The Path to Performance
Joining the Stonewall Brigade Band is more than a musical endeavor; it is a commitment to our community's heritage and the joy of live performance.
Rehearsals
There are currently about 125 active members on our rolls. We usually field about 50 players on stage at a typical concert.
Our members include middle- and high-school musicians who have only been playing for a few years; adults who have been playing for their whole lives; and adults who returned to instrumental music after years of not playing. Our repertoire includes music at varying difficulty levels so that everyone can have music that is challenging and music that is just fun to play. The SBB is a respectful, collegial environment in which to be an active musician!
Not feeling quite ready to play in a concert band? Consider spending time with our Prep Band that rehearses on Tuesday evenings (autumn through spring).
Join Us!
Membership in the Stonewall Brigade Band is open to any individual who is able to read music and play an instrument.
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There’s no audition required.
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All members are volunteers; there are no dues or fees.
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Members are expected to provide their own instruments. We have a limited inventory of larger instruments. The SBB has percussion equipment including sticks/mallets.
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The SBB provides music stands for rehearsals and performances. For some venues, members may be asked to bring their own stands.
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Rehearsals are held every Monday evening 7:30pm to 9:00pm except during the summer (this is concert season) and the month of September. Concerts run June, July and August starting at 7:30pm.
The band actively seeks adult members who were successful in their high school or college bands and youth members who are proficient players and sight-readers. The band always welcomes members in all sections, but at present we are in particular need of experienced percussionists.
The SBB plays music from a variety of genres and difficulty levels. Much of the music in our library was purchased at the recommendation of SBB members or given to us by generous donors. The Director welcomes suggestions from members about music to include in our performance schedule.
While we encourage perfect attendance, we would expect that a new member would attend at least two-thirds of the rehearsals in the fall rehearsal season and three-fourths of the rehearsals in the spring rehearsal season. Individuals become “associate members” upon participating in a rehearsal or concert, and become full members for life when voted upon by the membership after six months active participation by attending at least half the rehearsals during that time. Active full members have the privilege of voting in band business meetings.
Full members who do not attend at least one rehearsal during each three month period are placed on the inactive list until participation resumes with attendance at half or more of the rehearsals during a three month period. Placement within sections of the band is determined cooperatively by members of each section, under the direction of a section leader.
Prospective members can contact the band, any current band member or a board member for more information about joining. You can expect to be invited to attend a rehearsal and “give it a try for a few weeks” to see if you enjoy the band enough to make it part of your weekly routine. Most new members discover how much fun it is to play different music each week in a band filled with volunteer members who truly love making music.
Has it been a while since you played your instrument? We have refresher booklets for all instruments that you can download. They start at “the beginning” and take you through most of the range of your instrument and most of the keys used in band music, with familiar tunes that make it easy to tell when you’re right. This is the link to refresher books.
Support the Band
Donations
Donations to the Stonewall Brigade Band can be made by mailing a check to:
The Stonewall Brigade Band Inc.
c/o Treasurer
600 Thornrose Ave
Staunton, VA 24401
To donate to the Bob Moody Scholarship Fund please enter “Scholarship Fund” in the memo line.
Sponsorships
You or your business may sponsor one or more of our Summer concerts. A joint sponsorship with two people/businesses may sponsor the same concert for $250 each; an exclusive sponsorship is $500 for one concert. Sponsorship opportunities are for this year only, and will become available again next year. (Please note that concert titles and dates will change)
For availability please contact the band at StonewallBrigadeBand@gmail.com. You can claim a sponsorship by:
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Monetary donation
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In-kind donation, such as free advertising in newspaper, on the radio or on TV for the amount equivalent to a sponsorship
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Underwriting purchase of instruments and equipment
Secure your sponsorship by mailing a check:
The Stonewall Brigade Band Inc.
c/o Treasurer
600 Thornrose Ave
Staunton, VA 24401
Bob Moody Scholarship
The SBB Scholarship Committee is excited to announce the 2025 winners of the Bob Moody Scholarship. Initially established in August of 2018, this scholarship seeks to recognize, encourage, and support young, developing musicians in honor of Bob Moody’s life-long dedication to music education.
The 2025 winners are Brett Eye, Turner Ashby High School, and Molly Finch, Waynesboro High School.Congratulations to these talented young musicians!
Bob Moody was the director of the SBB (est. 1855) from 1975 until 2018, the longest tenure for any director in the band’s history. Here, he inspired countless musicians through his trailblazing leadership, brilliant musical interpretations, and the relation of his encyclopedic knowledge of band literature and history. Further, Bob’s distinguished impact reached throughout the community to the elementary and high schools he served, the religious spaces he blessed with his talents, and the numerous community organization boards to which he lent his experience and wisdom.
This $1,000 scholarship is awarded to a rising college freshman, under age 21, from the greater Shenandoah Valley area, including Augusta, Rockingham, and Rockbridge Counties, and the Cities of Harrisonburg, Staunton, Waynesboro, and Lexington, who intends to continue their education in Instrumental Music. The scholarship application process will open again in January, 2026. The application deadline for the 2026 scholarship is March 31, 2026.
If you have any questions please email brigadebandscholarship@gmail.com.
Bob Hanson Young Artist Competition
The SBB recognizes that early recognition of musical expertise is an important step toward self-awareness and self-confidence. Musical expertise comes at no easy access. A young musician who has gained a level of expertise at any level has spent large swaths of time and energy to attain this accomplishment. We believe that this should be rewarded and acknowledged, so we encourage young musicians to participate in this Competition and in so doing, also recognize our former band member and band administrator, Dr. Robert Hanson, who provided this monetary ability through his final estate to the SBB.
