WVU to play Clemson in Orange Bowl

The Mountaineers will face the Clemson Tigers in the 2012 Discover Orange Bowl. The game will be played at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Fla., on Wednesday, January 4, 2012. The game will kick off at 8:00 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN.

The band will be travelling to Miami to support the team.

2002 Band Staff

Don Wilcox
Director of Bands

Following graduation from the University of Michigan and eight years of public school instrumental music, Don Wilcox directed outstanding university band programs in both California and Kansas before coming to West Virginia University in 1971.

While guiding the program at WVU to a position of national recognition, he received numerous awards in recognition of his professional accomplishments and service.

Mr. Wilcox has worked with musicians of all ages and abilities in more than 30 states, Mexico, Canada, England, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, and Thailand. His work with All-State Bands, festivals, and honor groups is part of an active schedule throughout the nation as an adjudicator, clinician and guest conductor.

While guiding the program at WVU to a position of national recognition, he received numerous awards in recognition of his professional accomplishments and service. He has received WVU's Outstanding Teacher Award, the Most Loyal Mountaineer Award, and special citations from two Governors for his service to the state of West Virginia. Mr. Wilcox recently received two very prestigious awards: the Heebink Award for Distinguished State Service and the Kappa Kappa Psi Distinguished Service to Music Award. He is also President-Elect of the American Bandmasters Association.

For twenty-nine years, Don Wilcox has served as the Director of Bands at West Virginia University where he is the conductor of the Wind Symphony and Wind Ensemble. Mr. Wilcox has skillfully guided the WVU band program into one of the most respected organization in the East and throughout the country.

John Hendricks
Marching Band Director

Besides serving as the Assistant Chair of the WVU Division of Music, John Hendricks is also the Associate Director of Bands at WVU where he serves as director of the University Marching Band, Basketball Pep Band, the Concert Band, and the Studio Orchestra. He is also an instructor of several music education courses. Prior to his appointment at WVU, he served as the Assistant Director of Bands at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Mr. Hendricks is a native of West Virginia where he attended WVU receiving both his Bachelors Degree in Music Education and his Masters Degree in Applied Conducting. While working on his Masters, Mr. Hendricks was a graduate assistant with the WVU Bands. Prior to this, he served for five years as the band director at Spencer High School in Spencer, WV.

Besides his teaching duties, Mr. Hendricks serves frequently as a guest conductor, adjudicator, and clinician throughout the northeast. He is the WV state chairman for the Collegiate Band Directors National Conference and he is a member of the Executive Board of the West Virginia Music Educators Association. He was also a past member, rank leader, section leader, field conductor, graduate assistant, and assistant director of the WVU Marching Band.

Jay Drury
Assistant Director

Dearl "Jay" Drury is the Adjunct Assistant Director with the West Virginia University Bands, where his many responsibilities include assisting in all aspects of the concert and athletic bands, directing the Basketball Pep Band, assisting with several music education courses, and performing with and conducting other University ensembles. Mr. Drury is presently pursuing a doctorate degree in applied conducting and this year, will also serve as the Jazz Ensemble Director at Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi, WV. He earned both his bachelors and masters degrees from WVU in music education with a masters emphasis in conducting. He has served as a high school and elementary band director in both Hancock and Brooke counties in West Virginia. He has been active in the WV Region I Bandmasters Association, as well as with the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference All-Star Marching Band, where he served as the assistant director and director. He has been a part of research presentations at state conferences for both the West Virginia Music Educators and the Pennsylvania Music Educators.

Instructional Staff