Spring 2022 Ensemble Auditions

UNC Ensembles are open to students of all majors. Click on the links below to find more information about the audition requirements and to schedule an audition for the Spring 2022 semester. 

 

To make changes to your scheduled audition, log in to the online scheduling portal.

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Woodwinds & Brass

Auditions for Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble & UNC Symphony Orchestra Winds

 

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Percussion

Audition Requirements

• Perform a solo, etude or orchestral excerpt on snare drum, mallets, and timpani
• Instruments will be provided
• Please be early to your scheduled audition and mainting social distancing at all times
• All students interested in playing percussion in Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, and the UNC Symphony Orchestra must audition
• Only students not enrolled in the percussion studio will need to audition for Percussion Ensemble

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Piano

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UNC Symphony Orchestra Strings

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UNC Choirs

See below for important information regarding choral auditions.

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 Opera

Audition Requirements

Two arias or songs, one of which should be in English.

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Instrumental Jazz

Instrumental Jazz Audition Information

• Instrumental Jazz Ensembles

  Instrumental Jazz Ensembles

  Lab Bands (big bands)

  • Meet MW or MWF 11:15-12:05 or MW or MWF 1:25-2:15
  • Directors: Lab I- Dana Landry, Lab II- Jim White, Lab III- Shawn Williams

  Bop Shop (focused instruction and practice on standard jazz repertoire and styles):

  • Meets MW 1:25-2:15

  Funk/Soul Band

  • Meets MW 1:25-2:15

  Small Groups (jazz combos)

  • Meet together for Combo Forum Wednesdays 12:20-1:10*
    • this can be waived if your instrumental studio class meets at this time
  • Rehearsal time: organized around members’ schedules- 75 minutes once a week*

  *Vanguard and Birdland meet Tuesdays at 11:00-12:15

• Audition Checklist

  Audition Checklist

  1. Review the Audition information
  2. Download the Audition Materials
  3. record the Prepared Piece
  4. record the Melody/Improv or Drum Styles & Form Study
     • (if you are choosing to, or are required to, include this)
  5. Submit Audition Submission Form & Upload your audio files

  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 Components

  Audition Components

  1) Prepared Piece (required for all auditions)

  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. Trumpet and Trombone players who wish to be considered for section positions in addition to lead and/or bass chairs may submit a full audition for each instrument separately.

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

  Required for jazz studies majors and for anyone auditioning for small ensembles (combos). Optional for those who are only auditioning for Large Ensembles (Big Bands, etc.). However, if you are comfortable including this, please do so.

  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)

  Play-along tracks are located in the folder with the audition etudes

  • Saxes, Trumpets, Trombones
    •  Performwith 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).
  • Piano and Guitar
    • Perform 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- on Mac OS, this is in System Preferences-Sound-Output).
  • Bass

    • Perform 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- on Mac OS, this is in System Preferences-Sound-Output).

  2) 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 forward to hearing YOU!

  3) Complete Audition Submission Form and Upload Audio Files

 

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Vocal Jazz

• Audition Information

  Audition Instructions

  In one email to marionpowers@unco.edu please provide video and audio of the items below with "Vocal Jazz Ensemble Auditions- YOUR NAME" in the subject line. Please use the links below to access the audition material and to fill out my survey. All materials are due by Wednesday evening at 11:59 pm.
• Audition Repertoire

  Audition Repertoire

  1. A video performance of a prepared swing tune of your choice.

  • • You are welcome to use an accompanist or sing with a track or iRealPro. You only need to sing through the tune once. Improv is optional.
    • Here are some song suggestions if you need them: All of Me, Autumn Leaves, Almost Like Being In Love, On The Sunny Side of the Street, Lullaby of Birdland, There is No Greater Love, etc.
    • You are also welcome to improvise over a blues instead of your chosen tune, if you are more comfortable doing that. This is also optional-improv is not required to be in an ensemble.

   

  2. Recording of yourself singing along with 2 ensemble excerpts.

  • I have provided a dropbox link below with music and recordings.
    • Like Someone in Love - measures 1 through 23
      • • If that alto part gets too low- displace the octave or sing part of the soprano line.
    • Groovin' Hard- From rehearsal letter C until the first measure of F
    • Please choose a voice part and learn it. You will be expected to sing along with the recording. You may learn more than one voice part of you want to audition more than one. Ex: Soprano 1/2 or Tenor/Bari/Bass

  3. Recording of yourself vocalizing to test your range.

  • • Record yourself singing with the vocalization exercise I’ve provided so I can see how low and high you can sing. If you get to a place that is no longer in your range, you may stop recording. Sing this with the technique that is most comfortable.

  4. Recording of yourself singing a chromatic scale.

  • • You can choose your starting pitch- make sure the scale is in a comfortable part of your range overall. You will play your first and last notes on the piano.

   

  If you are already in an ensemble, you may use this as a re-audition to be potentially placed in a different group or just to practice auditioning- Otherwise, you will stay in the group you performed in last semester.
• Ensemble Meeting Times & Dates

  Ensemble Meeting Times & Dates

  • Verve: CC1321- T/Th @11-12:15 *Please note the time change for this ensemble.
    Vocal Lab: CC1321: T/Th @2-3:15
    NoCoVo: CC1321: T/Th @3:30-4:45
     

  IMPORTANT DATES- these are mandatory depending on which group you are in.

  • Spring Concert Date: Tuesday, April 5th
    • You must be available for this performance date in order to participate in an ensemble.