This post was written by Warner Smith, a junior trumpet player.
Following the Hokies’ first loss of the season in a narrow (and highly controversial) 33-35 loss to Pittsburgh, I have consistently felt incredibly full of school spirit. All week, I have observed this feeling shared by many Hokies across campus, which feels slightly abnormal after a razor-thin loss. Head coach James Franklin’s calls to fill Lane Stadium for the duration of the game during Virginia Tech football’s ACC home opener were met emphatically, as the sold-out Friday night game was roaring until the very last second: and leading that charge from the very front were the Marching Virginians, as always.
Within 36 hours of the game’s conclusion, I sent out a mass-email to Virginia Tech students outside of the Marching Virginians, asking them to share their experiences with the MVs and how our ensemble has impacted them. The community response was staggering; here are a few of my favorite observations and excerpts
Marching Virginians drum major Gwen Moore prepares to lead the band in a stand tune. Photo credits to Luke Thompson.
When asked about favorite stand tunes, halftime performances, and MV traditions, the most commonly shared pieces were “Swag Surfin’” (which is also a favorite of our football team), as well as “V-Tag” (a gameday staple), and our traditional pre-game performance. Participants particularly spoke to the “generational” nature of our pre-game show, given that it has been consistently performed across the country for decades. Even in just the last two seasons, this show has been performed at least four times in Blacksburg, Harrisonburg, Roanoke, and College Park. When I try to estimate the number of people who have experienced this show, I truly cannot come up with a number, given the unbelievable reach of this performance.
Plus, if Hokie fans are eager to see the Marching Virginians perform our traditional pre-game show soon, they can look forward to the Hokies’ game against Stanford on Saturday, November 14th, live in Lane Stadium!
A favorite quote from a question regarding the Marching Virginian’s impact on the gameday atmosphere in Lane Stadium came from sophomore Creative Technologies student Mx Zaleski, who wrote, “The Marching Virginians are this constant positive force at Lane Stadium. When things are going well, they are there to keep things energetic and hype. Even when things are not going well [on the field], the continued music and performance from the MVs keep the atmosphere from being too somber.” Our presence in the stadium can set the tone in Lane Stadium for anyone, regardless of their engagement in the game or overall knowledge of football.
The Marching Virginians perform a stand tune before kickoff. Photo credits to Atlas Vernier
Finally, when simply asked “what do the Marching Virginians mean to you,” first-year Multimedia Journalism student Hannah Malinowski shared, “I think the Marching Virginians elevate events into something much bigger than the game on the field. Lane Stadium game day atmosphere is only complete with the energy brought by the MVs.” No matter what, the work we do on gamedays is noticed and can make the difference in somebody’s gameday experience. Everything we do is a performance that can reach an inconceivable amount of people and turn a downer of an ending into a positive experience.
So, keep your chins up, Hokies!
(And also, ‘tomorrow’ is a word that ends with the letter ‘w,’ and I think that there is something to be said for that.)
The band always wins!