UNDERGRADUATE DRUMSET AND VIBRAPHONE AUDITIONS
In addition to auditioning on the drumset, ALL undergraduate jazz drumset applicants MUST ALSO audition for admission to the College of Music in the following areas:
Snare Drum: A rudimental and/or orchestral snare solo or etude; rolls, flams, and associated rudiments.
Marimba / Vibes: Scales and arpeggios: major, harmonic minor, and chromatic; an etude or jazz improvisation.
These two auditions will take place in two separate rooms at two separate times from your drumset audition.
Please direct all questions regarding drumset auditions to Professor Quincy Davis. If you have a question regarding your snare or mallets audition, please contact Professor Mark Ford. Click here for more general information regarding all percussion auditions.
Live Drumset Audition:
You will be asked to:
- Play a roll from piano to forte on the snare drum.
- Sight-reading a big band chart
- Perform one Medium Tempo Swing OR one Up Tempo Swing. It is your choice which swing standard you choose from the list. A play-a-long will be provided at the time of the audition.
- Perform one Latin standard OR a composition from the Alternative Style category.
- Being Interviewed
TO BE CLEAR: You will be performing TWO songs total for your audition: one from either the SWING category and another from either the LATIN or ALTERNATIVE STYLE category.
PDF of Song List and More Information
Video Drumset Audition:
In your video, please:
- Play a roll from piano to forte on the snare drum.
- Perform ONE medium tempo swing OR up tempo swing standard from the song list (link below) with a play-a-longtrack that will be provided at audition. It is your choice which swing standard you choose from the list.
- Perform one Latin standard OR a composition from the Favorite Style category.
- Professor Quincy Davis may ask to have a 5-10 minute Skype meeting with you to conduct a sight-reading test and for a general interview.
TO BE CLEAR: You will be performing TWO songs total for your audition: one from either SWING category and another from either the LATIN or ALTERNATIVE STYLE category.
PDF of Song List and More Information
Jazz Vibraphone Audition - Undergraduate/Graduate
1. Perform a published solo vibraphone etude or a standard jazz ballad chord solo.
2. Play melody and improvise at least two choruses on a medium tempo jazz standard (swing or bossa) performed to a pre-recorded track (Jamey Aebersold recording or the equivalent).
3. Sight read a jazz style melody.
4. Snare Drum: A rudimental and/or orchestral snare solo or etude; rolls, flams, and associated rudiments.
NOTE: We prefer that you audition in person, especially for scholarship consideration. If that is not possible, you can upload videos of your drumset, mallet, and snare playing here.
GRADUATE DRUMSET AUDITIONS
Prescreening Video (Required)
A pre-audition screening video is required. Please upload your videos here as either one long video or multiple shorter videos. Your video(s) should clearly demonstrate your competency to groove and solo in a variety of styles including swing, Afro-Cuban, funk, Brazilian, etc. Videos of past performances are welcome as long as the quality is good.
The live audition will involve:
- Playing rudiments
- Sight reading two or three big band-like charts
- Playing melodies and soloing using sticks and brushes in a variety of styles (swing, bossa nova, salsa, samba, etc.) and tempos without accompaniment
- Playing with drum-less tracks
- Demonstrating at least perfunctory skills and understanding of harmony on the piano either by playing basic scales, chords, jazz melodies, soloing over chord changes or playing a fully prepared composition
- A short interview