The Wheaton College Pep Band is an extracurricular (non-credit bearing) music ensemble that functions to serve the needs of both the Conservatory of Music and the Athletics Department. The group's mission is to cultivate a spirited atmosphere at athletic events and engage students in support of Wheaton athletic teams while maintaining Christlike sportsmanship.
The Pep Band is open to all Wheaton students, regardless of major. The Pep Band’s purpose is to energize the atmosphere at athletic events, foster school spirit, and provide musicians with an avenue to explore pep band music, techniques, and culture.
A requirement of Pep Band participation is that students must commit to the length of the entire basketball season but only perform on select dates. This is a paid gig where members of the pep band will be compensated per performance.
For the 2023-2024 academic year, the pep band will perform at four double-header events on the following dates:
- Friday, November 17
- Saturday, January 13
- Saturday, February 3
- Saturday, February 17
The pep band will have mandatory rehearsals from 9 AM-12 PM on the following dates:
- Saturday, October 7 from 9 AM-12 PM
- Saturday, October 21 from 9 AM-12 PM
- Saturday, November 4 from 9 AM-12 PM
- Saturday, January 6 from 9 AM-12 PM
Audition Requirements:
Wind auditions consist of a full-range chromatic scale, a pep band chart excerpt, and a short sight-reading excerpt. The links for each instrument audition excerpt are provided below. Auditions will take place in the afternoon on Saturday, August 26th.
Instrumentation: piccolo/flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, trumpet, French horn/mellophone, trombone, baritone/euphonium, sousaphone/tuba, electric bass, drumset
Percussion: please come prepared to demonstrate a variety of styles/grooves which may include any of the following: rock, dance, funk, disco, swing, standard 8th note groove, four to the floor, shuffle, 16th note, 12/8, half-time shuffle, bossa nova.