Basketball Bands
University of Pittsburgh Bands
Basketball Bands
The Pitt Basketball Bands attend every home game for both the men's and women's basketball teams at the Petersen Events Center. The basketball bands passionately support the teams along with our student section, the Oakland Zoo. Basketball band players will have the opportunity to travel with the teams to the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament and/or national tournaments. The Basketball Bands are open to all undergraduate and graduate musicians on campus, even if they are not members of the marching band.
Please note that auditions for the basketball bands are only required if you are completely new to the band program. If you are currently in the Marching Band or Volleyband, you do not need to re-audition, you can just sign up HERE. If you are wondering whether or not you will be required to complete an audition, please reach out to Assistant Director of Bands Mr. Buckstein at mbuckstein@athletics.pitt.edu. Audition information is located at the bottom of this page.
Basketball Band Benefits
Basketball Band members will receive a scholarship for participation upon meeting all attendance requirements. The scholarship will be a minimum of $100 per student, but the final amount may increase based on the level of student participation.
Opportunities to travel with the Men’s and/or Women’s Basketball teams for postseason play
Free Oakland Zoo T-Shirt!
Basketball Band Requirements
Teamworks (TW)
Once accepted to the Basketball Band, you will be added to the Teamworks platform. All communication (as well as various other things) will be done on this platform. Information about how to join Teamworks will be provided upon the completion of a successful audition into the Basketball Band.
Attendance and Performance Requirements
After all interested students have signed up and auditions have concluded, students will be divided into two equal pep bands: Royal Band or Gold Band. Each band will be required to play 12 of the 23 regular season games listed below. Band assignments for each game are listed in the season schedule below. You will be welcome to play at games for which you are not assigned. If you have a class or an exam, you must find a sub and fill out the sub form, which is a Google Form. The sub form can be found on the “Web Links” section of Teamworks. You must cover 12 games, total, in order to receive your scholarship.
Subbing Procedure
Determine what game you need to miss and secure a sub
Same instrument, same part – in extreme circumstances, substitutions outside your section may be permissible (for example, alto sax for mellophone since they often play the same part). Please contact a director to obtain permission for unique substitutions.
Take your name off the Teamworks sign-up list for the game
Have your sub sign up for the game on Teamworks
Fill out a sub form (Link to a Google Form will be provided closer to the start of the season
Break Games
There are additional games that occur during Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks. These games may be covered by a high school band, or we may put together a band of students, alums, and anyone who can play. If you end up playing these games, it will count as a bonus towards your total required games. While playing at these break games is not required, you are encouraged to join us if you are available! A list of break games, and who is covering them, is available HERE. Additional information about these break games will be provided once we get closer to these dates.
Travel Band Opportunities and Requirements
Those selected for Travel Band will receive a larger scholarship as long as they meet all attendance requirements. The NCAA regulates the size of a tournament travel band to a maximum of 29 students, so spots are limited. More information regarding travel band selection procedures will be made available at the beginning of the Spring semester. If travel opportunities arise, the travel band will be chosen based on a combination of the following factors: instrumentation, seniority, number of games played, and audition scores.
Game Day Procedures
Dress
Top: Oakland Zoo T-Shirts
Bottom: Business professional jeans (no rips or holes)
Shoes: Tennis shoes
No hats. No gloves (other than new basses, new trumpets, and new trombones). Please keep your hair tied back.
We want to wear the same shirt the Oakland Zoo is wearing but create a difference and be a little more formal with our look.
Music
Bring your phone, Uniclip and lyre to every performance.
Call Times
Call time is one hour before game time at the Petersen Events Center. Students should enter through the loading dock area on Sutherland Drive and meet in the auxiliary gym. Trees Hall will be open 1.5 hours before game time to get instruments until football season is over. After football season concludes, instruments can be stored at the Petersen Events Center. You will receive a credential to enter the PEC, and this must be brought with you to every game you play!
Basketball Band Schedule
All games will be at the Petersen Events Center. A fully accurate schedule with times will be available on Teamworks.
