Fayette resident guiding WWHS band

Aug. 27—BECKLEY — "Good music."

Asked what genre of music the Woodrow Wilson High School marching band might focus on this coming school year, that was new director Dr. Joseph Dangerfield's succinct response.

Dangerfield will guide the current version of the Flying Eagles' band as a replacement for Andrew Pinnick, who moved into the school's athletic director position.

Parents got a sneak peek at the 2022-23 WWHS marching band and competition show this past Saturday at Van Meter Stadium.

"Coach (Beckley head football coach Street) Sarrett has been a wonderful person with whom to work and has been very accommodating," Dangerfield said in discussing the Flying Eagles band's preseason practice situation. "We have practiced on the field every day during preseason."

Dangerfield, a Fayette County resident, will be the full-time band/music teacher at Woodrow Wilson. In addition to marching band, Dangerfield guides concert band, guitar and piano classes, general music and jazz band.

"The band has been rebuilt over the past five years by Andrew Pinnick," Dangerfield said. "He has instilled a sense of pride and belonging in these students and successfully changed the culture of the school to celebrate the band, and the wonderful things that music can accomplish.

"I intend to build upon that and continue those traditions."

Dangerfield arrives at Woodrow Wilson with an extensive musical background. Most recently, he served two stints in the Fayette County school system. He was the Fayetteville PreK-8 choir director and music teacher from 2020-22 and the Meadow Bridge Elementary choir and music teacher from 2018-20.

From 2006-14, he was composer and director of the symphony orchestra at Coe (Iowa) College. In 2009-10, Dangerfield was composer with the Moscow Conservatory (Fulbright Scholar), as well as composer and guest director of the New Music Ensemble at Maastricht Conservatorium (Fulbright).

He was conductor and co-artistic director of the Ensemble Peripherie from 2009-15. From 2014-15, he was composer, theorist and conductor of the New Music Ensemble at West Virginia University. And, from 2015-17, Dangerfield was composer, theorist and conductor of the New Music Ensemble at the University of Florida.

Dangerfield said the Flying Eagles band, which is currently 70 members strong, will continue to participate in marching band competitions throughout West Virginia, as well as taking part in events in other states. "Currently, we are registered for five state competitions this fall," he said.

The band meets for practice every day for 75 minutes, and after school for two hours twice a week.

Sophomore Taylor Salango is among the band members anticipating this coming school year. "I've been really wanting to do this since last year, but I couldn't try out last year, so I've been working really hard on it," said Salango, the band's feature twirler. "I'm really looking forward to our pep tunes and us getting to do that on the field on every Friday."

That said, Salango admitted to being "a little nervous."

The band has been practicing for about two weeks. "Everybody seems to be excited," she said.

Of Dangerfield, she said, "If we win like grand champion or anything like first place, we get to die his hair rainbow, so I think it's pretty cool that he'll let us do that."

"I just hope we do our best and that we can improve over the year," she concluded.

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