Frequently Asked Questions
DO I HAVE TO BE A MUSIC MAJOR TO BE IN THE BANDS?
No!! The University Bands at EIU are open to any and all EIU students, regardless of major. In fact, almost all academic majors on Eastern's campus are represented in the bands! Musicians of all levels are welcome as long as they wish to make a musical contribution.
WHAT BANDS CAN I JOIN?
EIU has 2 concert bands, The Panther Marching Band, and the EIU Basketball Band. (There are also 2 Jazz Bands and several Jazz combos - check out the "Jazz Ensembles" link!) Wind Symphony, Concert Band and the Panther Marching Band meet in the fall semester. Concert Band, University Band, and Basketball Band meet in the Spring semester in addition to Wind Symphony. All of these bands meet at different times during the day, and you are encouraged to participate in any and all of them!
DO I HAVE TO AUDITION?
The Wind Symphony, Concert Band, and Basketball Band have formal auditions, while the University Band and Marching Band have a part placement audition. Wind Symphony audition requirements are posted online in early August. Concert Band (spring semester) auditions include 2 short prepared excerpts or solos, some sight reading, and possibly some scales. These auditions are held in early December. Part placement auditions for the Collegiate and University Bands are designed to place you on the part you are best suited to play, and involve no prepared pieces. The Jazz Ensembles have a short �24 hour piece� that everyone receives at the same time.
HOW MUCH TIME IS INVOLVED?
We know how busy you can be as a college student, so we work diligently to minimize the time involved, while maximizing the musical experience. The concert bands meet between 2-4 hours every week. The rehearsal sequences for Wind Symphony and Concert band require dedicated "outside" individual practice and sectional work, while the University Band provides a more relaxed atmosphere.
TELL ME ABOUT THE MARCHING BAND, COLOR GUARD, AND THE PINK PANTHER DANCE TEAM...
Please click here to visit the Panther Marching Band website for more information.
HOW DO I SIGN UP TO BE IN THE BANDS?
All you have to do is register for the band as if it were a normal academic class. The class numbers can be found in the EIU Registration newspapers OR in the EIU Undergraduate Catalog.
