Bienen School of Music - Northwestern
University
Jazz Studies Audition Information
Bachelor of Music: Jazz Studies
(All Instruments)
Prescreening
required; must be video recording
For Prescreening and Final
Audition:
- Trumpet, saxophone, and trombone players
will perform with piano (or guitar), bass, and drums.
- Guitarists will perform with piano, bass,
and drums.
- Pianists will perform with bass
and drums.
- Bassists will perform with piano (or guitar)
and drums.
- Drummers will perform with piano (or guitar)
and bass.
Choose
one song from each of the categories and be prepared to perform the song’s
melody and improvise a solo on the chord changes of the song. Rhythm section
instruments should demonstrate the ability to accompany a soloist.
All
songs are listed in concert key:
Rhythm
Changes
- Cottontail,
Duke Ellington Bb Major
- Chasin’ the Bird, Charlie Parker, F Major
- Oleo, Sonny Rollins, Bb Major
Blues
- Au Privave,
Charlie Parker, F Major
- Blue Monk,
Thelonious Monk, Bb Major
- Mr. P.C.,
John Coltrane, C minor
Ballads
- Embraceable You, George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin, Eb Major
- The Nearness of You, Hoagy Carmichael/Ned Washington, F Major
- You Don’t Know What Love Is, Gene de Paul/Don Raye, F minor
Waltz
- Emily, Johnny
Mandel/Johnny Mercer, C Major
- Jitterbug Waltz, Fats Waller, Eb Major
- Someday My Prince Will Come, Frank Churchill/Larry Morey, Bb Major
Drummers
only
In
addition to the selections listed above, drummers should prepare the following
grooves:
- Afro-Cuban 6/8 groove
- Shuffle groove with backbeat
- Swing groove with brushes (slow, medium, and
fast)
- Swing groove with sticks (slow, medium, and
fast)
Updated on 09/05/2018