Jazz Audition Requirements

Registration for auditions is now open. The first round of jazz auditions for the 2024-2025 season will begin in April. There are openings for all instruments in all ensembles.

Jazz Ensemble:

Jazz Ensemble is a non-audition ensemble for beginning jazz students. Students new to jazz or with beginning skills will learn jazz phrasing, articulation, and ensemble skills. If you like jazz or want to explore it further, this is the ensemble to join. 

Jazz Ensemble rehearses on Sundays.

To sign up for Jazz Ensemble, fill out a registration form:

Jazz Orchestra and Concert Jazz Band:

1) Major Scales

  • Musicians should be prepared to play all twelve Major scales from memory.

2) Improvisation

  • All pitched instruments (all instruments except drums) should be prepared to solo over 3 choruses of a Bb blues at 120 bpm with a backing track. 

  • Piano/guitar/vibes will also comp over a Bb blues at three different tempos: 

    • 65 (1 chorus) 

    • 120 (2 choruses) 

    • 200 (2 choruses) 

  • Bassists will also walk at three different tempos: 

    • 65 (1 chorus) 

    • 120 (2 choruses) 

    • 200 (2 choruses) 

  • Drummers will alternate playing time and soloing at three different tempos over a Bb blues: 

    • 65 (with brushes 2 total choruses: 1st— play time, 2nd—solo)

    • 120 (4 total choruses: 1st—time, 2nd—solo, 3rd—time, 4th—solo) 

    • 200 (4 total choruses: 1st—time, 2nd—solo, 3rd—time, 4th—solo)

3) Prepared Piece

4) Sight-reading

  • Sight-reading

    • All musicians will sight-read an excerpt. All basses will sight-read a bass part with a written bass line

    • Bass Players only: to be considered for Concert Jazz Band or Jazz Orchestra, you will also be asked to walk a bass over chord slashes.

Sign up to audition for Jazz Orchestra or Concert Jazz Band: