In addition to satisfying the classical audition requirements, applicants for the jazz studies major must choose one song from the following categories:
- A 12-bar blues, in the key and tempo of your choice, with a melody/head of your choice
- A jazz standard
- A ballad
If you need ideas on possible songs, see the lists below. Another good source for ideas is the great website JazzStandards.com. If you have prepared a transcription of an improvised solo (either published or something you transcribed), you are encouraged to perform that as well.
Because all our auditions this year are being done remotely this year, you must have accompaniment/play-along tracks to perform with. You are encouraged to practice presenting your performances over Zoom before the audition, because it is important for us to hear a good balance between you and the accompaniment. If you need some ideas on how to setup your remote performance/studio space, I prepared a presentation document and a video for my students at the beginning of the year, which present a few ways musicians can set up gear.
Jazz studies auditions are scheduled for 20 minutes (in addition to other activities scheduled for the day). Plan the rundown (the arrangements) for your tunes so that the total amount of music is no more than 10 minutes, so there will be time to chat for a few minutes, too.
In addition to the above requirements, instrumental jazz applicants will be asked to sing the melody of one of their prepared pieces. This requirement is so we can hear your sense of pitch and tonality, not for vocal quality, style or time feel.
Vocal jazz applicants will be asked to sing a chromatic scale. Singing this scale on a neutral syllable is totally fine, but you can use solfege syllables if you know them. Plan a comfortable starting note, then sing the scale slowly, ascending an octave and pause at the top note to check pitch. Then, start at the top note and descend back to the starting note.