Jacobs School of Music

Jazz Studies Audition Information

Trumpet

Master of Music in Jazz Studies

• Prepare major scales (and their modes), whole tone, diminished and ascending melodic minor scales (and their modes).
• Play the melody and improvise from memory on the chord changes of one tune from each of the following three lists.
• Bebop tunes: Groovin' High, Half Nelson, Confirmation, Donna Lee, Joy Spring, Stablemates.
• Standard tunes: All The Things You Are, Stella By Starlight, What Is  This Thing Called Love?, Star Eyes, Alone Together, There Will Never Be Another You, Have You Met Miss Jones?, On Green Dolphin Street
• Post-bop tunes: Giant Steps, Moment's Notice, Bolivia, Inner Urge, Dolphin Dance, Moontrane.

• Auditionees may be asked to sight-read chord changes and typical jazz ensembles parts.

Trombone

Master of Music in Jazz Studies

• Prepare major scales (and their modes), whole tone, diminished and ascending melodic minor scales (and their modes).
• Play the melody and improvise from memory on the chord changes of one tune from each of the following three lists.
• Bebop tunes: Groovin' High, Half Nelson, Confirmation, Donna Lee, Joy Spring, Stablemates.
• Standard tunes: All The Things You Are, Stella By Starlight, What Is  This Thing Called Love?, Star Eyes, Alone Together, There Will Never Be Another You, Have You Met Miss Jones?, On Green Dolphin Street
• Post-bop tunes: Giant Steps, Moment's Notice, Bolivia, Inner Urge, Dolphin Dance, Moontrane.

• Auditionees may be asked to sight-read chord changes and typical jazz ensembles parts.

Saxophone

MM in Jazz Studies (screening recording due December 1)

• Major scales (and their modes), whole tone, diminished, and ascending melodic minor scales (and their modes).  For the screening recording, include only four of each scale type (your choice).
• Play the melody and improvise from memory on the chord changes of one tune from each of the following three lists.
• Bebop tunes: Groovin' High, Half Nelson, Confirmation, Donna Lee, Joy Spring, Stablemates.
• Standard tunes: All The Things You Are, Stella By Starlight, What Is  This Thing Called Love?, Star Eyes, Alone Together, There Will Never Be Another You, Have You Met Miss Jones?, On Green Dolphin Street
• Post-bop tunes: Giant Steps, Moment's Notice, Bolivia, Inner Urge, Dolphin Dance, Moontrane.
• Auditionees may be asked to sight-read chord changes and typical jazz ensembles parts.
• Note: If invited to audition in person, auditionees will play two audition events, one for the saxophone faculty and one for members of the Jazz Studies faculty.

MM in performance, PDSP, DM in performance

• Screening:
• Two etudes (one technical, one lyrical by Ferling, Lacour, Mule or Voxman).
• Two complete solo works, including at least one selection from the standard repertoire (such as a work by Creston, Desenclos, Dubois, Glazunov, Heiden, Ibert, Maurice, Milhaud, Tomasi, etc.).
• Four full-range major scales and corresponding triads of the applicant's choice, four full-range harmonic minor scales and corresponding triads of the applicant's choice, and the full-range chromatic scale.

• Live Audition (Note: Solo repertoire and etudes should differ from screening round selections): 
• Two etudes (one technical, one lyrical by Ferling, Lacour, Mule or Voxman).
• Two complete solo works, including at least one selection from the standard repertoire (such as a work by Creston, Desenclos, Dubois, Glazunov, Heiden, Ibert, Maurice, Milhaud, Tomasi, etc.).
• Applicant should have all major and harmonic minor scales and corresponding arpeggios prepared, as well as the chromatic scale.

*If invited for an in-person Doctor of Music audition: As part of the 20-minute audition students are expected to perform with piano “Concertino da Camera” by Jacques Ibert. Additional repertoire is as stated above. A pianist will be provided for standard repertoire audition selections. Auditions will take place during the February audition weekend on Friday, February 1, 2019 by invitation only.

Piano

Master of Music in Jazz Studies

• Prepare major scales (and their modes), whole tone, diminished and ascending melodic minor scales (and their modes).
• Play the melody and improvise from memory on the chord changes of one tune from each of the following three lists.
• Bebop tunes: Groovin' High, Half Nelson, Confirmation, Donna Lee, Joy Spring, Stablemates.
• Standard tunes: All The Things You Are, Stella By Starlight, What Is  This Thing Called Love?, Star Eyes, Alone Together, There Will Never Be Another You, Have You Met Miss Jones?, On Green Dolphin Street
• Post-bop tunes: Giant Steps, Moment's Notice, Bolivia, Inner Urge, Dolphin Dance, Moontrane.
• Auditionees may be asked to sight-read chord changes and typical jazz ensembles parts.

