Large Ensemble Fall Placement Audition Information
Placement audition information for Peabody's large instrumental and choral ensembles, including PDF files of the required orchestral excerpts, and assigned audition dates and times for all students with a large ensemble obligation, will be posted on the pages linked below when that information becomes available.
Audition Excerpts
Links to the PDF files containing the required excerpts for each instrument will be posted here when they have been determined, likely in the late spring to early summer of 2013. If you are a Macintosh user and are having problems viewing these PDF files, please ensure that you are not using the Macintosh "Preview" program to open the file, as this is not a reliable PDF display program. Instead, please try using a copy of the latest version of Adobe Reader, which is available as a free download.
Audition Schedule
Specific schedules for which instrumental groups will be heard each day, as well as specific times for individuals will be posted here when that information becomes available. Students should make certain that they arrive on campus well in advance of the scheduled time for their audition.
Choral Auditions
Information on placement auditions for the Peabody-Hopkins Chorus and the Peabody Singers 2013-2014 academic year will be posted here when that information becomes available. Voice majors are scheduled for 15-minute audition time slots, and should prepare two selections of their choice that best demonstrate their abilities. Non-voice majors are scheduled for 8-minute audition time slots, and should prepare one selection of their choice (this can be anything from Happy Birthday to I Left My Heart in San Francisco). Everyone should bring two copies of their selections with them to the audition. Any other interested students who would like to participate in the choral program should contact the chorus manager, Paul Faatz, to arrange an audition time.
Jazz Auditions
Information on placement auditions for the Peabody Jazz Orchestra and the Peabody Improvisation & Multimedia Ensemble 2013-2014 academic year will be posted here when that information becomes available. Participation in these ensembles is not limited to jazz majors. Interested instrumentalists who are not jazz majors, especially trumpet and trombone players, are encouraged to audition as well, and should contact Rich Lauver in the Ensemble Office to schedule an audition time.
Each auditioning student must adhere to the Jazz Audition Requirements, and demonstrate professionalism and a willingness to develop their skill as a musician to its fullest potential. Students must also display a practical knowledge of the technical aspects of his or her primary instrument, and when playing prepared pieces, solos, transcriptions and sight-reading materials, must exhibit fluency and melodic and rhythmic accuracy.
Show jazz audition requirements
Jazz Audition Requirements
Jazz Majors (Returning)
Saxes - Solo on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key or I may choose) with or without playalong CD (bring if needed), sight reading (section and lead parts), chord change reading, clarinet and flute part reading (bring your instruments)
Trumpets - Solo on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without playalong CD (bring if needed), sight reading (section and/or lead parts), chord change reading, bring mutes, and bring Flugelhorn if possible
Trombones - Solo on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without playalong CD (bring if needed), sight reading (section and/or lead parts), chord change reading
Piano - Solo and comping on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without playalong CD (bring if needed), sight reading, chord change reading
Guitar - Solo and comping on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without playalong CD (bring if needed), sight reading, chord change reading
Vibes - Solo and comping on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without playalong CD (bring if needed), sight reading, chord change reading
Bass - Walking line or appropriate bass line (I'll ask for different rhythm feels) on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without playalong CD (bring if needed), sight reading, chord change reading. Bring your bass, and a bow, and if you plan to play electric bass; bring one!
Drums - Time playing on 12 bar Blues or 32 bar song form in various tempos, meters, and rhythm feels, sight reading with or without recording to play along with, rhythmic dictation, bring sticks, brushes, and mallets!
Jazz Majors (New)
All new ensemble members will first take a short ensemble skills test that will include (1) tuning, (2) basic phrasing and articulation, (3) understanding the count-off, and (4) playing with dynamics, and (5) listening!
In addition all instrumentalists will be asked to perform some, or all of the following:
Saxes - A short prepared technical study or transcribed solo of your choice, Solo on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key or keys you choose) with or without playalong CD (bring if needed), sight reading (section and lead parts), chord change reading, clarinet and flute part reading (bring your instruments)
Trumpets - A short prepared technical study or transcribed solo of your choice, Solo on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key or keys you choose) with or without playalong CD (bring if needed), sight reading (section and lead parts), chord change reading, bring mutes, and bring Flugelhorn if possible
Trombones - A short prepared technical study or transcribed solo of your choice, Solo on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key or keys you choose) with or without playalong CD (bring if needed), sight reading (section and lead parts) and playalong with recordings, chord change reading
Piano - A short prepared technical study or transcribed solo of your choice, Solo and comping on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without playalong CD (bring if needed), sight reading (section and lead parts) and playalong with recordings, chord change reading
Guitar - A short prepared technical study or transcribed solo of your choice, Solo and comping on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without playalong CD (bring if needed), sight reading (section and lead parts) and playalong with recordings, chord change reading
Vibes - A short prepared technical study or transcribed solo of your choice, Solo and comping on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without playalong CD (bring if needed), sight reading (section and lead parts) and playalong with recordings, chord change reading
Bass - A short prepared technical study or transcribed solo of your choice, Walking line or appropriate bass line (I'll ask for different rhythm feels) on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without playalong CD (bring if needed), sight reading (section and lead parts) and playalong with recordings, chord change reading. Bring your bass, and a bow, and if you plan to play electric bass; bring one!
