Prescreening Procedures

All jazz guitar applicants are required to submit an audio recording for prescreening purposes in order to receive an invitation to a live audition in New York City. The recording must include all of the repertoire as listed below. Prescreening recordings must be uploaded via www.musiccas.com. It is not required that the format be a professional or studio recording, but the sound quality must be as good as possible. Please find information on how to upload prescreening materials here. 

Repertoire for the prescreening recording must demonstrate the ability to improvise and play with a rhythm section, using a live band or play-along recording. 

• Required piece (must be first on the recording): the 12-Bar Blues piece, Billie's Bounce in medium tempo (minimum of four improvised choruses).
• Perform three other selections (one must be a ballad) in different jazz styles, moods and tempos (minimum of two improvised choruses for each selection).
• Demonstrate "comping" on a standard song of your choice.
• Original compositions should not be included.

Get information about the Doctoral Jazz Arts Advancement
Program Prescreening Procedures >

Audition Procedures

• Applicants who pass the prescreening portion of the audition will be invited for a live audition in New York City.
• All auditions are approximately 10 minutes in length. Each applicant chooses his/her first work, and the faculty will choose a second and possibly third work from the audition repertoire list provided by the applicant.

• ·      In addition to the audition tune list  that applicants will submit to the panel (three tunes for undergraduates, ten tunes for graduates), all applicants must bring an additional typed list of  their entire jazz repertoire to the panel. One copy is sufficient.

• Rhythm section and amplifiers will be provided. Applicants must provide music for the rhythm section. Auditioning students may provide their own rhythm section players if they choose.
• Play-along recordings are not acceptable for a live audition. 

Audition Requirements

Undergraduate

• Demonstrate ability to improvise and play with a rhythm section.
• Three different selections (one must be a ballad) in different jazz styles, moods and tempos.
• Basic theory test given prior to scheduled audition time (will take approximately 15 minutes).
• Sight-reading.

Graduate (non-doctoral)

• Demonstrate ability to improvise and play with a rhythm section at a graduate level of advancement.
• Ten selections (including two ballads) in different jazz styles, moods and tempos performed from memory.
• Basic theory test given prior to scheduled audition time (will take approximately 15 minutes).
• Sight-reading.

Doctoral Jazz Arts Advancement Program

Get more information about this advanced degree program >