Overview

A drum and bugle corps is a musical marching unit (similar to a marching band) consisting of brass instruments, percussion instruments, and color guard. Participants of all ages are represented within the drum and bugle corps activity. Competitive corps participate in summer touring circuits, like Drum Corps International (DCI) and Drum Corps Associates (DCA). Corps prepare a new show each year. Performed on football fields, these shows are judged in various musical and visual categories, or “captions”.

Brass Section:

Trumpet
Mellophone/Horn
Baritone/Euphonium
Tuba

Battery Section:

Snare Drum
Tenor Drums
Bass Drums
Cymbals

Front Ensemble:

Marimba
Vibraphone
Xylophone
Auxiliary Percussion

Color Guard:

Flags
Rifles
Sabers
Dance

Open and World Class corps have a high degree of physical, mental, and financial demands. Each year, hundreds of performers are injured while touring throughout the summer. Our developmental program is less-intensive and allows members to grow at their own pace.

Low Fees
Short Tour
Quality Instruction
Make Friends
Fun Atmosphere
Non-Profit Organization

Leadership

Neil Huss
President/Director

C.S.C. in Human Resources Practices
B.S. in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness
M.A. in Supply Chain Management

Neil is the founder and current President of the Thunder of Roanoke Performing Arts and serves as an advocate, entrepreneur, and administrator for the organization.

Neil is a U.S. Coast Guard veteran and holds multiple academic degrees. He currently works in finance for Roanoke County and is pursuing a Doctor of Public Administration from Liberty University. Neil's passion for music rivals few in the Roanoke Valley and he has extensive experience in music with several marching, concert, and jazz bands as a performer, brass/visual technician, drill-writer, and band director in both K-12 and higher education.

Neil has performed with several music organizations including the Roanoke College Wind and Jazz ensembles, the UMW Philharmonic, Winds of the Blue Ridge, and many others. As a guest soloist on trombone and euphonium, he enjoys the challenge of the spotlight but also is proficient with trumpet, french horn, and tuba.

Thomas Hilliker
Assistant Director

B.S. in Music Education

Thomas is a true percussionist at heart and is also an active performer, composer, clinician and educator.

Thomas is a U.S. Army veteran and graduated from Concord University (Athens, WV) in 2013 with a Bachelor's degree in Music Education. In addition to teaching private lessons, he has taught in the classroom for several years, most notably at Rural Retreat High School (Rural Retreat, VA).

While at Concord, Thomas served as a student conductor and drum major for the marching band, percussion captain, as well as serving on the band staff. He also arranged several pieces of music and wrote all of the marching drill.

Thomas has also worked with several schools in the region including Fort Chiswell High School, Radford High School, George Wythe High School, Bland County High School, PikeView Middle and High Schools, Princeton Middle and Senior High Schools, Pound High School, and Giles High School.

Ashley Hilliker
Color Guard

Ashley has been actively involved in color guard since 1999 and has seven years of formal dance training. She is currently the color guard instructor for both Rural Retreat and Fort Chiswell High Schools. In 2018, she started a combined winterguard group, based at Rural Retreat High School, that competes within the CIPA circuit.

She has previously worked with several schools including PikeView High School, Bland County High School, Maiden High School, and James River High School.

While Ashley was a student at Concord University, she served as the color guard captain/instructor and on the band staff. As a musician, she is a member and performer with the Wytheville Community College Concert Band. Ashley will become the colorguard instructor at Bluefield College beginning in Fall 2019.

Amanda Wright
Treasurer

A.S. in Science
B.S. in Physics

Dubbed by her friends as a Renaissance woman, Amanda graduated from Roanoke College with a degree in Physics and a minor in Creative Writing. She is a former Secretary for the Salem City Democratic Committee, an educator volunteer with Center in the Square, a published poet in Artemis Journal, and is building her own business, Creative Genius Solutions, where she solves problems you never knew you had.

Her love for music began in her grandmother’s home where she learned to walk and climbed up on the organ bench fascinated by the fact that pressing buttons produced noises. Her parents bought her first full size piano when she was in 8th grade, a turn of the century ragtime upright, only to turn around and rent her first saxophone two weeks later because her best friend said marching band was the best thing in the world to do. She was the lead alto saxophone player for Roanoke College Jazz Band and has taught beginner to intermediate saxophone, flute, and piano since 1992.

Interested in joining our staff? Please email us at thunderofroanoke@gmail.com for more information.

History

2014 - The Thunder of Roanoke Athletic Pep Band is formed at Roanoke College. Performing at various college athletics and community events, the Thunder made its presence felt across campus. Under the guidance of Dr. Joseph Blaha and leadership of Neil Huss, the pep band revitalized the atmosphere at athletic events and boosted entertainment and participation.

2015 - The Pep Band continues to perform at numerous college activities such as soccer, lacrosse, and basketball games. The Thunder also debuted a new version of the college's fight song, Maroon Victory, and gained recognition as one of the top student organizations on campus.

2018 - The Thunder of Roanoke is reformed as a drum and bugle corps, marking a turning poin in the history of the organization. Efforts towards recruitment begin and community outreach initiatives are formed to help boost membership and recognition throughout the area.

2019 - The drum corps performs within DCI's SoundSport program, showcasing it's "small but big" attitude and presence on the field. The drum corps also performs at other community events including the playing of the national anthem at a Salem Red Sox baseball game.

2021 - The Thunder of Roanoke reforms as a performing arts organization, rebranding the drum corps program as the Thunderbolts. A secondary program, the Thundershock Jazz Orchestra, is established and begins to perform throughout the Roanoke Valley.

Gallery

*Photos courtesy of David Shields, Emily Baker, and the Huss family*