Stats Tell the Story: ��Ƶ’s Famous Maroon Band students have what it takes to succeed

A Famous Maroon Band practice drill — The Famous Maroon Band practices Tuesday [Aug. 12]. (Photo by Emily Grace McCall)

STARKVILLE, Miss.—��Ƶ members of the Famous Maroon Band aren’t just good musicians—they tend to be students who make everything look easy, including maintaining a high GPA.

With more than 425 band members this year, the group boasts a median ACT score of 27 and a median GPA of 3.6. In addition, 160 of these students have an ACT score of 30 or higher and many are listed on the university’s honor roll lists, including nearly 40 band members with a 4.0 GPA.

Chart showing Famous Maroon Band members by academic college home

“There is often a strong parallel between the discipline required to succeed as a musician and the discipline needed for academic achievement,” said longtime Director of Bands Elva Kaye Lance.

“Participation in a college marching band offers students shared experiences with a wide range of peers who share a common passion. Beyond musical performance, the band experience helps shape students into well-rounded individuals, fostering valuable life skills and a strong sense of community,” she said.

A band student smiles during a practice session. — Riley Jackson of Collierville, Tennessee, smiles during a practice session for the Famous Maroon Band. Jackson, who plays the piccolo, is a chemical engineering major, one of more than 160 Bagley College students in the FMB. (Photo by Emily Grace McCall)

Early season performances at this fall’s ��Ƶ football games will feature the theme “FMB Brings the Heat,” including songs like “Heat of the Moment” and “The Heat is On.” The annual patriotic and homecoming shows are scheduled, along with the high school band day, when 300 high school students will join the FMB performance on Sept. 6. The SEC opener on Sept. 27 will showcase cartoon themes, and the Egg Bowl in November will include Latin Jazz such as Chick Corea’s “Spain” and Stan Kenton’s “La Suerte de los Tontos.”

The band is known for creating a welcoming environment, Lance observed.

“I think this is evidenced by the strong retention of our returning members each year. Those retention numbers, coupled with the outstanding work of our university recruiters to bring new students to our campus, have resulted in a positive trajectory for our program. As current leaders of the band program, my colleagues, Craig Aarhus and Cliff Taylor, and I feel truly fortunate to work with such talented musicians and dedicated young professionals from across our campus,” Lance said.

Pictured from left, Associate Director of Bands Craig Aarhus, ��Ƶ President Mark E. Keenum, Director of Bands Elva Kaye Lance and Associate Director of Bands Cliff Taylor during an Aug. 12 welcome-back dinner for the Famous Maroon Band at the Keenum home. (Photo by Emily Grace McCall)

Along with regular performances at football and basketball games, FMB has made appearances in recent years at the Reliaquest Bowl, Liberty Bowl, Music City Bowl, Outback Bowl, Gator Bowl, Belk Bowl, Orange Bowl and St. Petersburg Bowl. The Wind Ensemble has performed internationally in Austria, the Czech Republic, England, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and most recently in Spain this spring. The Wind Ensemble also performed at the 2020 American Bandmasters Association Convention in Biloxi and the 2024 Mississippi Bandmasters State Band Clinic in Natchez.

Learn more about the Famous Maroon Band at .

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