When the Roanoke College marching band takes the field at Maroon football games this fall it will be under the direction of Chris Wilkes. The Roanoke College athletic department announced Tuesday the hiring of Wilkes as the College’s Director of Bands.
“We are fortunate to have Chris join us as the new band director,” said Curtis Campbell, Roanoke’s Director of Athletics. “His background and experience make him the perfect fit for the position. I look forward to watching him groom our students into an amazing band”
Basketball fans got a look at Chris this past season as he directed the pep band, who performed behind the basket on the “windows end” of the Cregger Center during several Maroon games. He’ll be back in that position next winter, and in addition to directing the school’s marching and spirit bands he will be teaching two instrumental classes for the fine arts department: Jazz Band and Wind Ensemble.
“I am looking forward to directing the bands at Roanoke College,” said Wilkes. “I fell in love with the college during my three years as the men’s and women’s tennis coach. I am excited about the challenge of building a marching band program at Roanoke College.”
Wilkes hails from Rocky Mount, Virginia. After graduating from Franklin County High School, he studied music at James Madison University. There, he studied trumpet under James Kluesner and marched with the JMU Marching Royal Dukes. During his time with the MRD’s, the band was awarded the Sudler Cup, which honors the nation’s top college marching band. Wilkes performed with the JMU Trumpet Ensemble, Jazz Band, Concert Band, Wind Symphony, and Symphonic Band before graduating with a degree in Music Education in 1995.
Wilkes was a high school and middle school band director for 18 years. He taught at Staunton River Middle and High Schools, Andrew Lewis Middle School and Salem High School. In 2010, Wilkes was recognized as the Andrew Lewis and Salem City Teacher of the Year. He was also named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Salem Rotary Club for outstanding contributions to the Salem community. In 2010, Wilkes received his Master of Education degree from the Curry School at the University of Virginia.
From 2010-2012, Wilkes served as the Fine Arts Coordinator for the Roanoke City Public Schools where he served 68 fine arts teachers and over 12,000 students. In 2012 Chris returned to Salem to direct the band program at Salem High School. At SHS, he directed the Symphonic, Concert, and Jazz Bands as well as the “Pride of Salem” marching band.
Wilkes has been a long-time member of the soul band Sunset Drive. He has backed up such artists as Percy Sledge, Archie Bell, Dee Dee Sharp, Eddie Floyd, Jerry Butler and the Impressions. He has performed in 13 states and two countries with Percy Sledge, including a performance on ABC’s Good Morning America. He has twice performed at the Lincoln Center in Manhattan and once shared the stage with legend Jerry Lee Lewis. He has performed on two albums and one DVD with Percy Sledge.
Wilkes is no stranger to Roanoke College as he was the head coach of the RC Men’s and Women’s Tennis teams for three seasons starting in 2020.