week for our first game-day recap of the 2022 season!

Hokie Football is Back!

September has come, and every Hokie knows what that means — college football is back! The Marching Virginians are no exception to the excitement of our 2022 season, with our very first game being tonight at Old Dominion University with kickoff at 7:00 pm EST. This upcoming season is sure to be one to remember, as we introduce our new head coach, Brent Pry.

From Altoona, Pennsylvania, Pry spent time at Virginia Tech from 1995-97 as a graduate assistant to Hokie football legends Frank Beamer and Bud Foster and helped lead the Hokies to two consecutive New Years’ Day bowl games. Since 2016, Pry served as the defensive coordinator for Penn State, but was thrilled to return to Virginia Tech as our new head coach. Pry, upon returning to Virginia Tech, has fostered a “Ground Up” approach of building the team up to their full potential. The “Ground Up” initiative has also brought back a beloved piece of Hokie football tradition — the Lunch Pail.

Brent Pry speaking to The Marching Virginians (Source: Dave Knachel)

Coach Pry visited The Marching Virginians at one of our rehearsals and took the opportunity to speak with the band as a whole about his vision for the Spirit of Tech’s important role in game-day tradition. Pry voiced his appreciation of the band and the relationship that the band and football team have formed over the years. To reciprocate our appreciation, a small band visited the football team and surprised them by performing game day favorites! We also taught the football team the lyrics to Tech Triumph!

The Marching Virginians surprising the football team (source: Emily Saintsing)

Ahead of our opening game of the season, Pry will be facing off against a former colleague from Penn State, Old Dominion’s head coach Ricky Rahne. With many fresh faces on both the coaching staff and the team, the coaching staff was excited to announce our new starting quarterback, Grant Wells. The 6’2” junior transferred from Marshall and will be wearing #6. The Hokie’s record against ODU currently stands at 2-1, with ESPN giving the Hokies a 66.3% chance of victory over ODU.

The full band with Coach Brent Pry (source: Dave Knachel)

As we taught the football team during our surprise visit, “Win or lose, we'll greet you with a glad returning. You're the pride of V. P. I.”!

All information found in this post is from hokiesports.com and ESPN.

New Beginnings - Rookie Perspective

Our first week of classes comes to an end, we wanted to take time to reminisce on OUR favorite week of the year - band camp. Seven full days of marching, making music, and seeing our closest friends, as well as making new ones with rookies. We took the time to ask our rookies some questions about their journey of becoming part of the 2022 edition of the Marching Virginians!

We have 105 new marchers in the 2022 edition of the Marching Virginians!

Pictured: Our (bari)tone and (trom)bone sections source: Abbie Robertson

Question 1: How did you hear about the MVs?

Pictured: Our trumpet section and drum major Thomas Chase source: Abbie Robertson

Jeremy Teague (3rd-year rookie, Trumpet)

• “My brother was one. He graduated last winter, so I went to the games recently. I’ve always loved marching band.”

Alex Shupp (1st-year rookie, Alto sax)

• “I always knew of college marching band, but I heard about MVs through my brother.”

Lauren Watt (1st-year rookie, Trumpet)

• “When I started looking at schools I knew I was going to be checking out the marching band programs because it’s something I was passionate about in high school and wanted to continue in college so when I looked into Virginia Tech I got to see how important the MV’s are to the community and just generally how awesome and dedicated the band is!”

Question 2: What was your audition process like?

Pictured: Our goofy sax section source: Andrew Stewart

Jeremy Teague

• “It wasn’t too difficult, but it was very mental. Try to keep my focus and not get stressed about getting in. They told us to have fun and I made friends early.”

Alex Shupp

• “I thought it was going to be a lot more stressful, but all the upperclassmen made me feel welcome as soon as I got there.”

Lauren Watt

• “My audition experience was interesting! Over the summer I got to practice a little bit of music and marching as the first part of the audition and when I started band camp everyone was very nice and encouraging while I tried out in person. Overall it was very fun and I really liked the process!”

Question 3: What are you most excited for as a rookie?

Pictured: Our 37-person net section source: Abbie Robertson

Jeremy Teague

• “The football games. It’s so fun watching it, but it’ll be even better being a part of it. The environment in the stadium is awesome.”

Alex Shupp

• “Football games. I’ve watched the marching band from afar, but now that I know the dances, it’ll be so fun.”

Lauren Watt

• “It’s a little nerve-wracking as well but as a rookie I’m most excited for my first time playing in Lane Stadium as an official MV, getting to experience what it’s like in the stands, hearing enter sandman, and marching the show!”

Question 4: What has been your favorite part of MVs so far?

Pictured: Our lovely piccolo section source: Abbie Robertson

Jeremy Teague

• “So far, honestly, the breaks we get to play with our sections. The fun we get to have with our sections outside of marching.”

Alex Shupp

• “All of the saxophone traditions. Especially rank traditions #bank rank is the best rank”

Lauren Watt

• “My favorite part of being an MV is definitely the connection I feel to my section. Everyone is so kind to each other and upbeat and I really like getting to hang out together in and out of practice! I’m very grateful for the positivity and acceptance that I feel each time I interact with anyone in the band and it makes me so proud to call myself a Marching Virginian.”

We are so excited for what this year has to offer!

Pictured: The horns and their corn source: Abbie Robertson