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The JAZZ AUDITION OPEN REHEARSAL -- Tuesday,
September 15, 2009. Anyone interested in auditioning for
either of the two Wayland Middle School jazz group should
plan on coming to the open rehearsal. We will go over the music
in detail so that you will know exactly how to practice it
and we will go over all of the other audition requirements.
Auditions begin Monday, September 21. Jazz Band auditions
are Monday, Sept. 21 - Friday, Sept. 25. Students auditioning for only Stage Band, audtions run
from Monday, September 21 - Wednesday, Sept. 30. If you audition for Jazz Band and don't make it, but play well enough to be in Stage Band, you will automatically be placed in Stage Band; you don't have to audition a second time.
- Anyone on any instrument (yes, including strings!) may play in Stage Band if you are skilled enough.
- Jazz Band instrumentation is the standard "Big Band" instrumentation that the charts are written for: alto, tenor & bari sax, trumpet, trombone, rhythm section: piano, drumset (must read music), upright bass (bass guitar is used occasionaly, but the student must play upright), and sometimes we use guitar and/or vibes.
- Stage band
will have auditions in the fall, and then again in December, right after our concert, and new members may join at that time.
- Jazz band has auditions only once and the list is final as of the end of fall auditions; we do not add students later in the year.
- Students in Stage Band last year do NOT need to audition for stage band the next year (but do pick up the music and practice it so you aren't behind the others!).
- Eighth graders may be in Stage Band without auditioning.
- Everyone interested in jazz band must audition - there are no carry-overs from prior years and no one is guaranteed a seat. Priority will be given to former members, assuming they prepared for the audition and didn't just blow it off.
THE FIRST JAZZ BAND REHEARSAL will be Tuesday,
September 29 from 2:30-3:30. Rehearsals are Tuesdays,
2:30-3:30, and Friday mornings from 6:45-7:30.
THE FIRST STAGE BAND REHEARSAL will be Thursday
morning, October 1. Rehearsals are either Mondays from
2:30-3:15 OR on some weeks we meet on Thursday
mornings, from 6:45-7:30 instead of the Monday. A schedule
will be given out and is posted on the website. (The first
Monday of the month is a faculty meeting & we always
move to Thursday AM on those weeks. We also rehearse on
Thursday morning for weeks where there is no school on Monday.)
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Drum set auditions are 20 minutes; all others are 10
minutes.
AUDITION REQUIREMENTS (Specifics to be announced in the fall - what is here will give you a sense of what you might need to do. Scale requirements and snare roll requirements will not change, only the audition piece(s).
Winds, Piano, Guitar and Bass:
- Chromatic
scale, one octave, memorized
- Scales and Arpeggios in two
keys, memorized (those auditioning for jazz band: 4
keys)
- Assigned audition piece: (Ben's Blues) learn the following sections: -- beginning to 49--
This tune is swing and a fairly slow, laid back tempo. Set your metronome for about 100. Dyanmics, accents and accurate rhythms are tricky and VERY important to having a successful audition! Be careful!! If you have the section with the three quarter notes per measure, don’t blow that off! Practice with a metronome to keep the slow tempo! Count: 1 a2 a3 (a4 )
- Watch staccatos, accents, dynamics!!!! Details matter
A LOT!!!!!!!!
- Sight-Reading (a short section of music in swing
style)
- Auditioning for Jazz Band? You must also learn (Take the "A" Train) from --Beginning to beat one of 31--
- Hints on the piece: This is a swing tune, tempo (132-144). Get dynamics, accents, etc. (both written and implied), COUNT! Download a couple of different arrangements and listen to it to get style and tempo - the original is by Duke Ellington.
Drum Set:
- long snare roll - steady and unwavering
- long snare roll - crescendo for 16 beats, decrescendo
for 16 beat ppp - fff - ppp. Get
earthshakingly loud and so soft it almost disappears.
(CONTROL!)
- Assigned audition piece: (Ben's Blues) (moderate swing tempo) learn the following sections: --the whole piece-- (there is lots of repetition)
This tune is swing and a fairly slow, laid back tempo. Set your metronome for about 100. Pay attention to dynamics and accents - details are important!!! You do not necessarily have to play exactly what is written, but play in the style of the piece - I will be most impressed if I see an understanding of what is likely to be happening in the rest of the band, and hits or fills that fit the style, rather than what is on the page. BUT, watch for the rhythms that are written in and be sure to play them somewhere.
- Sight-reading (I will be looking for stability of the
beat, correct rhythm reading in the horn cues and being
able to come in on the downbeat after a fill).
- Improvisation (You will be asked to listen to a tape
of a jazz ballad and then play along with the tape. You
will hear the tape three times: two for listening and
practice and one for your performance. I will be looking
for stability of beat & playing that fits with the
ballad style.
- Auditioning for Jazz Band? You must also learn (Take the "A" Train) --from (beginning to beat one of 39). Swing, tempo 132-144. Again, watch for the written rhythms. Stay off the bass drum! Listen to a Duke Ellington version of the piece.
HINTS...
- Sign up for your audition time immediately after the
open rehearsal.
- Come to the open rehearsal! That's where you will learn what I am looking for!!
- No show for your audition - no jazz group for you!!!
I will not be reminding you. This is a test of your
responsibility!
- Check the audition sheets to see what I am looking
for in your playing.
- If you need help, ask! You don't have to prepare
alone!
- Don't forget the arpeggios as well as the
scales!!!!
GOOD LUCK!!!!!
ARPEGGIO
The arpeggio is 1 3 5 1 5 3 1
of the scale. If the scale is C major:
C D E F G A B C, then the C major arpeggio is: C E G C G
E C
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 ------------------------------------ 1 3 5 1(high) 5 3 1
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