Elva Kaye Lance is Director of Bands at Mississippi State University, and with her appointment in 2002, she became only the eighth person in the band’s one hundred and seven year history to hold that position. A veteran music educator of 32 years, her current responsibilities include conducting the Wind Ensemble, providing leadership for the Famous Maroon Band and administering all aspects of the band program. Now in her eighteenth year at Mississippi State, Ms. Lance teaches methods classes within the Music Department and assists with supervision of the student teachers.

Prior to joining the faculty at MSU, Ms. Lance served as a director at the elementary, junior high and high school levels in the state of Mississippi where all bands she conducted consistently received superior ratings in every category.

She is active as a conductor, adjudicator and clinician for both concert and marching band events throughout the country. She regularly serves as a clinician/speaker for in-service teacher training sessions at Band and Music Education Conventions.

Professionally, she is a member of the National Band Association, 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.

Dr. Clifton Taylor serves as Associate Director of Bands at Mississippi State University, where he assists in the direction of the Famous Maroon Band, co-directs the basketball pep bands, conducts the Symphonic Band and the Jazz Ensembles, 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 performs in numerous symphonic, jazz, and rock settings annually. He is affiliated with the College Band Directors National Association, the National Band Association, the Mississippi Bandmasters Association, Phi Beta Mu, Pi Kappa Lambda, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Kappa Kappa Psi. He and his wife Charlotte and their children—Clifton, 13, and Evelyn, 10—attend Starkville First United Methodist Church, where they are members of the music ministry ensembles. Dr. Taylor directs the Starkville Home School Band and serves as an assistant scoutmaster with Starkville BSA Troop 14.

Dr. Craig Aarhus is the Assistant Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Music at Mississippi State University. At MSU, he co-directs the Famous Maroon Band and basketball pep bands, conducts the Starkville/MSU Community Band, supervises student teachers 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. As a student at Auburn, he was drum major of the Auburn University Marching band for three years and received the “President’s Award” as the top graduate of the College of Education. While a graduate assistant 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 CBDNA, NBA, the Mississippi Bandmasters Association, Kappa Kappa Psi (chapter co-sponsor), 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 10 years, Dr. Aarhus has had the opportunity to teach hundreds of high school and college drum majors from across the country. He, his wife Amy and son Jack reside in Starkville and are members of First Presbyterian Church, where Dr. Aarhus serves as Music Director.