UVA's Bicentennial Stories initiative from WTJU 91.1 FM tells our collective story. It helps us understand our shared history and make meaning in the University today. And as we look ahead, these stories help us shape the future of the University and our role in a democratic society.

Woody Wingfield, Director of Development for the Jeffersonian Grounds Initiative and 2007 UVa Graduate

“In the grand scheme of things, I don’t think I’ve ever messed up anything that bad.

“I was the drum major for the 3 years the band existed when I was here, but that first year was very shaky.

“We traveled down to Greensboro for the ACC Basketball Tournament. I was in charge of bringing down the music for the whole band, and I left it.

“We’re talking a couple hundred pieces of sheet music. We had gotten somebody into the band office here, and they just started faxing single sheets of music to the hotel.

“That's what it came down to trying to fix it with Dr. Pease. It was sort of a, ‘I'm not mad. I'm just kind of disappointed,’ moment, which is sometimes worse than having your clock cleaned by somebody.

“So it was just — for an 18, 19 year old, that felt like the end of the world.”

For more: www.uvastories.org

UVA's Bicentennial Stories initiative from WTJU 91.1 FM tells our collective story. It helps us understand our shared history and make meaning in the University today. And as we look ahead, these stories help us shape the future of the University and our role in a democratic society.

Woody Wingfield, Director of Development for the Jeffersonian Grounds Initiative and 2007 UVa Graduate

“In the grand scheme of things, I don’t think I’ve ever messed up anything that bad.

“I was the drum major for the 3 years the band existed when I was here, but that first year was very shaky.

“We traveled down to Greensboro for the ACC Basketball Tournament. I was in charge of bringing down the music for the whole band, and I left it.

“We’re talking a couple hundred pieces of sheet music. We had gotten somebody into the band office here, and they just started faxing single sheets of music to the hotel.

“That's what it came down to trying to fix it with Dr. Pease. It was sort of a, ‘I'm not mad. I'm just kind of disappointed,’ moment, which is sometimes worse than having your clock cleaned by somebody.

“So it was just — for an 18, 19 year old, that felt like the end of the world.”

For more: www.uvastories.org

UVA's Bicentennial Stories initiative from WTJU 91.1 FM tells our collective story. It helps us understand our shared history and make meaning in the University today. And as we look ahead, these stories help us shape the future of the University and our role in a democratic society.

Woody Wingfield, Director of Development for the Jeffersonian Grounds Initiative and 2007 UVa Graduate

“The Cavalier Marching Band is 325 students on the field at one time.

“I’m a 2007 graduate of the University of Virginia. I was the drum major for the 3 years the band existed when I was here.

“You know, that first game we played was September 11, 2004, and we played UNC, and we won pretty handily. And that was the first time anyone had seen the marching band play.

“Of course, there was only a hundred and sixty of us, and we didn't sound nearly as good as we do now.

“But, I'll never forget when the band's coming off the field, the football game is ending, somebody in the crowd came over, and was holding up a sign that said, ‘At last we have a band,’ something like that. And then, of course, they ended up dropping it, and leaving it at the end of the game. We found it afterwards.

“But, that was kind of a nice, you know, like, ‘Okay, we've arrived,’ kind of moment.”

For more: www.uvastories.org

UVA's Bicentennial Stories initiative from WTJU 91.1 FM tells our collective story. It helps us understand our shared history and make meaning in the University today. And as we look ahead, these stories help us shape the future of the University and our role in a democratic society.

Woody Wingfield, Director of Development for the Jeffersonian Grounds Initiative and 2007 UVa Graduate

“The Cavalier Marching Band is 325 students on the field at one time.

“I’m a 2007 graduate of the University of Virginia. I was the drum major for the 3 years the band existed when I was here.

“You know, that first game we played was September 11, 2004, and we played UNC, and we won pretty handily. And that was the first time anyone had seen the marching band play.

“Of course, there was only a hundred and sixty of us, and we didn't sound nearly as good as we do now.

“But, I'll never forget when the band's coming off the field, the football game is ending, somebody in the crowd came over, and was holding up a sign that said, ‘At last we have a band,’ something like that. And then, of course, they ended up dropping it, and leaving it at the end of the game. We found it afterwards.

“But, that was kind of a nice, you know, like, ‘Okay, we've arrived,’ kind of moment.”

For more: www.uvastories.org

UVA's Bicentennial Stories initiative from WTJU 91.1 FM tells our collective story. It helps us understand our shared history and make meaning in the University today. And as we look ahead, these stories help us shape the future of the University and our role in a democratic society.

Woody Wingfield, Director of Development for the Jeffersonian Grounds Initiative and 2007 UVa Graduate

“I was the drum major for the 3 years the band existed when I was here, but that first year was very shaky.

“Unlike a lot of other bands, the staff director doesn't conduct the band here, it's the students. So, the drum major acts as a student conductor.

“I had been a high school drum major as well, so I had some experience conducting. But drum major was what I wanted.

