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JAZZ AUDITIONS

Information

Jazz Ensembles

Synthesis (Big Band)


Meets Monday/Wednesday
3:00 - 4:50pm

Jazz Ensemble (Big Band)

Meets Tuesday/Thursday
5:00 – 6:50pm

Jazz Lab Band (Big Band)

Meets Tuesdays
7:00 – 8:50pm

Jazz Legacy Band (Trad/Early Jazz)

Meets Tuesday/Thursday
12:00 – 12:50pm

Jazz Voices (Vocal Jazz Ensemble)

Women's:
Meets Monday/Wednesday
11:00 - 12:30pm
Mixed:
Meets Monday/Wednesday
12:00 - 1:50pm

Jazz and Commercial Music Combos

TBD - Combos are newly formed each semester and meet at times determined by participants’ availability and experience level

Updated for Winter 2026

Audition Information

Winter 2026


Most placements for the year are made in the Fall Semester - depending on the instrument and the availabilities of students, there may be limited openings to participate in jazz combos in Winter Semester.


Requirements:

  1. Fill out your general availability for the winter semester rehearsal times at this link. 
  2. Fill out this brief information form. 
  3. Review the requirements below and submit a recording as instructed:


Horn players and vocalists, submit a recording of you playing a jazz tune - a chorus of the melody and at least one chorus of improvisation.

Pianists and guitarists, you may also include comping for a chorus in addition to the melody and improvisation.

Bassists, please submit a video of you walking an improvised bass line (required) as well as playing the melody and improvising (optional)

Drummers, demonstrate the following grooves: medium and up-tempo swing, mambo, samba, funk.


Please email a shareable link of your recording to Dr. Woodbury at bwoodbury@byu.edu by Thursday, January 8th, 2026, at the very latest. Email Dr. Woodbury with any questions.
  • Note: All students must fill out the above forms before auditioning.

    When
    September 3rd & 4th

    Where
    MB 1067

    Sign-Ups
    Sign up for an audition time on the Signup Genius Link

    Audition Materials
    Sing a jazz swing standard of your choice, a cappella. You will also be asked to sight sing and improvise over a 12-bar blues.

    Contact Professor Hayley Kirkland with any questions (hayleykirkland@byu.edu).

    Updated for Fall 2025
  • Note: All students must fill out the above forms before auditioning.

    When
    Wednesday, September 3, from 1:00 to 5:00 pm (Classical auditions are from 10:00 am-12:00 pm). Sign up for a time slot on Dr. Nichols Door (MB 4141).

    Where
    Auditions will be in MB 4141.

    Audition Materials
    Bring a jazz standard of your choosing to perform and/or improvise over (we will use Learn Jazz Standards or iReal Pro as a backing track). Be prepared to sight read and improvise (by ear and sightreading changes) on materials we will provide. If you are not comfortable playing a prepared jazz standard then feel free to bring an etude or transcription instead.

    IMPORTANT—Fall Auditions will be for the entire academic year (September 2025-April 2026).

    Contact Daron Bradford for saxophone questions (daron_bradford@byu.edu)

    Updated for Fall 2025

  • Note: All students must fill out the above forms before auditioning.

    When
     September 3rd, 5pm-6:30pm

    Where
     MB 3223

    Sign-Ups
    Sign-ups will be on Dr. Lee's door.

    Audition Materials
    Audition materials will be on Dr. Lee’s door (MB 3143)

    Contact Dr. Lee with any questions (randy.lee@byu.edu).

    Updated for Fall 2025
  • Note: All students must fill out the above forms before auditioning.

    When
    Wednesday, September 3rd, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm

    Where
    Dr. Woodbury's office (4145 MB)

    Audition Materials
    Prepared music for tenor trombones (8va optional, take at a reasonable tempo), and for bass trombones, plus sightreading and optional improvisation.

    Contact Dr. Woodbury with any questions (bwoodbury@byu.edu).

    Updated for Fall 2025
  • Updated for Fall 2025

    Note: All students must fill out the above forms before auditioning.

    When
    IN ADDITION TO the online audition below, there will also be a group rhythm section audition by invitation only. This will take place on Friday, September 5th from 12:00pm-2:00pm

    Where
    To submit an audition video, please either upload an unlisted video to YouTube or give access to adam_keith@byu.edu for your Dropbox/drive/etc files. PLEASE be sure to double check that the video is not private or that access has been granted to Adam, as failure to do so will slow down the audition process and may affect placement.
    If invited, group combo auditions will take place in 1067 MB.


    Audition Materials
    Students should prepare to play the melody, comp, and solo on Autumn Leaves in G minor.



    Contact Adam Keith at adam_keith@byu.edu for any guitar questions.
  • Note: All students must fill out the above forms before auditioning.

    IN ADDITION TO the audition below, there will also be a group rhythm section audition.
    This will take place on Friday, September 5th from 12:00pm-2:00pm in MB 1067

    When
    September 5th, between 9:30am – 12:00pm

    Where
    Studio Y (2nd floor of MB, west side of building, in commercial music wing)

    Sign-Ups
    Sign up for a time here.

    Audition Materials
    Materials can be found here. Prepare the piece and the first three licks in all 12 keys at 80 BPM.

    Contact Professor Blasucci with any questions (john_blasucci@byu.edu)

    Updated for Fall 2025
  • Note: All students must fill out the above forms before auditioning.

    IN ADDITION TO the audition below, there will also be a group rhythm section audition.
    This will take place on Friday, Septmber 5th from 12:00pm-2:00pm in MB 1067

    When
    Wednesday, September 3rd

    Where
    Dr. Coleman’s office (1221A)

    Sign-Ups
    Sign up for a time at this link.

    Audition Materials
    Demonstrate the following grooves: medium and up-tempo swing, mambo, samba, funk, and pop. Also trade 4’s in swing time, alternating between playing time and improvising a solo. Play part or all of The Dayley Dash by Jay Lawrence (sheet music at the end of this packet).

    Contact Dr. Coleman (matt_coleman@byu.edu) with any questions.

    Updated for Fall 2025
  • Note: All students must fill out the above forms before auditioning.

    IN ADDITION TO the audition below, there will also be a group rhythm section audition.
    This will take place on Friday, Septmber 5th from 12:00pm-2:00pm in MB 1067

    When
    September 3rd between 3:00-5:00 or September 4th between 2:00-5:00 (15 minute time slots)

    Sign-Ups
    Outside Professor Hansen’s office

    Where
    MB 4137

    Contact Professor Eric Hansen with any questions (bass@byu.edu).

    Updated for Fall 2025
  • Note: All students must fill out the above forms before auditioning.

    Email Dr. Woodbury at bwoodbury@byu.edu for questions.

    Updated for Fall 2025