WEST LIBERTY, W. VA – Ever since the fifth grade, I was part of a school band, from orchestral to marching. So, I thought about interviewing the college marching band director, Alvin Simpson, to ask him the what, where, and why of how he got to be who he is today: the director of the Marching Hilltoppers.

 I first asked how he started, and he told me he played the trumpet in his high school band and continued in college. Afterward, he explained that he began teaching band in 2012 and has continued here for his third year.

I then asked him if during each semester when he works with his students, do they ever have a specific theme they do every time? “Sometimes we do. Last year we had boy band music, from NSYNC to Backstreet Boys” said Simpson. He said that their theme this year was hard metal, like Metallica and Iron Maiden. I asked how he would develop this kind of program each semester. “We think of ideas for the next school year in spring, and try to use some of those ideas in the fall,” he explained.

However, the big question I asked him was how he worked with the students. He told me that getting to know each of the students with any major was the best aspect of being the band director at WLU. He would try to “create an environment where if anyone makes a mistake, it’s okay”, and try to learn and connect with them as their teacher. He says that over time, they’ve been growing and working out with their relationship. 

I then followed up by asking about how he plans to continue with the Hilltoppers, he says he wants to keep the environment they have right now, so people can feel comfortable and welcomed. He also wants to see how important this band is and “find ways to let people know we exist”. Watch out for future updates from the Marching Hilltoppers for their spring show.