ADMISSIONS___________________________________

AUDITION COMMITTEE: REGGIE WORKMAN, JANE IRA BLOOM, TERI LUCAS, RICHARD HARPER
A performance audition is required of all students applying to The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. Please review the following instrument-specific instructions and repertoire, and other general information regarding our audition process. Please contact the Jazz Admissions Office at 212.229.5896 x4589 if you have further questions about auditioning for The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music.

GENERAL INFORMATION AND AUDITION CALENDAR SCHEDULE
Applications for The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music must be submitted by September 15 for the Spring 2008 semester and January 1 for the Fall 2008 semester. Late applications are accepted until November 1 for spring term, and March 15 for fall term. Spring auditions are held on selected days in October and November. Period One Auditions for the fall semester are in February and March. The Admissions Office assigns the audition date and time.

AUDITION FORMAT
Both pre-screen (see drums, voice, and guitar, below) and regular auditions (all other instruments) can be submitted via traditional tape/CD recordings or online using our new innovative portal partnership with ekomi. Vocalists who pass the pre-screen audition are required to audition live at the school.

All candidates (including those passing our pre-screen) who live within a 200-mile radius of the school are required to have a live audition and will be automatically scheduled for one. Applicants living outside the area must indicate on the application whether they plan to send an audition tape/CD or request a live audition. The admissions office will notify applicants of the next available audition date after receipt of the application and fee (conditional to successful pre-screen review where applicable).

Students submitting an audio tape/CD are advised to send a tape they feel is representative of their best work. It is not required that the format be a professional or studio recording, but the sound quality must be as good as possible. The submitted material must be clearly labeled with the name and instrument of the applicant, and the selections of music. Audition tapes or CDs not clearly labeled will be returned without being reviewed. Please do not send videotapes or minidiscs.

For live auditions, The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music will provide a rhythm section and equipment such as amps, drums, and microphones. Applicants should bring their own music, patch cords if they are auditioning for guitar or bass, sticks for drummers, etc. Left-hand drummers must notify the admissions office if they need to perform on a left-handed kit. Applicants are encouraged to have a live audition if possible

Auditions (audiotape/CD, online, or live) are judged for individualism, technique, performance experience, and the candidate’s ability to play time, improvise, and play with a rhythm section. The audition constitutes the primary evaluation for both school acceptance and scholarship consideration. Jazz scholarships are merit-based awards given at the time of acceptance.

AUDITION ON-LINE WITH EKOMI
www.ekomi.com/newschool
We are proud to offer online access to free ekomi audition software and audition music created by the New School staff. After reviewing your instrument-specific audition information, we invite you to connect to our ekomi audition site through the link provided on our website (www.ekomi.com/newschool). This innovative and interactive program provides audition accompaniment downloaded directly into the ekomi player on your home computer. After you install the player, you can view a tutorial showing you how to record, label, and send your audition online. This option is currently available for Windows 2000/XP. A Mac version is planned for next year.

HOW TO GET THE BEST RESULTS FROM THE EKOMI AUDITION
The ekomi platform is a well-designed program for online auditioning. It will be to your advantage to familiarize yourself with the functions and navigation of the site before attempting your recordings. We encourage you to try the ekomi online audition and recommend that you:

1) First review the tutorial and FAQ sections of the ekomi site.
2) Listen to each repertoire selection to gain familiarity with the form and tune before attempting to record.
3) Try a sample demo excerpt in order to be comfortable with the recording functions and to gauge your recording/mic sound levels.

Please note that ekomi recordings are provided in normal 440 = A tuning.

