Some of the sayings commonly heard or read on banners in Daniel Upton, Jr.’s band room include: “We Before Me” and “All In, All the Time.” Not only do these quotes reflect the overall mentality of the band members at Harrisonburg High School in Virginia, it also signifies how “we give up on NO ONE,” Upton says. “The door is wide open for those who want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Our program strives to honor those who have come before us, maintaining their legacy while creating our own legacy now,” he explains.
A unique aspect of Upton’s teaching philosophy is “Upton buffer time,” which means that any itinerary or plan always has extra time built in that is “rarely wasted, always needed,” Upton explains. This so-called time manipulation takes many forms. One student refers to it as “keeping us on schedule and staying locked in while traveling and at competitions.” Another says, “It’s like making time go fast when we have good music, but slowing it down when we need more time on a tricky passage.” A third recalls “crazy long band camp days that fly by because of the schedule and fun things Mr. Upton plans.”
Upton’s positivity was tested when his district built a second high school. The band director at both schools were tasked with creating a joint marching band for Harrisonburg and Rocktown High Schools. “The new director at Rocktown had been my colleague at Harrisonburg for 10 years, so we shared a vision for keeping students connected in meaningful ways,” Upton explains. “We formed a committee of students to come up with priorities and a name.”
Ultimately the joint marching band became known as the Rock City Regiment, whose name came from the greater Rockingham County area, Harrisonburg’s “Rocktown” nickname and the city school system. Nicknamed the “RCR,” the band prioritizes inclusion and diversity, while maintaining and building tradition, excellence and community. “There is a special bond within our community that many don’t understand,” Upton explains. “Now, after completing its second year, the RCR embodies all of these ideas that has spread to other Rock City programs, such as musical and dance.”
Upton even applied for a commercial driver’s license so he could drive the “band bus” to get all students to the same rehearsal space. “None of this came easily,” Upton admits. “We loaded equipment, navigated two campuses and managed countless details along the way. There were plenty of opinions from all sides about what we were doing — but at the end of the day, every student in the RCR is my student. The collaboration, the dedication, and the rewards have made every challenge more than worth it.”
This unity is reflected in every email Upton sends to parents and students, which starts with “Band Family.” Upton says that by addressing the band as family, it shows that “we are stronger together, we are there for each other and a family first.”
Upton never says, “That’s too much” or “There’s not enough time.” He looks at giving his students “every opportunity , every memory, every moment they deserve.”
This includes overseeing Virginia’s first chapter of United Sound, a program that has music students take on the role of mentors to special education students to foster social change through music. “Over the last 10 years, United Sound has transformed both our program and my teaching,” Upton says. “Our students serving as peer mentors have become more compassionate, thoughtful and inclusive. Seeing them invite their new musicians to graduation parties, attend off-campus dances together or even choose careers in special education because of this experience — with the hope of returning to co-advise our chapter — is nothing short of remarkable.
