Return of the Pythians
March 2, 2004
The Alfred Lawless high school band is marching again, thanks to one of the town’s new, young band directors. By Katy Reckdahl
Source: Gambit Weekly
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| At first, bandleader Virgil Tiller recruited about a dozen kids for the Lawless band. Now he has about 50 musicians and is adding about five kids a week. |
| Photo by Cheryl Gerber |
“Look at this pretty little band,” says an older lady, elbowing her fellow paradegoer. They gaze admiringly at the crisp uniforms — robin’s-egg blue, highlighted with a little maroon and gold. The uniforms’ breastplates are emblazoned with the letters A and L — for Alfred Lawless — and the image of a python, for the school’s mascot, the Pythian, taken from Greek mythology.
At the front of this small sea of blue uniforms is Virgil Tiller, a tall man with a shaved-clean head and a black suit with the words “Band Director” embroidered in small letters near one shoulder.
That morning, Tiller had arrived early at Alfred Lawless High School bandroom. “I get here at 8 a.m. to calm myself down,” he says. “Then the kids get here at 9 and I calm them down.” Read more
