BASKETBALL BANDS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Auditions for the 2023-2024 Hoops Band will be taking place August 30th, 7pm-9pm in the Harding Band Building
• All members of the Hoops Band will need to register for MUSC 488 Basketball Band for the Spring Semester
• By auditioning now, the expectation is that you will participate in the Spring semester as well, unless you graduate, student teach, have an internship, etc.
• If you wish to get academic credit for fall semester participation, contact Professor Houser
• Rehearsals this fall will start on Sundays from 3-4pm so we are not rushing to prepare for the first game in October AND to alleviate too many events throughout the week.
• Attire for games will be khaki pants, MI polo tucked in, brown belt, brown shoes (sometimes tennis shoes) – no hats or section jackets
• White Gloves required for ALL silver instruments…Pics & Clarinets do not need to wear these. Contact the Uniform Room via email to reserve your free pair – [email protected]

BASKETBALL BANDS REHEARSAL SCHEDULE

FALL SEMESTER | HARDING 141 

• We have regular rehearsals scheduled each week in the Harding Band Building 141
• These will take place on Sunday afternoons 3-4pm and may switch to Tuesday nights once Volleyball Band is done rehearsing
• Rehearsals will start on September 17, 24, October 15, 22 – 3-4pm in HBB 141

SPRING SEMESTER | HARDING 141 T and TH at 5 – 6:20 PM

• We have regular rehearsals scheduled each Tuesday and Thursday night from 5:00 – 6:20pm in the Harding Band Building 141

BASKETBALL BAND SCHEDULE 

AUDITIONS

Any Illinois student with an instrumental background is able to audition for the basketball bands. Auditions for Basketball Band take place in early to mid-October. This is an in-person audition in the Harding Band Building with one of our Athletic Bands staff members:

The 2023 Audition Date is: Wednesday, August 30 -9:00PM in the Harding Band Building

Audition Components

• 2 major scales of your choice – one octave ascending and descending
• chromatic scale to demonstrate your range – lowest to highest note, ascending only
• 2-3 minutes of a prepared excerpt or excerpts demonstrating your lyrical and technical playing
• Auditions for drum set players will include something you have prepared plus a request to play a variety of different styles – rock, swing, funk, etc

MEN’S HOOP BAND ROSTER

WOMEN’S HOOP BAND ROSTER

GENERAL RULES

• • Members must enroll in the spring term Fighting Illini Athletic Bands course, a School of Music Ensemble.  This course is one credit hour.  
  • Members not previously assigned a locker (member is not a Marching Illini member) will be assigned one according to their instrument size. All Fighting Illini Athletic members should have a locker in Harding Band Building.  If you need a locker, contact a member of our properties staff via email. Members are responsible for their own locker and must provide their and use their own locks for personal security. Do not use anything that adheres to the lockers, such as stickers, tape, etc.
  • Harding Band Building is OUR Band Building and it should be treated as such.  Please treat it with the utmost respect and keep it as clean and neat as possible.
  • Faculty and Staff have the authority to remove any member from the program should the student display any inappropriate behavior or perform any action deemed unbecoming of a Fighting Illini Athletic Band member.
  • Substitute members should be informed of the policies in these policies prior to their participation. They should be informed of game-day attire, BOX folder assignments, report times, and rules about substance use – see last bullet below
  • Rehearsal Etiquette Each member is expected to participate in every rehearsal in a professional manner. Disruptions of any kind are not conductive to an enjoyable environment and will not be tolerated.  Cell phones and other electronic devices should be turned to silent prior to the beginning of rehearsal.
  • Performance Etiquette As a member of the Fighting Illini Athletic Bands, you are ambassadors of the University of Illinois, the School of Music, and the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics.  Professional behavior is expected at all times.  No derogatory cheers directed at the opposing team, swearing, individual yelling, solo playing, or body motions for cheers are accepted.  Inappropriate behavior can be grounds for dismissal.   Group cheers promoting the University of Illinois are permissible.  Any game day signage must be approved prior to the game.
  • Members will not possess, consume, or act under the influence of alcohol, tobacco or illegal drugs at any rehearsal, performance, or other official gathering, nor will members act under the after-effects of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs. Members will not possess, consume, or act under the influence of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs while wearing any part of the uniform of the Illinois Band, nor while traveling with, or staying at accommodations provided by the Fighting Illini Athletic Bands. Any violation of these rules will result in severe penalties.  These penalties may include being sent home from an Illinois Band-sanctioned trip at the member’s own expense, expulsion from all Fighting Illini Athletic Bands (including the Marching Illini) and failure of the course.

