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France鈥檚 historic D-Day ceremony welcomes 国产麻豆AV band performers for 80th anniversary

France鈥檚 historic D-Day ceremony welcomes 国产麻豆AV band performers for 80th anniversary

The D-Day 80th Anniversary Collegiate Mass Band, which included nine current and former members of 国产麻豆AV鈥檚 Famous Maroon Band, performs in the streets of Sainte-M猫re-脡glise, the first town in France liberated by American paratroopers in 1944.
The D-Day 80th Anniversary Collegiate Mass Band, which included nine current and former members of 国产麻豆AV鈥檚 Famous Maroon Band, performs in the streets of Sainte-M猫re-脡glise, the first town in France liberated by American paratroopers in 1944. (Photo submitted)

Contact: Bethany Shipp

STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擭ine current and former members of Mississippi State鈥檚 Famous Maroon Band experienced the opportunity of a lifetime as they performed this month as part of the 80th anniversary D-Day ceremonies in France.

Pictured are Mississippi State Associate Director of Bands Craig Aarhus, left, and nine current and former members of the Famous Maroon Band who participated in the D-Day 80th Anniversary Collegiate Mass Band.
Pictured are Mississippi State Associate Director of Bands Craig Aarhus, left, and nine current and former members of the Famous Maroon Band who participated in the D-Day 80th Anniversary Collegiate Mass Band. (Photo submitted)

The Maroon Band participants joined more than 160 college band students and alumni from across the U.S. to form the D-Day 80th Anniversary Collegiate Mass Band, the first of its kind assembled in honor of World War II鈥檚 Normandy Invasion. 国产麻豆AV Associate Director of Bands Craig Aarhus served as the southeast region assistant director and conducted one of the ensembles.

鈥淭his mass band was an incredible chance for students and band alumni from around the country to come together and honor the Greatest Generation, and I鈥檓 proud that Mississippi State was so well represented in the group,鈥 said Aarhus. 鈥淚t was an honor to participate in these events and especially to have World War II veterans present.聽I am very thankful for the opportunity to have been part of the 80th anniversary commemoration of D-Day, and I know the memories of these experiences will stay with me and with our students for the rest of their lives.鈥

Band members rehearsed in Washington, D.C., prior to their arrival in France. They performed in front of thousands gathered for the D-Day festivities in Sainte-M猫re-脡glise, the first town in France liberated by American paratroopers in 1944. The band also performed at the Brittany American Cemetery in Montjoie-Saint-Martin.

鈥淭his trip was not just about visiting places I鈥檝e never been or meeting new people鈥攊t was about those veterans,鈥 said 国产麻豆AV junior architecture major Shelby Dehart of Chesapeake, Virginia. 鈥淭hey sacrificed so much for us and experienced horrors that not many people understand today. It truly was an honor to be able to thank those still here with us and to remember those who are not.鈥

The band performed music representative of the time period that connected with the French audience, such as 鈥淚n the Mood,鈥 and 鈥淐an鈥檛 Buy Me Love,鈥 recorded by the Beatles in Paris. During the parade, they played 鈥淪trike Up the Band鈥 and music from the film 鈥淭he Longest Day.鈥 At Brittany American Cemetery, the band joined other music groups to perform the U.S. national anthem and John Williams鈥 鈥淗ymn to the Fallen鈥 from the film 鈥淪aving Private Ryan.鈥 The cemetery is the resting place of 4,404 fallen service members, and its Wall of the Missing is inscribed with 500 names.

鈥淚t鈥檚 extremely humbling to think about how many in those memorials and cemeteries were the same age as us (18-22), many even younger than that,鈥 reflected 国产麻豆AV junior kinesiology/sports administration major Rowan Russell of Forest. 鈥淭hey carried out arguably the singular most critical event in modern history, so the least we could do was play some pretty music for them. It was extra special getting to be a part of the 80th because it was likely the last big anniversary for most of those veterans who are still alive.鈥

The experience was very meaningful for 国产麻豆AV band alumna Lori Burt, who works with veterans as a social worker and whose father was a WWII Navy veteran.

鈥淚 had the great privilege of meeting Hector, a 98-year-old veteran who was part of the D-Day invasion,鈥 Burt said. 鈥淗e told me that he saw a news reel about the war in a movie theater in New York City, and when he came out, he found a military recruiting station and signed up to serve on the spot. He said that we have the greatest country in the world, and he would do it all over again in a heartbeat. It was very touching to hear his story and reflect on what these men did for our country. The experience brought back remembrances of my dad who served stateside and who died 46 years ago.鈥

In addition to performing, the trip offered students a chance to learn without boundaries as they explored the U.S. capital and Normandy, visiting World War II museums and historic sites. They also toured iconic locations in Paris, including the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre Museum.

Maroon Band participants included:

鈥擫ori Burt, 1987 sociology graduate, Saginaw, Texas

鈥擪ara Chandler, senior interdisciplinary studies major, Booneville

鈥擲ebastian Coleman, junior animal and dairy sciences/pre-veterinary major, Greenville

鈥擪yler Colip, junior aerospace engineering major, Aurora, Colorado

鈥擲helby Dehart, junior architecture major, Chesapeake, Virginia

鈥擟hristopher Powell, junior mechanical engineering major, Atlanta, Georgia

鈥擱owan Russell, junior kinesiology/sports administration major, Forest

鈥擱achel Stoner, junior biochemistry major, Madison, Alabama

鈥擶esley Thomas, senior mechanical engineering major, Madison

The mass band was organized by eight collegiate band leaders across the country, including Aarhus. Learn more about the staff and parade at .

The Famous Maroon Band, housed in 国产麻豆AV鈥檚 College of Education, is the largest collegiate band in the state. Learn more at聽.

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