Razorback Band Launches Campaign to Preserve Decades of Performances

Over the past four decades, Razorback Band alumni Don King, Bill Woolly, and David Woolly have documented the band's rehearsals and performances through film and photography. The collection consisting of 16mm reel-to-reel films, U-matic tapes, VHS tapes, and CD's was recently donated to Special Collections.

With this collection in mind, University of Arkansas Bands has launched the Razorback Band Archive Project to preserve these recordings through digital conversion. Once completed, halftime and pregame performances from 1978 to the present will be available to view online through University Libraries' Special Collections. The first step in the perseveration process will take 12-18 months and costs approximately $8,500.

"This project will not only provide Razorback fans and band alumni with ready-access to historically valuable materials but will also be an important long-term investment," said Chris Knighten, director of university bands. "By converting these files, this project will preserve an important piece of university history for future generations to come."

The Razorback Band Archive Project's month-long campaign is being hosted on FundRAZOR, the University of Arkansas' brand new crowdfunding platform, designed to help the campus community raise private gift support for innovative ideas and important initiatives on the Hill. FundRAZOR projects are created and promoted by U of A groups to fund everything from student scholarships and cutting-edge research to service trips and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

About the University of Arkansas Bands: The University of Arkansas Bands Program, part of the Department of Music in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, began in 1874 and is one of the oldest band programs in the country. The program has six ensembles including the Razorback Marching Band, Hogwild Band, and four concert bands with over 400 student members representing every college at the university.

About the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences: The J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is the largest and most academically diverse unit on campus with 19 departments and 43 academic programs and research centers. The college provides the core curriculum for all University of Arkansas students and is named for J. William Fulbright, former university president and longtime U.S. senator.