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Glenville, WV – Glenville State College (GSC) senior Kristina “Tina” Lowe will be serving as the field commander for the Pioneer ‘Wall of Sound’ Marching Band this semester. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and a minor in business. She hails from Elizabeth in Wirt County, West Virginia, and is the daughter of Cindy Lowe and the late Robert E. Lowe Jr.
“Being field commander is something I’ve always wanted to do, so finally having the chance to be in this position is amazing,” said Lowe. “We have a great group this year, and it’s an honor to be their field commander. I’ve loved every minute of it so far, and I can’t wait to see where this year takes the marching band.”
“Tina is off to a fantastic start, and we are very proud of her! Congratulations, Tina!” said Marching Band Director Dr. Lloyd Bone.
Her inspiration for music comes from her father. “I grew up watching him play any instrument that was put in his hands, and he always did so with so much passion. He pushed me into band in middle school, and from that point on, I was hooked. He was my biggest supporter when it came to my music and pursuing my degree in music. He’s responsible for where I am today and why I continue to have such a deep passion for music and music education,” she said.
Lowe’s primary instrument is trumpet, which she has played since middle school. She plays trumpet in Brass Ensemble, Trumpet Ensemble, Jazz Band, and Jazz Combo at Glenville State College. In addition to trumpet, Lowe has recently shifted her focus to percussion instruments as well. “I have always had percussion instruments in my life. I had a drum set when I was a kid, and then my dad bought me a small marimba. I stopped playing as much once I picked up the trumpet. All of my fuel went into trumpet until my senior year of high school when I stepped into drumline every once in a while to help. It wasn’t until college that I realized I could further my education in percussion. I started lessons with Mr. [John] McKinney, and then I joined the Percussion Ensemble. It changed my life significantly and has truly been the biggest blessing,” she said.
Despite the recent announcement from the Mountain East Conference regarding postponing fall sports, Lowe reassures fans that the Pioneer Marching Band will continue to push forward. “We have some big things planned as a group and as part of the Fine Arts Department this year. We are going to keep learning music, and hopefully, we’ll be on the field again soon. Dr. Bone, the band staff, and I have been having conversations about what we can do this year in terms of performances. It is still up in the air about what we can do, but the fans can expect great things from the Pioneer Marching Band throughout the 2020-21 year.”
After graduating from GSC in Spring 2021, she plans to pursue her master’s in music business.
