Ensemble Audition Materials

Complete the audition card here. A link to sign-up for your time will be provided upon completing the card.

If you are preparing a solo for audition (expected for anyone in voice lessons or who would like to be considered for advanced ensembles), please choose a composition that shows off the best qualities of your voice. Opera arias are not usually recommended other than those included in 26 Italian Songs and Arias (some of you have 24 Italian Songs and Arias).  We will limit solos to 3 minutes.  Therefore, if your selection is longer, you might choose the best place to begin.

An accompanist will be provided for your choral audition at no charge. Please bring clean and clear copies of your sheet music in a 3-ring binder. All margins must be in view (use 93% reduction for copies). Staples should not be used to affix pages.

Complete the audition card here. A link to sign-up for your time will be provided upon completing the card.

The excerpts can be found using the links below:

• Bassoon
• Cello
• Clarinet
• Double Bass
• Euphonium
• Flute
• Horn
• Oboe
• Percussion 
• Saxophone
• Trombone
• Trumpet 
• Tuba
• Viola
• Violin

Complete the audition card here. A link to sign-up for your time will be provided upon completing the card.

For more information, see "Jazz Vocal Ensemble" under the School of Music Ensembles page (or contact Dr. White directly at jwhite@ithaca.edu)

Complete the audition card here. A link to sign-up for your time will be provided upon completing the card.

2023-24 instrumental jazz ensemble auditions will be live, in person. The live auditions will be held on Monday, August 21 from 9am-5PM. To be fair to all, auditions will be done “blind”, behind a screen, so that the ensemble directors will not know who is playing. Be sure not to speak to the directors to maintain anonymity. If you have any questions after reading the instructions below, contact jazz director Mike Titlebaum at mtitlebaum@ithaca.edu. 

Everyone will have a sheet music PDF to download and will have a play-along mp3 to play with at the audition. In addition to the prepared music, there will be a short sight-reading excerpt. There is also an MP3 with Mike playing the head so you can hear the type of time feel and style we’re going for in the jazz bands. For your own preparation, practice playing along with that version, too.

ALL NECESSARY DOWNLOADS, INCLUDING PDFs of SHEET MUSIC AND PLAY-ALONGS YOU WILL USE FOR THE AUDITIONS ARE AVAILABLE HERE:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qglsfdae2ge0nto/AABVZywtc8TRKcYYIQheHbPLa?dl=0

NOTES FOR EACH INSTRUMENT:

For drummers: Download the PDF “Enclosable You - Drums.PDF” and the playalong track “Enclosable You Playalong FOR DRUMMERS.” When you trade 4s, be sure you can hear the click so you stay in tempo.

In addition to playing this piece at the audition, you will be asked to demonstrate several other styles for a few bars from the following list (probably trading 4s with an imaginary soloist, and using brushes on at least one):

• Slow, medium and fast swing
• Samba
• Bossa
• 3/4 Swing
• An asymmetrical meter, such as 5/4 or 7/4

For all horns (wind/brass players): Download the sheet music PDF transposed for your instrument (PDFs of several transpositions are available), and the play-along called “Enclosable You Playalong FOR ALL HORNS.mp3.” When you audition, you’ll play three choruses along with the mp3: One chorus of the written melody, one choruse of improvised solo, and one final chorus of the written melody (if we get behind on the audition day schedule, I may stop you before the final chorus. Don’t worry about it.). If you do not yet improvise, you can stop after the first chorus of melody. 

Additional note for saxophone/woodwind doublers: If you play flute or clarinet, download the transposed versions for those instruments. During the audition, you’ll re-start the play-along for each instrument you play. There is no need to improvise solos on more than one instrument – just play the head on your doubles.

For guitarists/pianists/vibes players: Download the sheet music PDF “Enclosable You - Treble Clef - Piano Guitar and Vibes.pdf” and the play-along called Enclosable You Playalong FOR PIANO GUITAR and VIBES.” Play the written head for the first chorus, then comp (play chords for an imaginary soloist) for a chorus, then improvise a solo for the third chorus. If you do not yet improvise, you can stop after the comping chorus. 

For bassists: Download the sheet music PDF “Enclosable You - Bass Clef - Trombone and Bass” And the playalong “Enclosable You Playalong FOR BASSISTS” For your audition, play the written head for the first chorus, then walk a bassline for the second chorus, then finally improvise a solo in the third chorus. If you do not yet improvise, you can stop after the walking chorus.

For more information, see our website.