Finding Aid for Band Motion Pictures, 1934-1984 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Title: Band Motion Pictures, 1934-1984

ID: 12/9/17

Primary Creator: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. University Bands

Extent: 2.0 cubic feet

Arrangement: Materials are arranged chronologically and by type of material.

Date Acquired: 06/04/1976. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Band, Football, Band Concerts, Band Department, Band Musicians, Bands, Bands (Music), Chief Illiniwek, Films, Marching bands, Marching Illini, Rose Bowl

Formats/Genres: Motion Pictures/Videotapes

Languages: English

Consists of 16mm motion picture film amd VHS tape transfers of reels recorded between 1934 and 1984, documenting University of Illinois Marching Band and Marching Illini performances as well as performances of in-conference marching bands that visited the University of Illinois. Of note, are films of the football band formations from 1934 to 1947, including film of Princess Illinwek.

The University of Illinois Band was established in 1870 for the purpose of providing music for functions within the military department of the Illinois Industrial University. From 1868 to 1894, the band was administered by student leaders and from 1895 to 1904 was led by various university faculty members. From 1905-1907, the band was led by Albert Austin Harding, who was an undergraduate in engineering.

In 1907, Harding was named the first director of bands, serving in this role for over forty years (1907-1948) and leading the band to a position of national prominence. Under Harding, the University of Illinois band became the first band to perform at a collegiate baseball game (1906) and a collegiate football game (1907); one of the few collegiate bands to receive a march written by John Philip Sousa (1929); and a laboratory ensemble for many of Harding's mentees, which included William D. Revelli, Frederick Fennell, Clarence Sawhill, Ray Dvorak, and Glen Cliffe Bainum. In 1929, Harding became one of the founding members of the American Bandmasters Association.

In 1932, upon the death of John Philip Sousa, Sousa left his vast library of sheet music and original manuscripts in the care of the University of Illinois Band. In 1955, the Band Department had grown so large that they required a new building to be constructed. In 1958 the Harding Band Building was completed, becoming the first permanent building specifically constructed for a collegiate band program in the country.

Subsequent directors of the Band Department include: Mark H. Hindsley (1948-1970), Harry Begian (1970-1984), James F. Keene (1985-2008), Abel Saldivar Ramirez (2008-2009), Robert Rumbelow (2009-2014), Linda Moorhouse (2014-2015), Stephen Peterson (2015-2022), and Kevin Geraldi (2022- ). The University Band Department also saw the rise of several important assistant directors and directors of the Marching Illini, including: Ray Dvorak, Glen Cliffe Bainum, Clarence Sawhill, Everett Kisinger, Guy Duker, Eldon Oyen, Harvey Herman, Gary E. Smith, Ken Steinsultz, Peter Griffin, Tom Cavena, Roby George, Barry Houser, Jesse Leyva, Elizabeth Peterson, and Kimberly Fleming.

The Band Department is currently a unit of the University of Illinois School of Music, which is in turn a unit of the College of Fine and Applied Arts. Ensembles under the administration of the Band Department include the UI Wind Symphony, two symphonic bands, three concert bands, a British Brass Band, Clarinet Choir, the UI Basketball Band, the Orange & Blues and the Marching Illini.

Band, Football
Band Concerts
Band Department
Band Musicians
Bands
Bands (Music)
Chief Illiniwek
Films
Marching bands
Marching Illini
Rose Bowl

Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Accruals: Additional materials were acquired from the bands on June 1, 1982.

Acquisition Source: University Bands

Related Materials: University of Illinois Bands Collection (12/9/93), specifically Series 7 and Series 9.

Other Note: In 1976, film highlights of the Marching Illini were given to the University Archives. This record series was assigned in the early 1980s. At some point the original reels were transferred to VHS and subsequently deaccessioned, although this was not reflected in the finding aid. The original finding aid also noted that additional recordings for this series existed in the Harding Band Building, but other than this note these additional films were not described in the finding aid. When the archivist for Fine and Applied Arts arrived in 2004, the materials that were designated for inclusion in this series were added to University Bands Collection (12/9/93), specifcially: series 7) University of Illinois Band 16mm Films.