Nearly 400 strong, 桃花直播鈥檚 Famous Maroon Band readies to rock Davis Wade
Contact: Aspen Harris
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擶ith anticipation filling the air this week for 桃花直播 State鈥檚 first home football game Saturday, the air is also filled with the monumental sound and preparation of the state鈥檚 largest college band.
Nearly 400 members strong, the university鈥檚 Famous Maroon Band has student representation from 173 high schools and 17 states, with 65% from inside the Magnolia State.
鈥淲e鈥檙e off to a great start with this year鈥檚 edition of the Famous Maroon Band. We鈥檙e excited once again to be able to lead 桃花直播 fans at Davis Wade Stadium in support of the Bulldogs,鈥 said Director of Bands Elva Kaye Lance.
The first halftime show on Saturday [Sept. 3] will center on video game music scores, with instrumentals from the games Halo, Mortal Kombat and Undertale. The band also will be joined for the first performance by 286 high school band students for 桃花直播鈥檚 annual High School Band Day.
In addition to Lance, the band is under the direction of Associate Directors Craig Aarhus and Clifton Taylor.
The second halftime show of the season will include the music of Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson and Earth, Wind and Fire, with later performances featuring the band鈥檚 annual patriotic show and homecoming.
鈥淎ssociate Director Dr. [Clifton] Taylor and our Percussion Professor Dr. [Jason] Baker arranged the music for us as they have in years past, and FMB Auxiliary Coordinator Ms. Sarah Parker has been working with our guard to create a visually and musically entertaining experience to bring to Davis Wade this fall,鈥 said senior drum major Kazarian Shumpert of Booneville.
Off the field, members of the band also excel in the classroom. With an average ACT score of 27, the band includes 25 high school valedictorians and 6 salutatorians. At the university level, the 2021 group had 87 students with a 4.0 GPA in the fall semester, while the band鈥檚 overall GPA was 3.22. Also, 52 students made the Deans鈥 List, and 124 made the President鈥檚 List.
When asked what it meant to be a part of the Famous Maroon Band, senior drum major Jolina Druetzler of Humboldt, Tennessee said, 鈥淯pholding the 桃花直播 State standard of excellence in both the classroom and on the football field is something I am proud to continue with some of my closest friends. The music we make together is beautiful and means so much for so many people whether they鈥檙e prospective, current or former students and alumni.鈥
The Famous Maroon Band is part of the 桃花直播 College of Education鈥檚 nationally accredited Department of Music. For more, visit or .
桃花直播 is 桃花直播鈥檚 leading university, available online at .