GRADING, ATTENDANCE & SUBSTITUTE PLAYERS

• Each student should review the season schedule for their desired bands to make sure that they are able to attend rehearsals and performances. Grades are determined based on the member’s attendance record, according to the guidelines outlined below.
• Members of the Men’s and Women’s Basketball Bands will serve a total of 18 regular season games.   Basketball Band commitment sheets will be passed out at the first rehearsal.
• Any rehearsal absence request must be submitted to the Director of Fighting Illini Athletic Bands for approval at least two days in advance of the rehearsal absence via email.  If the band member plans to miss the rehearsal but attend all of the performances before the next rehearsal, the member need not acquire a sub for that rehearsal. Nonetheless, the Director must give approval for all missed rehearsals.
• Any performance absence request must be submitted to the Director of Fighting Illini Athletic Bands for approval at least one week in advance of the rehearsal preceding the performance in question. The member should inform the Director of the sub that will fill in, when requesting approval. The approved sub AND the member must attend the rehearsal directly preceding the performance in question.
• Substitute players must be University of Illinois enrolled students and should have present or past experience playing in the Marching Illini or Fighting Illini Athletic Band. The Director of Fighting Illini Athletic Bands must approve all substitute players.
• A member may not miss more than two games for Volleyball Band and four games for Men’s and Women’s Basketball Bands, even if they are able to find subs for these absences.  Absences in excess of these amounts will result in the lowering of the member’s grade by one letter for each subsequent absence.
• Should a student fail to approve an absence (i.e. never contact the director) and have no sub attend the game, that student’s grade will automatically be lowered one letter grade.
• Should a student attempt to approve a rehearsal or performance absence with the director and have the director deny the request, it is expected that the student attend the rehearsal or performance. Should the student fail to honor this expectation, the absence will be considered “unexcused.” Each student can receive one unexcused absence a year with no detriment to the academic grade. Following the first unexcused absence, each succeeding absence of this kind will lower that member’s grade by one letter.
• If a student is participating in more than one Fighting Illini Athletic Band, grades will be averaged between the bands. Volleyball Band attendance records are independent from the other Fighting Illini Athletic Bands.
• Reminder:  Attendance will be a consideration when determining post season travel along with instrumentation, seniority, attitude and spirit, and if a tie exists, the flip of the coin will determine those attending.
•  ATTENDANCE will be taken by the UDB Pro App

INSTRUMENTS

• The Fighting Illini Athletic Bands provides instruments for use during the season when there are enough instruments to be assigned 
• Members that prefer to use their own instrument may do so, however, brass instruments must be silver. If you have a brass colored instrument, you must check out and use a Fighting Illini Athletic Band issued instrument.
• Once members receive an instrument they are responsible for its care and return. Instrument care information for each instrument includes regular maintenance. If an instrument becomes wet during transit to or from a performance, it must be dried off immediately.
• All members who are issued a brass instrument must wear white gloves when playing or handling instruments. One pair of white gloves will be issued to each student when instruments are checked out at the beginning of the season.
• If you believe your instrument needs to be repaired you must take it to the Properties Staff during office hours . Do not repair school instruments on your own. Student may be assessed a charge for a repair if damage is beyond normal wear and tear of the instrument.
• Only the case issued with each instrument is to be used for storing the instrument or packing the instrument for travel. Gig bags are not acceptable.
• Instrument Check-Out Procedures: All athletic band members must sign out an instrument in the instrument check-out period at the beginning of the season. Member of the Marching Illini that also participate in the Fighting Illini Athletic Bands must sign a new contract that binds them to their instrument until the end of the Spring semester. These members are not required to turn in their instruments at the Marching Illini instrument check-in period in December. Members that are not in the Marching Illini will be issued an instrument and contract before the first rehearsal.
• INSTRUMENT CHECK-IN FOR ALL ATHLETIC BANDS WILL BE AT THE END OF APRIL. For any instrument not returned by this date, there will be a hold placed on your Band members Illinois account along with a fine of $25 plus $5 per day until the instrument is returned.

