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Academic and Performance Areas

Jazz Studies
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Undergraduate Audition Requirements
All applicants are expected to have knowledge of and may be called upon to perform all major scales, all Dorian, Lydian, and Mixolydian modes, and arpeggios at a steady, brisk, tempo. All applicants should also be prepared to play one classical etude or piece.

Acoustic Bass
Applicants will also be asked to demonstrate their ability to walk bass lines from memory over the following:

  • "A blues progression in any key"
  • "All the Things You Are"
  • "A Jazz Standard"
  • "Just Friends"
  • "Green Dolphin Street"
  • "Ladybird", etc.
Bass players must also prepare the melody of a jazz standard and a ballad melody performed in either Arco or pizzicato, such as:

  • "Round Midnight"
  • "My One and Only Love"
  • "Body & Soul"
  • "In A Sentimental Mood"
Applicants must also demonstrate their improvisation abilities by soloing over the blues and a standard tune selected from above.

Drum Set
Applicants should be prepared to perform an etude or exercise demonstrating knowledge of snare drum rudiments. Set players are also asked to demonstrate proficiency in the following areas:

  • Brush work at a ballad
  • Medium fast swing tempo
  • Be prepared to demonstrate ability to play time, delineate form, and improvise over the following types of tunes: blues and rhythm changes.
Piano
All scales, modes, and arpeggios should be played with both hands in unison at the octave.

Applicants should perform the following from memory:

The melody of one bebop tune such as:

  • "Donna Lee"
  • "Ornithology"
  • "Scrapple from the Apple"
The melody of one ballad such as:
  • "Round Midnight"
  • "My One and Only Love"
  • "Body & Soul"
  • "In A Sentimental Mood"
As demonstration of improvisational skills, applicants should prepare, from memory, a blues tune and a standard tune such as:
  • "All the Things You Are"
  • "Just Friends"
  • "Ladybird"
  • "Green Dolphin Street", etc.
Voice
Applicants should perform the following from memory the melody of one ballad such as:
  • "Round Midnight"
  • "My One and Only Love"
  • "Body & Soul"
  • "In A Sentimental Mood"
As demonstration of improvisational skills, applicants should prepare, from memory, a blues tune and a standard tune such as:
  • "All the Things You Are"
  • "Just Friends"
  • "Ladybird"
  • "Green Dolphin Street", etc.
Woodwind or Brass Instruments, Vibes & Guitar
Applicants should perform the following from memory the melody of one ballad such as:
  • "Round Midnight"
  • "My One and Only Love"
  • "Body & Soul"
  • "In A Sentimental Mood"
As demonstration of improvisational skills, applicants should prepare, from memory, a blues tune and a standard tune such as:
  • "All the Things You Are"
  • "Just Friends"
  • "Ladybird"
  • "Green Dolphin Street", etc.

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Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1043 USA
Phone: 517-353-5340 | Fax: 517-432-2880

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