Drumline in the White House: Raw Footage

An 8 person drumline from Virginia State University plays in the Cross Hall of the White House before an event honoring Historically Black Colleges and Universities. February 26, 2010.

Documentary ties bands to presidential election

Documentary about marching bands opens film festival at University of Virginia

By Rob Hedelt
Fredricksburg.com | Source

–Monica Anderson and Stanley Edmonds go to different universities in Virginia. But at the opening of this past weekend’s 22nd annual Virginia Film Festival, a unique documentary on their schools’ bands and last year’s presidential election brought the Fredericksburg-area youths together for a special night.

Anderson, a Massaponax High School grad and junior who plays the cymbals in the University of Virginia marching band, performed in front of the theater with other members of the drum line.

Stanley Edmonds, a North Stafford High School grad and a sophomore who plays trumpet for the Virginia State University Marching Band, performed with a select group from the band, the Trojan Explosion.

The pair, music and music education majors who both hope to direct a high school band one day, said being involved with the documentary “Marching Band” was a fascinating experience.

“They were around us for a long time, several months up to the election,” said Edmonds, who was featured in a segment of the film. “They were interested in what we did as a band, but also in how we all felt about taking part in our first presidential election.”
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College musician from Richmond charged in sousaphone thefts

A 22-year-old Richmond man, affiliated with the music program at a Richmond university, is charged with burglarizing a Newport News high school and taking two sousaphones.

Charles Leon Wiley, 22, is connected to the Virginia State University band, police say, and stated that Wiley, in fact, is not a student or employee at the Petersburg school.

According to VSU professor James Holden, Charles Leon Wiley played the sousaphone in the marching band.

Wiley is charged with the attempted burglary at Menchville High School and the sousaphone burglary at Woodside. Read more

Homecoming activities at Virginia State University

Virginia State University’s 2008 Homecoming activities begin Saturday, Oct. 18 and will continue through Oct. 25 as alumni, students, family and friends commemorate the Trojan experience.

Loida N. Lewis, and Carolyn E. Fugett, wife and mother, respectively, of the late VSU alum Reginald F. Lewis, one of the nation’s most successful lawyers and entrepreneurs, will serve as parade marshals during the Homecoming Parade on Oct. 25. Lewis, a 1965 graduate, was once listed by Forbes magazine as one of the country’s wealthiest business leaders. Parade marshals will promenade from downtown Petersburg to the campus with university and community groups, and the Trojan Explosion Marching Band.

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French Filmmakers Follow Virginia State Band

Source:  Styleweekly.com

A clutch of lawyers and French filmmakers gathered on the 17th floor of the James Center last week to celebrate a documentary about college marching bands.

“We are interested by the situations of American college students,” says Annie Miller, the film’s producer and the director’s wife. With an Andy Warhol sweep of hair, canvas sneakers printed with tiny hearts and beer in hand, Miller, from Paris, looked very much the part. A lawyer at the Williams Mullen firm had helped wrangle visas and work permits for the crew.

The crew plans to film bands at Virginia State University, a historically black college in Petersburg, and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville during the run-up to the presidential election. There’s even a chance that one of the bands featured will be invited to join the inauguration parade in Washington, D.C., in January.
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Throwback: Honda Battle of the Bands 2004 Photo Gallery

Photography by: Gerard L. Howard