MUSIC

• All members of the Fighting Illini Athletic Bands must have an eFlip to hold their mobile device, except for Piccolos, Sousas and Drum Set players
• eFlips can be checked out in the Properties Room
• All music for this ensemble is shared via BEAM

GAMEDAY PROTOCOL AND ATTIRE

The following protocol will be used for all of the Fighting Illini Athletic Bands:

• • Ninety (90) minutes before game time, Harding Band Building will be unlocked.  Students can retrieve instruments and music, or otherwise prepare for the game at this time.
  • Sixty (60) minutes before the game, Harding Band Building will be locked.
  • Thirty (30) minutes before the game, students are expected to be in their seats at their respective arena.
  • Parking during Men’s Games: a parking pass is needed to park near the State Farm
  • Parking during Women’s Games: free parking at the State Farm Center
• Parking during rehearsals: any parking spots at or near the Harding Band Building

The following are expectations and guidelines for Game Day Attire:

• Each member is issued a game day shirt by Fighting Illini Athletic Bands. This game day attire along with khaki pants, a belt, and brown shoes complete the uniform and must be worn for every game. Any visible undergarments such as a t-shirt must be white or Illinois orange or blue. Your game day shirt is yours to keep at the end of the season.
• No ball caps allowed for any Fighting Illini Athletic events unless given permission by the Director of Athletic Bands
• Sub: Members are responsible for providing their subs a shirt in advance of the performance

TOURNAMENT BANDS

• • Fighting Illini Athletic Band members are required to be available to attend tournaments and postseason championships. Some tournaments and championships have limits on the number of members that can attend.  Therefore, selection for these events is based upon the following:
    • • instrumentation | part assignments
      • point totals
      • attendance
      • seniority
    • performance, etiquette, attitude
  • Efforts will be made to give everyone a fair shot at attending tournaments, but unknown variables, such as team qualifying decisions, may sometimes make this impossible.
  • All Fighting Illini Athletic Band members must wear appropriate attire when traveling, including dress clothes for air travel.
  • The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics provides and pays for all travel and per diem for meals for all tournament and post season games.
  • Tournament Bands consist of 29 players and 1 Director for a total of 30 people
• Instrumentation breaks down as follows for an ideal tournament band
  • • Piccolo | 1
    • Clarinet | 1
    • Alto Saxophone | 2
    • Tenor Saxophone | 1
    • Trumpet 1 | 3
    • Trumpet 2 | 3
    • Trumpet 3 | 3
    • Mellophone | 3
    • Trombone 1 | 2
    • Trombone 2 | 2
    • Trombone 3 | 2
    • Baritone | 2
    • Sousaphone | 3
  • Drum Set | 1

TOURNAMENTS & ITINERARIES

• Women’s B1G Tournament March 2024
  • Bracket
  • Roster
  • Room List
  • Letter – excuse letter for WBB Big Ten Tournament
  • Itinerary

• Men’s B1G Tournament March 2024
  • Bracket
  • Roster
  • Hotel Room List
  • Letter – excuse letter for MBB Big Ten Tournament
  • Itinerary

• Women’s NCAA First and Second Round Tournament March 
  • Roster
  • Hotel Room List
  • Itinerary

• Men’s NCAA First and Second Round Tournament March 
  • Roster
  • Hotel Room List
  • Itinerary