Volleyball Band

• Students interested in joining the Volleyball Band must complete a recorded audition by August 18th at 11:59pm and will be notified by the first week of classes
• See the tab Auditions for Volleyball Band for more information
• The most current Volleyball Calendar is listed on the Calendar tab. Please review the CALENDAR tab so you do not have too many conflicts
• If you have any questions, contact Dr. Rudy via email

• Students interested in joining the Volleyball Band must complete a recorded video audition by August 18th at 11:59pm and will be notified during the first week of classes
• All members of the Volleyball Band must be enrolled in the academic course, MUSC 489, including students enrolled in the Marching Illini
• Audition Material:
  • for those who auditioned for the Marching Illini, you may use your MI video if you wish
  • Introduce yourself, include your first and last name, where you are from, and what year in school you will be this fall
  • Two one octave major scales of your choice – ascending and descending
  • chromatic scale to demonstrate your range – ascending only
  • 3-4 minutes of a prepared excerpt or excerpts demonstrating your lyrical and technical playing (this can be one piece of music or segments from multiple pieces or etudes)
  • Drum Set Auditions
    • Record a video and submit by 5:00PM on Friday, August 30 OR contact Aaron Kavelman with your availability to request a live audition time to be performed before August 30 at 5PM.
    • Demonstrate each type of the following grooves: rock, funk, jazz, and any Latin style groove
    • Trade 4’s with yourself for at least 2 verses in any style of your choice
    • Play along with the Oskee Wow Wow recording at the bottom of this page
• Submit your Volleyball Band Audition HERE

FALL SEMESTER | HARDING 141 at 7 PM

• The volleyball band rehearses each Tuesday night from 7:00-7:50pm in the Harding Band Building 141

Game Information

• Attire for Volleyball Band members is jeans, Volleyball Band Shirt tucked in, brown belt, and tennis shoes
• Report time to Huff Hall is 45 minutes before Game Time – that means ready to play
• Attendance records will be kept via UDB

• Members must enroll in the fall semester Fighting Illini Volleyball Band course, a School of Music Ensemble.  This course is offered for 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 can check out a locker in Harding Band Building.  If you need a locker, contact a member of our properties staff via email. 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 ensemble policies prior to their participation. They should be informed of game-day attire, BEAM App access, 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 Volleyball Band, you are ambassadors of the University of Illinois, the School of Music, Illinois Bands and the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics.  Professional behavior is expected at all times. No derogatory cheers directed at the opposing team or referees, 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.

• Each student should review the season schedule to ensure that they are able to attend all rehearsals and performances. Grades are determined based on your attendance record, participation, and attitude according to the guidelines outlined below.
• Members of the Volleyball Band will serve a total of 7 regular season games.   
• Any rehearsal absence request must be submitted for approval at least one week 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 for approval at least ten (10) days in advance of the rehearsal preceding the performance in question. The member should request approval of the sub that will fill in from the Director when requesting approval. The approved sub AND the member must attend the rehearsal directly preceding the performance in question.
• All absence requests for rehearsals and/or performances must be submitted in writing to the Director. Any communication outside of a written email (example: spoken conversation), does not serve as approval of an absence.
• 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 must approve all substitute players.
• A member may not miss more than one game for Volleyball Band, even if they are able to find subs for their absences.  Absences in excess of this amount 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 rehearsal 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.
• Two unexcused tardies equal 1 unexcused absence and will lower a student’s final grade based on the policy outlined above.
• 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.
• UDB check-in will open 15 minutes prior to an event. Students will be considered “tardy” if they check-in after the official start time. If students check-in more than 15 minutes after the official start time, they will be marked “absent” in UDB. UDB does not distinguish whether a tardy or absence is excused – that documentation will be maintained by Dr. Rudy.
• Students get 1 “freebie” for UDB check-in. This means, if you forget to check-in but you were present at the event, you may email Dr. Rudy ask request your attendance be changed to present. After the one “freebie,” you will only be changed to “tardy” status instead of “present” in UDB. The tardy indication will be counted as an unexcused tardy in the attendance records.
•  ATTENDANCE will be taken by the UDB Pro App
• Contact Dr. Rudy for UDB ensemble login information.

• 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. Members 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. For questions regarding instrument check-out and check-in, contact the Properties Staff via email: properties.illinoisbands@gmail.com
• 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.

• 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
• BEAM is provided to you complimentary from Fighting Illini Athletic Bands – there is NO charge to you
• We use BEAM for all things MUSIC. This includes rehearsals, game day performances, and other Fighting Illini Athletic Band events.
• Download Beam Music from the app store/play store
  • a director or staff member will send credentials to login to BEAM

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.
• Forty-five (45) minutes before the game, students are expected to be in their seats at their respective arena.
• Parking during rehearsals: any parking spots at or near the Harding Band Building after 5:00p.m.

The following are expectations and guidelines for Game Day Attire:

• Each member is issued a Volleyball game day shirt by Fighting Illini Athletic Bands. This game day attire along with jeans, a brown belt, and tennis 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
• Sub: Members are responsible for providing their subs a shirt in advance of the performance

• 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