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 4 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, Collegiate Band and the Panther Marching Band meet in the fall semester. Concert Band and University 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 Collegiate Band, 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 marching band meets 6 hours a week, while the other 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 Collegiate Band and University Band provide a more relaxed atmosphere.


TELL ME ABOUT THE MARCHING BAND.
The Panther Marching Band is the MOST visible of the University Bands, performing for college and professional football games. The EIU football team has had a great deal of success and as a result, the PMB may be called upon for NCAA I-AA playoff games. In past years, the PMB has performed at both Soldier Field in Chicago and the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. Every fall, Eastern hosts the Panther Marching Band Festival every. 20+ of the best bands in the Midwest perform during the day, and the PMB performs in exhibition in the evening.
The only cost to you is $35 to cover the band camp expenses and the official PMB T-Shirt. The time commitment is 3 days a week, for 2 hours a day plus all game days and the Band Festival.
You are immediately a part of a 100+ person family, and you make instant lifelong friends here. We take pride in what we do, and we pride ourselves in pushing for nothing less than a high STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE.


WHAT ABOUT COLOR GUARD?
The EIU Color Guard performs with the band during the marching band season. They have a rich tradition of excellence and innovation. There is an audition for the Color Guard that takes place during the first day of Band Camp. Don't worry about preparing anything, because you'll learn the audition routine when you arrive!


DOES EIU HAVE A DANCE TEAM?
Yes. The Pink Panthers are an independent organization and the premier dance team at EIU. You can find out more by going to their website.


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.