Jazz

Principal Study Jazz Auditions 

The jazz pathway audition is designed to assess applicant’s overall musicianship as Jazz students take compulsory classes in jazz harmony, jazz ear training, jazz history and jazz arranging as well as 1:1 Principal Study lessons and ensemble activities.

Each component of the audition helps the audition team assess your overall abilities as a musician and your potential for success at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Whilst each component is important, we realize it is common for applicants to be better at some skills than others. Some applicants may not be particularly advanced in improvisation, reading, ear training or multiple musical styles; our curriculum is designed to help students develop skills in these areas.

The interview is an informal discussion concerning your goals and aspirations.

We want to find out what has inspired you to pursue music, why you have chosen the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and what you will bring to the Conservatoire’s community.

You should come to your audition and interview ready to show us what you've got.

Before your audition, you will have 15 minutes to warm-up on your instrument and review the sight reading material.  

The audition will take 15 minutes and will consist of the following:

  I. a prepared piece of your choice, from the list below (no longer than 3 minutes) with rhythm section accompaniment featuring jazz faculty or existing jazz students.

a) An original composition with your own improvisation.

b) A standard jazz tune with your own improvisation.

c) A free piece with your own improvisation.

N.B. Please provide lead sheets for piano, bass and drums accompaniment for your chosen piece.

II. Sight-reading test (where applicable).

III. A short test in Intervallic, Scalular, Modal and Chordal recognition will be asked of you.

Additional Requests by the audition Panel:

You may be asked to improvise over a simple blues form in F Major and/or rhythm changes in Bb Major, accompanied by our rhythm section (3 minutes).

Our audition room is equipped with a piano, drum kit, guitar and bass amplifiers and a PA system.

Prepared Piece: We embrace and value all musical styles, so you should prepare a piece that you are comfortable with that displays your strengths as a musician.

It should be approximately 3 minutes in length, in any style that demonstrates your instrumental proficiency and your overall musicianship.

Do not choose a piece or a style of music that you think the audition team wants to hear; instead, select a piece that shows you in your best light and represents your best playing. Ultimately, the audition is a discovery

process and we want to find out what you do well in.

We recommend that you seek the guidance of your private tutor and/or musical mentor when selecting your prepared performance piece.

A rhythm section will be available at the audition.

Sight Reading:

The examples range from basic to complex so that the audition team can gauge your reading ability. You will have 15 minutes before your audition to warm up on your instrument and review the reading material before

being asked to play the examples in the audition.

Blues and Rhythm Changes:

You should be prepared to improvise over a standard I–

IV–V blues progression or more complex blues progression, if you wish, and an AABA

'I've Got Rhythm' Rhythm Changes in the key of Bb.

Improvisation:

Your prepared piece must include improvisation.

Ear Training:

You will be asked to identify intervals, scales, modes and chord qualities.

You may also be asked to demonstrate your technical facility through typical practice routines and exercises including modes and scales.

Checklist:

The following checklist will help to remind you of items you may need for your audition.

• All acoustic and electric bass players, brass players, guitarists, and saxophone players are required to bring their instrument to the audition.

• Amplifiers for guitarists and bass players will be provided in the audition room but not in the warm up room.