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There have been 11 directors of the marching band during its 106 years of existence. Of this group, Strange, Borkowski, Zimmerman, Wilcox, Hendricks, and Drury are still living.
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Jay Drury (2004-present)
Dearl "Jay" Drury is presently serving his third year as the Assistant Director of Bands at WVU, and as the eleventh director of the "Pride of West Virginia.” in 2005. During his first season, the band reached a membership of 370, performed on the grounds of the nation's Capitol as part of the national "Constitution Day" celebration, and followed the Mountaineer football team to Atlanta for a win in the Sugar Bowl. In 2006, Drury lead the WVU Marching Band into its 105th season with a fresh look, sporting a brand new set of uniforms.
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John Hendricks (1998-2004)
John Hendricks became the 10th director of the WVU Marching Band in 1998. Hendricks had served as the Assistant Director for five years prior to this appointment. During his tenure, the band peaked at 380 members, traveled to various away performances (including five bowl games), and helped celebrate the 100th anniversary of the WVU Marching Band in 2001. Throughout his tenure, Hendricks has written over 25 arrangements that have been performed by the band. In 2005, after serving seven years as marching band director, Hendricks was promoted to WVU's Director of Bands.
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Don Wilcox (1971-1997)
Don Wilcox served as the Director of the Marching Band for 27 years from 1971 to 1997. During his tenure, the band more than tripled in size from 88 to over 325 members and gained the reputation as one of the best university marching bands in the nation. This fact was confirmed in 1997 when the band received the Sudler Trophy naming the WVU Band as the nation's outstanding collegiate marching band for that year. After stepping down as the marching band's director in 1998, he continued to serve as WVU's Director of Bands until in May of 2005. His retirement marked an end to a distinguished 34-year career with the WVU Band program. In recognition of his years of outstanding service, Wilcox was honored by achieving the title of WVU Director of Bands Emeritus.
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Gerald Zimmerman (1970)
Jerry Zimmerman served a one year appointment as acting Director of Bands when Budd Udell took a leave of absence to work on his doctorate. During the next two years, Zimmerman completed a doctorate in Music Education at WVU, and then joined the faculty of Shepherd College.
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Budd Udell (1963-1969)
Budd Udell directed the marching band from 1963 to 1969. He was the Director of Bands from 1966 until he left in the spring of 1970 to complete his doctorate. One of the country's finest arrangers, Udell established a tradition of outstanding arranging for the marching band that survives and thrives to this day. His arrangements of "Hail, West Virginia" and "Fight Mountaineers" are still played by the band today. Dr. Udell served on the faculty of the University of Florida after leaving WVU.
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Frank Borkowski (1962)
Mr. Borkowski came to WVU as a clarinet graduate student in 1961, and became the acting Director of Bands in 1962, when Intravaia resigned a week before school started, to accept the position as band director at Trenton State Teacher's College. In 1963, Borkowski turned the marching band over to Budd Udell, and Mr. Borkowski conducted only the concert groups. He completed his graduate work in 1967, and was granted WVU's first Ph.D. in Music Education. Dr. Borkowski went on to have a distinguished career in higher education, serving as the Chancellor of Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. He now serves on the music faculty at Appalachian State University.
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Richard E. Strange (1960-61)
Dr. Strange filled the position of Director of Bands for one year during a leave by Mr. Intravaia. He followed that year by becoming the director of bands at Carnegie-Mellon University. After several years of excellent work at that institution, he moved to Arizona State University where he developed one of the most respected band programs in the country. He is a past president of the American Bandmasters Association, and also is the conductor of the Tempe Symphony Orchestra.
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Lawrence Intravaia (1951-1959 &1961)
Larry Intravaia became the band director and double reed teacher at WVU in 1951. He organized the first Wind Symphony concert group, and served as WVU's Band Director for ten years with a one year leave of absence in 1960.
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Clifford Brown (1942)
As the acting band director during the war years of World War II, he replaced McGregor during "Mac's" military service. He retired in 1974 as Assistant Dean of the Creative Arts Center after a long and distinguished career of 30 years on the WVU faculty. His daughter, Susan, is a graduate of the Creative Arts Center, and is the wife of University President, David Hardesty.
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Bernard McGregor (1938-1941 & 1943-1950)
Started as Mestrezat's assistant in about 1936, and took over upon his retirement. He served as WVU band director until 1951, and remained an outstanding and much admired member of the WVU Music faculty until his retirement in 1976.
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Walter Alexander Mestrezat (1901-1937)
The first WVU Band director. He was a professional cabinet maker and woodcarver, who had been a band leader in the military while serving in the Spanish-American War. He led the band of the First West Virginia Regiment in Cuba. WVU's first band, in 1901, had eight members, and grew to 65-70 during Mestrezat's long tenure. In 1938, at age 81 he was named Director Emeritus and retired after 37 years as WVU band director.
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