Elva Kaye Lance is Director of Bands at Mississippi State University where she teaches instrumental methods, conducts the Wind Ensemble and directs the "Famous Maroon Band." Now in her fifteenth year at Mississippi State, Ms. Lance has taught an wide assortment of classes within the Department of Music, supervised student teachers, and maintained the Euphonium-Tuba studio. She is the Director of the State Band Camp, which is a summer workshop for high school and middle school students and also serves as Coordinator for the Mississippi State University Band Directors Institute, which provides inservice training for instrumental music educators in the region. Prior to joining the faculty at MSU, Ms. Lance served as band director at the junior high and high school level in the state of Mississippi where her bands consistently received superior ratings in all categories. She is an alumna of Mississippi State University and the Maroon Band, where she served as Euphonium soloist. Ms. Lance obtained her graduate degree from Southern Oregon State University. Professional affiliations include the Mississippi Bandmaster's Association, Kappa Kappa Psi, Sigma Alpha Iota, Phi Beta Mu, Phi Kappa Phi, Music Educator's National Conference, College Music Society and the College Band Director's National Association. She maintains an active schedule as a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator throughout the state and region.

Dr. Clifton Taylor serves as Associate Director of Bands at Mississippi State University, where he assists in the direction of the Famous Maroon Band, conducts the Symphonic Band and the Jazz Ensemble, and teaches courses in the Department of Music. A native of Biloxi, he holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music Education from the University of Southern Mississippi and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in wind conducting from the University of South Carolina. He has previously taught instrumental music at the elementary school, middle school, high school, and community college levels. Dr. Taylor remains active as a trombonist and has performed in numerous “legit,” jazz, and rock settings with groups ranging from the Meridian Symphony (where he has served as the principal trombonist since 2002) to The Temptations. He is affiliated with the College Band Directors National Association, the International Association of Jazz Educators, the National Band Association, the Mississippi Bandmasters Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Kappa Kappa Psi. He is married to the former Charlotte Wise, and has two children—Clifton, 11, and Evelyn, 8.

Dr. Craig Aarhus is the Assistant Director of Bands at Mississippi State University. At MSU, he assists with the marching band, co-directs the basketball pep bands, conducts the Starkville/MSU Community Band, and teaches courses in the Department of Music. A native of Alabama, Dr. Aarhus holds degrees in Music Education and Conducting from Auburn University and The University of Iowa, respectively. While at Iowa, he was the recipient of the prestigious Iowa Performance Fellowship and was a conducting student of Dr. Myron Welch.  Prior to his appointment at MSU, Dr. Aarhus was a successful middle school and high school band director in the public schools of Alabama.  He is a member of several professional organizations including MENC, CBDNA, NBA, the Mississippi Bandmasters Association, Kappa Kappa Psi, and Phi Mu Alpha and has served as an adjudicator and clinician in several Southeastern and Midwestern states. As a clinician/instructor at the Smith-Walbridge Drum Major Clinics for 9 years, Dr. Aarhus has had the opportunity to teach hundreds of high school and college drum majors from across the country. He and his wife Amy, a kindergarten teacher, reside in Starkville and are members of First Presbyterian Church, where Dr. Aarhus serves as Music Director.  They are expecting their first child early next year.