Finding Aid for Eldon Oyen Recordings and Personal Papers, 1920-1993 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Title: Eldon Oyen Recordings and Personal Papers, 1920-1993

ID: 12/9/26

Primary Creator: Oyen, Eldon (1928-1993)

Extent: 11.7 cubic feet

Arrangement: The collection is organized in two series: Series 1) Papers, ca. 1920-1979, and Series 2) Sound Recordings, ca. 1952-1993. The papers are arranged alphabetically by subject and the sound recordings are arranged chronologically by recording date.

Date Acquired: 09/22/2003

Subjects: Alumni Association, Band Concerts, Band Department, Bands, Begian, Harry, Convocations, Hindsley, Mark H., Kankakee County, Illinois, Keene, James F., Marching bands

Formats/Genres: Clothing and Textiles, Correspondence, Papers, Photographs, Sound Recordings

Languages: English

Consists of records of University of Illinois Regimental Band Members, concert programs, correspondence, photographs, storybook illustrations, band uniforms, and sound recordings, documenting the career of Eldon Oyen, Assistant to the Director of Bands at the University of Illinois and Director of Bands at Momence Public School District.

Eldon Oyen (1928-1993) was born in Minonk, Illinois. He received his bachelor and master degrees in music education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He then went on to hold the director of bands position at the Momence Public Schools for fourteen years. In 1969 he joined the University of Illinois Bands staff as a music instrument technician and rose to become the Assistant to the Director of University Bands. He held this position through three directors that included Hindsley, Begian, and Keene. In addition to directing the Second Concert Band his responsibilities included overseeing business dealings for the band department, purchasing and care of equipment and instruments, and travel arrangements for the band.

Before the establishment of the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music, Oyen supervised the care of the Busch instrument collection and the John Philip Sousa, Herbert L. Clarke, and A. Austin Harding Papers. He was also a member in professional associations including the Big Ten Band Directors Association, Illinois Music Education Association, National Education Association, Illinois Education Association, and Phi Kappa Lambda.

Alumni Association
Band Concerts
Band Department
Bands
Begian, Harry
Convocations
Hindsley, Mark H.
Kankakee County, Illinois
Keene, James F.
Marching bands

Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Access Restrictions: None.

Acquisition Method: The papers and recordings were donated to the University in September 22, 2003.