Degrees
- Undergraduate: Bachelor of Music (B.M.), Bachelor of Arts – Jazz Track (B.A.), and music minor in jazz studies
- Graduate: Master of Arts in jazz studies and Jazz Secondary (for DMA students)
Deadlines
The deadline for submission of formal application to the University of Iowa, the UI Graduate College and the School of Music is December 1. Please be sure to complete the application process BEFORE this date – regardless of the degree you intend to pursue.
All auditions (undergraduate or graduate) should be completed/submitted by by the last official SOM audition day (approx. Feb 15th) for fullest consideration. For graduate students seeking a teaching assistantship, you are highly encouraged to apply and complete your audition as early as possible (by Feb 1).
Degree Audition Information
Students auditioning for the jazz M.A., B.M., B.A., or minor are required to complete a formal audition, which all prospective domestic students should plan to complete in person. Video auditions are acceptable from candidates living abroad, but only under extenuating circumstances (and with jazz faculty approval) for prospective students residing within the United States. To request an in-person audition exemption, contact the jazz studies area head. For general information and to register for auditions during one of our annual “audition days”.
If unable to make the trip to Iowa on one of the published annual audition dates, contact the jazz area head Dr. Damani Phillips to schedule an alternate date and time. Students must apply to the University of Iowa and School of Music BEFORE audition scheduling can take place.
Learn More About Audition Days
Our past policy of requiring two years of classical music study (via lower-level applied lessons) for undergraduate jazz majors was recently amended and is no longer a required component of the jazz B.M and B.A. degrees. As a result, all prospective jazz students are no longer required to prepare a second audition for the classical studio faculty member on their respective instrument. Prospective undergraduate jazz students should prepare a single audition for the jazz area only moving forward.
Jazz area auditions (for all except drums) will consist of the following:
A. Performance of a prepared jazz etude, transcription or substantial big band chart (not preferred, but accepted) that is a minimum of 50 measures in length. The prepared piece may be in a style of the student’s choosing.
B. Prepare to perform the full melody and improvise over several choruses of two jazz standards of contrasting styles. No more than one of these two standards may be a 12 or 16 bar blues. This portion of the audition should be prepared with the use of a backing track (Aebersold play-along, Band in a box, IRealB, etc). Memorization of these pieces are not a hard requirement, but highly encouraged.
List of possible standards appropriate for an undergraduate audition
C. Sight read a short excerpt written in either swing, bossa nova or funk styles.
D. Performance of major and natural minor scales (2 octaves whenever possible) in all 12 keys in 8th notes at 120bpm.
Jazz Drum Set Audition Content
Please contact professor James Dreier for additional details.
Students auditioning for the jazz M.A. degree are required to complete a formal audition, which all prospective domestic students should plan to complete in person. Video auditions are acceptable from candidates living abroad, but only under extenuating circumstances (and with jazz faculty approval) for prospective students residing within the United States. For general information and to register for auditions during one of our annual “audition days”.
Learn More about Audition Days .
If unable to make the trip to Iowa on one of the published audition dates, contact the jazz area head Dr. Damani Phillips to schedule an alternate date and time. Students must apply to the University of Iowa and School of Music BEFORE audition scheduling can take place.
For full admission and financial aid consideration, graduate auditions should be completed by February 15 at the very latest. Graduate jazz auditions (for all except drum set) will consist of the following:
A. Performance of a prepared jazz etude, transcription or substantial big band chart (not preferred, but accepted) that is a minimum of 50 measures in length. The prepared piece may be in a style of the student’s choosing. If a transcription is chosen for this portion of the audition, the student will be required to perform the transcription along with the original recording. Please plan accordingly.
B. Perform the full melody (stylized in an individual way) and improvise over several choruses of three jazz standards of contrasting styles and tempi. The songs selected should be of medium difficulty and above, and no more than one of these standards may be a 12 or 16 bar blues. This portion of the audition should be prepared with the use of a backing track (Aebersold play-along, Band in a box, IRealB, etc). The use of sheet music for this portion of the audition is not encouraged, but permitted (if absolutely necessary).
List of possible standards appropriate for a graduate audition
C. Sight-read an excerpt written in either swing, bossa nova, funk or other Latin-based styles.
D. Supplementary Materials Submission: While not a firm requirement, you may choose to assemble and submit a short portfolio of 2-3 items that represent the breadth of your undergraduate work. This may include past transcriptions completed, original compositions/arrangements for large or small ensembles, a jazz-based research paper or professional recording project. Submission of supplementary materials is not required, but strongly encouraged.
Graduate Jazz Drum Set Audition Content
Please contact professor James Dreier directly if additional clarification is needed.
