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Jazz Audition

ENSEMBLE AUDITIONS: Jazz Ensembles

Note: You do not have to be able to improvise to play in these groups.

General Info About the Jazz Ensembles:
  • Jazz Ensemble rehearses from 4:00 p.m.-5:50 p.m. Monday & Wednesday in Room 322. Mike Tomaro directs this group.
  • Jazz Workshop rehearses from 7:00 p.m.-8:50 p.m. on Wednesday. Sean Jones directs this group.
  • Both Ensembles perform several times during the school year (approximately 6 concerts a year at various locations on campus and around town).
  • Even if you don’t consider yourself to be a jazz player, these ensembles are great places to gain experience playing in the jazz idiom. Consider this:

    Performance majors: Your ability to interpret jazz and pop music may give you an edge when auditioning for a professional position.

    Education majors: Your ability to interpret jazz and pop music, and the knowledge you gain in the area of rehearsal techniques, may give you an edge when applying for a teaching position.

Jazz Ensemble Audition Format:
Horn Players:
  • Prepared Piece: Play a short segment (approximately one page) of a solo transcription or jazz ensemble part of your choice.
  • Sightreading.
  • Optional: Improvisation: Blues in Bb or F or, if you can read chords, you can improvise over a given set of changes (your choice or Mike Tomaro's).
Guitarists, Pianists:
  • Prepared Piece: Play a short segment (approximately one page) of a solo transcription or jazz ensemble part of your choice.
  • Sightreading: Both melodic (single line) and harmonic (your ability to comp in different styles and grooves over a given set of changes).
  • Optional: Improvisation: Blues in Bb or F or, if you can read chords, you can improvise over a given set of changes (your choice or Mike Tomaro's).
Bassists:
  • Prepared Piece: Play a short segment (approximately one page) of a solo transcription or jazz ensemble part of your choice.
  • Styles: You will be tested on your ability to play different styles and grooves over a given set of changes.
  • Sightreading.
  • Optional: Improvisation: Blues in Bb or F or, if you can read chords, you can improvise over a given set of changes (your choice or Mike Tomaro's).
Drummers:
  • Styles: You will be tested on your ability to play different styles and grooves.
  • Sightreading.