Skip to main content

Jazz Jury Requirements

Requirements by Semester

Jazz major students will work with their private lesson instructors throughout each semester to fully prepare their jury requirements.

Unless stated otherwise, non-education-major students must prepare ten (10) memorized selections consisting of:

  • Seven (7) Tune List selections
  • Two (2) Mingus selections, and
  • One (1) optional “Wildcard” selection from a well-known jazz composer consistent with our tune list repertoire. The juror must supply jury trio musicians (piano/guitar, bass, drums) with a basic lead sheet of their “Wildcard” selection to be sight-read; no time is afforded to rehearse; it must be immediately playable. Another standard tune from the Tune List can also replace the wildcard option for a total of ten (10) tunes.

The jazz faculty panel will randomly select one tune from the above semester list during the jury exam to be performed from memory. Guitar, bass, and piano jurors will also be asked to comp changes or walk a chorus. Scales should not be played overly fast or “rushed” but at an even-eighth note tempo, quarter note=120 bpm. Sight-reading skills are also assessed each semester.

Adjustments to Jury Requirements:

Term 1

UG Sem-1 | Grad Sem-1

  • Perform memorized selection: head-in, solo choruses, any comping, head-out
  • Scales (quarter note=120 bpm) and Chords:
    • Major scale and derived modes in all keys
    • Basic Blues Scales in all keys
    • Outline Basic 4-note chords in all keys (Maj7, 7, m7, m7b5,o7)
  • Sight-reading assessment

Jazz Drum Majors – demonstrate scales and chords and a single tune performance on piano

UG Sem-2 | Grad Sem-1

  • Perform memorized selection: head-in, solo choruses, any comping, head-out
  • Scales (quarter note=120 bpm) and Chords:
    • All scales and chords from previous semesters
    • Dominant 7 Bebop and Maj6 Bebop scales in all keys
  • Sight-reading assessment

Jazz Drum Majors – demonstrate scales and chords and a single tune performance on piano

Term 2

UG Sem-3 | Grad Sem-2

  • Perform memorized selection: head-in, solo choruses, any comping, head-out
  • Scales (quarter note=120 bpm) and Chords:
    • All scales and chords from previous semesters
    • Harmonic Minor Scales and derived modes in all keys
    • Whole-tone scales in all keys
    • Blues scales with major 3rd in all keys
    • Outline basic four-note chords in all keys: (Maj7b5, Maj7+5, Maj7sus4, Maj6; 7b5, 7+5, 7sus4)
  • Sight-reading assessment

Jazz Drum Majors – demonstrate scales and chords and a single tune performance on piano

UG Sem-4 | Grad Sem-2

  • Perform memorized selection: head-in, solo choruses, any comping, head-out
  • Scales (quarter note=120 bpm) and Chords:
    • All scales and chords from previous semesters
    • Major (1 2 3 5 6), minor (1 2 b3 5 6), and dominant (1 2 3 5 b7) pentatonic scales in all keys
    • Outline basic four-note chords in all keys continued: (m+7, m6, m7sus4, m7+5, m+7+5; m7b5sus4; o+7)
  • Sight-reading assessment

Jazz Drum Majors – demonstrate scales and chords and a single tune performance on piano

Term 3

UG Sem-5 | Grad Sem-3

  • Perform memorized selection: head-in, solo choruses, any comping, head-out
  • Scales (quarter note=120 bpm) and Chords:
    • All scales and chords from previous semesters
    • Melodic Minor scales and derived modes in all keys
    • Diminished scales (h/w and w/h) in all keys
    • All Bebop scales as derived from Major scales in all keys
  • Sight-reading assessment
Keyboard Jury Essentials for Non-Piano Majors
  • Prepare to demonstrate the following:
    1. Basic Cadences/Turnarounds:
      • V-I, II-V-I
    2. Semester-level scales and outlines:
      • RH scale with associated LH block chord, ascending and descending, 1-octave minimum
    3. Blues changes
    4. Perform a memorized standard tune (no soloing)
  • For items 1, 2, and 3 above:
    • Prepare in all 12 keys
    • Use Rooted Shell voicings, minimum (see Keyboard Syllabus)
    • Criteria must be performed at an even tempo
    • Refer to Keyboard Syllabi examples

UG Sem-6 | Grad Sem-3

  • Perform memorized selection: head-in, solo choruses, any comping, head-out
  • Scales (quarter note=120 bpm) and Chords:
    • All scales and chords from previous semesters
    • Harmonic Major scale and derived modes in all keys
    • Diminished scales (h/w and w/h) in all keys
    • All Bebop scales as derived from Melodic Minor scales in all keys
  • Sight-reading assessment
Keyboard Jury Essentials for Non-Piano Majors
  • Prepare to demonstrate the following:
    1. Cadences/Turnarounds:
      • I-VI-II-V, and III-VI-II-V
    2. Semester-level scales and outlines:
      • RH scale with associated LH block chord, ascending and descending, 1-octave minimum
    3. Rhythm changes
    4. Perform a memorized standard tune (no soloing)
  • For items 1, 2, and 3 above:
    • Prepare in all 12 keys
    • Use Split-Voicings, minimum (see Keyboard Syllabus)
    • Criteria must be performed at an even tempo
    • Refer to Keyboard Syllabi examples

UG Term 4

UG Semester-7

  • Perform memorized selection: head-in, solo choruses, any comping, head-out
  • Scales (quarter note=120 bpm) and Chords:
    • All scales and chords from previous semesters
    • Altered/Modal Pentatonic scales as derived from Major, Harmonic Minor, Melodic Minor, and Harmonic Major scales in all keys.
    • All Bebop scales as derived from Harmonic Minor and Harmonic Major scales
    • Augmented Scale (+2/m2) in all keys
  • Sight-reading assessment

Jazz Drum Majors – demonstrate scales and chords and a single tune performance on piano