Bob Moody was born in Staunton, Virginia in 1941. Sometime during his high school years, in addition to playing in the Robert E. Lee High School band, Bob started playing flute in the Stonewall Brigade Band, a long running community band in Staunton. In the late 50's, Bob entered the University of Virginia, not as a music major, but as an engineering major. Eventually, Bob changed his major to his passion - music and music education. He would come over from UVA and play flute with the band.
Eventually, Bob graduated from UVA and took a job as Band Director of Buffalo Gap High School, where he also doubled as a Physics Teacher. Since there were no middle schools back then, part of Bob’s job was to teach elementary band at the schools that fed into Buffalo Gap High. He directed band for over 20 years, before going into fundraising for school bands
throughout the Virginias, helping them raise funds for new instruments and trips.
Throughout all this time he continued with the Stonewall Brigade Band, and became the director. Bob encouraged members to start small ensembles within the band - the flute choir, the brass group, the saxophone quartet, and so forth. He was a member of the band for 60 years and served as the director for 42.He also loved choir and organ music. He played the organ at home every day until he became too ill to continue.During his lifetime, he was the choir director and organist at a variety of local churches. Bob could tell you where every old organ in the Shenandoah Valley came from.
He also designed the inside part of the Bandstand. He put an angle at the top and the back of the bandstand, so the tuba sounds would go up and bounce towards the audience. At the end of every concert, he’d say, “Sounds Like a Band.” He made a huge difference in the lives of countless musicians in Augusta County and beyond, and will be sorely missed. RIP, Bob.
