District Audition Scoring and Details

These audition procedures are provided to help ensure that the methods of evaluating Jazz Band Selectees are consistent throughout the State. These guidelines will be followed for both District and All-State Jazz auditions. It is important that the District Presidents, Jazz Division District Representatives, Audition Chairpersons, and all Adjudicators are familiar with these procedures.

The purpose of the audition is to determine proper seating order in the sections. If there is more than one Jazz Band to be selected, the highest scoring students will be placed in the top band or combo (if available per district). Subsequent scoring students will be placed in 2nd, 3rd and 4th bands (if available per district).

All grade level students, 9-12 are eligible to participate in their District Jazz Band(s) and are also eligible to be selected in the All-State Ensembles, provided they fully participated in their District Jazz Band.

The use of supplemental electronic and mechanical devices is not permitted in all ILMEA auditions.  This includes, but is not limited to, metronomes and tuners.

During adjudication, each student will only be identified by an audition number, not by name, age, school, or gender.

Please note the district and state senior-level auditions will include the following material, but there may be additional audition material in some districts. For example, several districts use an additional etude to supplement the audition requirements and they may also have different or additional improvisation requirements. Please check with your ILMEA District to see if there are any additional jazz audition procedures that are required by your district.

The state required etude is available on the state website.

TIE BREAKER CATEGORIES

Winds and Non-Drumset Rhythm

• Melodic Accuracy

• Stylistic Accuracy

• Conceptual Understanding

Drum Set 

• Rhythmic Stability

• Stylistic Accuracy

• Conceptual Understanding

JAZZ AUDITION PROCEDURES - WINDS & BRASS

1. Required Selection 

• Winds 

  • 70 points possible in the Excerpt(s) 

    • melodic accuracy (10 points)

    • technical facility (10 points)

    • rhythmic accuracy (10 points)

    • interpretation (10 points)

    • stylistic accuracy (10 points)

    • tone quality (10 points)

    • intonation (10 points)

2. Improvisation

• Winds 

  • 30 points possible in improvisation as follows:

    • tonality (10 Points)

    • conceptual understanding (10 Points)

    • creativity (10 Points)  

Students are not allowed to prepare a “written out solo” in advance of the audition. All improvisation must be done on the spot without any written music.

JAZZ AUDITION PROCEDURES - RHYTHM

All of the audition procedures listed for Jazz Winds will also apply to Jazz Rhythm instruments, with the exceptions listed below.

PIANO & BASS
Piano and bass players will be asked to improvise using their own specific tracks for Billie's Bounce. The piano track just has bass and drums as background music, and the bass track just has a hi-hat drum beat with chords sporadically outlined on piano.

The ‘Rhythmic Stability’ category is included for rhythm section auditions to evaluate an ability to play with accurate tempo, pulse, syncopation and steadiness.

GUITAR & VIBES
The ‘Rhythmic Stability’ category is included for rhythm section auditions to evaluate an ability to play with accurate tempo, pulse, syncopation and steadiness.

DRUM SET
Drumset players will demonstrate improvisational ability by playing a medium fast, swing drum solo in a 12 bar blues format. The student should play four measures of swing followed by four measures of solo, going through three choruses.

Drumset players will demonstrate playing style patterns for the following four categories:

• Swing (fast or slow)

• Latin (samba or bossa)

• Brushes (medium swing or ballad tempos)

• Funk

• Click Here for Drum Set Audition Style Patterns

• Click Here for Drum Set Audition Style Patterns Audio Examples (ZIP file)

The ‘Rhythmic Stability’ category is included for rhythm section auditions to evaluate an ability to play with accurate tempo, pulse, syncopation and steadiness.Audition Style Patterns Audio Examples (ZIP file)

JAZZ AUDITION PROCEDURES - RHYTHM SECTION

1. Required Selection
   Non-Drumset
   60 points possible as follows:

   • melodic accuracy (10 points)

   • technical facility (10 points)

   • rhythmic accuracy (10 points)

   • interpretation (10 points)

   • stylistic accuracy (10 points)

   • rhythmic stability (10 points)

   Drumset
   50 points possible as follows:

   • technical facility (10 points)

   • rhythmic accuracy (10 points)

   • interpretation (10 points)

   • stylistic accuracy (10 points)

   • rhythmic stability (10 points)

   2. Improvisation
   Non-Drumset 
   40 points possible in improvisation as follows:

• tonality (10 Points)

• rhythm (10 Points)

• conceptual understanding (10 Points)

• creativity (10 Points)   

Drumset
30 points possible in improvisation as follows:

• rhythm (10 Points)

• conceptual understanding (10 Points)

• creativity (10 Points) 

Students are not allowed to prepare a “written out solo” in advance of the audition. All improvisation must be done on the spot without any written music.

*NEW*
All-State Ensemble Instrumentation & Voicing

All-State Instrumental Jazz Ensembles would be selected and voiced as follows:

• Honors Combo (8 Students)

  • Based on the top combined improvisation score on the following instruments, independent of the remaining score of the audition

    • 1 Alto Saxophone

    • 1 Tenor Saxophone

    • 1 Trumpet

    • 1 Trombone

    • 1 Piano

    • 1 Guitar

    • 1 Bass

    • 1 Drumset
      

• Honors Instrumental Jazz Ensemble (24 Students)

  • Based on the top overall rankings after consideration of improvisation scores

    • 2 Alto Saxophones

    • 2 Tenor Saxophones

    • 1 Baritone Saxophone

    • 4 Tenor Trombones

    • 1 Bass Trombone

    • 5 Trumpets

    • 2 Piano

    • 2 Guitar

    • 2 Bass

    • 2 Drumset

    • 1 Vibes
      

• All-State Instrumental Jazz Ensemble (24 Students)

  • Based on the overall ranking of remaining students

    • 2 Alto Saxophones 

    • 2 Tenor Saxophones 

    • 1 Baritone Saxophone

    • 4 Tenor Trombones

    • 1 Bass Trombone

    • 5 Trumpets 

    • 2 Piano

    • 2 Guitar

    • 2 Bass

    • 2 Drumset

    • 1 Vibes