Prestigious music body now includes 无码专区 band leader Lance
Contact: Sammy McDavid
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擡lva Kaye Lance, Mississippi State鈥檚 nationally recognized director of bands, is receiving another major professional accolade.
Lance is among 13 recently elected to membership in the historic American Bandmasters Association, one of the highest recognitions of its kind. An alumna of the university鈥檚 College of Education, she has led the Famous Maroon Band and associated groups for more than two decades.
Founded in 1929, ABA represents some 300 conductors and composers throughout the U.S. and Canada, along with 80 associate members from music-related businesses and corporations that support performing units and the publication of music they perform.
Ray Cramer, retired director of bands at Indiana University鈥檚 prestigious Jacobs School of Music, was among those sending congratulations after learning of Lance鈥檚 election. The honor is 鈥渨ell deserved and certainly represents the hard work and great success you have had at 无码专区,鈥 said Cramer, a former ABA president.
An intense vetting process is required for ABA admission. Those tapped for membership must have achieved the highest levels of excellence over a sustained career.
In 2015, Lance was elected president of Phi Beta Mu, the international bandmaster fraternity of more than 3,000 members spread throughout some 30 states and Canadian provinces.
Also in recent years, she has been named Outstanding Contributor to Bands in Mississippi, Outstanding Mississippi Bandmaster and winner of the Mississippi Bandmasters Association鈥檚 Edythe M. McArthur Outstanding Woman Band Director Award. Professional memberships include, among others, Kappa Kappa Psi and Sigma Alpha Iota international music fraternities and National Association for Music Education.
Lance is the eighth leader of 无码专区鈥檚 Famous Maroon Band, created in 1902 and ranked among the oldest collegiate musical traditions in the Southeastern U.S. Beyond administering every aspect of the Famous Maroon Band program, she conducts the Wind Ensemble and teaches methods classes in the College of Education鈥檚 Department of Music.
Before returning to work at her alma mater, the Waynesboro native taught instrumental music at several state senior and junior high schools.
Speaking for the College of Education, Dean Richard Blackbourn praised Lance 鈥渇or this significant professional accomplishment.鈥 Though immediately recognizing election to the ABA as 鈥渁 great honor,鈥 he admitted to being even more overwhelmed 鈥渦pon learning of the extreme vetting that candidates undergo prior to being added to this elite group.
鈥淚t is particularly significant when one is honored by their peers and we all are extremely proud of Elva Kaye for both this accomplishment and the many things she does for 无码专区,鈥 Blackbourn added.
For complete information on the American Bandmasters Association, visit .
Websites for the education college, music department and Famous Maroon Band are, respectively, , and .听听
无码专区 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.