“Bill Pease is the Director of Bands. My first part of my audition, I had to conduct the national anthem in front of him, just in his office. But nowadays, I think you actually have to conduct a live band. I don't know how I'd hold up against what they put the kids through today.

“I got lucky. We started from nothing, so I had nothing to be compared to.”

For more: www.uvastories.org

UVA's Bicentennial Stories initiative from WTJU 91.1 FM tells our collective story. It helps us understand our shared history and make meaning in the University today. And as we look ahead, these stories help us shape the future of the University and our role in a democratic society.

Woody Wingfield, Director of Development for the Jeffersonian Grounds Initiative and 2007 UVa Graduate

“I was the drum major for the 3 years the band existed when I was here, but that first year was very shaky.

“Unlike a lot of other bands, the staff director doesn't conduct the band here, it's the students. So, the drum major acts as a student conductor.

“I had been a high school drum major as well, so I had some experience conducting. But drum major was what I wanted.

“Bill Pease is the Director of Bands. My first part of my audition, I had to conduct the national anthem in front of him, just in his office. But nowadays, I think you actually have to conduct a live band. I don't know how I'd hold up against what they put the kids through today.

“I got lucky. We started from nothing, so I had nothing to be compared to.”

For more: www.uvastories.org

UVA's Bicentennial Stories initiative from WTJU 91.1 FM tells our collective story. It helps us understand our shared history and make meaning in the University today. And as we look ahead, these stories help us shape the future of the University and our role in a democratic society.

Woody Wingfield, Director of Development for the Jeffersonian Grounds Initiative and 2007 UVa Graduate

“The crazy thing about those uniforms is you can bake in the sun; they don't do anything for you at all during the winter.

“Someone who ended up being my roommate my fourth year, his name is TJ Clemons, he was a tuba player. He and I were the student reps on the uniform committee my first year. So, this is before the band was on the field. And we had some different vendors come and show us some ideas from different patterns, and stuff.

“I was not in favor of the cavalier-looking hat. Sorta looks like a cowboy hat, but one side of the brim is pushed up, and then we have a feather sticking out of that. The Cav Man wears something very similar.

“18 to 19 year old me disagreed, and I'm glad I was out-voted on that.

“When I saw them on TV at the Thanksgiving Day Parade a couple of years ago, I mean, they really stood out. I mean, everyone knew who they were.”

For more: www.uvastories.org

UVA's Bicentennial Stories initiative from WTJU 91.1 FM tells our collective story. It helps us understand our shared history and make meaning in the University today. And as we look ahead, these stories help us shape the future of the University and our role in a democratic society.

Woody Wingfield, Director of Development for the Jeffersonian Grounds Initiative and 2007 UVa Graduate

“The crazy thing about those uniforms is you can bake in the sun; they don't do anything for you at all during the winter.

“Someone who ended up being my roommate my fourth year, his name is TJ Clemons, he was a tuba player. He and I were the student reps on the uniform committee my first year. So, this is before the band was on the field. And we had some different vendors come and show us some ideas from different patterns, and stuff.

“I was not in favor of the cavalier-looking hat. Sorta looks like a cowboy hat, but one side of the brim is pushed up, and then we have a feather sticking out of that. The Cav Man wears something very similar.

“18 to 19 year old me disagreed, and I'm glad I was out-voted on that.

“When I saw them on TV at the Thanksgiving Day Parade a couple of years ago, I mean, they really stood out. I mean, everyone knew who they were.”

For more: www.uvastories.org

UVA's Bicentennial Stories initiative from WTJU 91.1 FM tells our collective story. It helps us understand our shared history and make meaning in the University today. And as we look ahead, these stories help us shape the future of the University and our role in a democratic society.

Leonard Sandrige, Former Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

“I had a routine on graduation, and it started as soon as there was bright enough sunlight.

“And I knew that, for example, the dining folks are setting up their food stations and their operations from about five until six and then the ushers are coming on about 6 o’clock.

“And so I had a route that I could take where I could go and thank the person that was blowing off the water off of a chair where it had been raining, and had to do that 15 times because it kept raining, and just walk up and thank them for doing that.

“Same thing with the bus drivers. Stick my head in the door and say, ‘I really appreciate what you're doing.’ And that was just important to me, probably more important to me than it was to them.”

For more: www.uvastories.org

UVA's Bicentennial Stories initiative from WTJU 91.1 FM tells our collective story. It helps us understand our shared history and make meaning in the University today. And as we look ahead, these stories help us shape the future of the University and our role in a democratic society.

Leonard Sandrige, Former Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

“I had a routine on graduation, and it started as soon as there was bright enough sunlight.

“And I knew that, for example, the dining folks are setting up their food stations and their operations from about five until six and then the ushers are coming on about 6 o’clock.

“And so I had a route that I could take where I could go and thank the person that was blowing off the water off of a chair where it had been raining, and had to do that 15 times because it kept raining, and just walk up and thank them for doing that.

“Same thing with the bus drivers. Stick my head in the door and say, ‘I really appreciate what you're doing.’ And that was just important to me, probably more important to me than it was to them.”

For more: www.uvastories.org