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.
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.
Drumset and Vibraphone Auditions for Admission
Undergraduate
Undergraduate Jazz Studies majors with a concentration in drumset must audition for admission to the College of Music in the following areas in addition to drumset:
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.
More detailed repertoire information is available from the percussion department. We prefer that you audition in person, especially for scholarship consideration. If that is not possible, a set of video recordings totaling 30 minutes of your drumset, mallet, and snare playing is acceptable. Follow the directions on the College of Music application to submit a high quality recorded video audition.
Live audition:
You will be asked to:
- Play a roll from piano to forte on the snare drum.
- Sightread 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 Favorite Style category.
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.
Video 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 below with a play-a-long or a live band. It is your choice which swing standard you choose from the list.
- Perform one Latin standard OR a composition from the Favorite Style category.
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
Undergraduate students may audition for the concentration in jazz vibraphone. The curriculum:
Jazz vibraphone: three semesters
Jazz major marimba: two semesters. NOTE: These two semesters may be taken as jazz vibraphone if the student can test out of the marimba curriculum requirements.
Jazz major timpani: one semester
Jazz major snare drum: two semesters
Drum set: two semesters
Undergraduate audition requirements for jazz vibraphone:
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.
Master's
There are no audition requirements other than the principal instrument (drum set or vibraphone) for Master's candidates. A pre-audition screening recording is required. Applicants should submit a link as part of the College of Music application by the deadline of the first Monday in December to one or more videos that demonstrate how they meet the following expectation:
Master's candidates are expected to have fundamental triplet and duplet coordination skills and the ability to improvise in a variey of styles (e.g. jazz, Afro-Cuban, funk, Brazilian, etc.) melodically and rhythmically on music drawn from the Be-Bop/Jazz Standards canon.
Master's-level audition requirements for jazz vibraphone:
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. Play melody and improvise at least two choruses on an up tempo standard (swing or samba) performed to a pre-recorded track (Jamey Aebersold recording or the equivalent).
4. Sight read a jazz style melody.
Doctoral
Information on doctoral auditions on drumset is found here.
Further information
For information on percussion auditions, see the Percussion audition page. Specific drumset questions should be directed to Prof. Quincy Davis at quincy.davis@unt.edu.