Admissions and Auditions

PRESCREENING VIDEO REQUIREMENTS - DRUM SET AND VIBRAPHONE

All students interested in a live audition must first submit a prescreening video. Please upload these video-recordings through the Getacceptd application portal by the preferred admission deadline for full consideration. You will then be notified if you qualify for an audition.

UNDERGRADUATE DRUM SET JAZZ REQUIREMENTS (upload each selection as a separate video file)

The FIVE playing requirements are as follows:

  • 4/4 Swing Time
    • Demonstrate ability to play time
    • Demonstrate ability to solo
    • May be played using preferred backing track, live band or just solo drums
  • Latin Groove
    • Demonstrate ability to play time
    • Demonstrate ability to solo
    • May be played using preferred backing track, live band or solo drums
    • Choose any preferred Latin groove (samba, salsa, bossa nova, baiao, Afro-Cuban 6/8, etc.)
  • One selection of your choice, any style playing either solo drums, with a backing track or with a live band
    • This selection should be something that you feel demonstrates your best playing.
    • High School performances, gigs, solo drums or home sessions are all acceptable. 
  • One rudimental or orchestral snare solo
    • Recommended (not required) books for finding a snare solo to play include:
      • Modern Swing Solos (Charlie Wilcoxon)
      • 14 Modern Contest Solos (John S. Pratt)
      • Intermediate Snare Drum Studies (Mitchel Peters)
  • One mallet solo on either vibes or marimba (if you have no mallet experience, you may choose to omit this from your video though it is strongly recommended to try to play something)
    • Solo may be either a jazz melody or classical composition
    • Recommended books for finding a mallet solo to play include:
      • The Real Book
      • Mallets for Drummers (Lynn Glassrock)
      • Modern School for Xylophone, Marimba and Vibraphone (Morris Goldenberg)
      • Marimba: Technique Through Music (Mark Ford)

Your videos should have decent sound quality and clearly display your full body either from the front or side, but they do not need to be high-quality videos. A professional studio recording is not essential and does not lead to a higher score.

 

GRADUATE DRUM SET JAZZ REQUIREMENTS

  • Upload each song as a separate video file.
  • Must include at least FIVE selections played in a small group setting, including:
     
    • 1 up tempo 4/4 swing at ♩=300bpm+
    • 1 Brazilian samba at ♩=240bpm+
    • 1 medium tempo 4/4 swing with brushes and sticks
    • 1 odd meter song in either 5, 7 or 9
    • 1 song in a common Cuban style (songo, mambo, timba, etc.)
  • You must solo on each selection.
    •     Demonstrate ability to solo over a song form unaccompanied, as well as the ability to trade (4s, 8s, 12s). You do not need to demonstrate both skills together on every song.
  • A live rhythm section or a drummer-less backing track may be used.

Your videos should have decent sound quality and clearly display your full body either from the front or side, but they do not need to be high-quality videos. A professional studio recording is not essential and does not lead to higher score.

 

JAZZ VIBRAPHONE AUDITION (Undergraduate/Graduate)

  • Perform a published solo vibraphone etude or a standard jazz ballad chord solo.
  • Play melody and improvise at least 2 choruses on a medium tempo jazz standard (swing or bossa nova) performed to a pre-recorded track (Jamey Aebersold or an equivalent)
  • Snare Drum: One rudimental and/or orchestral snare solo/etude; rolls, flams, and associated rudiments
  • Drum Set: One medium tempo swing song in 4/4 performed with a live band, drummer-less track or solo demonstrating time playing

 

LIVE & REMOTE AUDITION REQUIREMENTS - DRUM SET AND VIBRAPHONE

 

UNDERGRADUATE DRUM SET AUDITIONS (Please direct all questions regarding the drum set and vibraphone portion of your audition to Professor Quincy Davis. All questions regarding the mallet portion (not vibraphone) of the audition should be directed to Professor Mark Ford. Click here for more general information regarding all percussion auditions.)

 

LIVE DRUM SET AUDITION

Your audition will involve:

  • Playing an open and closed roll from piano to forte on the snare drum
  • Sight-reading big band and/or snare music
  • Performance of two play along tracks that will be provided upon passing the prescreening portion of the audition
  • Demonstration of ability to play Brazilian samba groove and solo at half note = 100
  • Rhythm exercise
  • Short interview
  • Marimba/Vibes: You will be asked to demonstrate ability to play basic scales and arpeggios. If you chose not to include a mallet solo in your prescreen video, you will be asked to play your mallet solo during this portion of your audition.

 

REMOTE DRUM SET AUDITIONS We prefer that you audition in person, especially for scholarship consideration.

Your audition will involve:

  • Playing an open and closed roll from piano to forte on the snare drum
  • Sight-reading big band and/or snare music
  • Performance of two play along tracks that will provided upon passing the prescreening
  • Rhythm exercise
  • Short interview
  • Marimba/Vibes: Your prescreen mallet solo will be used to determine your mallet proficiency.

 

UNDERGRADUATE JAZZ VIBRAPHONE AUDITION

  • Perform a published solo vibraphone etude or a standard jazz ballad chord solo.
  • Play melody and improvise at least 2 choruses on a medium tempo jazz standard (swing or bossa nova) performed to a pre-recorded track (Jamey Aebersold or an equivalent)
  • Snare Drum: One rudimental and/or orchestral snare solo/etude; rolls, flams, and associated rudiments
  • Drum Set: One medium tempo swing song in 4/4 performed with a drummer-less track demonstrating time playing
  • Sight-Reading
     

 

GRADUATE DRUM SET AUDITIONS (No remote auditions will be accepted for graduate auditions unless you are an international student.)

  • Playing rudiments
  • Sight-reading two or three big band-like charts
  • Playing melodies and grooves using sticks and brushes in a variety of styles (swing, bossa nova, salsa, samba, odd meters, etc.) and tempos without accompaniment
  • Soloing in a variety of different styles and grooves
  • Playing with drummer-less tracks
  • Demonstrating at least perfunctory understanding of harmony on the piano either by playing basic scales, chords, jazz melodies, soloing over chord changes or playing a fully prepared composition.
  • Short interview
                              

 

JAZZ VIBRAPHONE AUDITION

  • Perform a published solo vibraphone etude or a standard jazz ballad chord solo.
  • Play melody and improvise at least 2 choruses on a medium tempo jazz standard (swing or bossa nova) performed to a pre-recorded track (Jamey Aebersold or an equivalent)
  • Snare Drum: One rudimental and/or orchestral snare solo/etude; rolls, flams, and associated rudiments
  • Drum Set: One medium tempo swing song in 4/4 performed with a drummer-less track demonstrating time playing
  • Sight-Reading
Top