Jazz Placement Auditions
Everyone is encouraged to audition (music majors and non music majors).
Rhythm Section Auditions (guitar, piano, bass, and drums)
Prepared piece is “Mohawk” (pdf’s available in treble clef or bass clef)
OSU Jazz rhythm section auditions will occur on Monday, August 19 at 12:30pm in the Seretean Concert Hall. For this audition, I will hear you play in combo format. There is no signup sheet for the rhythm section auditions. Everyone please arrive promptly at 12:30pm with your lead sheet for “Mohawk”. If you want to play in a big band or combo, you must attend this audition.
Drummers: Drums and cymbals will be set up for you so that all you have to do is show up. We will also take care of teardown. You’ll just need to bring your lead sheet for “Mohawk” and your sticks and brushes (if you also have brushes).
Bassists: A bass amp will be set up for you. You will need to bring your bass, instrument cable, and lead sheet for “Mohawk” (bass clef version of Mohawk).
Guitarists: A guitar amp will be set up for you. You will need to bring your guitar, instrument cable, and lead sheet for “Mohawk” (treble clef version of Mohawk).
Pianists: A Steinway grand piano will be set up for you.You will only need to bring your lead sheet for “Mohawk” (treble clef version of Mohawk).
Piano, Guitar, Bass, and Drums auditions will all use “Mohawk” as the prepared excerpt. This Charlie Parker tune is a twelve bar blues in Bb. Click here for a recording. Piano, guitar, and bass will play the melody in unison for two choruses, then comp and improvise over the chords for “Mohawk” (12-bar blues in Bb) for the remaining choruses. There is a pdf in bass clef as well as one in treble clef. Drummers can play time (swing) for the entirety of this portion of the audition.
In addition to “Mohawk”, you will be given a short section of a big band chart to sight read.
Jazz Saxophone Auditions
Jazz saxophone auditions will occur Monday, August 19, 7pm-8:30pm in my office (SCPA 109). I will hear you individually on your main saxophone. Doubling on flute and/or clarinet is encouraged though not required. I will have a piece ready for you to sight read on flute and/or clarinet if you want to play flute and/or clarinet. Improvising is also encouraged though not required. For those wanting to improvise at the audition, I will have a stereo system ready to play any song from the iRealPro jazz standard library. In addition to the prepared piece, you will be given a short piece to sight read. I will post a signup sheet on the bulletin board (cork board) next to the Band Room (SCPA 118) in early August; I will email you when it’s posted so that you can come by and sign up for an audition time slot at your convenience.
Jazz Trumpet Auditions
Jazz trumpet auditions will occur on
Wednesday,
August 21 starting at 7pm in the
Choir Room (SCPA 123). I will hear you individually for approximately five minutes. Please prepare the
trumpet excerpt for your audition. You will also be given a short piece to sight read. Improvising is also encouraged though not required. For those wanting to improvise at the audition, I will have a stereo system ready to play any song from the iRealPro jazz standard library. I will post a
signup sheet on the bulletin board (cork board) next to the Band Room (SCPA 118) in early August; I will email you when it’s posted so that you can come by and sign up for an audition time slot at your convenience.
Jazz Trombone Auditions
Bass trombone excerpt
Jazz trombone auditions will occur on
Wednesday,
August 21 starting at 8pm in the
Choir Room (SCPA 123). I will hear you individually for approximately five minutes. Please prepare the
tenor trombone excerpt or
bass trombone excerpt for your audition. You will also be given a short piece to sight read. Improvising is also encouraged though not required. For those wanting to improvise at the audition, I will have a stereo system ready to play any song from the iRealPro jazz standard library. I will post a
signup sheet on the bulletin board (cork board) next to the Band Room (SCPA 118) in early August; I will email you when it’s posted so that you can come by and sign up for an audition time slot at your convenience.
Jazz Orchestra; JAZZ 3610/5610 (CRN 69968 undergraduate / 69973 graduate) meets MWF 12:30-1:20 in SCPA 125.
Jazz Ensemble; JAZZ 3620/5620 (CRN 69969 undergraduate / 69974 graduate) meets MWF 11:30-12:20 in SCPA 118.
Jazz Combo; JAZZ 4600/5600 (CRN 69970 undergraduate / 69972 graduate) meeting times to be determined. Combos meets twice weekly for one hour. Using the past two years as a guide, usually one of those combo rehearsals is on a Thursday evening.
First rehearsals for both Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble will occur Friday, August 23.
Jazz Combos
If you would like to play in a jazz combo, you will need to attend the Combo Meeting on August 22 at 7pm in the Band Room (SCPA 118). Please bring your class schedules with you as we will be arranging meeting times. Please be prepared to be flexible in terms of scheduling. Jazz Combos will begin rehearsing during the second week of classes.
Jazz Theory I
If you would like to learn how to improvise jazz, consider registering for JAZZ 4002/5002 Jazz Theory I (section 66600 undergraduate / 66400 graduate). Offered every fall semester.
Jazz Lessons
For jazz wind instrument private lessons with Dr. Tommy Poole (sax, trumpet, trombone, etc), JAZZ 3010 (CRN 68564 trumpet/sax; CRN 68566 trombone)
For jazz bass private lessons with Dr. Jack Helsley, JAZZ 3010 (CRN 68569)
For guitar private lessons with Prof. Brian Belanus, JAZZ 3010 (CRN 68568)
For jazz drums private lessons with Prof. Bill Repavich, JAZZ 3010 (CRN 68570)
For jazz mallet private lessons with Dr. Howard Potter, JAZZ 3010 (CRN 68565)