Guitar

Master of Music in Jazz Studies

Prescreen

• Perform from memory 1) the melody, 2) comp chord changes, 3) improvise on one tune from each of the following three lists:
• Bebop tunes: Groovin' High, Half Nelson, Confirmation, Donna Lee, Joy Spring, Stablemates.
• Standard tunes: All The Things You Are, Stella By Starlight, What Is  This Thing Called Love?, Star Eyes, Alone Together, There Will Never Be Another You, Have You Met Miss Jones?, On Green Dolphin Street
• Post-bop tunes: Giant Steps, Moment's Notice, Bolivia, Inner Urge, Dolphin Dance, Moontrane.
• Perform one solo jazz guitar piece (chord melody). This can be an original arrangement of a jazz standard or a transcription.

Live audition

• If invited to audition in person, in addition to the above repertoire, guitarists should:
• Prepare major scales (and their modes), whole tone, diminished, harmonic minor and ascending melodic minor scales (and their respective modes). All of these scales should be played in two positions on the fingerboard.
• Be prepared to demonstrate their chord voicing knowledge and comp in various styles including: four-to-the-bar (sometimes referred to as Freddie Green comping), bebop comping and Latin styles such as Bossa Nova and Samba.
• Be prepared to sight-read single note lines and chord progressions.

Bass

Master of Music in Jazz Studies

• Prepare major scales (and their modes), whole tone, diminished and ascending melodic minor scales (and their modes).
• Play the melody and improvise from memory on the chord changes of one tune from each of the following three lists.
• Bebop tunes: Groovin' High, Half Nelson, Confirmation, Donna Lee, Joy Spring, Stablemates.
• Standard tunes: All The Things You Are, Stella By Starlight, What Is  This Thing Called Love?, Star Eyes, Alone Together, There Will Never Be Another You, Have You Met Miss Jones?, On Green Dolphin Street
• Post-bop tunes: Giant Steps, Moment's Notice, Bolivia, Inner Urge, Dolphin Dance, Moontrane.
• Auditionees may be asked to sight-read chord changes and typical jazz ensembles parts.

Percussion

Master of Music (MM)

ü  A Delecluse snare drum etude or advanced level etude/solo of your choice

ü  An advanced-level 4-mallet marimba solo suitable for a senior recital

ü  An advanced-level timpani solo or advanced etude Please use a tuning fork to obtain the necessary pitches in your selected solo or etude.

*Please note: If you plan to perform any work that includes "butt-ends" on timpani (Carter: March, Vic Firth Etude I, etc.) please cover the end of your mallets with moleskin or something similar. Any solo that includes "playing on the bowls" is not recommended.

Orchestral Excerpts

Timpani

Beethoven:  Symphony No.9, Mvmt. IV, 7 measures after letter T to the end

Snare Drum

Prokofiev:  Lt. Kije, Mvmt. I, rehearsal 1-1 to measure before rehearsal 2

Rimsky-Korsakov:  Scheherazade, Mvmt. IV, 4 measure before Letter N to 18 measures after Letter N

Xylophone

Gershwin:  Porgy and Bess (opening measures)

Drum set/Jazz Vibes*

If your intended course of graduate study includes drum set: A big band chart, transcription or published solo. Demonstration of time and soloing in the following styles: medium swing, up-tempo swing, rock, bossa nova, and samba (play-along tracks are preferred).  A prepared jazz vibraphone solo or etude is also strongly encouraged.

World Percussion**

If the applicant has any experience with World Percussion (Afro-Cuban hand-drumming, Steel Pan, Brazilian, etc.) a short performance is encouraged but not mandatory.

Prospective MM Percussion candidates who wish to focus only on World Percussion should prepare one etude from "The Language of the Masters" (Spiro/Sher Music-http://www.shermusic.com/1883217881.php) and 2 other solos in contrasting styles; including a hand drumming solo, a stick drumming solo, and must be able to sing one piece in the language of one of their chosen solo areas. The above solos will take the place of the snare drum, timpani, marimba, and solo and orchestral repertoire requirements. General sight-reading at the live audition may be requested.

 *For those graduate students seeking Associate Instructor assistantships, a drum set solo (and experience in drum set instruction) is mandatory.

**Those candidates seeking an Associate Instructor position in the area of World Percussion should include a performance on the World Percussion instrument of their choice or include an etude from "The Language of the Masters" (Spiro/Sher Music-http://www.shermusic.com/1883217881.php)

Master of Music (MM) in Jazz Studies

ü  An advanced level snare drum etude/solo of your choice

ü  An advanced-level jazz vibraphone solo (jazz standard, transcription, or solo work), 4 mallets preferred.

ü  Drum Set*

A prepared piece: A big band chart (with play-along track), transcription or published solo. Demonstration of time and soloing in the following styles: medium swing, up-tempo swing, rock, bossa nova, and samba (play-along tracks are preferred).

