Admission Auditions

The admissions requirements linked below are for admission to the Jazz Studies major.

The new College of Music application enables applicants to upload videos as part of the application. If your instrument requires a pre-screening video (not all instruments do) or you are auditioning by video, you will be able to use this feature.

Application deadline.

The pages linked below refer to our bachelor's and master's programs.

For information on admission at the doctoral level, please see the page on the local concentration in Jazz Studies within the DMA in Performance.

Admission to the Graduate Artist Certificate in Music Performance program is an option for jazz performers with exceptional qualifications. For more information, see http://music.unt.edu/admissions/graduate-degree-specific.

Bass Auditions for Admission

To learn more about our jazz bass and improvisation teacher Professor Lynn Seaton, click here to visit his website: www.lynnseaton.com

This page has information on admission at the bachelor's and master's level. For information on doctoral-level admission, please see our page on the local concentration in Jazz Studies within the DMA in Performance.

Undergraduate (Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance/Bass Concentration)

You are encouraged to audition live at UNT. Choose one of the scheduled Saturday audition dates at the College of Music or Contact Lynn Seaton to schedule an appointment. We do not accept audition by video only for jazz bass. If you are an international student and cannot come for a live audition, or if it is a hardship to come in person to UNT for a live audition, email Professor Seaton to schedule a live audition over the internet with SKYPE. Email: lynn.seaton@unt.edu

UNT is an upright oriented program with required classical and jazz bass lessons. Most prospects do most of the audition on upright bass and part of it on electric. Ability to play both acoustic and electric basses is not required for entrance into the jazz performance program but is part of placement auditions into lab bands. Placement into most lab bands does require ability to play upright and electric well. The greater the student's experience on both instruments upon entering the program, the easier the process will be.

Undergraduate Audition for Admission and Scholarships
We request that you do your audition in two parts: a video that shows what you can do with advance preparation, and a live audition, which covers sight-reading, scales, etc., as explained below. We do not admit with video alone.
1. Submit videos: Follow the directions on the College of Music application to submit a high quality recorded video audition. Your recording (or set of recordings) should be no longer than 15 or 20 minutes. Please submit all five of the required styles: 1) medium tempo standard, 2) jazz blues, 3) jazz ballad, 4) fusion, Latin or funk, and 5) up-tempo standard or rhythm changes. The medium tempo standard and jazz blues should include both a walking bass line and a solo. The others may also contain a solo. All selections should show your ability to function in a rhythm section. (For example, you could record yourself with a video camera while making an audio demo at home, school, a concert, in a studio, etc.) You can record something with a rhythm section, or record yourself playing with a Jamey Aebersold play-along recording or the equivalent. We have no expectations on the quality of the recording. In other words, it is not necessary to record in a professional studio. Make sure you can be seen and heard.

OPTIONAL: In addition to the video, you may also submit a supplemental publicly released audio CD or DVD recording in which you play.
Label your supplemental disk with your name, "jazz bass audition", and the song titles. Send your video to:
Prof. Lynn Seaton
Division of Jazz Studies
College of Music
1155 Union Circle #305040
Denton, TX 76203-5017

2. The Live audition for acceptance to the Jazz Bass program will contain some of the following:
One octave major, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales at least two fingerings for each scale
Ability to read basic bass line charts with written lines in several different rhythmic styles (swing, bossa nova, rock, funk, etc.)
Ability to improvise a walking bass line on a chart of a basic jazz chord progression
Ability to improvise a walking bass line on a jazz version of 12-bar blues progressions in at least the keys of G, C, F, Bb, Eb, and Ab
Ability to sight read walking bass lines, notes (some melodies), and improvise bass lines and some soloing on big band and lead sheet charts.
Ability to play all pieces in audition with a good, even time feel (unaccompanied) and a minimum of hesitations when sight-reading (ability to keep going).

