Fall 2020 Ensemble Auditions

• Singers should prepare two songs or arias, contrasting in style and language; we ask that you provide at least one selection in Italian (with a preference for Mozart); arias from Cosi fan tutte are allowed and encouraged; selections from the Baroque operatic repertoire are encouraged.
• Please use a recorded accompaniment; if you already have a pianist for your lessons, you may ask them to record the accompaniment for your audition (please remember that this is at your own expense) there are several good resources out there for accompaniments, such as Appcompanist (https://www.appcompanist.com/)
• If you are performing one of the arias from Cosi fan tutte, which we encourage, Dr. Rothmel will be preparing accompaniment tracks; you can access those on OneDrive at this link, posted by July 31.
• Callbacks for Cosi fan tutte will be held on Monday, August 31 at 4:30pm.
• For more information on opera auditions, contact Brian Luedloff, by phone at 970.351.2330, or the School of Music Office at 970-351-2993

Auditions are open to all students, not only jazz studies majors. If you are interested in exploring jazz music, we hope you will audition.

Audition Submission Checklist

1. read detailed info on this sheet
2. download audition materials here
3. record the Prepared Piece
4. record the Melody/Improv or Drum Styles & Form Study (if you are choosing to or required to include this)
5. Submit Audition

We are planning to facilitate physically-distanced, in-person ensemble rehearsals (likely with hybrid/remote components as well). Our auditions this year will be done via audio recording. The audio quality of submissions will not affect evaluation, and any simple recording device (even your phone) will suffice. Submissions will be accepted August 10-19, and we appreciate early submissions, since we need extra time this year to organize groups. If this timeframe is not possible for you for any reason, please contact erik.applegate@unco.edu or any other jazz faculty member and we will try to work with you!

Audition submissions will be automatically assigned a number, and the initial evaluations will be done in a “behind-the-screen” fashion where the evaluators see no identifying information. No video recordings, and please do not speak or identify yourself during your audition recordings. If you have any questions about the audition components, submission, or etc. or have any problems completing or submitting the audition, please reach out to erik.applegate@unco.edu or to any other jazz faculty member.

Audition Materials

Components of the audition:

Prepared Piece

• There are audition etudes for Alto, Tenor and Bari Sax; Lead and Section Trumpet; Lead, Section, and Bass Trombone; Guitar; Piano; Bass; and Drums. Etudes for the saxophones also include short excerpts for woodwind doubles (these are optional, but please include them if you play these instruments). Saxophonists who wish to be considered on a second (or third) saxophone may submit multiple auditions by completing and submitting a full audition for each instrument separately. Players of other instruments may either select from the etudes above or perform any excerpt of any style of music (1-2 minutes) that showcases their playing. If you choose this, please also include one scale of your choice (2- or 3- octave, ascending and descending).

Melody/Improv (for all but drums; drums please see below)

• This is not required for those who are only auditioning for Large Ensembles (Big Bands, etc.), however, if you are comfortable including this, please do so. This component is required for jazz studies majors and for anyone auditioning for small ensembles (combos).
• Select one of these songs:
  • Moment’s Notice (Aebersold vol 38)
  • On Green Dolphin Street (Aebersold vol 34- in Eb, has a 4-bar intro)
  • Stablemates (Aebersold vol 14)
  • Bb Rhythm Changes (Aebersold vol 65 “Oleo”)
    • (Play any melody of your choice: Moose the Mooch, Oleo, etc.)
  • F Blues (Aebersold vol 42)
• For all but Guitar, Piano and Bass:
  • Performing with one of the backing tracks provided, play the melody, then solo for 3-4 choruses, then begin the melody again (it is not necessary to play the melody in full after your solo).
• For Piano and Guitar:
  • Performing with one of the backing tracks provided, play the melody, then comp for one chorus, then play a solo for 2-3 choruses, then begin the melody again (it is not necessary to play the melody in full after your solo). Please try to remove the piano part from the backing track (on Aebersold tracks, this is done using a balance or pan feature).
• For Bass:
  • Performing with one of the backing tracks provided, play the melody, then walk for one chorus, then play a solo for 2-3 choruses, then begin the melody again (it is not necessary to play the melody in full after your solo). Please try to remove the bass part from the backing track (on Aebersold tracks, this is done using a balance or pan feature).

For Drums: Styles and Form Study (Required for all drum auditions)

• Record these on (or edit and compile onto) one audio track
  • Styles:
    • Demonstrate the following styles, alternating 8 bars of time followed by 8 bars of solo. Please play each exchange through 4xs, for a total of 64 bars.
    • Up-tempo swing---half note = 120 bpm
    • Samba---half note = 100 bpm
    • 3/4 jazz waltz--- quarter note = 180 bpm
    • 4/4 swing---tempo-quarter note = 130 bpm (Please only trade “4’s” on this one for a total of 32 bars)
  • Form Study:
    • Consider the following tune form, which consists of 10 bars up-tempo Latin feel followed by 8 bars swing. This 18-bar sequence equals 1 chorus. Play 1 chorus of time, followed by a chorus of solo and continue trading this format for a total of 4 choruses. Play at half note = 110 bpm. * Please use a metronome to get tempos for each of the above, but please do not play with it when performing the audition. We want to hear your time. Thanks! We look

Auditions are open to all students, not only jazz studies majors. In addition to vocalists, students who are primarily instrumentalists are welcome to audition. If you are interested in exploring jazz music and other styles, we hope you will audition. 

Audition Submission Checklist

1. Download audition materials
2. record the Prepared Piece #1
3. record the Prepared Piece #2 (optional)
4. record the Vocal Warm-up #1
5. record the Vocal Warm-up #2
6. record the Bb Blues scat solo (optional)
7. Submit Audition

• Our auditions this year will be done via audio recording. The audio quality of submissions will not affect evaluation, and any simple recording device (even your phone) will suffice.
• Submissions will be accepted August 10-19, and we appreciate early submissions, since we need extra time this year to organize groups. If this timeframe is not possible for you for any reason, please contact erik.applegate@unco.edu or any other jazz faculty member and we will try to work with you!
• Vocal jazz ensembles this fall will be remote/virtual (at least much of the time). While it might be helpful, no special audio equipment is required in order to participate. We are hoping that these groups will provide some “studio-singing” type of experience this year.
• Audition submissions will be automatically assigned a number, and the initial evaluations will be done in a “behind-the-screen” fashion where the evaluators have no identifying information. No video recordings, and please do not speak or identify yourself during your audition recordings.
• If you have any questions about the audition components, submission, or etc. or have any problems completing or submitting the audition, please feel free to reach out to erik.applegate@unco.edu or to any other jazz faculty member.

Audition Materials

Components of the audition:

1. Prepared Piece #1 (required) - Our Love is Here to Stay - Pickup to Letter B (m. 24) to top of page 5 (m. 42)
   • Record yourself singing along with the audio track, then sing the excerpt A Cappella (record back-to-back on one audio track).
2. Prepared Piece #2 (optional, but recommended). Strasbourg St. Denis - Letter G and H (mm. 45-60).
   • Record yourself singing along with the audio track, then sing the excerpt A Cappella (record back-to-back on one audio track).
3.  Vocal Warm-up #1 (required)
   • Record yourself singing along with the backing track.
4. Vocal Warm-up #2 (required)
   • Record yourself singing along with the backing track.
5.  Improv (optional)
   • Using the backing track provided (or one of your own- iRealPro, etc.) record yourself singing a few choruses of a scat solo.

 Please record the components as separate audio tracks.
  

Submit Audition