Love of Music

The band is now in its 20th year of enhancing the game-day experience for Virginia fans. Over 1,800 Cavalier Marching Band members have had the opportunity to be part of CMB’s vibrant and supportive music and performance community. Very few band members are music majors; all the University’s undergraduate schools are represented when the CMB takes the field.

Tackitt—who holds a doctorate and a master’s degree in wind conducting—leads a team that includes three other directors: Andrew Koch, associate director of bands; and Mike Idzior and Brandon West, both assistant director of bands. Student leadership and input are an integral part of the CMB. Beyond the usual band leadership positions—drum majors, section leaders, and others—the band has a student halftime show design committee and a student-monitored anonymous feedback system that allows members to freely suggest ways to improve the band experience.

“I would not be the person I am today, or where I am today, if not for the band,” said Marianne Schierling (Col ’24), a trumpet section leader majoring in foreign affairs and German. “My first year was 2020, and despite COVID, I was still able to find a sense of community with my band friends. Band has impacted me in more ways than I could imagine: how I view life, the leadership style that I have, the friendships that I've made—which I know will be for a lifetime.”

As a high school student, Amanda Hail (Col ’25) attended an open rehearsal and decided to apply early decision to UVA. “It was clear to me that the marching band was a very friendly group—a group that I wanted to become involved with,” the computer science major said. Hail is a drum major from the piccolo section and involved with Kappa Kappa Psi, the service fraternity that supports the band. “We put together a lot of student-led initiatives to foster community within the band—everything from hiking to going to the gym to study groups,” she said. “I’ve loved going from my first year when I started attending those events and forming friendships to where I am now, as a third year, helping put together those events for others.”

“As music educators, we have one of the best jobs on Grounds,” said Tackitt, who also directs the UVA Wind Ensemble. “It’s a real honor to work with our students. We get to be creative with students who choose to be there every day. They are in the band program because of their love of music, and our goal is to continue developing their love of music so they become lifelong lovers of the arts.”
 

Serious Fun

During football season, the band rehearses up to nine hours a week. Game days are a 10-hour commitment for band members. “We transport over 200 students and over half a million dollars of equipment to and from Scott Stadium on game days. The band’s activities run on a detailed schedule down to the minute,” said Tackitt. “They arrive early on game days to ensure they are ready to perform. At kickoff, our students have already been in rehearsal or band activities for five hours.” 

“We know we’re in the business of helping to shape memories around athletic events,” said Tackitt. “And while we as directors take our job very seriously, we want our students to have fun while representing UVA on the field and in the stands.” In 2023, fans were thrilled by halftime shows themed Spies of Hooville, V is for Villains, and Latin Icons; moved by UVA Strong and a Salute to Armed Forces programs; and delighted by a show featuring 20 years of band members’ favorite pieces.

Twenty Years Young

To celebrate the Cavalier Marching Band’s 20 years of performance, the CMB and Wind Ensemble played a Fall Showcase concert at Charlottesville’s Paramount Theater. “Due to the football team’s bye week on October 14, we were able to do something special that evening and bring our fall band ensembles under one roof in a beautiful venue. It was a really fun, unique event—imagine combining the seriousness of a symphony orchestra concert and the fun environment of a sporting event. We played everything from opera transcriptions to the ‘Cavalier Song’ and even threw out some T-shirts to the audience members. You could say it was one part serious, two parts fun,” he said.

The concert was one of several events to mark the Cavalier Marching Band’s 20th year. During Homecomings weekend, alumni from the band’s first 19 years joined current members to celebrate the past and future of the Cavalier Marching Band family. “It’s a unique band program. You have a university that’s over 200 years old, but a band program that’s 20 years young,” said Tackitt. “It’s really special to be a part of the next generation of the band program here, looking ahead to our 21st year.”