Audition & Interview Requirements
Audition |
Portfolio Review |
Program Interview |
Music Skills Assessment |
Music Theory Diagnostic |
An audition paneled by Conservatory Faculty members. | A review by Conservatory Program Faculty members of submitted artistic creations. Portfolio must be submitted a minimum of 2 weeks prior to interview. | An interview paneled by the Conservatory Program Faculty members for the degree of application. | A short, in-person assessment of an individual’s ability to clap, count, and sing basic rhythms. | A computerized theory diagnostic that assesses an individual’s music theory knowledge. This diagnostic is used only for theory class placement purposes. |
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Music Skills Assessment & Written Theory Diagnostic
All students auditioning for Jazz & Commercial Music (BM) must complete a music skills assessment as part of their audition schedule. This assessment involves sight-singing, tonal memory and rhythmic skills.
A computerized theory diagnostic will also be given. The results of this diagnostic will only be used for theory placement purposes should the applicant be accepted and choose to attend Shenandoah.
- Applied majors in the jazz idiom are available in Jazz & Commercial Music, Music Education (Jazz Emphasis), Music Production & Recording Technology
(Jazz Emphasis) and Music Therapy (Jazz Emphasis). - All applicants must provide a recorded accompaniment (such as the “iReal” app, an online backing track, or something similar) for the jazz portion of the audition.
- Amps are provided for electric guitar and electric bass auditions.
- Drum set is provided for jazz percussion auditions.
Audition Requirements
Please see the appropriate section below for your chosen instrument specialization.
Drum Set/Jazz Percussion
Perform, with recordings, one medium or up-tempo swing piece, one ballad with brushes, one contemporary jazz-fusion piece, and one medium/upper grade snare solo or orchestral excerpt. Play all major scales one octave on a mallet instrument. Sight-reading on drum set and snare drum are required.
Jazz Bass (Electric or Upright)
Prepare four required tunes, as listed and detailed below:
- Bb Blues: Four choruses. Walk for the first two choruses, then solo two choruses.
- Oleo (Bb): Three choruses. Play the melody, walk one chorus, solo one chorus.
- Latin (e.g. Black Orpheus, Desifinado, etc.): Play the melody, one chorus of bass line, solo one chorus.
- Tune of Choice: Three choruses. Play the melody, one chorus of bass line, solo one chorus.
Upright bassists should demonstrate use of the bow on at least one of the four required tunes. Sight-reading and major and harmonic minor scales are required for all auditionees.
Jazz Guitar
Two jazz pieces including:
- One jazz solo ballad such as “Misty” or “I Can’t Get Started,” where the melody and chords are voiced together
- One jazz medium-tempo selection demonstrating melody, improvisation and comping. Major scales and sight-reading of notation and chord symbols are required.
Jazz Piano
One memorized classical piece (e.g. Bach Little Prelude and Fugue; a Clementi Sonatina; Schumann Album for the Young); major and harmonic minor scales; jazz solo ballad and a jazz medium-tempo selection in piano trio format, demonstrating melody, improvisation and comping. Sight-reading of notation and chord symbols is also required.
Jazz Saxophone
One fast and one slow classical étude (e.g. Voxman Selected Studies or W. Ferling 48 Études) and two jazz standards demonstrating melody and improvisation and showing basic knowledge of jazz style. Major scales (in eighth notes, quarter = 80) and sight-reading are also required.
Jazz Trombone
One prepared classical solo (grade 5-6) or two classical études of equal difficulty and two jazz standards in contrasting styles, demonstrating melody and improvisation. Major and minor (natural, harmonic and melodic) scales and sight-reading are also required.
Jazz Trumpet
An étude (e.g. Arban Characteristic Studies), first or third movement of a major work for trumpet (e.g. Haydn or Hummel concerto, Hindemith or Kennan sonata) or a complete trumpet solo (e.g. Carnival of Venice, Bride of the Waves). Two jazz standards demonstrating melody and improvisation, scales and sight-reading are required.
Audition Dates
- Saturday, December 2, 2023
- Saturday, January 27, 2024
- Saturday, February 17, 2024
- Saturday, March 2, 2024