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Cavalier Marching Band

The Cavalier Marching Band was established in the spring of 2003, thanks to a generous gift from longtime University friends and benefactors Hunter Smith and the late Carl Smith (College ’51). Since then, the band has grown to include 250 members and is an integral part of every home football game and other sporting events on the Grounds. Led by director William Pease, the band has quickly established a reputation for high-energy, crowd-pleasing performances, and musical excellence.

While it benefits from a fine collection of instruments and music, the Cavalier Marching Band lacks a dedicated practice and support facility. Its various sections—brass, woodwinds, marching percussion, and color guard—use a variety of spaces on the Grounds to practice. A planned rehearsal space will ensure that the Cavalier Marching Band can continue to grow in quality as its membership expands.

Download the Cavalier Marching Band Facts at a Glance (PDF).

Support the Cavalier Marching Band

Schools & Programs

The University’s new vision for the arts will result in a Grounds-wide infusion of the arts across disciplines and departments. This integration of the arts with other areas of study will lead to innovation and the creation of ideas throughout the University. The arts will become a muse for students and faculty as they work, influencing business models as well as science applications.

This enhancement of the arts will enrich the experience of students and faculty, expand cultural resources for the University and surrounding community, alter the physical environs where the arts currently are created and performed, and shape and enrich national discourse and culture.

Students will have more opportunities to develop their artistic sensibilities, their understanding of historic artistic achievements, and their appreciation of world cultures. Making the arts not merely a part of their coursework but also a part of their lives will encourage students to view the world in new, more complex ways.

For students making the arts their life’s work, this new environment will assist them in discovering and refining their talents, guided by faculty who themselves are deeply involved in the creative process. For faculty, the University will offer the time, tools, and facilities necessary to produce art and scholarship of the highest order.

The arts also play an increasingly significant role in the economy, especially in the entertainment field and in the Internet-based “new economy.” A high level of art literacy will enhance graduates’ abilities to succeed in this competitive arena.

Setting the Stage

R. Lee Kennedy—Professor of Lighting Design, Department of Drama

R. Lee Kennedy caught the theater bug at age six, when his parents took him to see the Washington Ballet. Much to his parents' dismay, he caught the design bug at about the same time.

"I used to produce all my productions at home, and it drove my parents crazy," said Mr. Kennedy, an award-winning lighting designer and faculty member in the drama department. "I would totally destroy the living room with all my grand ideas."

His grand ideas have since found larger and more high-profile stages, including those of the New York City–based Transport Group, a theater company founded and largely run by U.Va. drama alumni.

Transport Group's roots trace back to Culbreth Theatre in 1994, Mr. Kennedy's first year at the University. He joined the production team for the Arthur Miller classic The Crucible, a team that included Kathryn Rohe and John Story, fellow faculty members at the time. The show was directed by graduate student Jack Cummings III.

"I have one foot in the technological world and one foot in the artistic world, so I am really interested in ways we can get those two things together."