Indiana University

Audition Information

Jazz Guitar Requirements

Along with the application to the Jacobs School of Music, all applicants in jazz guitar must submit a screening recording to the Office of Music Admissions. Screening recordings must be received no later than December 1, 2012.  We encourage you to apply as early as possible and cannot guarantee that recordings which arrive after the December 1 deadline will be heard by committee or considered for advancement in the admission process.

All recordings must be DVD. Label the recording clearly with your name and the degree you are seeking.  All guitarists must label their recording “screening” if they wish to be considered for an on-campus audition.  Be certain that the recording is of high quality, and check to see that it is playable before sending it.  Your recording should be produced without any artificial enhancement such as echo or electronic reverb.  If you are unable to come to campus for any of our audition weekends, please label your recording “final audition.”

Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies
Bachelor of Science in Music and an Outside Field (Jazz Studies Emphasis)
(screening DVD due December 1)

  • Perform from memory 1) the melody, 2) comp chord changes, 3) improvise on two tunes:  one tune selected from the list below, and one additional tune that is not a blues, "rhythm changes" tune, or ballad.

 

Required audition repertoire (select one):

All Things You Are                       Joy Spring
There Will Never Be Another You    Groovin' High
Half Nelson                                On Green Dolphin Street
Stella by Starlight                        Have You Met Miss Jones?
What Is This Thing Called Love?      Confirmation

  • Perform one solo jazz guitar piece (chord melody). This can be an original arrangement of a jazz standard or a transcription.
  • If invited to audition in person, in addition to the above repertoire, guitarists should:
    • Prepare major scales (and their modes), whole tone, diminished, harmonic minor and ascending melodic minor scales (and their respective modes). All of these scales should be played in two positions on the fingerboard.
    • Be prepared to demonstrate their chord voicing knowledge and comp in various styles including: four-to-the-bar (sometimes referred to as Freddie Green comping), bebop comping and Latin styles such as Bossa Nova and Samba.
    • Be prepared to sight-read single note lines and chord progressions.

Master of Music in Jazz Studies (screening DVD due December 1)

  • Perform from memory 1) the melody, 2) comp chord changes, 3) improvise on one tune from each of the following three lists:
    • Bebop tunes: Groovin' High, Half Nelson, Confirmation, Donna Lee, Joy Spring, Stablemates.
    • Standard tunes: All The Things You Are, Stella By Starlight, What Is  This Thing Called Love?, Star Eyes, Alone Together, There Will Never Be Another You, Have You Met Miss Jones?, On Green Dolphin Street
    • Post-bop tunes: Giant Steps, Moment's Notice, Bolivia, Inner Urge, Dolphin Dance, Moontrane.
    • Perform one solo jazz guitar piece (chord melody). This can be an original arrangement of a jazz standard or a transcription.
  • If invited to audition in person, in addition to the above repertoire, guitarists should:
    • Prepare major scales (and their modes), whole tone, diminished, harmonic minor and ascending melodic minor scales (and their respective modes). All of these scales should be played in two positions on the fingerboard.
    • Be prepared to demonstrate their chord voicing knowledge and comp in various styles including: four-to-the-bar (sometimes referred to as Freddie Green comping), bebop comping and Latin styles such as Bossa Nova and Samba.
    • Be prepared to sight-read single note lines and chord progressions.