Honor Jazz Band

Combined League Honor Jazz Band

2023 Concert Media

Past programs link

(High School and Middle School)

2024 Combined League Honor Jazz Band

Tuesday, November 19th, 2024 @ Frederick High School

Auditions due by Friday, September 27th, 2024 4pm

Results posted Monday, October 7th, 2024

2024 Middle School Clinicians


2024 High School Clinicians
    Bill Leather- Mount Si High School, Seattle Washington

Link for honor jazz band audition submission

Link for honor jazz band entry form

High School Honor Jazz Band Audition Info

Click here for complete information on high school honor band procedures.

  • All auditions to be recorded in mp3 or m4a format
  • Links to audition music

Middle School Honor Jazz Band Audition Info

Middle School Jazz Band Audition Even Years

Middle School Audition Play Along Tracks Even Years

Middle School Jazz Band Audition Odd Years

Middle School Audition Play Along Tracks Odd Years

MS Audition Requirements
 

The MS audition requirements for even years are:  

All winds (including non-trad instruments like Flute, Clarinet, etc) and Vibes:

  • “Satin Doll” (Ellington, arr. Michael Sweeney). The music is from The Best of Essential Elements for Jazz Ensemble (Hal Leonard).
    • Short excerpt as indicated.
  • PLUS – 12 bars of improvisation over the F Blues backing track (provided)
Bass (electric or upright), Piano and Guitar:
  • “Satin Doll” (Ellington, arr. Michael Sweeney). The music is from The Best of Essential Elements for Jazz Ensemble (Hal Leonard).
    • Short excerpt as indicated.
  • Guitar – Use the “No piano” backing track for your audition.
  • PLUS – 12 bars of improvisation over the F Blues backing track (provided)
Drums:
  • “Satin Doll” (Ellington, arr. Michael Sweeney). The music is from The Best of Essential Elements for Jazz Ensemble (Hal Leonard).
    • Short excerpt as indicated.
  • PLUS – Demonstration of a rock, Latin and Swing styles (preferably 24 bars, with a fill (12+12)  This should showcase the student’s strengths, but priority should be placed on swing and Latin. (No backing track needed.)
  • NO F Blues

The MS audition requirements for odd years are:  

All winds (including non-trad instruments like Flute, Clarinet, etc) and Vibes:

  • “Take The A Train” (Ellington, arr. Michael Sweeney). The music is from The Best of Essential Elements for Jazz Ensemble (Hal Leonard).
  •         m. 15-34 (saxes play top part when divisi)
  • PLUS – 12 bars of improvisation over the F Blues backing track (provided)
Bass (electric or upright), Piano and Guitar:
  • “Take The A Train”,m.5-28 take 2nd ending, and continue through coda to end
  • Guitar – Use the “No piano” backing track for your audition.
  • PLUS – 12 bars of improvisation over the F Blues backing track (provided)
Drums:
  • Take The A Train, m.5-28 take 2nd ending, and continue through coda to end
  • PLUS – Demonstration of a rock, Latin and Swing styles (preferably 24 bars, with a fill (12+12) )  This should showcase the student’s strengths, but priority should be placed on swing and Latin. (No backing track needed.)
  • NO F Blues

The parts are in the following order. Only print the parts you need.

Alto 1
Tenor 1
Bari Sax
Trumpet 1
Trombone 1
Guitar
Bass
Drums
Piano (pg. 1 only)
C Treble/Vibes
F Horn
Flute
Clarinet
Tuba
 
Although I think these parts cover most of the possibilities, please be aware that not all of the arrangements selected by the clinicians this fall will come with extended instrumentation.  It is the responsibility of the accepted student’s director to transpose non-traditional parts (as needed) for their students. It is also the director’s responsibility to provide the music in a timely manner to allow the students time to prepare.  
 
 

Questions? Contact Christopher Thomas (thomas_christopher@svvsd.org) for High School and for Middle School Band.