Please note that we will have TWO required rehearsals for all Basketball Band members on the following dates:
Wednesday, October 21st from 6-8 pm
Monday, January 11th from 7:30-9 pm
| Date | Day | Sport | Opponent | Time | Band | Notes |
| 10/21/2026 | Wednesday | Basketball | REHEARSAL | 6-8 pm | BOTH | Rehearsal in PEC |
| 11/2/2026 | Monday | Men's Basketball | Rider | TBD | Royal | Non Conference |
| 11/3/2026 | Tuesday | Women's Basketball | St. Peters | TBD | Gold | Non Conference |
| 11/5/2026 | Thursday | Men's Basketball | Buffalo | TBD | Royal | Non Conference |
| 11/7/2026 | Saturday | Women's Basketball | LIU Brooklyn | TBD | Gold | Non Conference |
| 11/10/2026 | Tuesday | Women's Basketball | Delaware State | TBD | Royal | Non Conference |
| 11/14/2026 | Saturday | Women's Basketball | Charleston Southern | TBD | Royal | Non Conference |
| 11/17/2026 | Tuesday | Men's Basketball | Villanova | TBD | Gold | Non Conference |
| 11/18/2026 | Wednesday | Women's Basketball | UMBC | 11:00 AM | Royal/Gold | Non Conference |
| 12/5/2026 | Saturday | Men's Basketball | Tarleton State | TBD | Gold | Non Conference |
| 12/6/2026 | Sunday | Women's Basketball | Sacred Heart | TBD | Royal | Non Conference |
| 1/11/2027 | Monday | Basketball | REHEARSAL | 7:30-9 pm | BOTH | Rehearsal in PEC |
| 1/12/2027 | Tuesday | Men's Basketball | Syracuse | TBD | Gold | ACC |
| 1/14/2027 | Thursday | Women's Basketball | Louisville | TBD | Royal | ACC |
| 1/16/2027 | Saturday | Men's Basketball | Clemson | TBD | Gold | ACC |
| 1/23/2027 | Saturday | Men's Basketball | Boston College | TBD | Royal | ACC |
| 1/24/2027 | Sunday | Women's Basketball | Virginia | TBD | Gold | ACC |
| 1/26/2027 | Tuesday | Men's Basketball | Virginia Tech | TBD | Gold | ACC |
| 1/28/2027 | Thursday | Women's Basketball | Clemson | TBD | Royal | ACC |
| 2/9/2027 | Tuesday | Men's Basketball | Virginia | TBD | Gold | ACC |
| 2/17/2027 | Wednesday | Men's Basketball | Cal | TBD | Royal | ACC |
| 2/18/2027 | Thursday | Women's Basketball | UNC | TBD | Gold | ACC |
| 2/20/2027 | Saturday | Men's Basketball | Georgia Tech | TBD | Royal | ACC |
| 2/21/2027 | Sunday | Women's Basketball | Miami | TBD | Gold | ACC |
| 3/2/2027 | Tuesday | Men's Basketball | UNC | TBD | Royal | ACC |
2026 Tournament Schedule
(Exact Tournament Travel Dates TBD from the ranges below)
ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament
March 3-7 | Charlotte, NC (Travel Day on March 2nd)
ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament
March 9-13 | Greensboro, NC (Travel Day on March 8th)
Women’s NCAA Tournament Dates
March 17-22 | March 26-March 29 | April 2-4
Men’s NCAA Tournament Dates
March 16-21 | March 25-28 | April 3-5
How do I Sign Up?
Already in the marching band or volleyband? Sign up for basketball band HERE. If not, keep reading below for how to audition!
Audition Materials and Procedures
Woodwind and Brass Players
Auditions will be comprised of two components:
Chromatic Scale ascending and descending (full range achievable by student) - to demonstrate range/dexterity
A prepared piece of music: Ain't No Other Man. You will perform the piece in its entirety.
If you are currently in the marching band or volleyband, you do not have to reaudition!
Percussionists – Battery Percussion
Battery percussion consists of the following 4 instruments:
Snare Drum
Quads (Tenor Drums)
Bass Drum
Cymbals
Auditions will be comprised of three components:
Victory Song (full song)
Hail to Pitt (full song)
Cold-Hearted (full song)
Sticks and other equipment will be provided for the audition.
AUDITION MATERIALS HERE
If you are currently in the marching band or volleyband, you do not have to reaudition!
Percussionists – Drum Set
Auditions will be comprised of three components:
Victory Song (full song)
The Kids Aren't Alright (full song)
Snakes on a Plane (full song)
You will be asked to drum along to recordings of the 3 songs listed above. There is no official sheet music for drum set, but you may look at the battery percussion parts and listen to recordings to get an idea of the style.
This is the first round out of two rounds for drum set auditions. Applicants who successfully pass the first round will be invited a final round of auditions where they will drum with the rest of the Basketball Band. The final round of auditions will take place in the Petersen Events Center on Wednesday, October 21st, 2026 at 6 pm. Additional details will be communicated to those who advance to the final round.
Please note that if you have played drum set for an athletic band in the past (either volleyball or basketball), you do NOT have to re-audition for drum set.
Audition Sign Ups
Basketball Band auditions for winds, brass, and battery percussion will take place at Trees Hall in the Band Room Annex during the week of Oct 5th-9th. Drum Set auditions will take place in Victory Heights on Monday, October 5th.
To view available times and sign up for your audition, visit the Microsoft Bookings Page below. You must sign up for an audition slot at least 12 hours in advance!
SIGN UP FOR AUDITIONS HERE
Need an Instrument?
If you need an instrument for auditions, please contact Mr. Buckstein at mbuckstein@athletics.pitt.edu. We have a limited number of university instruments that may be signed out to practice for the audition.
How Do I Get to the Band Room?
The Band Room and Band Room Annex are located in Trees Hall on Upper Campus, and can be tricky to find. Please watch the video linked HERE to help you find the Band Rooms! There are also signs hung up around Trees Hall to assist as well.
How do I get to Victory Heights?
Drum Set auditions will take place in the arena of Victory Heights. You should meet Mr. Buckstein at the entrance to Victory Heights, which is located right across from the food court of the Petersen Events Center. This video will help show you where the main entrance to Victory Heights Arena is located.
For questions, contact:
Dr. Brad Townsend, Director of Bands
btownsend@athletics.pitt.edu
or
Mr. Michael Buckstein, Assistant Director of Bands
mbuckstein@athletics.pitt.edu
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