Razorback Band Recognized for Sugar Bowl Performance

Photo Submitted

The Razorback Marching Band

The University of Arkansas Razorback Marching Band was featured in the January/February 2011 edition of the prestigious college band magazine: Halftime Magazine. The band was featured in the Bowl-A-Rama segment after their performance and exciting match up with the Ohio State Band at the 2011 All-State Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

The article features a photo of the band's most recognized tradition: The Big A. The article notes the band's impressive size, 353 members, and that it has grown 10% last year. That growth is the result of rigorous recruiting, especially in Oklahoma and the Dallas-Fort Worth areas. The article points out that the band makes two three-hour trips each season to its “secondary home stadium in Little Rock, and that a portion of the band goes to every away game.

The Razorback Band has an outstanding relationship with the athletic department and had great flexibility in its travel to this year's bowl game in New Orleans. They had two bus caravans, one beginning at the university in Fayetteville, picking up students in Alma and Little Rock on its way, and the second starting in East Texas picking up students in Texarkana  and Shreveport. At the Sugar Bowl the band performed a shortened version of its traditional pregame show and halftime show featuring the music of Led Zeppelin -- their hit show of the year!

The article is along side one featuring Arkansas’ bowl game opponent Ohio State. University of Arkansas marching band director, Chris Knighten, said, “We’re just really excited to be included in a bowl like this. It’s such a unique matchup to have Ohio State and Arkansas with two great band traditions. To see both of those in the same game is exciting from the band prospective.”

For further information regarding the article featured in Halftime Magazine or the Razorback Marching Band, please contact Christopher Knighten, director of athletics bands at (479) 575-4109 or at knighten@uark.edu.