Welcome from Chris Knighten, Director of Bands
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Dear alumni and friends, We are pleased to share this first edition of the University of Arkansas Bands quarterly newsletter. The fall 2021 semester has been an exciting time around the Lewis E. Epley, Jr. Band Building with the return of the Hogwild Pep Band and the Razorback Marching Band to athletic events, including the upcoming Outback Bowl on January 1, 2022! Full concert band rehearsals and performances have also brought renewed energy as we have celebrated the 150th anniversary of the University of Arkansas. Looking ahead, we will have another celebration when we mark the 150th anniversary of bands on campus in fall 2024. As one of the oldest university band programs in the country we have launched a three-year strategic initiative to share this news and to create events that will impact every student in our program. Student experiences and travel will be enhanced, and new uniforms, instruments, and upgrades to the Epley Band Building will impact every student in the bands. We plan to include additional opportunities for band alumni as well. Enrollment in the bands is at an all-time high in our program, and all of our students in each of the five concert bands will be impacted through this three-year initiative. We recently launched a guest residency series entitled Music of Our Time that will bring diverse composers, performers, conductors, and educators to work with our concert bands over seven consecutive semesters. This program began recently with composer Jennifer Jolley and the next guest residency of the University of Arkansas Bands will take place April 10-12, 2022 with guest composer Viet Cuong and the four-time Grammy-winning chamber ensemble, Eighth Blackbird. Please know that you are always welcome to drop by when you are on campus. We look forward to seeing you around in the next several years leading up to our sesquicentennial in fall 2024. Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season and, as always, GO HOGS! Chris Knighten Director of Bands |
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After a yearlong hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hogwild Band is thrilled once again to be performing at Barnhill and Bud Walton arenas. Our students have shown immense fortitude in the face of such trying times and have returned to Razorback Volleyball and Basketball games with the same energy and passion that fans have come to expect. As the group increased in size, we are also working to grow our music book to include a wider variety of genres and styles. No matter what music you like, you’re bound to hear something out of Hogwild that gets you up out of your seat. We are excited to announce that alumni of Hogwild are invited to perform with the band at several Men’s Basketball games during the semester break. Those games are December 21 against Elon, January 4 against Vanderbilt, and January 12 against Missouri. We will also host a dinner for alumni prior to the Missouri game. To sign-up, please fill out this survey. Space is limited so please register soon. |
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Photo, L to R: Dr. Jerry Young (B.S.E. 1974), Robert Bright, and Gerald Sloan. |
Robert M. Bright Endowed Brass Scholarship
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We are excited to share news of an alumni-led effort to honor a person who has been instrumental in the long-term success of the University of Arkansas Bands and the Department of Music—Robert Bright. Mr. Bright greatly contributed to the rebuilding of the wind and percussion area in the Department of Music by recruiting outstanding faculty and students, laying the foundation for great success that has been evident since his arrival on campus in 1969. For decades, he was also as the Voice of the Razorback Band to tens of thousands of Razorback football fans. During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, a group of band alumni started getting together over Zoom to reconnect and reminisce about their time on the Hill and in the Razorback Marching Band. After a few calls, an idea started to take shape to endow a scholarship to honor Mr. Bright’s extraordinary service to the University of Arkansas. Through generous gifts from alumni and friends the Robert M. Bright Brass Endowment has been created. This endowed scholarship will honor Mr. Bright’s legacy in perpetuity. It will support a sophomore, junior or senior student, with at least a 2.75 GPA, who exemplifies leadership and is studying trumpet, horn, trombone, euphonium, or tuba. Would you consider joining together with us to honor Mr. Bright’s legacy? Donations to the Robert M. Bright Brass Endowment can be made online at this link or mailed to Fulbright College Development Office, 1 University of Arkansas, 525 Old Main, Fayetteville, AR 72701. If you have questions, please call Fulbright College's Development Office at 479-575-3712 or by email at fulbright@uark.edu. Regardless of any financial contribution, we would love to hear how Mr. Bright made a positive impact on your life. We invite all alumni and friends to submit memories, well wishes and/or photos that speak to how Mr. Bright impacted or your life. Upon completion of this campaign, these statements and photos will be made into a book and given to Mr. Bright. Submissions can be made here. We look forward to sharing more about the group of alumni who spearheaded this effort in our February newsletter! |
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2021 brought the largest Razorback Marching Band to date at 375 members. The students had a successful Early Week, and we were able to return to a full week-schedule during the semester. The band was not completely back to “normal,” as many safety regulations were still in place that affected our operations, but we were still able to do many things we were not able to do during 2020: perform on the field, host recruits, and, of course, travel! RMB members were excited to get back on the road and play in Athens, Oxford, Baton Rouge, Tuscaloosa, and our full-band trip to Arlington where the Hogs won a fantastic game in the Southwest Classic against SEC West rival Texas A&M. For performances the band put together 5 halftime shows, including an exciting collaboration with the University of Arkansas – Pine Bluff at War Memorial Stadium on October 23rd. The band also continued its presence at several soccer games as members of the drumline brought the energy to Razorback Field. The students have been in great spirits as the Hogs have showed tremendous improvement on the field this year, and we’re especially excited about the upcoming Outback Bowl versus Penn State. Bowl travel will be a first for all but a handful of 5th year seniors. It’s truly an exciting time to be a Razorback! Be on the lookout for upcoming events surrounding the Outback Bowl. The best way to do this is to follow @uarkbands on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. And don’t forget to keep tabs on our YouTube channel as well! |
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The University of Arkansas Bands welcomed back 72 of its alumni for Homecoming festivities against the Auburn Tigers this fall. On Friday afternoon they gathered to watch the Razorback Marching Band practice at the East Baum rehearsal lot, and then followed it up with a happy hour at Foghorn’s directly across the street. Alumni also had a chance to watch the Homecoming Parade on Dickson Street, followed by the Pep Rally in the Greek Theater. An 11am kickoff for the game meant an early start for the Alumni Band! After a quick rehearsal with Jason Marshall, the RMB’s newest GA, the band headed over to the Pat Walker Indoor Pavilion and recorded the Fight Song and William Tell. You can view the recording here! Several alumni chose to represent the Alumni Band during the game. Even though the Hogs came up short on the field, the alumni had a great time with their RMB hosts in the stands. You can see pictures of all the gameday festivities here. |
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University of Arkansas Bands 103 Lewis E. Epley, Jr. Band Building | Fayetteville, AR 72701 (888) ARK-ALUM |
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