Five West Virginia Marching Band Directors to be Inducted into West Virginia Marching Band Directors Hall of Fame

 News…

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History (WVDACH) will induct five new members into the West Virginia Marching Band Directors Hall of Fame on Saturday, Oct. 19. The inductions will take place throughout the eighth annual West Virginia Marching Band Invitational at the University of Charleston Stadium, Laidley Field in Charleston. A full schedule for the Marching Band Invitational is listed below.

Honorees include Debra Price, director of the Paden City High School marching band; A. Keith Reed, director of the Morgantown High School marching band; Gary Stewart, former director of the Point Pleasant High School marching band; Roger Walker, director of the Frankfort High School marching band; and Dale Riley, former director of the Hurricane High School marching band.

Debra Price is a 1989 graduate of McDowell High School in Erie, Pennsyl­vania. She graduated from West Virginia University with a B.A. in music educa­tion. She began her career at Wheeling Park High School in 1993-94 and then went to Paden City High School in 1994-1997. Price then took 17 years off from teaching to raise her three children. She returned to teaching at Paden City High School in 2014.

A. Keith Reed is a graduate of Morgantown High School and holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from West Virginia University. He is a member of the West Virginia Band Masters Association, the Music Educators National Con­ference and Phi Beta Mu, the National Band Directors’ Honorary. Under his direc­tion, the Morgantown High School marching band has participated and placed highly in national and international field and parade competitions throughout the eastern U.S.

Gary Stewart is an assistant professor of music at University of Rio Grande in Ohio. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music education and a master’s degree in music from Marshall University in Huntington, WV. Stewart taught at Point Pleas­ant High School in Pt. Pleasant, WV, for 34 years before retiring. Stewart then joined the Rio faculty in 2001, where he teaches coursework in music, music edu­cation, and conducts the Symphonic Band.

Roger Walker is in his 20th year as the band direc­tor at Frankfort High School in Ridgeley, WV. During his tenure, the concert bands at Frankfort High have consistently earned Superior ratings at its region’s Con­cert Adjudication Festival. Under Walker’s direction, the Falcon Marching Band earned its highest honors when it was selected to represent West Virginia in two consecutive Presidential Inaugural Parades.

Dale P. Riley was born in Barboursville, W.Va. He earned a master’s degree in mu­sic education from Marshall University. Riley directed the Hurricane High School band for 17 years and Vinson High School band for 9 years. He was a judge in West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia band competitions, state championships and state ratings. Riley passed away last year at the age of 82.
For more information, contact Bethany Cline, deputy curator of the department, at (304) 558-0220.

The Marching Band Invitational at Laidley Field schedule for the day is:

9:30 a.m.         Princeton Middle School
9:45 a.m.         Chapmanville Middle School
10 a.m.            Wirt County High School
10:15 a.m.       St. Marys High School
10:30 a.m.       Wyoming East High School
10:45 a.m.       Bluefield High School
11 a.m.            Westside High School
11:15 a.m.       Lincoln County High School
11:30 a.m.       Liberty High School
                        Trap Hill Middle School
11:45 a.m.       Doddridge County High School
Noon              Scott High School    
                        Hall of Fame Presentation – Keith Reed
12:30 p.m.      LUNCH
1 p.m.             Calhoun Middle/High School
1:15 p.m.        Shady Spring High School
1:30 p.m.        Clay County High School
1:45 p.m.        Sherman High School
2 p.m.             Ravenswood High School
2:15 p.m.        Magnolia High School
2:30 p.m.        Woodrow Wilson High School
2:45 p.m.        Parkersburg High School
3 p.m.             Hall of Fame Presentation – Gary Stewart
3:15 p.m.        Greenbrier West High School
3:30 p.m.        Greenbrier East High School
3:45 p.m.        Valley High School
4:00 p.m.        Robert C. Byrd High School
4:15 p.m.        Wayne High School
4:30 p.m.        Tygarts Valley High School
4:45 p.m.        Man High School
5:00 p.m.        Paden City High School
5:15 p.m.        Hall of Fame Presentation – Debra Price
5:30 p.m.        Braxton County High School
5:45 p.m.        St. Albans High School
6:00 p.m.        Poca High School
6:15 p.m.        Spring Valley High School
6:30 p.m.        Buffalo High School
6:45 p.m.        Hurricane High School
7 p.m.             Hall of Fame Presentation – Dale Riley
7:15 p.m.        Nitro High School
7:30 p.m.        Webster County High School
7:45 p.m.        Richwood High School
8 p.m.             Princeton High School
8:15 p.m.        Frankfort High School
8:30 p.m.        Hall of Fame Presentation – Roger Walker
8:45 p.m.        Philip Barbour High School
9 p.m.             Huntington High School
9:15 p.m.        Cabell Midland High School
9:30 p.m.        MISS MAJORETTE
9:50 p.m.        Drumline Finals
10:15 p.m.      Awards

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