Drums - A short prepared technical study or transcribed drum part of your choice, Time playing on 12 bar Blues or 32 bar song form in various tempos, meters, and rhythm feels, sight reading (section and lead parts) and playalong with recordings, rhythmic dictation, bring sticks, brushes, and mallets!
Vocalists - A short prepared a cappella vocal exercise or study of your choice or a bebop head (melody), such as Billie's Bounce, Now's the Time, or Yardbird Suite. One or two of these Standard Tunes (with recorded CD accompaniment that you will need to bring with you to the audition): The Nearness of You, Sophisticated Lady, Fly Me to the Moon, All of Me. Be prepared to sight-sing one or two wordless vocal excerpts.
Non-Jazz Majors (Returning)
All returning students that wish to be considered for more solos than in prior years should come prepared to play one or two higher level tunes than those that are required of you, or at least play the required tunes in more difficult keys and faster tempos. The same goes for section seatings: in other words if you'd like to be a lead player; come into your audition playing like a lead player!
In addition to anything that you'd like to play for me for the reasons outlined above, all instrumentalists should be prepared to perform some, or all of the following:
Saxes - Solo on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without playalong CD (bring if needed), sight reading (section and lead parts), chord change reading, clarinet and flute part reading (bring your instruments)
Trumpets - Solo on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without playalong CD (bring if needed), sight reading (section and/or lead parts), chord change reading, bring mutes, and bring Flugelhorn if possible
Trombones - Solo on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without play along CD (bring if needed), sight reading (section and/or lead parts), chord change reading
Piano - Solo and comping on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without play along CD (bring if needed), sight reading, chord change reading
Guitar - Solo and comping on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without play along CD (bring if needed), sight reading, chord change reading
Vibes - Solo and comping on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without play along CD (bring if needed), sight reading, chord change reading
Bass - Walking line or appropriate bass line (I'll ask for different rhythm feels) on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without play along CD (bring if needed), sight reading, chord change reading. Bring your bass, and a bow, and if you plan to play electric bass; bring one!
Drums - Time playing on 12 bar Blues or 32 bar song form in various tempos, meters, and rhythm feels, sight reading with or without recording to play along with, rhythmic dictation, bring sticks, brushes, and mallets!
Non-Jazz Majors (New)
All auditioning non-jazz majors will first take a short ensemble skills test that will include (1) tuning, (2) basic phrasing and articulation, (3) understanding the count-off, and (4) playing with dynamics, and (5) listening!
In addition all instrumentalists will be asked to perform some, or all of the following:
Saxes - A short prepared technical study or transcribed solo of your choice, Solo on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key or keys you choose) with or without play along CD (bring if needed), sight reading (section and lead parts) and play along with recordings, chord change reading, clarinet and flute part reading (bring your instruments)
Trumpets - A short prepared technical study or transcribed solo of your choice, Solo on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key or keys you choose) with or without play along CD (bring if needed), sight reading (section and lead parts) and play along with recordings, chord change reading, bring mutes, and bring Flugelhorn if possible
Trombones - A short prepared technical study or transcribed solo of your choice, Solo on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key or keys you choose) with or without play along CD (bring if needed), sight reading ( section and lead parts) and play along with recordings, chord change reading
Piano - A short prepared technical study or transcribed solo of your choice, Solo and comping on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without play along CD (bring if needed), sight reading and play along with recordings, chord change reading
Guitar - A short prepared technical study or transcribed solo of your choice, Solo and comping on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without play along CD (bring if needed), sight reading and play along with recordings, chord change reading
Vibes - A short prepared technical study or transcribed solo of your choice, Solo and comping on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without play along CD (bring if needed), sight reading and play along with recordings, chord change reading
Bass - A short prepared technical study or transcribed solo of your choice, Walking line or appropriate bass line (I'll ask for different rhythm feels) on Blues or I Got Rhythm Form (any key, or I may choose) with or without play along CD (bring if needed), sight reading and play along with recordings, chord change reading. Bring your bass, and a bow, and if you plan to play electric bass; bring one!
Drums - A short prepared technical study or transcribed drum part of your choice, Time playing on 12 bar Blues or 32 bar song form in various tempos, meters, and rhythm feels, sight reading and play along with recordings, rhythmic dictation, bring sticks, brushes, and mallets!
Vocalists - A short prepared a cappella vocal exercise or study of your choice or a bebop head (melody), such as Billie's Bounce, Now's the Time, or Yardbird Suite. One or two of these Standard Tunes (with recorded CD accompaniment that you will need to bring with you to the audition): The Nearness of You, Sophisticated Lady, Fly Me to the Moon, All of Me. Be prepared to sight-sing one or two wordless vocal excerpts.
