The Marching Illini is the marching band of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The Marching Illini is an organization which annually includes approximately 400 students enrolled in the University of Illinois, and Parkland College. It was founded in 1868 and primarily performs at Illini football games as well as other events around campus.
The first marching band unit of record at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was during the first year of classes in the fall of 1867.[1] This was a group that consisted of a tenor drum, bass drum and fife. In January 1869, these three members were joined by several brass players who brought instruments from home.
In 1870, the university purchased a set of brass instruments and that same year sixteen band members petitioned the administration for a teacher. I.W. Colberg, a music teacher in Urbana, was hired to provide music lessons and marching drills for two years until the spring of 1873. As part of the Military Department, the band provided music for battalion drills, chapel exercises and ceremonies.[2] The band was housed in University Hall until 1928.[3]
New navy blue uniforms were purchased for the Military Band in 1894 with funds raised by the band and contributions from alumni. Until that time the band had worn the same gray uniforms as the military battalion with the addition of a few embellishments.
Mark Hindsley arrived in Illinois in 1934 as assistant to Harding, was recruited to enlist as a music officer in the Army Air Corps in 1942. While Hindsley (and many of the male students) were gone, the band began to admit women into the concert band program.[4] In 1950, Hindsley was officially promoted to Director of Bands. Hindsley is also the person credited with coining the name “Marching Illini.” Prior to this, the band was simply called "Football Band."[5]
Present day
In fall 2020, the band did not play live performances for football in Memorial Stadium because of COVID-19 virus restrictions, and struggled to hold rehearsals online due to latency issues over Zoom.[6] In Memorial Stadium, a surrogate band of 300 photographic cardboard cutouts of all the band members was set up in the band section. Music videos recorded by the band were played on the stadium scoreboard screen.
The band did perform outdoors during the pandemic with safety protocols in place, including masks, bell covers, staying 6 feet apart, and limited rehearsal times.[7]
Performances
The band primarily performs before, during, and after University of Illinois home football games. The band also performs an indoor concert at the Assembly Hall featuring special lighting effects, performances by individual sections, and slightly pithy comic routines. Other performances include a drill for the Illini Marching Festival, halftime performance for the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, halftime performances at postseason bowl games, and an annual away performance at the home football game of another Big Ten school. The MI does not typically perform for parades other than marching to and from the stadium for home games, the annual Homecoming parade, and when marching to and from Foellinger Auditorium where they play several outdoor concerts for University events. In addition the Marching Illini have performed at the 1992, 1995, 1998, 2008, 2014, 2018, and 2022 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland and the 2015 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music at the University of Illinois houses a collection of University Band recordings. The audio recordings consists of reel-to-reel tapes of performances and recording sessions from 1940 to 1987.[8]
On Saturday August 28, 2021, the band debuted a hip hop remixed version of their traditional blues riffed "Low Brass" entitled "Illini Anthem" performed by Rap Artist Jarrel Young and produced by University of Illinois School of Music Professor Lamont Holden, also known as TheLetterLBeats which broke ground as the first rap song to officially represent a Big Ten, FBS and/or state collegiate institution as a fight song.
Instrumentation
The Marching Illini Drumline at the postgame Concert
The Marching Illini's instrumentation is similar to that of a typical concert band, allowing them to play extensive selections of repertoire. The band's instrumentation is as follows:
During their pregame performance, the band uses a reduced instrumentation.
Organization
Director
Professor Barry L. Houser was named as Visiting Assistant Director of Bands and Conductor of Athletics Bands (including Director of the Marching Illini and Basketball Band) in July 2011. Professor Houser served as Director of the Marching Panthers and Basketball Band at Eastern Illinois University while also serving as Acting Director of Bands at EIU from 2008 to 2011 after receiving a graduate degree from the University of Illinois. As a graduate student, Houser instructed with the Marching Illini as a Graduate Assistant, frequently conducting from the backfield podium during performances. Houser attended the University of Florida as an undergraduate and has been involved with the nationally renowned Smith-Walbridge Clinics for drum majors and marching bands with Director Emeritus of the Marching Illini Gary E. Smith. Houser now serves as Director and Head Clinician with Smith-Walbridge.[10]
Professor Barry L. Houser, director of the Marching Illini
Houser's immediate predecessor was Dr. Peter J. Griffin. He became the Assistant Director of Bands in 1994. During his tenure at Illinois, he served as Coordinator of Band Festivals and Assistant Director of the Marching Illini. Upon the resignation of Director Tom Caneva in 2006, Griffin was chosen as an interim replacement. Griffin was named as the permanent director in December 2006 and served in that position until May 2011, when he took the position of Chair of the Music Department at Elmhurst College.[11]
All members of the Marching Illini band are selected by a music and marching audition.[12] High school seniors planning to attend UI, transfer students, Parkland (community) College students, and current UI students are allowed to audition for the Marching Illini.[13] Students must be accepted into the university before setting up an audition time. Since audition results are announced in early May, students must complete their audition by April 28. Auditions continue through the summer for open positions only. If a student desires to audition on multiple instruments (for instance, alto and tenor saxophone) they may sign up for multiple time slots.
