CURRICULUM

prairie thunder basketball bands

Audition Date:

Friday, Sept. 24, 2010, 2:30 p.m. and
Monday, Sept. 27, 2010, 7:30 p.m.

Auditions take place in VPA 33. You must schedule an audition time in advance. To schedule an audition e-mail Todd Cranson at rcran2@uis.edu or call 206-7549.

Prairie Thunder bands are open to all UIS students, alumni, faculty/staff, and local community members. In addition to contacting Todd Cranson for an audition time, UIS students must submit an application through "UIS Career Connect" via the Career Development Center website.

Audition Requirements and Repertoire:

F and Ab CONCERT scales
Prepared excerpt (below)
Sight reading
Drumset - be able to demonstrate the following styles/feels: Rock, Swing, and multiple Latin feels.

Prepared Excerpts (click instrument to download and print):

Flute
Clarinet
Alto Sax
Tenor Sax / Baritone TC
Trumpet
Mellophone / Horn
Trombone / Baritone BC
Tuba / Bass
Drum Set / Percussion
Guitar / Keyboard - improvise from flute or tuba/bass part.

Musicians interested in auditioning on instruments not listed here should contact Todd Cranson at rcran2@uis.edu for more information.

Women's Basketball Prairie Thunder Jazz Combo 2010-11 performance dates:

Thursday, January 20, 2011 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 22, 2011 1 p.m.
Wednesday, February 02, 2011 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 05, 2011 1 p.m.
Thursday, February 17, 2011 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 19, 2011 1 p.m.

Men's Basketball Prairie Thunder Band 2010-11 performance dates:

Thursday, January 20, 2011 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 22, 2011 3 p.m.
Saturday, February 05, 2011 3 p.m.
Thursday, February 17, 2011 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 19, 2011 3 p.m.

Rehearsals for each band will be held as needed and scheduled around member's availabilities.

Pay scale is as follows:

Prairie Thunder Band (Men's Basketball)- minimum wage, amounting to approximately $24.00 per game depending on overtime, etc.
Prairie Thunder Jazz Combo (Women's Basketball)- flat rate $75.00 per game.

About the Prairie Thunder Basketball Bands:

The University of Illinois at Springfield employs two bands which perform at all home basketball games beginning in the Spring semester. The "Prairie Thunder Band" performs at Men's Basketball games, and the "Prairie Thunder Jazz Combo" performs at Women's Basketball games. Both include students, community members, faculty and staff musicians.

The Prairie Thunder Band is a traditional collegiate athletic band comprised of brass, woodwind, percussion (drum set) and electronic instruments (guitar, bass, keyboard, etc.). The Prairie Thunder Jazz Combo is a 6 member jazz combo - 3 member rhythm section and 3 "horns" (any woodwind or brass).

Spirited musicians are invited to audition for both bands, and all instruments are welcome! Members of the Prairie Thunder Jazz Combo are expected to demonstrate significant competence both reading written charts AND creative improvisation.

20 paid positions are available in the Prairie Thunder Band, but all qualified musicians will be invited to perform with the band. Musicians earning paid positions will be expected to be in attendance at all basketball games. Musicians invited to play with the band but not as a paid musician will remain competitive for paid positions should they become available.