2024-25 instrumental jazz ensemble auditions will be live, in person. The live auditions will be held on Tuesday, August 27 from 9am-1PM. 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 Aaron Staebell at astaebell@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://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1gAvEpPXqcxB1PJYNr3D3oevLTyLxEynW
NOTES FOR EACH INSTRUMENT:
For drummers: Download the PDF “Drumset Audition 2024” and the playalong track “Drumset Audition 2024 (no drums).” Follow the directions on the PDF for where to start and stop. Also download “Drumset Audition (with drums)” to listen to as a reference for approximately what we are looking for. You shouldn't play exactly what you hear on this recording, but it is a good guide. Please play the excerpt as if you were playing drums for this song in the jazz ensemble--include fills, setups, kicks, comping, and everything else as appropriate.
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 “Now Out Of Here-All Winds.mp3.” When you audition, you’ll play three choruses along with the mp3: One chorus of the written melody, one chorus 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 “Now Out Of Here - Treble Clef - Piano Guitar and Vibes.pdf” and the play-along called Now Out Of Here 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 “Now Out Of Here - Bass Clef - Trombone and Bass” And the playalong “Now Out Of Here 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.
Best of luck to everyone!