Jazz Auditions

All jazz majors and any other students interested in participating in a jazz ensemble must complete an audition. Your audition will determine your placement in combos and big bands (JO/JE/U-Jazz).

Download audition music (PDF)

Saxophone, trombone and trumpet players will sign up for an individual audition time. Rhythm players will sign up for a block of time.

Improvisation

• You will be expected to improvise on the blues form (Bb, F, Db medium and up tempo) and rhythm changes form (Bb, up tempo)
• Blues melody of choice; improvise two choruses (rhythm section players will also comp appropriate to style)
• Rhythm changes or standard melody of choice; improvise one chorus

Assigned Audition Excerpt

• Excepts will be specific to each studio
• Drummers will be expected to demonstrate Swing, Bossa Nova, Samba, Jazz Waltz, Jazz Ballad, Funk, ECM, Afro-Cuban and Mambo4 feels

Sight Reading

Music will be provided for sight-reading – lead sheet of standard or common jazz tune. Improvisation over the progression in the sight-reading examples may be expected as well.

Drummers will be given excerpt of big band drum part to demonstrate ability to read hits and play appropriate fills/set-ups.

Combo and Big Band (Jazz Orchestra/Jazz Ensemble)

Individual auditions will take place within your applied studio and will be used in determining combo placement and will assist in big band placement (Jazz Orchestra/Jazz Ensemble). Jazz majors must participate in these auditions. Others who are auditioning for big band only may opt out of the individual audition and attend the group big band audition detailed below.

For the individual audition, you will be asked to demonstrate:

Technique

• Scales/technical exercises determined by the applied teacher
• Common triad and seventh chord arpeggios (major, minor, dominant, diminished) 

Improvisation

• Blues melody of choice; improvise two choruses (rhythm section players will also comp appropriate to style)
• Rhythm changes or standard melody of choice; improvise one chorus (rhythm section players will also comp appropriate to style)

Reading

• Assigned audition excerpts
• Sight reading which may include a lead sheet of standard or common jazz tune; improvise one chorus

Drums

Your audition will consist of:

Technique

Demonstration of Swing, Bossa Nova, Samba, Jazz Waltz, Jazz Ballad, Funk, ECM, Afro-Cuban and Mambo.

Improvisation

Perform and improvise to backing tracks over jazz standards in AABA form and 12-Bar Blues forms.

Reading

Assigned piece and sight reading.

Audition Schedule

Schedule your audition

Instrument	Date	Time	Location
Saxophone	Tuesday, August 29	1-3:30 p.m.	Music Building 109
Brass	Tuesday, August 29	10 a.m.-noon	Music Building 122
Guitar	Tuesday, August 29	1-4 p.m.	Music Building 105
Piano	Monday, August 28	10 a.m.-noon	Music Building 143
Bass	Wednesday, August 30	Noon-2 p.m.	Music Building 473
Drums	Tuesday, August 29	12:45-3:45 p.m.	Music Building 111

Additional Big Band Auditions

Big band auditions will be held on Tuesday, August 29 from 4 to 5:50 p.m. and will continue on Wednesday, August 30 from 2 to 3:50 p.m. in Music Building 158.

Students will audition in various configurations on different parts (lead parts, second, third, etc.) and will be required to play the posted music excerpts. Music will also be provided for sight-reading and each student will read a minimum of two charts. Improvisation over the progression in the sight-reading examples will be expected as well. Students will be expected to improvise on the blues form (Bb, F, Db medium and up tempo) and “rhythm” changes form (Bb, up tempo).

Big bands meet at the following times:

• Jazz Orchestra (Monday/Wednesday, 2–3:50 p.m.) Reggie Thomas, directors
• Jazz Ensemble (Tuesday/Thursday, 4–5:50 p.m.) Rodrigo Villanueva/GA, directors

Results will be posted no later than the end of the first week and announced (if possible) at the first Jazz Convocation, Wednesday, August 30 at 4:30pm. (location TBA)

Questions

Contact Reggie Thomas at reggiethomas@niu.edu.

Ensemble Schedule

Ensemble	Date	Time
NIU Jazz Orchestra	Monday/Wednesday	2-3:50 p.m.
Jazz Ensemble	Tuesday/Thursday	4-5:50 p.m.
University Jazz Band	Monday/Wednesday	5:40-7:20 p.m.
MUSE 324/624: Jazz Combos	Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday	1-1:50 p.m.
(Section 3) Jazztet	Monday/Wednesday	11-11:50 a.m.