Mississippi State’s Famous Maroon Band is being formally recognized next week as the 2026 recipient of the highest national collegiate band award, the Sudler Trophy.
Multiple university events celebrate the milestone Sept. 24-27, reaching a crescendo with a special halftime presentation during Saturday’s [Sept. 26] football game at Davis Wade Stadium.
Regarded as the Heisman Trophy of the collegiate band world, the Sudler Trophy is awarded biennially by the John Philip Sousa Foundation and can only be won by a band program once, recognizing the program’s history of excellence, tradition and national respect.
“We are deeply humbled to have been selected for this prestigious award,” MSU Director of Bands Elva Kaye Lance said. “This recognition belongs to the many people who, throughout the decades, have proudly performed with the Famous Maroon Band and served in leadership roles within the band program.
“It also belongs to the countless individuals and organizations who have supported the band and our university through their time, talents, resources and encouragement. Their contributions have been essential to our success, and we are truly grateful for each of them,” she added. “We are delighted to share this celebration with everyone who has been a part of the Famous Maroon Band’s journey and who has helped make this honor possible.”
The celebration weekend kicks off Thursday [Sept. 24] with a concert by MSU’s Wind Ensemble and State Singers. Free and open to the public, the performance takes place at 7:30 p.m. in Lee Hall’s Bettersworth Auditorium. Comprised of the university’s premier instrumental musicians, the ensemble showcases a diverse selection of repertoire highlighting the precision, power and versatility of the modern wind ensemble. The concert celebrates the rich history of the band program as well as the Department of Music’s 2026 Hall of Fame honorees, including Ernie Collins, first-call Nashville trombonist, Broadway musician, arranger and producer; Paula Corley, distinguished clarinet educator, author, clinician and leader in music education; and Patricia O’Kelly, National Symphony Orchestra publicist, media relations executive and industry leader.
Famous Maroon Band alumni and distinguished guests gather for the Sudler Trophy Award Banquet on Friday [Sept. 25] at 7 p.m. in the First United Methodist Church’s Christian Life Center. Participation is limited to those who have registered for the event.
Additionally, the MSU Alumni Band performs at halftime and plays in the stands during Saturday’s [Sept. 26] game.
The halftime Sudler Trophy presentation is conducted by Gordon Henderson, a distinguished band director and educator. He is best known for his 37‐year tenure leading the UCLA Bruin Marching and Varsity Band, as well as decades of design and arranging work with Drum Corps International ensembles. A member of the DCI Hall of Fame, Henderson has contributed to multiple DCI World Championship titles through roles ranging from brass arranger to visual coordinator, earning recognition as a leader whose influence extends worldwide as an arranger, consultant, clinician and mentor to future educators. Henderson is joined for the on-field presentation by Zeke Fairbank and Judith Smith, members of the Sudler family.
Current Famous Maroon Band members celebrate the Sudler Trophy with a dinner in the Union Ballroom Sunday [Sept. 27] at 6 p.m. The event features Joe M. Turner, an international magician, mentalist and speaker based in Memphis and Atlanta. Turner is an MSU physics/chemistry education graduate and Famous Maroon Band alumnus who serves on scholarship review committees for the university. With appearances on “Good Morning America” and “Nightline,” he has entertained corporate leaders, sports figures, elected officials and other celebrities.
Presented annually from 1982-2007, the Sudler Trophy has been given biennially since 2007 through a grant from Louis and Virginia Sudler. MSU’s Famous Maroon Band is the 35th collegiate marching band to receive the award and the only one in the state.
