The University of Illinois Bands has a long lasting tradition of excellence and the Fighting Illini Athletic Bands are no exception. The Fighting Illini Athletic Bands perform at all Illinois home basketball games for both men’s and women’s teams as well as women’s volleyball. Each fall and spring, the Fighting Illini Athletic Bands will also play at many other Illinois sporting events such as wrestling, men’s and women’s gymnastics, tennis, and soccer. The bands are divided into Men’s Basketball Band, Women’s Basketball Band, Volleyball Band, and then several mini bands to service the other olympic sports. Members with the highest rankings in performance and service are selected to play post-season tournament appearances.
FALL SEMESTER
- 7:00 PM – 7:50 PM Tuesday
- Harding Band Building 141
SPRING SEMESTER
- 5:00 PM – 6:20 PM Tuesday | Thursday
- Harding Band Building 141
*All ensembles are open to any University of Illinois academic majors
AUDITIONS FOR FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETIC BANDS
- Any ILLINOIS student with an instrumental background is able to join the Fighting Illini Athletic Bands
- If you wish to join the Volleyball Band, Men’s or Women’s Basketball Bands, you must audition, regardless of membership in the Marching Illini
- Auditions take place during the first week of classes in the fall semester and once again in the spring semester if there are available openings from those students who graduate, have internships, etc.
- Fall 2021 Auditions will be taking place during the first of classes in the Harding Band Building
- Audition material includes:
- 2 scales of your choice ascending and descending
- Chromatic scale from lowest to highest note to demonstrate range
- Prepared excerpt or excerpts of your choice demonstrating lyrical and technical playing
- a short Sight-reading excerpt