Contact: Sasha Steinberg
STARKVILLE, Miss.—As Mississippi State prepares for another exciting season of Bulldog football at Davis Wade Stadium, the university’s Famous Maroon Band is accepting applications from high school musicians for its annual Marching Honor Band.
As part of the Sept. 2 Marching Honor Band, students in grades 9-12 will rehearse and perform with members of the Famous Maroon Band. Along with viewing an exhibition by the Famous Maroon Band and MSU Drumline, participants will experience the Dawg Walk tradition firsthand and participate in the traditional march to Davis Wade Stadium through the Junction.
They also will perform with the Famous Maroon Band on Scott Field at halftime of the MSU vs. Charleston Southern football game.
Registration may be completed online at http://www.msuband.msstate.edu/marchinghonorband. Applications must be received by Aug. 18 for consideration. Participation will be limited to 250 students.
The cost to participate is $55, which includes admission to the game, as well as a T-shirt and lunch. A limited number of discounted football tickets also will be available for participants’ families.
“This is one of our favorite events to host each year because it gives high school band students a chance to experience our campus on gameday and see what it’s like to be in the Famous Maroon Band here at Mississippi State,” said Director of Bands Elva Kaye Lance.
“Many of our current students participated in the Marching Honor Band when they were in high school, and we hope to host another large group of future FMB members this year,” added Lance, an MSU alumna and instructor with nearly 40 years experience in music education.
In addition to Lance’s guidance, members of the Famous Maroon Band nurture their talents under the tutelage of Craig Aarhus and Cliff Taylor. Both serve as associate directors of bands, as well as associate professors in the university’s nationally accredited Department of Music.
Along with home football games, the Famous Maroon Band lends its musical talents and spirit during Fall Convocation, Cowbell Yell, The Drill, and other special traditions and events.
In recent years, the Famous Maroon Band has made appearances at the Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee, the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida, the Belk Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida.
The MSU Wind Ensemble, the premier performing group of the university’s band program, also has performed in Italy, England, Ireland, Austria and Germany as part of its international performance tours.
Along with wind ensemble and the marching, symphonic and concert bands, students may participate in jazz band and basketball pep band. MSU band auxiliary units include color guard and feature twirlers. For more, visit www.msuband.msstate.edu/ensembles.
Representing a cross-section of academic disciplines, band members receive academic credit each semester and are eligible to receive a service award for their participation. The amount of the award is determined by demonstration of their musical ability during auditions, which are held in January.
Tax-deductible donations for MSU Bands are being accepted via the MSU Foundation. To contribute, contact Lynn Durr at 662-325-8918 or ldurr@advservices.msstate.edu.
For additional information about the MSU College of Education’s nationally accredited Department of Music, call 662-325-2713 or visit www.music.msstate.edu.
Lance may be contacted at EKLance@colled.msstate.edu; Aarhus, CAarhus@colled.msstate.edu; Taylor, cliftontaylor@colled.msstate.edu.
MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.