Photo by Matt de Simone
By Matt de Simone
The 2024-25 school year has brought a new band director to James River High School (JRHS). Robert Chaplin, the band’s new director, began his teaching career at Rappahannock High School in Richmond County.
Chaplin graduated from Parry McCluer High School in 2016 and later graduated from Eastern Mennonite University with a Bachelor in Music Education. Since then, he’s taught music while working on completing his Master’s in Music Education from Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
Band enrollment in schools took a hit right after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 with virtual music programs receiving more attention when there were no classrooms to enter. Without an idea of what to plan for, band directors saw themselves coming up with new ways to recruit and retain band students.
Since his arrival, Chaplin has worked with the current band students at James River and teaching band at Central Academy Middle School (CAMS). The schools’ band programs are in a rebuilding process, transitioning out of the group of students who worked with former band director Kevin English since their sixth grade year. English left the program last spring.
Chaplin sees the challenges in building up a band program and is fully prepared to take on the responsibilities of recruitment and maintaining student engagement. He understands that the students have more of an opportunity to participate no matter the size of the ensemble. Chaplin wants students from a wide range of backgrounds and personalities to become a part of something special.
“Right now, we’re marching about 20-some kids in the high school marching band and the high school concert band is about the same,” Chaplin said during an interview last week. “My focus is recruiting at the middle school level so that, eventually, those numbers build back up at the high school.
“They are a small group but they are an awesome group. They have consistently impressed me with their abilities. We were probably one of the smallest bands at (the recent) Lord Botetourt competition, yet we walked away with first (place in the division).”
Photo courtesy of JRHS Band
The Marching Knights have definitely been active performing at football games and various competitions. James River recently brought top honors at the October 26 Cavalier Classic Competition, hosted by Lord Botetourt High School. The school received first place awards in the categories of Drum Major, Percussions, Marching, General Effect, Music, and first place Overall in the Class 1A division.
Lori Wingo, an English teacher at James River who assists with the marching band, recently shared, “The key to the rebuilding process is JRHS’s feeder band program at CAMS, where Mr. Chaplin has been active in recruiting a new beginner band program while encouraging this year’s seventh and eighth graders to stay involved in music and get involved with the high school band.”
“We’ve been getting out there, getting exposure for the band,” Chaplin added. “We’ve been doing the competitions, the James River Homecoming Parade, and we’re doing the Buchanan and the Fincastle Christmas Parades.”
Chaplin will soon take band students on a field trip to Maury River Middle School in Lexington to audition for All-Area Band, the most competitive honors ensemble in the state. With these types of activities, Chaplin hopes to showcase the element of fun when performing and learning in a school band.
“We’re just trying to get out there more,” Chaplin said. “Let the kids know, hey, you can do this and it’s fun.”
Chaplin has set goals towards betting the future of the programs at James River and CAMS. He wants to expand the concert band program and seeing the students perform at more community events. He is constant communication with Lord Botetourt Band Director Chris Caldwell and Read Mountain Middle School Director Jamie Lawson. The schools plan to soon visit with elementary school students, providing demonstrations, and sharing the fun and comradery of becoming a part of a school’s band.
James River’s and CAMS’s band programs are now preparing for their upcoming winter concerts. Central Academy’s takes place December 9 at 6 p.m. A week later, James River puts on the winter program December 17. Each concert takes place at the respective schools.
