Grad Returns to Oakton Classic as Band Director

For four years, Alex Schmitt experienced the Oakton Classic marching band competition firsthand as a Marching Cougar. His senior year, he even helped lead the band as one of the drum majors.

Five years later, after graduating from Virginia Tech — including a two-year stint as drum major for the Marching Virginians — Schmitt brought his own group of high-schoolers to participate in the Oakton Classic.

The 23-year-old is in his first year as band director at Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke. He said signing up for the Oakton Classic was a no-brainer.

"First of all, it's just a fantastic competition. Cheryl Newton does a great job putting it on," said Schmitt, who graduated high school in 2006. "You get to compete against some really good bands and you get some fantastic feedback from the judges. I wanted to expose my students to this level of intensity."

Newton, the 28-year veteran Oakton High band director, started the Oakton Classic 27 years ago as a fundraiser. It has since become an elite competition in the area that also draws serious college programs to perform exhibitions. This year, Bowie State University's marching band performed at the Oct. 15 event.

Newton said she is proud of Schmitt, but she isn't surprised about his decision to become a band director.

"Alex's path was pretty predictable," Newton said. "He's always been a great teacher. When he was at Tech, he would come back to help teach the Oakton kids."

Schmitt said he always loved band, but never thought of becoming a band director as a possibility until serving as drum major his senior year of high school.

"I started wondering the question that most high school seniors ask, 'What do I want to do with my life?'" Schmitt said. "I was having a great time in band and I wondered could I do this for a career. It turns out you can."

Schmitt's return to Oakton also marked a reunion with one of his fellow drum majors, Kelsey Holland. Holland, also 23, graduated with Schmitt and went on to graduate from James Madison University. She also served as drum major for the Marching Royal Dukes for two years. She is now a full-time music educator for two elementary schools within Fairfax County Public Schools and offers her services to the Oakton High marching band in the afternoons.

But it isn't as if Schmitt and Holland hadn't seen each other since high school. They kept in touch because they were both interested in becoming music teachers. In 2009, both the Marching Virginians and Marching Royal Dukes performed exhibitions at the Oakton Classic, allowing Schmitt and Holland to perform as drum majors for their college bands at their high school alma mater in the same year. They also traveled to Venezuela together to study their strong music programs.

Just as Newton isn't surprised to see Schmitt committing to a career in music education, she found Holland's career path predictable, as well.

"She's been talking about it for as long as I've known her," Newton said.

Holland gives much credit to Newton for running a program that encourages so many of its participants to see a career as a band director.

"She's just an unbelievable teacher. You can ask anyone in her program and they'll tell you that," Holland said. "She probably puts out more band directors than any other band director in the state. When I tell people about myself, they'll be like, 'Oh, you're one of Cheryls,' like it's so common they're not surprised."

Holland is confident Schmitt is a hit with his students.

"I'm sure he's a fantastic director. The kids probably love him," Holland said. "He's the kind of teacher that'll teach them music and then go play basketball with them after school."

As for Schmitt, he sees himself as band director for the foreseeable future and hopes to be able to bring his students back to Oakton Classic next year.

"It's good to come home, and I think it's fun to share some of it with my students," Schmitt said.