»Entrance Auditions

Scholarship Auditions Fall 2008
Auditions for the Jazz Major
Auditions for Drum/Percussion
Auditions for Big Bands, Combos and Vocal Jazz


ADMISSION APPLICATIONS
FOR FALL 2009
ARE NORMALLY ACCEPTED UNTIL NOVEMBER 30 2008

» SCHOLARSHIP AUDITIONS FOR FALL 2009

Auditions are scheduled for February 14 AND March 7, 2009
See our department website, www.csun.edu/music, for information
on audition requirements, forms and appointments

  
» AUDITIONS FOR THE JAZZ MAJOR
(winds, brass, piano, guitar, bass and voice - LIVE ACCOMPANIMENT PROVIDED)

A. Prepare 3 "standard" tunes:

1-Medium Swing
2-Ballad
3-Straight eighth (bossa nova, samba)


(Vocalists will provide 3 copies of all lead sheets in their key)

Be prepared to:

a) Improvise on each tune
b) Embellish the melody using jazz interpretation

(Pianists and Guitarists may play one standard unaccompanied)

B. Play "Blues" in any key of your choice.

Be able to play a melody (head) and improvise.

C. Scales:
ALL Major Scales Half Note M.M.=120
ALL Natural, Melodic, and Harmonic Minor scales. Half Note M.M.=120

D. Sight-reading

The audition will also consist of sight reading
different styles of music. Jazz, Latin, Straight 8th (Latin or rock).

Some examples of Standards: All The Things You Are, Autumn Leaves, Blue Bossa,
But Beautiful, Darn That Dream, My Romance, There Will Never Be Another You,
Yesterdays, Watch What Happens, Trustee, Like Someone in Love, Take the A Train,
There Is No Greater Love.

Some examples of Blues: Sonny Moon for Two, Tenor Madness, Blues Walk,
Straight No Chaser, Footprints, All Blues, Blue Monk, Billie's Bounce, Now's the Time.

»Audition Requirements Drums and Percussion

Prepare a solo piece (2-5 minutes-sticks and brushes) demonstrating various styles including:
*SWING: med. swing, fast swing, shuffle, funk (hip-hop),
*STRAIGHT EIGHTHS: straight 8th (bossa nova, mambo, salsa, samba, songo etc.)
*Sight-Reading
*Be prepared to "trade 4's" on all of the above styles - LIVE ACCOMPANIMENT IS PROVIDED

» FALL 2009 ENSEMBLE AUDITIONS
JAZZ ENSEMBLES, COMBOS & VOCAL JAZZ

*Big Bands and Combos

Fall 2009 Semester:
Auditions for JAZZ ENSEMBLES and COMBOS will be held
MONDAY AUGUST 25 at 4:00PM Cypress Hall, room 159

"A" JAZZ BAND
--The 2008 Monterey "Next Generation" Jazz Festival
College Big Band Award Winners

--2005 and 2006 Reno Jazz Festival award winners

--The flagship jazz ensemble of the CSU Northridhe Jazz Studies Program

--Fall 2008 Rehearsal Schedule: M-W from 5:00PM to 7:00PM

"STUDIO JAZZ BAND"
The top #2 collegiate band at the 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 Reno Jazz Festival
Fall 2008 Rehearsal Schedule: TUES-THURS 5:00PM to 7:00PM

"LAB JAZZ BIG BAND"
Fall 2008 Rehearsal Schedule: M-W-FRI 12:00PM to 1:00PM


"JAZZ COMBOS"
Fall 2008 Class Schedule: Wednesdays 7:30PM

"NuVeaU ART ENSEMBLE"
Avant-garde improvisation Ensemble
Thursdays 7:30PM (jazz majors only)

"LATIN ENSEMBLE"
Fall 2008 Rehearsal Schedule: Fridays 3:00PM
Auditions by appointment only.


PROCEDURE:

*Performance of the prepared tune,"HAVE YOU MET MISS JONES" by Rodgers and Hart.
*Tempo: half note=126-132
*Keys:
--------F Major (freshman and non-jazz majors)
--------F and Bb Major (second and third year jazz majors)
--------F, Bb and Eb Major (fourth year jazz majors)

*Pianists and Guitarists should be prepared to comp changes as well as demonstrate melody
*Drummers should prepare the tune with brushes

*Sight Reading
*A selection of your choice
*Improvisation-standard or blues (not required for non-majors/required for jazz majors)
*Woodwinds will demonstrate their experience with all doubles
*Brass will demonstrate range.

*Vocal Jazz - Auditions, go to: www.epicenterjazz.com

CSU Northridge Vocal Jazz Ensemble, "EPICENTER"
2006 AND 2007 Reno Jazz Festival First Place Collegiate Vocal Jazz Ensemble

Fall 2008 Rehearsal Schedule: Mondays 7:00-9:30 PM

More information available at www.epicenterjazz.com


**********************
The CSU Northridge
JAZZ "A" BAND

Matt Harris - Director

The CSUN Jazz "A" Band is recognized as one of the finest college jazz bands in the nation. The band's recordings are heard on jazz radio stations around the world and have received rave reviews. The newest recording, entitled "Jazz A Band" was released in 1999. The next recording, to be released Fall 2004, will feature all student compositions and arrangements 

The award-winning CSU Northridge Jazz A Band regularly performs at major music festivals including the Monterey and Reno Jazz Festivals. The band has been featured at the conferences of the California Music Educator's Association (CMEA) as well as the International Association of Jazz Educators IAJE. 

The A band toured Beijing and Shanghai, China in 1999 featuring Bruce Paulson as a guest artist and recently completed a summer tour of Germany and the south of France.

Recent guest artists with the band include Randy Brecker, Bill Perkins, Bob Florence, Alex Iles, Clay Jenkins,Vince Mendoza, Bob Sheppard, Gordon Goodwin, George Stone, Bob McChesney, Ron Stout, Peter Erskine, Dave Holland, Gary Foster, Bobby Shew, Fred Sturm and many others

The CSU Northridge
JAZZ FACULTY

(click on a name to see biographical info)

Matt Harris - piano/director
Gary Pratt - bass/director

Rob Lockart - saxophone
Gary Fukushima - piano
John Pisano - guitar
Matt Falker - voice
Dick Weller - drums
Gregg Bisonnette - drums
Bob Mc Chesney
- trombone
Howie Shear - trumpet
Wayne Bergeron - trumpet
Don Kasper - bass
Robert Hurst - bass

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