Division Information | Jazz Bands Audition Procedures

JAZZ BANDS
SENIOR LEVEL AUDITION PROCEDURES

These audition procedures are provided to help ensure that the methods of evaluating Jazz Band Selectees are effective and consistent throughout the State. These guidelines should be followed for both District and All-State Jazz auditions. It is important that the District Presidents, Jazz Division District Representative, Audition Chairperson, and all Auditioners are familiar with these procedures. The audition will consist of four parts, with a total of 100 Points possible:

1) required selections
2) sight-reading
3) improvisation
4) stylistic accuracy - tone quality - intonation

Electronic Devices Prohibited: The student use of all electronic and/or mechanical devices to include, but not limited to, metronomes, tuners, cell phones, and audio/video recording devices is prohibited in all IMEA audition rooms.

The purpose of the audition is to determine proper seating order in the sections. If there is more than one Jazz Band to be selected, put the best players in the top band; DO NOT attempt to make the bands equal.

The suggested point spread for each category is:
Excellent, 8-10; Good, 6-7; Fair, 4-5; Poor, 0-3.

The final score should be totaled, and the Auditioner must then enter the student’s rank within his section of like instruments. The Auditioner must sign and date the Audition Form.

Please note the district and state auditions will include the following material, but there may be additional audition material in some districts. Please check your IMEA district website to see if there are any additional jazz audition procedures that are required by your district.

JAZZ WINDS AUDITION PROCEDURES:

1) Required Selection - 40 Points possible (10 per category):

A) Pick three excerpts to have the student play, preferably from the 1st part. If the student wants to audition on a lower part, they may do so.
B) The Adjudicator will evaluate: part accuracy (10); technical facility (10); rhythmic accuracy (10); interpretation (10).

2) Sight-reading - 10 Points possible:

A) A special sight-reading sheet will be given to each Adjudicator at the time of the audition. This sheet will be previously prepared by the Jazz Division Vice President or their designee. In order not to compromise the sight-reading test, this material will be a controlled item and will not be distributed to the Adjudicators until the time of the auditions.
B) Correct jazz style, as well as rhythmic accuracy, should be judged.

3) Improvisation - 20 Points possible:

A) Use Jamey Aebersold Jazz, Inc., Vol. I, Track 8, Blues in F.
B) A good quality record, tape or CD player is essential!
C) Let each student play two or three choruses.
D) Do NOT use student rhythm section for improvisation audition.

E) At the All-State, students will have the opportunity to solo over Bb rhythmn changes in an effort to pick the top soloists for the combo.  For these rhythm changes we will use the Jamey Aebersold Book, # 47, Track # 13.  This is an optional portion of the audition and left to the discretion of the auditioner and performer.

4) Stylistic Accuracy, Tone Quality and Intonation - 30 Points possible (10 per category):

A) Enter scores for these categories last, after hearing all other parts of the audition.

JAZZ RHYTHM PROCEDURES:  (Recent Changes in RED)

At the District level, all rhythm instruments should audition separately and not as a part of a small combo of rhythm instruments. At the All-State, all rhythmn instruments will audition together, playing the required piece, sight-reading, a blues "head" or progression and rhythmn changes in Bb if they desire.  It would be best to have a qualified judge for each of the different rhythm instruments, rather than one person to judge all of them. All of the audition procedures listed for Jazz Winds will also apply to Jazz Rhythm instruments, with these exceptions:

PIANO and BASS:

1) Required Selection - 40 Points possible

2) Sight-reading - 10 Points possible

• Include both written out part and chord symbol parts.

3) Improvisation - 20 Points possible:

• Pianists should play self-accompanied solos, blues progression in the keys of Bb and F.  Bass players should also play alone.  Players interested in auditioning for the All-State Honors Jazz Combo should be prepared to play rhythm changes as explained in "E" under jazz winds above.  This is an optional portion of the audition and is left to the discretion of the auditioner and the student.

4) Stylistic Accuracy - 10 Points possible (to be judged on the total overall audition)

5) Rhythmic Stability - 20 Points possible (to be judged on the total overall audition)

GUITAR and VIBES:

1) Required Selection - 40 Points possible

2) Sight-reading - 10 Points possible:

• Include both written out parts and chord symbol parts.

3) Improvisation - 20 Points possible:

• Guitar and Vibes should follow the same procedure as Jazz Winds.

4) Stylistic Accuracy - 10 Points possible (to be judged on the total overall audition)

5) Rhythmic Stability - 20 Points possible (to be judged on the total overall audition)

• Demonstrate ability to comp. in swing and rock styles

DRUMS:

1) Required Selection - 40 Points possible:

2) Sight-reading - 10 Points possible:

• Test will include at least two styles: Swing, Rock, Latin

3) Improvisation - 20 Points possible:

• Demonstrate improvisational ability by playing a medium fast, swing drum solo in a 12 bar blues format.  The student should play four measures of swing followed by four measures of solo, going through at least two choruses.

4) Stylistic Accuracy - 10 Points possible (to be judged on the total overall audition)

5) Rhythmic Stability - 20 Points possible (5 points per style)

• Demonstrate: (1) swing (fast and slow), (2) Latin (samba and bossa), (3) brushes (medium swing and ballads) and (4) funk

State Jazz Division Vice President 
Craig Roselieb
Downers Grove South High School
1436 Norfolk
Downers Grove, IL 60516
(630)795-8693
Fax: (630)795-7610
croselieb@csd99.org

Illinois Music Educators Association / 18700 Wolf Road, Suite 208 / Mokena, IL 60448-8603
Telephone: (708)479-4000 / Fax: (708)479-5638 / stateoffice@ilmea.org