Some positions, such as Illinettes, Illini Drumline, Marching Illini Colorguard, and drum majors, have earlier auditions. These position may have a series of camps and auditions starting as early as January.
Traditions
The Marching Illini in USA Formation during Patriotic Medley from the traditional pregame show
Three-In-One
The Three-In-One is a tradition forged in the early years of the band’s history from three distinct pieces of the University’s heritage. The Marching “ILLINI” formation was created by A.A. Harding and his assistants in the early 1920s, making it the oldest part of the Three-In-One. The marching drill for this formation originally consisted of a march down the field in a “Block I” formation, and a marching into the ILLINI formation once the band had marched back downfield. The present-day version of the Marching ILLINI is similar to the original, but is highlighted by an intricate countermarch that allows the band to form the ILLINI letter by letter as it marches back down the field.
The musical portion of the Three-In-One consists of three distinct Illinois pieces: “Pride of the Illini,” “March of the Illini,” and “Hail to the Orange.” “Pride of the Illini,” written by Karl King with words by Ray Dvorak expressly for the Illinois Bands, was published in 1928. Harry Alford’s “March of the Illini” was also published in 1928, but was used during Chief Illinwek’s performance from the beginning in 1926. ″Hail to the Orange″ was written by Harold V. Hill with words by Howard R. Green in 1910. The three pieces were eventually combined into a medley and given the title, “Three-In-One.” The “Three-In-One” drill and music are an important part of the University’s heritage.
Chief Illiniwek was retired by the University of Illinois in 2007. The Chief last danced to the Three in One on February 21, 2007 at a men's basketball game. However, the Marching Illini continues to perform the Three in One at halftime of football games.
Recently, there have been calls to remove the music of the Three in One completely from performances. Stephen Kaufman, a professor at the University of Illinois and a longtime opponent of Chief Illiniwek, brought the issue up at a faculty meeting in October 2015. He asked Interim Chancellor Barbara Wilson to take action and stop the Marching Illini from performing the Three in One at future events because of its link to Chief Illiniwek. Kaufman also threatened to approach the NCAA about the situation if no further action was taken. Wilson refused to take action on the matter.[14][15]
Illinois Loyalty
Illinois Loyalty is the Illinois school song and was written by Thacher Howland Guild specifically for the university. It was first performed by the University Military Band in concert on March 3, 1906.[16] As the only band at the university in 1906 the Military Band functioned as a marching, ceremonial and concert band.
Oskee Wow-Wow
Oskee Wow-Wow was written in 1910 by two students, Harold V. Hill (music) and Howard R. Green (words), and was copyrighted in 1911.[17] It was intended as an entry for a skit contest. Oskee Wow-Wow is an invented phrase similar to other college cheers and yells of that period. The song is used as the Illinois fight song since Illinois Loyalty is not well-suited for rousing a crowd during a game. The university is somewhat unusual in this regard, as it is uncommon for a school to have a separate fight song and school song.
Hail to the Orange
The Illinois Alma Mater, Hail to the Orange, also written in 1910 by Hill and Green is performed as part of Three in One at the end of each halftime performance.[18] It is sung a cappella in 4-part harmony by the Marching Illini before the band is dismissed at the end of the post-game concert following each home game.
Travel
The Marching Illini returned to Dublin, Ireland in March, 2022 as part of their tradition of playing in Ireland every four years since 1992.[19]
In addition to its performances, the University of Illinois Bands could claim the honor of holding the largest collection of original works and papers by John Philip Sousa, until 1994 when these items were transferred from the possession of the band to the university's archives, under the control of the University Library. These archives remain housed on the upper level of the Harding Band Building.[21]
The Marching Illini can also lay claim to several firsts, which are listed on the band's official website. These include:[22]
Birthplace of the college concert band - first formal concert given on 3 May 1892, with performances as early as 6 June 1872 when the band played for the first University Commencement. Playing for Commencement ceremonies is the longest running tradition in University Bands.
First school song - Illinois Loyalty was first performed March 3, 1906
First college to use Sousaphones - upright bell model sousaphones were purchased in 1906–1907
First halftime show - in 1907 for the University of Chicago game
First to form school letters (Block I in parade)
First Homecoming - first celebrated on 15 October 1910
First Dad's Day - first celebrated in November, 1920
First Mom's Day - first celebrated in 1921
Performed at first football game broadcast on radio (band was heard on WGN experimental play-by-play broadcast, probably in 1924)
First to sing a cappella on the field - in the Quad Cities during a trip to Iowa in 1920
Chief Illiniwek made his first appearance in 1926
First student card section (Block I) formed in 1929
Referred to by John Philip Sousa as "World's Greatest College Band" in the 1920s
First band to have its own band building, the Harding Band Building, opened in 1957 on the site of the wooden frame building occupied by the bands from 3 April 1928 to 1956.
