• Must be able to play at least 4 scales in any key (major, minor, chromatic, 2 octaves when possible)

• Prepare one 12-bar blue head (melody) and improvise on the chord changes chosen from:

  • “Billie’s Bounce”

  • “Straight No Chaser”

  • “Tenor Madness”

  • “Isotope”

  • or any other jazz standard tune.

• Prepare the melody to one jazz standard ballad and improvise at least one chorus on the changes chosen from:

  • “Misty”

  • “Body and Soul”

  • “Lover Man”

  • or “I Can’t Get Started”

• Prepare the melody to the jazz standard “All The Things You Are” and improvise at least one chorus on the changes.

• Prepare the melody to the jazz standard '“Oleo” and improvise at least one chorus on the changes.

• Selected scales in any key (major, minor, chromatic, 2 octaves when possible).

• One prepared piece of your choice (solo transcription, jazz etude, classical solo piece or etude).

• Choose one of the following blues compositions (or similar tune), perform the melody twice, and improvise a solo with a backing track (* denotes concert key):

  • “Tenor Madness” (*Bb)

  • “Sandu” (*Eb)

  • “Au Privave” (*F)

  • or “Billie’s Bounce” (*F)

• Improvise over a standard tune, jazz classic, or a tune of your choice with a backing track.

• Scales — Major scales in all keys, 2 octaves when possible

• Blues in F; Melody plus two improvised choruses — choose one:

  • “Billie’s Bounce”

  • or “Now’s The Time”

• Standard; Melody plus two improvised choruses — choose one:

  • “Autumn Leaves” (Gm)

  • “Caravan” (Fm)

  • “Satin Doll"“ (C)

  • “Oleo” (Bb “rhythm changes”)

  • or any standard jazz tune.

• Technique: Major scales, arco in all keys. For recorded auditions, please prepare 2-3 keys.

• Tunes: Two pieces from contrasting jazz styles, one of which is a be-bop tune. Demonstrate a personal interpretation of the melody, an improvised solo, several choruses of walking bass.

  • Suggestions for Be-bop tunes include:

    • “Au Privave”

    • “Billie’s Bounce”

    • “Tricotism”

    • and “Joy Spring”

  • Suggestions for non-Bebop tunes include:

    • “Autumn Leaves”

    • “I’m Old Fashioned”

    • “Beatrice”

    • “Dolphin Dance”

    • and “Ceora”

Oleo (by Sonny Rollins) — Perform as follows: quarter note = 200-250 bpm

• Chorus 1: interpret melody over drums (w/ Hi-Hat on 2 & 4 throughout)

• Chorus 2: Play Time (Samba feel on B-section)

• Chorus 3: Improvised solo (Samba feel on B-section)

• Chorus 4: Interpret melody over drums (w/ Hi-Hay on 2 & 4 throughout)

NOTE: Perform each of the following styles for approximately one minute. A demonstration trading 4-bar, 8-bar, 12-bar, improvised solo phrases will be requested as well.

1. Funk (1/4 note = 100-150 bpm)

2. Samba (1/2 note = 100-125 bpm)

3. Bossa Nova (1/4 note = 150 bpm)

4. Mambo (1/4 note = 175-185 bpm)

5. Afro-Cuban 6/8 (dotted-1/4 note = 135-145 bpm)

Additional Skills:

• Brush technique

• Waltz and odd meter performance (5/4 & 7/4)

• Repertoire Knowledge

• Sight reading drumset

• Display abilities to comp with voicing and rhythms idiomatic to jazz.

• Play the melody, comp, and improvise over a blues in the key of F (five to six choruses) at mm. 160-180.

• Play the melody, comp, and improvise over a non-blues piece of your choice from the standard jazz repertoire:

  • “Autumn Leaves'“

  • “Satin Doll”

  • “My Romance,” etc.

• Perform a prepared piece of your choosing or a transcription. This can be a solo piece, a jazz audition étude, or a jazz ensemble part.

• Applicants may also be asked to sign-read during the audition.