ENSEMBLE AUDITIONS: Jazz Voices & Instrumentalists

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  Vocalists
  Auditions Administered by Professor Hayley Kirkland
  
  
  
  When: Tuesday, Sept. 1
  
  
  
  Where: MB 1067
  
  
  
  Note: All students must fill out the above forms before auditioning.
  
  Sign Ups: Sign up for an audition time here.
  
  
  Audition Materials/Procedures: 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).
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  Saxophone
  Auditions Administered by Dr. Benjamin Nichols
  
  
  Note: All students must fill out the above forms before auditioning.
  
  
  When: Tuesday, Sept. 1
  
  
  
  Where: Dr. Nichols’ Office - MB 4141
  
  
  
  Sign Ups: Sign Up Here.
  
  
  
  Audition Materials: See Audition Procedures for preparation instructions.
  
  
  
  Audition Procedures: Prepare two short contrasting excerpts, one more lyrical and the other more technical. Can be etudes or from the saxophone repertoire. Be ready to sight read. Classical auditions will be in the morning, while jazz will be in the afternoon.
  
  IMPORTANT—Fall Auditions will typically be for the entire academic year (September 2026-April 2027)
  
  
  Contact Dr. Nichols at benjamin_nichols@byu.edu for any additional questions.
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  Trumpet
  Auditions Administered by Dr. Woodbury
  
  
  
  When: Tuesday, Sept. 1
  
  10:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M
  
  
  Where: Dr. Woodbury's office - 4145 MB
  
  
  
  Note: All students must fill out the above forms before auditioning.
  
  
  
  Sign Ups:
  
  
  
  Audition Materials/Procedures:
  
  1. Chromatic scale from low C to as high as you can go and then back down. Tongued quarter notes at 86 bpm.
  
  2. Excerpt from Thad Jones's "Three and One" (letter I to the D.S., 170 bpm)
  
  3. Sight-reading material
  
  4. (Optional) Improvisation on an F Blues
  
  
  
  Contact Professor Palmer with any questions (joepalmermusico@gmail.com)
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  Trombone
  Auditions Administered by Dr. Brian Woodbury
  
  When: Tuesday, Sept. 1
  10:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M
  
  Where: Dr. Woodbury's office - 4145 MB
  
  Note: All students must fill out the above forms before auditioning.
  
  Sign Ups:
  
  Audition Materials/Procedures: Prepared music for tenor trombones and for bass trombones, plus sight-reading and optional improvisation on a tune of your choice.
  
  Contact Dr. Woodbury with any questions (bwoodbury@byu.edu).
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  Guitar
  Auditions Administered by Professor Christian Madsen
  
  
  When: Tuesday, Sept. 1
  
  10:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M
  
  
  
  Where: MB 3027
  
  
  
  Note: All students must fill out the above forms before auditioning.
  
  
  
  Sign Ups:
  
  
  
  Audition Materials/Procedures: Students should be able to play the melody, comp, and improvise over one of these provided standards:
  
  - Blue Bossa
  
  - Autumn Leaves
  
  - Blue Monk
  
  - Sandu
  
  - Wave
  
  - All the things You Are
  
  - All Blues
  
  - Bye Bye Blackbird
  
  
  
  Depending on the length of their chosen tune, students will improvise over the whole form 1-3 times using licks, scales and/or patterns to accentuate the chord changes. Students might be asked to play an arpeggio of a chord within their chosen tune (i.e., Dom7, Maj7, Min7).
  
  
  
  Students will be asked to sight read the chords on a lead sheet (that we provide) and comp for a few measures.
  
  
  
  This google sheet provides information on key, form, solo length, reference recordings, backing tracks, lead sheets and chords/arpeggios. Please use the backing tracks provided or use iReal Pro ($20-22 apple/android).
  
  
  
  Contact Christian Madsen at Christian.Madsen@byu.edu with any guitar questions.
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  Piano
  Note: All students must fill out the above forms before auditioning.
  
  
  

  When

  
  
  

  Where

  
  
  

  Sign-Ups

  Sign up for a time here.
  
  

  Audition Materials

  
  Find the materials at this link.
  

  1. All The Things You Are

  Prepare the written All the Things You Are arrangement by John Blasucci at 120 bpm. Then use the given page of chord changes for All the Things You Are to first solo (improvise) for a chorus, then comp for a chorus, also at 120 bpm.
  

  2. 29 Sweet Jazz Piano Licks

  Prepare the first 3 licks (#1, #2 and #3) in all 12 keys at 80 bpm. We will call on you to play them in one random key each. For example: #1 in E major, #2 in Gb major, #3 in B major.
  

  3. There will also be a brief sight-reading portion at the end of the audition.

  
  Thanks so much for your preparation. Good luck!
  
  Contact Heather Cutler (Heather.Cutler@byu.edu) with any piano questions.
  
  
  Updated for Fall 2026
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  Drums
  Note: All students must fill out the above forms before auditioning.
  
  Non-Music Majors 
  You may audition for any music ensemble. For those only interested in jazz, see below. For those interested in any other ensemble, play any etude or short solo on a percussion instrument of your choice. Also be prepared to do some sight reading on snare drum and 2-mallets. 
  
  For those only interested in jazz:
  
  

  1. First Round each student must audition in person with percussion faculty on audition day. Drum set applicants are to play the following styles: medium swing, mambo, samba, funk, rock, trade 4’s in a swing feel. Play “Dayley Dash” from The Drummer’s Workbook by Jay Lawrence.
     
     
  2. Final Round by invitation only for big bands
     
     

  (For any questions about jazz auditions, contact Brian Woodbury at bwoodbury@byu.edu)
  
  
  
  For music majors interested in playing in a jazz group:
  
  

  1. First Round each student must audition in person with the percussion faculty on the first day of class. 
     
     
  2. Final Round by invitation only for big bands. Contact Brian Woodbury at bwoodbury@byu.edu with questions.
     
     

  
  Click here to sign up for an audition time
  
  Contact Dr. Coleman (matt_coleman@byu.edu) with any questions.
  
  Updated for Fall 2026
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  Bass
  Auditions Administered by Professor Eric Hansen
  
  When: Wednesday, September 2nd
  
  Where: Professor Hansen's Office - MB 4137
  
  Note: All students must fill out the above forms before auditioning.
  Sign Ups: Posted outside Professor Hansen's Office (MB 4137)
  Audition Materials/Procedures: 1-2 minutes of an excerpt/piece of your choice, that best shows your strengths and playing level. Prepare two tunes from the standard catalogue, one swing and one latin. You’ll play the head, then play the changes and solo—one chorus each—on the form in the appropriate style. Sight reading may be asked as an additional element.
  Contact Professor Eric Hansen with any questions (bass@byu.edu).
  
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  Other Instruments
  Auditions Administered by Dr. Brian Woodbury
  
  When: Wednesday, September 2nd
  
  Where: TBA
  
  Note: All students must fill out the above forms before auditioning.
  
  Sign Ups: TBA
  
  Audition Materials/Procedures: TBA
  
  Email Dr. Woodbury at bwoodbury@byu.edu for questions.