ENSEMBLES
UO jazz ensembles are open to all University of Oregon students (including Part-time and Continuing Education students) by audition regardless of major. Auditions for UO Jazz Ensembles will take place in-person during the Week of Welcome, the week BEFORE classes begin for Fall Term. A single audition is used to place students in Big Bands, Combos, Latin, and Guitar ensembles. All UO Jazz Ensembles are open to any UO student by audition regardless of major.
AUDITION SCHEDULE/SIGN-UPS
All auditions will be held in the Jazz Studio, Room 184 of Frohnmayer Music Building). Audition dates and times vary by instrument so be sure to sign up accordingly.
Use the following link to sign up for your audition:
https://oregon.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_brSQ1nEw8QSq4d0
(Please Note: A separate audition is necessary to be considered for placement in the JazzArts Oregon Combo. Audition information for that group is found at the bottom of this page.)
Saxophones – 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 20th
Piano – 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 20th
Drum Set – 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 20th
Trombones – 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Thursday, September 21st
Trumpets – 3:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Thursday, September 21st
Bass – 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Friday, September 22nd
Guitar – 1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Friday, September 22nd
REGISTRATION
Depending on the results of your audition, you may be placed into either MUJ 390/391/392 (undergraduates), or MUJ 691/692 (graduate students). You may register for any of these sections before the audition if you wish, and may switch into the assigned section after audition results are posted.
Please register for MUJ 395/695 if you are interested in Small Jazz Ensemble. If you are interested in Latin Jazz Ensemble or Guitar Ensemble, please register for the appropriate CRN listed under MUS 394/694.
AUDITIONS
Each audition will last app. 10 minutes. All musicians auditioning will be asked to perform prepared excerpts (see links below), and sight-read written lines. Pianists/guitarists/bassists should be prepared to sight-read chord charts, and drummers should also be prepared to sight-read typical ensemble parts. Students auditioning for a small group or a solo chair will be asked to improvise over a blues in concert Bb (Blues Walk, which may be played at a medium tempo or at a faster tempo if the student wishes). Students wanting to be considered for more advanced combos will also be asked to improvise over standard chord changes on sight.
Audition Materials
Saxophone Auditions 2023-24
Trumpet Auditions 2023-24
Trombone Auditions 2023-24
Piano Auditions 2023-24
Guitar Auditions 2023-24
Bass Auditions 2023-24
Drums Auditions 2023-24
If you would like to audition on an instrument/voice not listed above, please contact kruegerp@uoregon.edu to arrange an audition.
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JazzArts Oregon Combo Auditions
The JazzArts Oregon Combo is a small group of student musicians representing the University of Oregon’s Jazz Studies Program in concerts throughout the region. Ensemble members are chosen annually in a separate audition prior to the Fall term of each school year. The group is open to students of any major. Auditions are held in a group format and judged by a faculty panel.
Use the same link as above to sign up for your JazzArts Oregon audition:
https://oregon.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_brSQ1nEw8QSq4d0
2023-24 JazzArts Oregon Auditions (All Instruments)
2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 20th
(All students auditioning should plan to arrive by 2:00 and stay until the end of the designated audition period.)
This year’s audition repertoire includes the following pieces:
Au Privave
Recorda-Me
Moment’s Notice
The Herbert T. Merker Scholarship Endowment
A scholarship fund has generously been established by Herb Merker to support the JazzArts Oregon Combo. Herbert T. Merker Jazz Combo Scholarship recipients will comprise the group for the duration of their award year with each receiving a scholarship of app. $1000 for the academic year. Recipients will be notified before the beginning of Fall term.
Questions
If you have any questions about Jazz Ensemble auditions, please contact Paul Krueger.