STANDARDS CONTENT AND TUNE FORM
All selection content on www.ekomi.com/newschool used for The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music is readily available in legally published jazz standard repertoire books. The following standards are current content for the New School online audition:

1) “All Blues”
Key: G major
Form: 4-bar intro/head/solo for 3 choruses/head/tag 2x

2) “Straight No Chaser”
Key: Eb major
Form: head for 2 choruses/solo for 4 choruses/head

3) “Softly as in a Morning Sunrise”
Key: C minor
Form: head/solo for 4 choruses/head

4) “Body and Soul”
Key: Db major
Form: 2-bar intro/head/solo over AAB/last A play head out

PIANO AND VIBES
Applicants who live within a 200-mile radius of the school are required to have a live audition and will be automatically scheduled for one. Applicants living outside the area must indicate on the application whether they plan to send an audition tape/CD, audition online, or request a live audition. Applicants outside the 200-mile radius have three audition options:

OPTION A: REQUEST A LIVE AUDITION
LIVE AUDITION REPERTOIRE REQUIRED
Three jazz standards performed with rhythm section
1. One up-tempo tune
2. One ballad
3. One blues

OPTION B: SUBMIT A TAPE/CD RECORDING WITH YOUR APPLICATION
TAPE/CD REPERTOIRE REQUIRED
Three jazz standards performed with rhythm section
1. One up-tempo tune
2. One ballad
3. One blues

OPTION C: ONLINE AUDITION (WWW.EKOMI.COM/NEWSCHOOL)
REPERTOIRE REQUIRED
1. "All Blues" or "Straight no Chaser"
2. "Body and Soul"
3. "Softly as in a Morning Sunrise"

BRASS, WOODWINDS, STRINGS: TRUMPET, TROMBONE, SAXOPHONE, FLUTE, BASS, VIOLIN, CELLO, AND OTHER MISC.
Applicants who live within a 200-mile radius of the school are required to have a live audition and will be automatically scheduled for one. Applicants living outside the area must indicate on the application whether they plan to send an audition tape/CD, audition online, or request a live audition. Applicants outside the 200-mile radius have three audition options:

OPTION A: REQUEST A LIVE AUDITION
LIVE AUDITION REPERTOIRE REQUIRED
Three jazz standards performed with rhythm section
1. One up-tempo tune
2. One ballad
3. One blues

OPTION B: SUBMIT A TAPE/CD RECORDING WITH YOUR APPLICATION
TAPE/CD REPERTOIRE REQUIRED
Three jazz standards performed with rhythm section
1. One up-tempo tune
2. One ballad
3. One blues

OPTION C: ONLINE AUDITION (WWW.EKOMI.COM/NEWSCHOOL)
REPERTOIRE REQUIRED
1. "All Blues" or "Straight no Chaser"
2. "Body and Soul"
3. "Softly as in a Morning Sunrise"

DRUMS
A pre-screen audition is required for drummers. Tape/CD recordings must accompany the application and be received in the Jazz Admissions Office by the designated deadline. If the pre-screening audition is favorably reviewed, applicants who live within a 200-mile radius of the school are required to have a live audition and will be automatically scheduled for one. Applicants living outside the area must indicate on the application whether they plan to send an audition tape/CD or request a live audition.

The Pre-screen Audition Process:
Drum applicants have two options for pre-screen audition material submission. Applicants will be judged within their ability to play time, improvise, and play with a rhythm section.

OPTION A: TAPE/CD (WITH RHYTHM SECTION)
REPERTOIRE REQUIRED
1. “Caravan” with a Latin A section and a swing B section
2. Two additional jazz standards in varying tempos and styles

OPTION B: ONLINE AUDITION AT WWW.EKOMI.COM/NEWSCHOOL
(WITH RHYTHM SECTION)
REPERTOIRE REQUIRED
1. “All Blues”
2. “Body and Soul”
3. “Softly as in a Morning Sunrise”

Applicants must show their ability to play time, improvise and play with a rhythm section.

Drum Audition Process After Favorable Pre-screen Review:
Drum applicants who successfully pass the pre-screen process and who live within a 200-mile radius of the school are required to have a live audition and will be automatically scheduled for one. Applicants living outside the area must indicate on the application whether they plan to send an audition tape/CD or request a live audition. Applicants must show their ability to play time, improvise, and play with a rhythm section. Applicants outside the 200-mile radius have two audition options:

LIVE AUDITION OR TAPE/CD
REPERTOIRE REQUIRED
Three jazz standards performed with rhythm section (must be different songs than pre-screen submissions)
1. One up-tempo tune
2. One ballad
3. One blues

GUITAR
A pre-screen audition is required for guitarists. Tape/CD recordings must accompany the application and be received in the Jazz Admissions Office by the designated deadline. If the pre-screening audition is favorably reviewed, applicants who live within a 200-mile radius of the school are required to have a live audition and will be automatically scheduled for one. Applicants living outside the area must indicate on the application whether they plan to send an audition tape/CD or request a live audition.