Jazz Degree Requirements
The Jazz Studies B.M. program includes numerous large and small ensembles, and a comprehensive slate of other courses that are open to all qualified students at the University of Iowa. Specific courses are designed, respectively, to meet requirements in General Education, Music Education, Music Therapy, and all tracks of the B.M. degree. Currently, there are four professors and four graduate teaching assistants serving more than three hundred students enrolled in jazz coursework each year.
The minor in music is self-declarable and requires a minimum of 15 s.h. of jazz-related music (MUS:) courses; of which 8 s.h. must be earned at the University of Iowa. Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 in all courses. Course work for the minor may not be taken pass/nonpass. Work for the minor must include one music theory course, one music history course, and 3 s.h. of performance courses (applied instruction or ensembles). Admission to the theory courses is determined by results on the theory placement exam.
The Jazz Studies program includes numerous large and small ensembles, and a comprehensive slate of courses in history, improvisation, and establishing a professional presence beyond our program. Graduate coursework and performance opportunities are designed to help develop/refine the skills necessary for life as a working jazz musician or in continuing on to doctoral study. One of the unique highlights of UI’s jazz master’s program is the creation of a capstone recording project in lieu of a written master’s thesis. Currently, there are four professors and four graduate teaching assistants serving more than three hundred students enrolled in jazz coursework each year. Graduate teaching assistantships may be available.
Jazz Area Ensembles & Combos
The Iowa Jazz Studies Area currently supports 2 full big bands (minimum), a Black Popular Music Ensemble Ensemble and 3-6 jazz combos each semester. Placement into these groups is handled by audition, which takes place during the first full week of classes each semester. Audition materials and time slot sign-up sheets may be found in the jazz studies area of the Voxman Building (4th floor, east hallway, in the very southeast corner of the building) or requested in electronic format from any jazz studies faculty member. Audition materials will be ready for pick-up/distribution on the Monday prior to the start of fall classes.
Jazz Ensemble and Combo Auditions
1. A prepared excerpt. Excerpt will be included in the audition packet you pick up when you choose a time slot, which will be available for students as of one week before classes begin.
2. Short sight reading excerpt
3. Improvisation demonstration: If you would like to be considered for placement in a jazz combo or a solo chair in one of our jazz ensembles, the improvisation component of the audition is mandatory. Those wishing to be considered for non-improvising section chairs in a big band only may forgo the improvisation portion of the audition. The list of eligible songs for each semester’s auditions will be included in your audition packet.
Note that auditions for rhythm section instruments (piano, guitar, bass, vibes and drums) will differ slightly from the list given above. Specific audition requirements for each instrument may be found in your audition packets.
Our new Black Pop Music (BPM) Ensemble focuses on the performance of numerous styles of popular music commonplace in modern popular culture. Encompassing styles such as R&B, Funk, Hip Hop, Blues, Soul, Motown and Neo Soul, the BPM is one of only a few of its kind in the nation.The group performs 1-2 on-campus concerts per semester, with off-campus performance opportunities planned for the near future
Auditions Sign-up:
BPM auditions will take place during week 1 of the fall and spring semesters with Wednesday evening (6 to 9pm) of these weeks serving as auditions specifically for the group. Students must sign up for an audition time slot in person. Audition sign-up sheets and audition information packets (including audition instructions and location) will be available as of the Monday (1 week) prior to the start of classes in the jazz studies area of the Voxman Music Building (located on the 4th floor, very southeast corner of the building). Electronic versions of audition info packets are also available, and may be requested from any member of the jazz studies faculty via email.
1. Vocalists, Emcees, Horn Players: Prepare to perform 2 songs of contrasting styles that are categorized as Funk, Rhythm & Blues, Soul, Neo-Soul or Hip Hop. The use of an instrumental backing track as accompaniment is preferred, but if necessary, the auditionee may play along with the original recording of the songs selected. Performance of original songs/lyrics/rap verses is welcomed, but not required.
2. Pianists, Bassists and Drummers: Prepare to perform 2 songs of contrasting styles that are categorized as Funk, Rhythm & Blues, Soul, Neo-Soul or Hip Hop that is stylistically appropriate for the style chosen. The use of the original recording of the songs selected as a backing track or an appropriate instrumental backing track is required for rhythm section instruments. For bassists and pianists, please select songs that have a chord progression consisting of 5 or more chord changes. No “vamp” or “4 bar loop” songs please.
Audition results will be finalized and shared with auditioning students by the Friday of week 1 of the semester. The ensemble rehearses M/W 12 – 1:20pm in VOX 2451 and membership in the group requires enrollment in either MUS:3730:003 (1 s.h.) or AFAM:3900 (1 s.h.). Contact group director Dr. William Menefield or Dr. Damani Phillips with any questions.
Questions?
William Menefield
Damani Phillips