First to have a giant school flag
First to march mallets at the college level
First college marching band to release a compact disc ("The Marching Illini" in 1986)
First college band to march in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland in 1992; first non-Irish band ever to lead the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland, in 2008 under the direction of Dr. Peter J. Griffin
First Band with a website – first advertised in April, 1994.
Performed at the first televised football game and the first football game televised in color.
First band to use field bugles in a field show (1913–14), thus making the Marching Illini the first drum and bugle corps
Debbie Soumar became the first female Drum Major of the Big Ten in 1977
First rap song performed to officially represent a Big Ten, FBS and/or state collegiate institution as a fight song in 2021
In 2019, band members began using eFlip, a device that attaches to their instrument and holds a smartphone or a tablet that will display sheet music instead of the sheet music stands they've used in the past. This will save time and money -- about $30,000 to $35,000 a year.[23]
↑ ″The Band, from ′Way Back″ by T.E. Rickard in Illinois Alumni News, July 1933, p. 359. Rickard, Class of 1872, was an early band member.
↑ Dedicatory Exercises of the New University Building (1873, December 10). Cited in Peter James Griffin (2004), A History of the Illinois Industrial University/University of Illinois Band, 1867–1908. DEME dissertation, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, pp. 52, 53, 74.
↑ "History". The University of Illinois Bands. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
↑ Sixteenth Annual Concert of the University of Illinois Military Band at the Armory Saturday March 3rd, 1906, 8:00 P.M. A. Austin Harding, Conductor; T.H. Guild, Cornet; Earl E. McCoy, Violin; Miss Irene Parsons, Accompanist. Unpublished printed concert program.
↑ Burford, Cary Clive (1952) We're Loyal to You, Illinois. Danville, Ill.: The Interstate. p. 174. Copy of the 1911 sale contract between The U. of I. Supply Store and Green and Hill.
The sousaphone is a brass musical instrument in the tuba family. Created around 1893 by J. W. Pepper at the direction of American bandleader John Philip Sousa, it was designed to be easier to play than the concert tuba while standing or marching, as well as to carry the sound of the instrument above the heads of the band. Like the tuba, sound is produced by moving air past the lips, causing them to vibrate or "buzz" into a large cupped mouthpiece. Unlike the tuba, the instrument is bent in a circle to fit around the body of the musician; it ends in a large, flaring bell that is pointed forward, projecting the sound ahead of the player. Because of the ease of carrying and the direction of sound, it is widely employed in marching bands, as well as various other musical genres. Sousaphones were originally made of brass. Beginning in the mid-20th century, some sousaphones have also been made of lighter materials, such as fiberglass and plastic.
Chief Illiniwek was the mascot of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), associated with the university's intercollegiate athletic programs, from October 30, 1926, to February 21, 2007. Chief Illiniwek was portrayed by a student to represent the Illiniwek, the state's namesake, although the regalia worn was from the Sioux. The student portraying Chief Illiniwek performed during halftime of Illinois football and basketball games, as well as during women's volleyball matches.
The Illinois Fighting Illini are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The university offers 10 men's and 11 women's varsity sports.
"Illinois Loyalty", also known as "We're Loyal to You, Illinois" or just "Loyalty", is a song associated with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. It is the school's alma mater. It is also used as the school's fight song.
The University of New Hampshire Wildcat Marching Band, is the official marching band of the University of New Hampshire. The WMB plays at home games of the Wildcat football team, typically one away game per season, the Dover and Salem band shows, and various parades across New England. The band has traditionally had an equal mix of music and non-music majors and claims to have an average GPA consistently above the university's average. The WMB usually marches 80 to 100 members, depending on the year. Its largest roster in the past decade was approximately 125.
The Spartan Marching Band (SMB) is the marching band of Michigan State University. The band has over 300 members and was founded in 1870. Notable music educator Leonard Falcone directed the band from 1927 through 1967.
The University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band (UMMB) is the marching band for the University of Massachusetts Amherst known for its drum corps style and nationally renowned percussion section. The Minuteman Band is also known for its use of dance routines, vocalists, electronics, and overall showmanship.
The Hawkeye Marching Band is the marching band for the University of Iowa. The band performs at all home Hawkeye football games at Kinnick Stadium in addition to other events. It is the largest and most visible musical ensemble at the university. The band was founded in 1881 as a military band, giving membership to both music students and members of the military. In 1990, the band was awarded the Louis Sudler Intercollegiate Marching Band Trophy, generally considered to be the most prestigious honor a collegiate marching band can receive.
