Jazz Band

Jazz Band auditions will be Tuesday, November 4th, after school.  You must sign up by Friday, October 31st.  I will post specific times on Monday, November 3rd.

The sign-up sheet can be found on the Music Department board outside the Band Room.

You must see Mr. Harris for the audition piece.

The audition will consist of:
1) The prepared piece of swing: Walkin' About (this is a Basie Band chart - style is everything)
2) Sight Reading
3) 2 Improvised Choruses of an F Blues (optional).  This gives you an opportunity to show me what you've got!  Drummers will be asked to play basic beats on this sheet (click to download.)

We will be looking for standard Jazz Band instrumentation: Saxes, Trumpets, Trombones, Piano, Guitar, Bass, Drums.  Saxophonists will all try out on the same music but can play which ever saxophone they are most comfortable with.  However, you might be asked to switch to a different instrument upon selection to the band.  Saxophonists, trumpeters, and trombonists must be enrolled in an NVD curricular ensemble.

Guitarists must bring their own amplifier and chord.

The Jazz Band is the only auditioned instrumental ensemble at Northern Valley Demarest.  The students are introduced to concepts of improvisation, Jazz history, and different styles within the Jazz idiom (swing, ballads, Latin, rock, funk, etc.).  The ensemble meets Tuesday evenings from 6:00-8:00PM and performs at three formal school concerts per school year as well as our annual Music Department Festival Trip.  The ensemble also performs at school functions, including the Senior Awards Assembly and also has performed live for the student body at lunch time.