Congratulations to our 2025 winners!
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Age 10-12: Natalia Blakeney, voice
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Age 13-15: Charlotte Wright, alto saxophone
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Age 16-18: Stephen Wright, clarinet
These winners will perform on Monday, December 15, 2025 with the Stonewall Brigade Band during the Christmas Concert.
Please join us on that date at St. Paul’s Church in Staunton, VA
2000 Shutterlee Mill Road
7:30 pm
Thanks to the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge for partial funding through their grant process.
Membership
There are currently about 125 active members on our rolls. We usually field about 50 players on stage at a typical concert.
Our members include middle- and high-school musicians who have only been playing for a few years; adults who have been playing for their whole lives; and adults who returned to instrumental music after years of not playing. Our repertoire includes music at varying difficulty levels so that everyone can have music that is challenging and music that is just fun to play. The SBB is a respectful, collegial environment in which to be an active musician!
Not feeling quite ready to play in a concert band? Consider spending time with our Prep Band that rehearses on Tuesday evenings (autumn through spring).
New Member Information
Welcome to the Stonewall Brigade Band! We hope that you will enjoy playing with us and getting to know other local musicians.
Rehearsals
Rehearsals are from 7:30-9:00pm every Monday evening, including most holidays. Members may arrive as early at 7:00pm so that they can be tuned up and ready to play by 7:30pm.
Rehearsals for the summer season begin in early January. Although it may not be feasible for everyone to have perfect attendance, the SBB does expect members to attend at least 75% of the rehearsals to ensure adequate familiarity with the music. The summer concert season begins the first Monday of June and runs though the last Monday of August.
After a break during the month of September, rehearsals resume the first Monday in October to prepare music for the Holiday Concert (usually the second or third Monday of December) and to preview music for the next summer season. Again, perfect attendance is ideal but the SBB expects musicians to attend at least two-thirds of rehearsals.
Absences
Let your section leader know as soon as possible when you will be unavailable for a rehearsal or a performance so that parts can be reassigned if needed. The section leader will inform the director if enough members of the section will be absent to impact the music selected for a rehearsal or performance.
Inclement Weather
The SBB provides information about potential rehearsal cancellations on the WHSV television website, which scrolls through the televised channels. This information can be accessed on the WHSV television website. Search for closures on inclement days to see if rehearsals can been canceled.
Because summer concerts in Gypsy Hill Park are under the cover of the band stand, rain is not enough to cancel a performance! If severe weather is in the forecast, the Music Director may cancel a concert out of caution for SBB members’ and the audience’s safety. This information will also be posted on the WHSV website and scrolls on the television channels.
Parking
During rehearsals, parking is available in the field across the street. Because there is not a streetlight at the intersection between the field and the band room, we suggest carrying a flashlight to help you be more visible to drivers after dark.Be careful not to block cars. Do not block the entrance by parking between the light pole and the sign post. Convenient summer concert parking is behind the Stonewall Brigade Band gazebo in Gypsy Hill Park. Please do not park on any mulched area.
Music
The SBB plays music of different genres and of varying difficulty. Summer concerts may have different themes, such as Halloween in August or Broadway Shows. Music suggestions are welcome!
Rehearsals-All music, by instrumentation, is located on the music shelves in the smaller rehearsal room (aka the museum side). Please be aware that the flute ensemble rehearses in the museum side before SBB rehearsal and keep noise to a minimum. During rehearsal keep your music in order and return to the shelf before you leave. The librarian appreciates your help in making her job easier! SBB music is NOT permitted to leave the building. Those who would like to practice more difficult passages are encouraged to take photos with their phones or to make use of the copier by the music shelves.
Concerts– All music is placed in formal black folders and kept in black boxes according to instrumentation. It is each member’s responsibility to retrieve and return music folders to the appropriate boxes. Remember music may not be taken home. Please keep the music in concert order. The librarian will have the black boxes set up at each concert venue.
Concerts
In addition to the summer concert series in Gypsy Hill Park, the SBB may play at other community events and venues. Specific dates will be announced and sign up sheets available in the band room. Also check the google calendar on our website.
Concert Attire
Effective May 27th, 2024, SBB concert attire is all black.
For a more uniform look, it is preferred that members wear a polo shirt with an embroidered logo. Polo shirts may be purchased at or brought to Shenandoah Awards & Apparel (https://www.shenawards.com/) for embroidery. Please allow 7-10 days for the work to be completed.
Skirts or dresses should be long enough to cover the knees when one is seated. No leggings, please!
Fees
There are no dues or fees required to join the SBB. All members are volunteers.
Board of Directors
The Stonewall Brigade Band is an all-volunteer band and has a Board of Directors who meet once a month to deal with the business of the band. Meetings are held the second Thursday of each month. There are several committees you can serve on that helps the band in many ways. If you have any advice or thoughts, please let one of the board members know.
Full Membership
Individuals become “associate members” upon participating in a rehearsal or concert and become full members for life when voted upon by the members after six months active participation by attending at least half the rehearsals during that time. Active full members have the privilege of voting in band business meetings.
Full members who do not attend at least one rehearsal during each three-month period are placed on the inactive list until participation resumes with attendance at half or more of the rehearsals during a three-month period. Placement within sections of the band is determined cooperatively by members of the section, under the direction of the section leader.
If you have any questions you may contact your section leader, any board member, or call or text Tanya Faidley, new member contact, at 540-416-3512 or email at tnfaidley2@gmail.com.
Welcome and have fun!