Honour Jazz Combo Audition Guidelines
Applicants to the VSOSoM Jazz Combo program are asked to submit the following audition material via the Jazz Combo sign up form linked below. Instructors will review all auditions received and determine the best placement for each student.
Students wishing to play in regular jazz combos are not required to submit a video audition. If you have any questions about auditions or Jazz combos, please email registrar@vsoschoolofmusic.ca.
*If unable to play any of the listed items, simply omit and placement assessments will be made accordingly.
The Deadline to submit your audition is July 30, 2021.
Piano/Guitar
- Play three major scales of your choice with metronome, 1 or 2 octaves, eighth notes, at quarter note = 100
- Play arpeggios (1-3-5-7) on concert C major 7, C minor 7, and C dominant 7.
- Play melody of one “standard” jazz song (ie. Autumn Leaves, All The Things You Are, All of Me, Blue Bossa, etc.) in time with metronome. Tempo of your choice with chordal “comping” if possible.
*Optional “advanced” level requirements
- Perform melody and improvise 2-3 choruses on a “standard” 12-bar blues of your choice (ie. Tenor Madness, Billie’s Bounce, Things Ain’t What They Used to Be). Students may perform this material with either metronome, play-along recording, unaccompanied or with an ensemble.
Bass
- Play three major scales with metronome, 1 or 2 octaves, eighth notes, at quarter note = 100
- Play arpeggios (1-3-5-7) on concert C major 7, C minor 7, and C dominant 7.
- Play melody of one “standard” jazz song (ie. Autumn Leaves, All The Things You Are, All of Me, Blue Bossa, etc.) in time with metronome. Tempo of your choice.
- Play walking bass line on “standard” 12-bar blues in F. 1-2 choruses. Quarter note = 140
- Play bass line on one standard “Latin jazz” song of your choice (ie. So Danco Samba, Girl from Ipanema, Night in Tunisia, etc.). Quarter note approx. = 140-160
*Optional “advanced” level requirements
- Perform melody and improvise 2-3 choruses on a “standard” 12-bar blues of your choice (ie. Tenor Madness, Billie’s Bounce, Things Ain’t What They Used to Be). Students may perform this material with either metronome, play-along recording, unaccompanied or with an ensemble.
Drums
- Play 2 choruses of unaccompanied comping on a swinging “standard” 12-bar blues of your choice (ie Tenor Madness, Billie’s Bounce, Things Ain’t What They Used to Be). Quarter note = 140
- Trade fours on a standard 12-bar blues (ie. solo for 4 bars, play time for 4 bars, solo for 4 bars, etc.) for 2-3 choruses.
- Play 1 chorus of unaccompanied comping on one standard “Latin jazz” song of your choice (ie. So Danco Samba, Girl from Ipanema, Night in Tunisia, etc.). Quarter note approx. = 140-160
Horns
- Play three major scales of your choice with metronome, 1 or 2 octaves, eighth notes, at quarter note = 100
- Play arpeggios (1-3-5-7) on concert C major 7, C minor 7, and C dominant 7.
- Perform melody and improvise 2-3 choruses on a “standard” 12-bar blues of your choice (ie. Tenor Madness, Billie’s Bounce, Things Ain’t What They Used to Be). Students may perform this material with either metronome, play-along recording, unaccompanied or with an ensemble.