LAST UPDATED: November 23rd, 2022

*Make sure to stay up to date with all Division of Jazz Studies announcements and activities by joining its dedicated standalone Canvas page. *

• Registrar's registration guide for Spring 2023
• Jazz private lesson sections for Spring 2023, including secondary lessons

Jazz Lab Band, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, and Chamber Music Auditions
These auditions serve as placement mechanisms for the Lab Bands, Vocal Jazz Ensembles and Jazz Chamber Music small groups.
All students who plan to play an instrument in a vocal ensemble or jazz lab band must register for the Jazz Lab Band holding section:

• MULB 1808.500 (UGRD) 5174.500 (GRAD)

All students who plan to sing in a vocal jazz ensemble must register for the holding section:

• MULB 1820.5­00 (UGRD) / 5174.522 (GRAD)

All students who plan to play or sing in a jazz small group must register for the Jazz Chamber Music holding section:

• MUCM 3550.500 (UGRD) / 5550.500 (GRAD)

Note: for Sign-Up sheets on OneDrive, you may need to log in with your UNT Email address to access.

*To see ensemble placement results, you must join the Division of Jazz Studies Canvas page. * Email the Administrative Coordinator of Jazz Studies - listed under the "Staff" tab - to be added.

AUDITION INFORMATION BASED ON INSTRUMENT

Bass

Audition Dates: November 17th from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. in MU279 | November 18th 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. in MU279

• Jazz Bass Information Sheet for Placement
• Sign-Up Sheet

Jazz lab auditions take place each semester the week prior to the start of classes. They consist of sight-reading typical big band charts: reading notes, walking bass lines and soloing. Bring both acoustic and electric basses if you play both. Please be prepared to play (instruments out of the case and tuned) ten minutes before your scheduled audition time.

Drum Set

Round 1 (not required for students currently in a lab band): December 9th from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. in MU133 (Prof. Davis' office).

• You will be asked to play 2 unaccompanied charts, 1 prepared and 1 unprepared sight reading.

Round 2: December 10th from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. in MU282 (Lab West)

• Prepared Piece
• Sign-Up Sheet

Guitar

Audition Dates and Location: TBA

Guitarists will perform a live audition before classes begin for ensemble and lesson or master class placement. This will focus on sight reading of both lines and chord changes and improvising. 

Piano

Audition Date: Monday, December 12th in MU272

• Mandatory Info Sheet
• Sign-Up Sheet

Students must arrive at least 10 minutes early to their scheduled time. Auditioning students should be prepared to play and improvise over a jazz standard or original composition of their choosing. 

Saxophone

Audition Dates and Location: Friday, January 13th from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. in MU330

• Sign-Up Sheet

There are several changes this year so please read the following information. The audition will consist of sight-reading different Jazz styles, tempos, time signatures, etc. Students auditioning for JCM will additionally sight-read one Jazz standard for improvisation. During the audition, those improvising will be given an option of three different Jazz standards of varying levels of difficulty to choose from. These will help to determine JCM group placement.

Strings

Email Prof. Tixier (Scott.Tixier@unt.edu) with all inquiries.

Trombone

Audition Date: January 13th in MU107

• Sign-Up Sheet
• Prepared Piece

Auditions will consist of:

• Prepared piece
• Sight reading
• Optional improvisation on a tune of your choice
• For the improvisation segment, students should select from the list of Jazz Chamber Music Audition Tunes listed above. Improvisation is required for those enrolling in Jazz Chamber Music and those who wish to be considered for a "jazz chair" in an upper lab band. Please arrive with enough time to fill out the Lab Band/JCM Audition sheet.
• Jazz majors: This will also be your JCM audition.

Trumpet

Audition Dates and Location: TBA

Auditions will consist of Sight Reading, Improvisation, and a prepared excerpt for lead players. You may perform along with the recording at full speed, at 90% speed or at 80% speed. Please be prepared to play all choruses, if possible. It is HIGHLY recommended (necessary) to practice along with the recording. The sheet music alone does not convey the proper emphasis and feel you will observe by listening to the jazz master. For the improvisation segment, students should select from the list of Jazz Chamber Music Audition Tunes listed at the link. Improvisation is required for those enrolling in Jazz Chamber Music and those who wish to be considered for a "jazz chair" in an upper lab band. Please arrive with enough time to fill out the Lab Band/JCM Audition sheet.

Voice

Please click HERE for all the pertinent information you need regarding vocal jazz ensembles and the audition process as well as a link to the online sign-up form (which also contains a link to the online audition form!)

Rhythm auditions will be by recommendation and placement from studio professors.

ENSEMBLES

Latin Jazz Lab

Audition Information: All students wishing to participate in Latin Lab auditions must complete the regular audition process on their instrument (see listing above). Rhythm auditions will be by recommendation and placement from studio professors. Horn challenge auditions will be heard by Prof. José Aponte with approval from studio professors. 

Zebras Contemporary Ensembles

Audition Materials: Audition tunes will be chosen approximately one week prior to the audition.

Instructions:

• This audition will include keys, bass, drums, and vocalists only. Horns will be assigned based on lab band auditions. 
• This will be an all-play audition, meaning everyone will get together and play as a group. There are no individual auditions, and this process will last approximately two hours.

Guide to Jazz Labs:

The following jazz labs count toward the 8 semester credit hours of music laboratory for undergraduates:

• MULB 1808 - Jazz Lab Band
• MULB 1817 - Jazz Guitar Laboratory
• MULB 1819 - Zebras Contemporary Ensemble (Jazz Keyboard Laboratory)
• MULB 1820 - Jazz Singers Laboratory
• MULB 1821 -  Latin Jazz Lab
• MULB 1821 - Jazz Strings Ensemble

JAZZ CHAMBER MUSIC

This process does not apply to jazz bassists or drummers who will be placed based upon regular audition.

Instrumentalist Placement Audition Guidelines & Form // Vocalist Placement Audition Guidelines & Form 

At the discretion of each professor, improvisation assessments will be made based on a 50-point system, similar to the one below. The final score will affect the following outcomes:

1. Solo Chair Placements for Lab Bands
2. Jazz Chamber Music (JCM) Placements

Higher scores will result in higher Lab Band and JCM placements. 

If you want to be considered for the higher placements, it is recommended that you choose a tune from Level 4 (see below). Be sure you are well prepared.

This process does not apply to jazz bassists or drummers who will be placed based upon regular audition.

There are four categories that will be considered: AGAIN, This process does not apply to jazz bassists or drummers who will be placed based upon regular audition.
1. Sound / Tone | 2. Feel & Time | 3. Harmonic Accuracy | 4. Overall Performance

Categories 1, 2 and 3 will each be rated from 1-10 (a total of 30 points). Category 4 will be on a sliding scale (up to 20 points) based on the difficulty of song selected.
Level 1 songs have a score range from 1-5
Level 3 songs have a score range from 1-15
Level 2 songs have a score range from 1-10
Level 4 songs have a score range from 1-20

Choose only ONE of the following songs. Backing tracks and sheet music available here. Saxophone sheet music is here. 

***A higher level song does not guarantee a higher score. It is recommended that you choose the appropriate level song that highlights your current strengths and abilities.

Ensemble Meeting Schedule