The University of Minnesota Marching Band is the marching band of the University of Minnesota and the flagship university band for the state of Minnesota. The Pride of Minnesota serves as an ambassador for the university, representing the school at major events both on and off campus. The band performs before, during, and after all home Golden Gopher football games and bowl games, occasional away games, local parades, numerous pepfests, exhibition performances, as well as a series of indoor concerts toward the end of the regular football season. Members of the band, along with non-member students, also participate in smaller athletic pep bands that perform at other major sporting events, including men's hockey, men's basketball, women's hockey, women's basketball, and women's volleyball.
The University of Wisconsin Marching Band is the marching band for the University of Wisconsin–Madison. It was formed in the fall of 1885 to support the university military battalion. Today, it has grown to about 300 members and performs at all home Badger football games. They are known for their intense and athletic high knee “stop at the top” marching style.
The University of Florida Fightin' Gator Marching Band, also known as The Pride of the Sunshine, is the official marching band for the University of Florida. The current era of the band is also referred to as The Sound of the Gator Nation. They perform at every Florida Gators home football game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and also at various other events such as pep rallies, parades, and the annual Orange and Blue spring scrimmage game. A full band usually travels to two away games a year while at other games a small/medium-sized pep band will attend. Members of the Gator Band, as well as other University of Florida students, are encouraged to join other ensembles such as concert band, jazz band, basketball band, and volleyball band. The twirlers for the Gator Band are referred to as the Gatorettes and the color guard is called the Florida Visual Ensemble.
Albert Austin Harding was the first Director of Bands at the University of Illinois and the first band director at an American university to hold a position of full professorship. The Harding Band Building, the first dedicated building for a University Band Department, was named for him.
The Iowa State University Cyclone Marching Band is the marching band of Iowa State University. Composed of two ensembles, the Iowa State University Cyclone Football 'Varsity" Marching Band (ISUCF'V'MB) and State Storm, the band performs in support of the Iowa State Cyclones football team at all home games and at some away games versus Big 12 Conference rivals. Nicknamed the "Pride of Iowa State", the "Best of the Midwest", and the "Varsity Band," the band plays at high school band festivals, indoor concerts, and post-season bowl games.
The Gold Star Marching Band or also known as "The Pride of North Dakota" is the marching band of North Dakota State University. It is a non-auditioned band, open to all majors. With approximately 170 members, the band is one of the largest organizations on campus.
The Pride of the Mountains Marching Band is the marching band which represents Western Carolina University. The band performs pre-game, halftime, and post-game shows at all Catamounts Football home games and routinely provides exhibition performances throughout the Southeast. Unlike most college marching bands, the Pride of the Mountains designs, creates, and performs one perfected halftime show other than doing different performances every week.
The Marching Mountaineers, also known as North Carolina's Band of Distinction, is the 285 member marching band of Appalachian State University. Founded in 1933, the band performs at all home Mountaineer football games and travels to select away games each year. The Marching Mountaineers were a participant in the 2006 and 2014 London New Year's Day Parades. The Band of Distinction also marched in the 2011 Cabalgata de Reyes in Madrid, Spain.
The Falcon Marching Band, known also as the FMB, is the marching band of Bowling Green State University. It features a symphonic sound and Big Ten-style chair step marching. Under the direction of Jonathan “Jon” Waters, marching band is the largest student organization on campus. The band performs at all home football games, which are hosted in Doyt Perry Stadium as well as other various university functions.
The Ohio State University Athletic Band is a non-audition band for any student, faculty, or staff of Ohio State University with prior instrumental experience. Many students who perform in the Athletic Band also perform in the Ohio State University Marching Band. Each Athletic Band features full contemporary concert band instrumentation, including woodwinds. It performs throughout the year at various athletic and goodwill functions across campus. Members of the Athletic Band receive course credit for their band participation.
The Clemson University Tiger Band serves as the Marching Band, Color Guard, Tiger Dancers and Tiger Twirlers of Clemson University. The marching band component of the band is made up of wind instruments, percussion, and auxiliary units, including the piccolo, clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, trumpet, horn, trombone, baritone, and sousaphone. A drum line consisting of snares, basses, cymbals, tenors, and a front ensemble is used. To the thousands of fans, it is known as the Tiger Band, or better yet the "band that shakes the Southland". Composed of over 300 members, Tiger Band's mission is to provide inspiring spirit and entertainment to not only the university, but beyond.
Barry Lee Houser is an American musician and conductor. He is the current director of the University of Illinois Marching Illini and Associate Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Houser also conducts the Illinois Wind Orchestra, the basketball and volleyball bands, and teaches in the School of Music.
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