If you are an international student and cannot come for a live audition, or if it is a hardship to come to come in person to UNT for a live audition, email Professor Seaton to schedule a live audition over the internet with SKYPE. lynn.seaton@unt.edu.

New bass students at UNT desiring to become jazz majors may take many of the freshman jazz courses (including Bass Fundamentals and Bass Styles), with certain prerequisites, even before full acceptance into the jazz degree program. Full acceptance as a jazz studies major will occur after successful completion of MUJS 1131 Jazz Performance Fundamentals I for Bass, MUJS 1132 Jazz Performance Fundamentals II for Bass, and acceptance into a jazz lab band by live audition. Jazz lab auditions take place each semester the week prior to the start of classes. They consist of sight reading typical big band charts (reading notes, walking bass lines etc.)

Even if you do a live audition for admission, submitting a video recording is still necessary.

Graduate (Master of Music in Jazz Performance/Bass Concentration)

UNT is an upright bass oriented program. Ability to play both acoustic and electric basses is not required for entrance into the master's jazz performance program but is part of placement auditions into lab bands. Placement into most lab bands does require ability to play upright and electric well. The greater the student's experience on both instruments upon entering the program, the easier the process will be. Most prospects do most of the audition on upright bass and part of it on electric. If your training on the acoustic bass is limited, you may be required to pass the classical upper division exam. This may occur after some classical study at UNT. It will be considered a deficiency requirement until completed. The exam consists of playing a classical concerto on the level of the Dragonnetti for the classical faculty.

Graduate Audition Video for Admission and Scholarships
We request that you do your audition in two parts: a video that shows what you can do with advance preparation, and a live audition, which covers sight-reading, scales, etc., as explained below. We do not admit with video alone.
1. Submit videos: Follow the directions on the College of Music application to submit a high quality recorded video audition. Your recording should be no longer than 15 or 20 minutes. Please submit all five of the required styles: 1) medium tempo standard, 2) jazz blues, 3) jazz ballad, 4) fusion, Latin or funk, and 5) Play the melody, improvise a walking bass line, and solo on an up-tempo version of "Confirmation" from memory. The medium tempo standard and jazz blues should include both a walking bass line and a solo. The others may also contain a solo. Use the bow on one or more of the upright tunes. All selections should show your ability to function in a rhythm section. (For example, you could record yourself with a video camera while making an audio demo at home, school, a concert, in a studio, etc.) You can record something with a rhythm section, or record yourself playing with a Jamey Aebersold play-along recording or the equivalent. We have no expectations on the quality of the recording. In other words, it is not necessary to record in a professional studio. Make sure you can be seen and heard.

2. Play a live audition for admission into the College of Music that will contain some of the following:
All of the required skills at the undergraduate level
Ability to play the melody, improvise a walking bass line, and solo on "Confirmation" from memory
Ability to improvise a walking or appropriate style bass line on a chart of complex jazz harmony (e.g. Wayne Shorter or Thelonious Monk tunes, etc.)
Ability to improvise a walking bass line on common jazz variations on a 12 bar blues progressions in all 12 keys
Ability to improvise a walking bass line on the progression to "I Got Rhythm" (Rhythm Changes) in at least three keys including Bb
Ability to sight read walking bass lines, notes (some melodies), and improvise bass lines and solos on big band and lead sheet charts.
Some jazz soloing ability at least appropriate for second year improvisation classes at UNT (basic jazz standards and blues in several keys)
Ability to play: the melody, an improvised bass line, and solo on at least ten jazz standards from memory. Have a list with you.
Ability to play at least two contrasting pieces in the classical style is recommended. At least two years of college-level classical double bass lessons experience is highly recommended.
Attention will be paid to time feel, stylistic authenticity, technical proficiency, tone, musical background, overall musicianship, and potential for development.
Even if you do a live audition for admission, submitting a video is still necessary.

Doctoral - DMA in Performance with Local Concentration in Jazz Studies
For information on doctoral-level admission, please see our page on the local concentration in Jazz Studies within the DMA in Performance.

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