ü  World Percussion**

If the applicant has any experience with World Percussion (Afro-Cuban hand-drumming, Steel Pan, Brazilian, etc.) a short performance is encouraged.

 *For those graduate students seeking Associate Instructor assistantships, a drum set solo (and experience in drum set instruction) is mandatory.

**Those candidates seeking an Associate Instructor position in the area of World Percussion should include a performance on the World Percussion instrument of their choice.

 Doctor of Music (DM)

ü  A Delecluse snare drum etude or advanced level etude/solo of your choice

ü  An advanced-level 4-mallet marimba solo suitable for a master's degree recital

ü  Advanced-level timpani solo suitable for a master's degree recital or advanced etude. Please use a tuning fork to obtain the necessary pitches in your selected solo or etude

*Please note: If you plan to perform any work that includes "butt-ends" on timpani (Carter: March, Vic Firth Etude I, etc.) please cover the end of your mallets with moleskin or something similar. Any solo that includes "playing on the bowls" is not recommended.

ü  Orchestral Excerpts

Timpani

Beethoven:  Symphony No.9, Mvmt. IV, 7 measure after letter T to the end

Bartok:  Concerto for Orchestra, Mvmt IV, measures 42-50

Snare Drum

Prokofiev:  Lt. Kije, Mvmt. I, rehearsal 1-1 to  measure before rehearsal 2

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade, Mvmt. IV, 4 measure before Letter N to 18 measures after Letter N

Xylophone

Gershwin:  Porgy and Bess (opening measures)

Drum Set *

If your intended course of graduate study includes drum set: A big band chart, transcription or published solo. Demonstration of time and soloing in the following styles: medium swing, up-tempo swing, rock, bossa nova, and samba (play-along tracks are preferred). A prepared jazz vibraphone solo or etude is also strongly encouraged.

World Percussion**

If the applicant has any experience with World Percussion (Afro-Cuban hand-drumming, Steel Pan, Brazilian, etc.) a short performance is encouraged.

Prospective DM Percussion candidates who wish to focus only on World Percussion should prepare one etude from "The Language of the Masters" (Spiro/Sher Music-http://www.shermusic.com/1883217881.php) and 2 other solos in contrasting styles; including a hand drumming solo, a stick drumming solo, and must be able to sing one piece in the language of one of their chosen solo areas. The above solos will take the place of the snare drum, timpani, marimba, and solo and orchestral repertoire requirements. General sight-reading at the live audition may be requested.

 *For those graduate students seeking Associate Instructor assistantships, a drum set solo (and experience in drum set instruction) is mandatory.

**Those candidates seeking an Associate Instructor position in the area of World Percussion should include a performance on the World Percussion instrument of their choice.

Prospective DM Percussion candidates who wish to focus only on World Percussion should prepare 3 solos in contrasting styles; including a hand drumming solo, a stick drumming solo, and must be able to sing one piece in the language of one of their chosen solo areas. The above solos will take the place of the snare drum, timpani, marimba, solo and orchestral repertoire requirements. General sight-reading at the live audition may be requested.

*For those DM students seeking Associate Instructor assistantship consideration, a drum set solo (and experience in drum set instruction) is also encouraged but not mandatory.

**Those candidates seeking an Associate Instructor position in the area of World Percussion should include a performance on the World Percussion instrument of their choice or include an etude from "The Language of the Masters" (Spiro/Sher Music-http://www.shermusic.com/1883217881.php)

Special Note: The percussion faculty encourages all potential DM candidates to review the curriculum requirements for this degree program. Information (including specific proficiency requirements and other important information) can be found online at: http://music.indiana.edu/degrees/graduate-diploma/doctoral/index.shtml

Voice

Master of Music in Jazz Studies

The screening recording must include the following:

ü  Two Jazz standards of contrasting tempo and style

ü  One of your choices should come from the Great American Songbook (Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen, Richard Rodgers, etc.)

ü  One of your choices should include vocal improvisation (scat singing)

The prospective student must:

1. Present a minimum of six pieces of jazz repertoire (of your choice):

• blues
• ballad
• swing tune
• bop tune
• Latin tune (preferably in Portuguese)
• scat solo transcription
• one additional tune of your choice, which could be an original composition

Your audition pieces should represent standard forms (AABA, etc.), as well as standard jazz compositions. You will be asked to scat sing on your choice of these pieces.

2. Play piano on one or more of your selections.

3. If you have a "gig" book, please bring it to the audition.

4. Present a jazz repertoire list. This may be the index for your "gig" book.  You may also include a classical repertoire list if you wish.

5. Demonstrate a minimum of one-and-one-half octave range including successful negotiation of the passaggio.

Updated on 09/13/2018