Join UC Jazz

How to Audition

All UC Berkeley students are eligible to audition for UC Jazz Ensembles. Auditions will be held on September 2nd and 3rd from 2 to 7.30 pm, in the UC Jazz facilities in the basement of the Cesar Chavez Student Center.

Sign-up sheets are posted on the bulletin board by the UC Jazz studios, so please be sure to reserve your time in advance. Two or three UC Jazz faculty members will be present. You will be asked at the time of the audition to supply the time(s) you are available and for which class(es) you want to be considered. Every effort will be made to accommodate schedules, but final selection will be based on both the audition and the make-up of the combos. Auditions will include all of the things listed under Audition Requirements below.

Please note that there will be no classes held prior to auditions and that the combo and big band lists will be posted on Tuesday, September 8, which will also be the first official day of UCJ rehearsals, starting with big band that day. This new system will allow everyone to come to their first rehearsal with the ensembles organized and ready to play. For those who cannot wait for rehearsals to begin, the UCJ studios are open as usual for you to use.

If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact Ted Moore, director of UC Jazz.

Fall 2009 Schedule of Ensembles

The UC Jazz membership fee is $50 for students and $75 for community members per semester. This fee is used to provide services for the benefit of all members throughout the term.

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Audition Requirements

UC Jazz holds individual auditions for all new members. The list of audition requirements is intended to be comprehensive and to represent all levels of experience, and we know that not everyone will be able to fulfill all of the audition requirements. Come prepared to demonstrate as many of the requirements as possible. This will help us to determine which level is appropriate for you.

All Horns, Piano, Guitar, Vibes:
  • Scales: all major and melodic minor scales; all dominant 7th and minor 7th scales (individually)
  • Blues head; play any blues head of YOUR choice (come prepared) and improvise on 2 choruses (in the combo)
  • Rhythm changes: play any head of your choice on rhythm changes and improvise on 2 choruses (in the combo)
  • Standard: play any standard of your choice and improvise on 2 choruses (in the combo)
  • Sight-reading: material selected by instructors (individually)
Piano, Guitar & Vibes, in addition to the above:
  • Comping: demonstrate comping technique on all the above styles by playing through changes (with or without melody, either in the combo or individually)
  • Latin comping: demonstrate comping technique by playing through changes on a Latin tune of your choice (with or without melody, either in the combo or individually)
Bass:
  • Demonstrate walking through blues and rhythm changes (in the combo)
  • Demonstrate walking through any standard tune of your choice in the Real Book (in the combo)
  • Demonstrate example of the following grooves: funk, samba, generic latin (either in the combo or individually)
  • Sight-reading: material selected by instructors (individually)
Drums:
  • Knowledge of all rudiments; you will be asked to play 3 of them (individually)
  • Demonstrate knowledge of swing, rock, samba, bossa nova, salsa, generic latin, jazz waltz grooves (individually)
  • Brushes; demonstrate swing and straight 8th-note grooves (individually)
  • Meters (individually) :
    • Samba in 3/2
    • Funk in 7/4
    • Latin in 12/8
  • Soloing; trade 4's in blues form and samba tune (in the combo)
  • Sight-reading; big band chart selected by instructors (individually)
Big Band:
  • Sight reading; material selected by instructors (individually)
  • Rhythm section players, see above requirements
  • Knowledge of improvisation necessary if auditioning for lead position; demonstrate improv technique on blues and rhythm changes (in the big band)
Optional, for extra consideration (especially for advanced combos):
  • Perform new original piece (must be new piece with parts prepared and transposed if needed)
  • Performance of same piece in 2 different styles (e.g. "Joshua" from 2 different periods of Miles' recordings, or same piece in 2 different grooves like swing and straight 8th)
  • Perform a classical piece from the repertoire of your instrument
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Attendance Policy

When you participate in UC Jazz, it is important that you are aware of our attendance policy. Attendance is mandatory! This means that barring extreme events we will expect you to be at all rehearsals!

UC Jazz follows the "three strikes" model for missing rehearsals. You are permitted to miss two rehearsals a semester for legitimate reasons. After the third miss, you will be subject to review and may lose your place in UC Jazz.

Acceptable reasons for not being able to make a rehearsal include illness, midterms, and serious emergencies. Unacceptable reasons for missing rehearsal include projects, homework, and the like. All students have these commitments, and you are expected to manage your time such that you can make rehearsal. Check the rehearsal times, and audition for a combo only when you are certain that you can make ALL the rehearsals.

If you know that you cannot make it to a rehearsal, please notify Ted as far in advance as possible so that a replacement may be found. This is especially important for rhythm section players! Rehearsals suffer greatly without the support of a full rhythm section.

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Leadership Positions

In addition to playing in our combos, you can become even more involved by joining one of five committees or becoming an officer. Elections for president, vice-president, and the committee chairs are held each year during the spring semester. You can read more about each leadership position and the committees here.

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Music Department Credit

As of Fall 2005, it is now possible for Music Majors only to receive credit for participation in UC Jazz, when chosen as an ensemble elective. Please check with the Music Department for further information and with any qualification questions.

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