MSU’s Famous Maroon Band Prepares for a New Tradition in the Upcoming Football Season
STARKVILLE, Miss. — The Famous Maroon Band of Mississippi State University is gearing up to build on a new tradition that emerged last football season. During halftime, the band initiated a sing-along event that drew the participation of Bulldog students and fans and will now be a recurring part of the fall football season, the band’s directors have confirmed.
Crowd favorites:
The crowd favorites expected to headline this new tradition include “Sweet Caroline” and “Livin’ on a Prayer.” Director of Bands Elva Kaye Lance spoke enthusiastically about the initiative, hinting towards the potential for it to evolve into an enduring MSU tradition. Lance underscored the role of students in ensuring this success stating, “We face the east, west, and student section. A tradition takes a little while, and it’s hard to birth a new tradition but we’re trying to do that. Our students loved it and it’s essential that we have student buy-in if we want to have success.”
A diverse band symbolic of the entire University:
The Famous Maroon Band, which consists of more than 400 members representing 200 high schools from 15 states, mirrors the inclusivity that defines MSU. The band members represent every college on campus, with nearly 40 percent of them majoring in engineering. Interestingly, 35 of these members uphold a legacy in the band, as they have siblings, parents, or grandparents who were previous band members.
Music at the games:
As the first football game of the season approaches on August 31, fans can look forward to hearing a mix of the Bulldog classics, some Latin Jazz vibes with “Malaguena” by Ernesto Lecuona, “Spanish Fantasy” by Chick Corea, and “Smooth” by Itaal Shur and Rob Thomas. The band also plans to feature music from “How to Train your Dragon” and “The Legend of Zelda” later this season.
Academic Excellence:
The band’s excellence doesn’t stop at music; last year, the band members maintained an average GPA of 3.34, which includes nearly a quarter of them achieving a perfect 4.0 GPA. Lance expressed pride in the students’ ability to balance their academic and extracurricular commitments.
With a history dating back almost 120 years, the Famous Maroon Band is a symbol of Bulldog pride, representing the face of the university, and its members are already anticipating the inaugural football game of the season, where they will present their musical talents to the MSU community once again.
For more information about the Famous Maroon Band, you can visit the band’s webpage on the MSU website.
