Hello Directors, Students, and Parents:

Welcome to the 2015 All District Jazz Band Middle School and High School auditions! We are happy of your interest to be a part of this wonderful jazz group with the best of the best from our county. Please read all of this information carefully so you fully understand what is required of you for this audition.

1. Pre-registration (DIRECTOR’S ONLY)

Directors – we are requesting pre-registration by email to me before the actual audition takes place. The deadline will be February 27th, 2015. Please note – any students who are not registered by email to me by the end of the work day on February 27th, 2015 will not be allowed to audition. In the email, please include: Name of student, school and instrument they are auditioning on. This pre-registration is to figure out how long the audition night will go and what we need for judges. Please collect their signed commitment forms by this date as well. It will be the director’s responsibility to hand in all the commitment forms to me on the audition date.

2. Auditions

They will take place on March 11th at River Bend Middle School, 46240 Algonkian Parkway, Sterling, VA 20165. The registration is from 5:30pm to 7:00pm. Auditions will begin promptly at 6:00pm. Audition times will be handled on a “first come, first served” basis so you will not be receiving an audition time. Each student is responsible for notifying their band director if they are auditioning. All students must have their signed commitment form completed and handed in to their director by February 27th, 2015. All students must audition at the designated time and place and must register themselves.

3. The Audition Process

Improvisation (20%)

This portion of the audition is optional, but is an opportunity to increase your overall score. You can only gain points by trying. Each student will have the opportunity to improvise, one time, along with the appropriate pre-recorded track. Students do not need to bring a player or recording. Each audio track will be titled and say which track each instrument should use to play with. *Attention All Drum Set players – your improvisation will be playing various styles of Jazz. You will not improve based on the prepared piece. After the piece ends, you will stop playing and go to the Drum Set Styles Improvision.

Download audio tracks to practice with from the Seneca Ridge Middle School Band Website - http://www.lcps.org/domain/12488

Prepared Piece (40%)

Prepared pieces should be performed at the marked tempo in an appropriate style. Students may use their own copy of the prepared piece. Drum Set is expected to listen to keep a steady tempo with the correct Midi file with appropriate fills throughout. The prepared piece should be given to you by your band director. They will also be posted on the Seneca Ridge Middle School website – http://www.lcps.org/domain/12488 - in the same place you can find the audio tracks.

Sight-reading (40%)

Students will have 30 seconds to study the sight-reading material. They may not play their instrument during this time.

*Please do not speak during the audition. You may be disqualified. If you have a question during the audition, please step out of the room and ask your room guide. They will then direct the question to the judges.

3. Eligibility

In order to be eligible to audition, Virginia students must be in good standing in grades 7-12. They also must be enrolled in the school and are regular performing members for at least one of the school’s Concert Bands, Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, or Guitar Ensemble at the time of the audition. If the student meets these requirements, they will be able to audition for and qualify to participate in the All District Jazz Ensemble upon the recommendation of their school’s band director.

4. Selection of Students

a.  Students are selected on the basis of performing ability without regard to school representation. Seating is determined on the basis of auditions, but may be adjusted by the clinician.

b.  Instrumentation is: 5 trumpets, 4 tenor trombones (5 for middle school), 1 bass trombone (not for middle school), 2 alto saxophones, 2 tenor saxophones, 1 baritone saxophone, piano, bass, 2 drum set, guitar, vibraphone. Any instrument may not be used, on any number of songs at the discretion of the clinician.

c.  Each director submits a list of students who wish to audition. No limit is set upon the number who may audition.

5. Director’s Responsibilities

a.  Distribute audition letter, recordings, lead sheets, prepared pieces, and commitment forms.

b.  Collect commitment forms and pre-register their auditioning students by email to me by February 27th, 2015.

c.  Attend the auditions, hand in student commitment forms and serve as an adjudicator.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Thank you and GOOD LUCK!!

Sincerely,

Lisa Smith, Audition Chair

Seneca Ridge Middle School, Director of Bands