MSU's famous Maroon Band brings a new tradition to the fall football season

STARKVILLE, Mississippi – The start of football season is fast approaching and the Famous Maroon Band of Mississippi State is preparing for a new tradition.

When the band first sang along at halftime last football season, band director Elva Kaye Lance and assistant directors Craig Arhus and Cliff Taylor watched as the Bulldogs students and fans sang along and cheered. A new tradition was born. Building on this success, the band will carry this new custom into the upcoming season with crowd favorites “Sweet Caroline” and “Livin' on a Prayer.”

“We enjoyed it last year,” Lance said. “We have East, West and Student Sections. A tradition takes time and it's hard to start a new tradition, but we're trying. Our students enjoyed it and if we want to be successful, it's important that we have student buy-in.”

With more than 400 members representing nearly 200 high schools from 15 states, the university band showcases MSU's inclusivity. Students represent every college on campus, with nearly 40 percent declaring engineering as their major. The Famous Maroon Band boasts 35 long-term members whose siblings, parents, or grandparents were former band members.

“They represent a very diverse group of majors,” she said. “We like to think of ourselves as the face of the university. We're a cross-section of all majors. These students are very interesting – their backgrounds and their career goals. For many of our students who aren't majoring in music, it's a good way to pass the time and we hope they maintain their musical interest.”

At the first football game on August 31, fans will hear Bulldog classics like the fight song and Latin jazz vibes with “Malaguena” by Ernesto Lecuona, “Spanish Fantasy” by Chick Corea and “Smooth” by Itaal Shur and Rob Thomas. The season's music will include a variety of tunes, including music from “How to Train Your Dragon” and “The Legend of Zelda.” later in the year. Taylor, who prepares the sheet music for the band, enjoys listening to the students bring those notes to life.

“I spend a lot of my summer putting dots on a page, and it's amazing to see what it becomes – a living organism,” he said.

The band's excellence extends beyond music. Last year's members achieved an overall GPA of 3.34, with nearly 25% achieving a perfect 4.0. Lance expressed pride in the students' ability to balance their academic and extracurricular commitments.

“We have so many students from so many disciplines. We are proud that they have done well academically and managed their time well,” Lance said.

As they prepare for a new season, the Bulldogs' pride is evident in the Famous Maroon Band, a university institution with a history spanning nearly 120 years.

For more information about the Famous Maroon Band, visit www.msuband.msstate.edu or www.music.msstate.edu.