The Pre-screen audition process
Guitar applicants have two options for pre-screen audition material submission. Applicants will be judged within their ability to play time, improvise, and play with a rhythm section.

OPTION A: TAPE/CD (WITH RHYTHM SECTION)
REPERTOIRE REQUIRED
1. One chord/melody ballad with or without accompaniment, such as “Body and Soul.”
2. Two jazz standards, one of which should be medium/up (quarter note = 200) and the other at a tempo and style of your choice. Applicants must demonstrate comping skills in one of the songs.

OPTION B: ONLINE AUDITION AT WWW.EKOMI.COM/NEWSCHOOL (WITH RHYTHM SECTION)
REPERTOIRE REQUIRED
1. “All Blues”
2. “Straight No Chaser”
3. “Softly as in a Morning Sunrise”
4. Unaccompanied chord/melody ballad

Guitar Audition Process After Favorable Pre-screen Review
Guitar applicants who successfully pass the pre-screen process and who live within a 200-mile radius of the school are required to have a live audition and will be automatically scheduled for one. Applicants living outside the area must indicate on the application whether they plan to send an audition tape/CD or request a live audition. Applicants must show their ability to play time, improvise, and play with a rhythm section. Applicants outside the 200-mile radius have two audition options:

LIVE AUDITION OR TAPE/CD
REPERTOIRE REQUIRED
1. One up-tempo tune
2. One ballad
3. One blues

VOICE
A pre-screen audition is required for vocalists. Tape/CD/ekomi recordings must be received within one week of your online application. If the pre-screening audition is favorably reviewed, all applicants living in North America are required to have a live audition, which will include a brief exam to test knowledge of music notation and theory. Applicants living outside North America must indicate on the application whether they plan to send audition materials or request a live audition.

The Pre-screen Audition Process
Vocal applicants have two options for pre-screen audition material submission. Applicants must demonstrate their vocal quality, range, articulation, and ability to interpret the lyric using the given melody of a song. Applicants who find it difficult to put together a rhythm section are strongly advised to take advantage of option B (the online audition).

OPTION A: TAPE/CD
OPTION B: ONLINE AUDITION (WITH RHYTHM SECTION)

Repertoire Required
1. One song a cappella chosen from:
• “Here’s that Rainy Day”
• “In a Sentimental Mood”
• “All the Things You Are”

Guidelines for song 1:
a) Sing the melody as written
b) Sing the melody a cappella
c) Sing the melody twice, the first time in one key and the second time in a key at least a major second higher.

2. Two songs chosen from:
• “All Blues”
• “Softly as in a Morning Sunrise”
• “Body and Soul”

Guidelines for song 2:
a) Sing the melody with the band using the standard (not substituted) chord changes.
b) At end of the melody have the band play a one- to two-chord vamp.
c) While the band is vamping, improvise using either lyrics or scat syllables for a period of at least 45 seconds.
d) Come to definite end (no fade outs).

Vocal Audition Process After Favorable Pre-screen Review:
Vocal applicants who successfully pass the pre-screen process and who live in North America are required to have a live audition and will be automatically scheduled for one. Applicants who live outside North America may submit an audition tape/CD. Applicants must demonstrate their vocal quality, range, articulation, and ability to interpret the lyric using the given melody of a song.

LIVE AUDITION (REQUIRED FOR RESIDENTS OF NORTH AMERICA) OR TAPE/CD

Repertoire Required
Three jazz standards performed with rhythm section (must be different songs than pre-screen submissions)
1. One up-tempo tune
2. One ballad
3. One blues