Applying & Auditioning For Undergraduate Music Programs

Georgia Southern Jazz Ensemble 
Auditions Fall 2024
Questions? Contact 
Dr. Rick Mason, Director
rlmason@georgiasouthern.edu
The Georgia Southern University Jazz Ensemble is a “big band” of 16-19 members. It is open to all Georgia Southern students by audition.
Instructions:
• All musicians must perform the prepared music etudes for their instrument.
• If you are auditioning for Lead Trumpet, you will play both the Lead Trumpet and the Section Trumpet excerpts.
• If you are auditioning for Lead Trombone, you will play both the Lead Trombone and the Section Trombone excerpts.
• If you are a trumpet or trombone player and not auditioning for a Lead spot, you will only play the Section excerpts.
• All musicians (with the exception of drum set auditionees) will be prepared to play the following blues scales (concert pitch): C, G, F, D-flat.
• All musicians must be prepared to sight-read.
Click on highlighted instrument name for access to the audition excerpts.
Auditions dates:
Monday, August 12 
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM – Rhythm section (piano, bass, drums, guitar, aux perc) (Annex)
Piano
Guitar
Bass
Drums
Aux Percussion
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM – (Foy 3052) 
Lead Trumpet 
Section Trumpet
Tuesday, August 13 
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM – (Foy 3052)
Lead Trombone
Section Trombone
Bass Trombone
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM – (Foy 3052)
Saxes

The Choral Audition process
WHEN?
Auditions for Southern Chorale and voice placement for University Singers occur the weekend before classes start each Fall Semester. Placement for U singers also occurs the weekend before the Spring Semester. Southern Chorale is a year-long commitment with the exception of Student Teachers who are allowed Fall admittance only. When unexpected events require a person to leave Southern Chorale auditions will be held for that student’s
voice part.
WHERE?
Auditions occur in the Foy Music Building on the Georgia Southern University campus room 4030 on the fourth floor. Building number 205 on the campus map.
WHO?
Anyone is welcome to audition for Southern Chorale and all are welcome to sign-up for University Singers. Again, there is no “audition” for acceptance into U Singer, just a voice placement, so a placement time is required.
HOW?
In August, you will find a link to a Google Doc via the Sing at Southern and Southern Chorale Facebook pages. On this online document, you will sign up (whether you are audition for Southern Chorale or doing voice placement for University Singers) for a 10 min time slot for your in-person audition on either Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. Call Backs for Southern Chorale occur on Sunday afternoon. A list of student who are invited to “Call backs” will be posted on the Sing at Southern and Southern Chorale Facebook pages. You must attend Call Backs in order to be considered for Southern Chorale. During these, you will take a Music Skills Test.
WHAT?
You do NOT need to have a solo prepared. The audition focuses on materials that you have not seen. Please, however, be ready to sing “My Country Tis of Thee”.
Application:
You will receive this when you arrive from the choral assistant. Please arrive about 10 minutes prior to your scheduled time.
In Person Audition
“You have to be brave enough to put it all on the line and try your hardest”
a. Simple vocalizations to determine your natural voice, areas of strength and weakness, and find the voice that best serves the choir.
b. “My County Tis of Thee”
sing at a given tempo unaccompanied in a couple of keys
sing a few bars straight tone
sing a few bars sotto voce (with a quiet undertone quality, as if singing to yourself)
sing a few bars loudly
perform a few short vocal exercises to help determine your natural voice range
c. Aural Skills/tonal Memory
sing back a series of played pitches
a chord is played (only once) – sing the middle or top or bottom pitch
d. Sight-Reading
You are given a sing line written in either treble or bass clef, I-IV-VI in the key area, and your starting pitch.
You have a about a minute to look over the example (best to sing out loud) and then you will be given the key area and starting pitch again.
You Sing!
The starting pitch will not be played again, nor any other pitches in the example.
e. Before leaving, the candidate will be told when they can expect to hear back about how they did (posted on Facebook). Do not expect any feedback immediately following your audition.
Call Backs
a. Usually men and women are first asked to come at separate times then will meet back all together
b. I will give everyone a copy of a least two choral pieces for which you will sight-read and rehearse together
c. You may be asked to sing a part by yourself or with another
d. Music Skill Test
This is a multiple-choice test taken aurally. Music examples will be played twice; you will indicate whether they were the same, if the rhythm was different or if a pitch was different.

Music Majors & Minors
Music Students auditioning for a Music Scholarship will have the opportunity to audition for the Georgia Southern Symphony. In addition to the audition requirements* for a specific degree program, students will be asked to prepare the following orchestral excerpts below:
Strings Audition Requirements
Mozart: Magic Flute Overture
Bizet: L’Arlesienne Suite No. 1

Non-Music Majors
Non-Music Majors will have the opportunity to audition for the Georgia Southern Symphony by appointment. Students will be asked to prepare a scale/arpeggio (up to 4 sharps and 4 flats, 2-3 octaves), a short solo work that best demonstrates level of ability and the following orchestral excerpts below:
Mozart: Magic Flute Overture
Bizet: L’Arlesienne Suite No. 1