JAZZ

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Jazz Studies Auditions

Students who play traditional jazz instruments, Trumpet, Saxophone, Trombone, Guitar, Piano, Bass, and Drumset, can audition for admission into the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program at Western Illinois University.  Please see below for audition criteria that is specific to Jazz Studies.

Audition Materials and Requirements

LITERATURE

Students must perform Confirmation and prepare 3 other tunes in contrasting styles and tempos from memory.  Play the melody in a jazz style and improvise over the harmony. Literature should be chosen from the standard jazz repertoire. Possible choices include the following selections:

  • All The Things You Are
  • A Night In Tunisia
  • Blues for Alice
  • Cherokee
  • Confirmation
  • Daahoud
  • Donna Lee
  • Giant Steps
  • Have You Met Miss Jones
  • I'll Remember April
  • Billie’s Bounce
  • Joy Spring
  • Invitation
  • Recorda Me
  • Once I Loved
  • Darn That Dream
  • My One and Only Love

TRANSCRIPTION - REQUIRED

Students should perform a memorized transcription from an artist in the jazz tradition and perform the solo with the recording.

RHYTHM SECTION

DRUMS

STYLES

Drum set players should demonstrate playing time in several contrasting styles, all in 4/4.  Among these need to be:

  • Slow swing
  • Medium swing
  • Fast swing
  • Ballad playing with brushes
  • Bossa nova
  • Samba
  • 12/8 Afro Cuban
  • Funk

Also include a jazz waltz feel at medium tempo.

Additional styles than those listed above are welcome, but not required.  For example: Latin songo, ECM straight 8th, etc.

Within a medium or fast swing tempo (4/4), demonstrate soloing by trading 8 bar phrases: 8 bars of time, 8 bars of solo, 8 bars of time, 8 bars of solo for a minimum of two 32 bar choruses

TRANSCRIPTION - REQUIRED

Students should perform a memorized transcription from an artist in the jazz tradition and perform the solo with the recording.

  1. Bass

    ADDITIONAL SKILLS
    In addition to the above, bassists should demonstrate bass lines in a style appropriate for their literature choices, 4/4 walking lines for swing tunes, straight 8th bass lines for tunes in Latin styles.

  2. Piano/Guitar

    ADDITIONAL SKILLS

    In addition to the above, pianists and guitarists should demonstrate comping in a style appropriate for their literature choice

SIGHT READING

All students will be asked to sight-read a selection.  Rhythm section instruments may be asked to comp and/or walk changes as well.