Sunday Check-In and Placement Screenings

July 5th, 2026

(Note: Times and locations are from the 2025 camp and left as an example only. Latest updates for 2026 will be posted prior to the start of camp)

2:00pm – Resident students check into the Residence Hall (address here. See map)
3:00pm – Daytime Commuters check in directly at Nicholas Music Center (NMC) (85 George Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901)
3:30pm – All-Student Orientation in Rehearsal Hall 104 (RH104) (next to NMC). Students will receive their folder and RSJI Tunebook.
4:00-6:00pm – Placement Screenings and group activity (SEE DETAILS BELOW). Warm up/Hang Out Room: RHL104
5:00-6:00pm – Pizza dinner for all students!
6:15pm – Counselor Tunebook demonstrations and group activity in Nicholas Music Center
7:15-7:30pm – Residents return to the Dorms. Commuters depart for the day (may be picked up from Bettenbender Circle in front of NMC)

Note: Parents/Guardians are welcome to stay on site during all Sunday activities, if desired

Contacts

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

Email: summer.jazz@mgsa.rutgers.edu

How to Prepare for Sunday 4:00pm Placement Screenings

After check-in, students will undergo live placement screenings on Sunday to help instructors assign them to suitable classes and ensembles. These screenings differ from auditions, as all students are placed regardless of skill level. The results also determine placements for the RSJI Lab Band and RSJI Big Band.

Each instrument has a designated screening room with one or two instructors. Students should perform unaccompanied for most of the session, but during improvisation, they may play along with a provided recording or an instructor. Each screening lasts 10 to 15 minutes.

NMC = Nicholas Music Center
RHL = Rehearsal Hall
RHL followed by a number 1 is the first floor
RHL followed by a number 2 is the second floor
Shindell = Shindell Hall, located inside the Mortenson Building

Note: Ample signage will be posted, and counselors will be available to assist in finding screening rooms. Also, remember to bring your Screening Rubric Form to your screening and hand it to the teacher upon arrival.

4:00-6:00pm – Screenings

Warm up/Hang Out/Activity Room: RHL104

You can wait in this space until your screening time. Feel free to warm up, hang out, and relax.

Trombone & Trumpet – RHL201

Exit through the door on your right and go upstairs (stairway is through a blue door on your left)

Piano & Guitar – RHL209

Exit through the door on your right and go upstairs (stairway is through a blue door on your left)

Bass & Drums – NMC

Exit through the door on your left and go across the hall to the blue double doors

Saxophone, Clarinet & Flute – Shindell Hall

This is in Mortenson Hall. A counselor will bring you over there 5 at a time

What to Bring

Winds

Make sure that you bring everything you need: mouthpiece, reeds, neck straps, mutes

Saxes

Bring your main instrument on Placement day. If you are proficient on multiple saxophones & they are available to play during the week, please tell us at the screening.

What to Prepare?

Big Band Literature

Click the links below to open the music. There are 2 excerpts available for each instrument, one (1) Intermediate/Beginner Level piece and one (1) Advanced Level piece. You may choose to play the excerpt you feel most comfortable with. **Please note that you will need to play the advanced piece in order to be eligible for the top big band or combo groups**

Flute

(Materials to be announced)

Alto Sax

(Materials to be announced)

Tenor Sax

(Materials to be announced)

Bari Sax

(Materials to be announced)

Trumpet & Clarinet

(Materials to be announced)

Trombone

(Materials to be announced)

Bb Blues

Click the links to open the music. Select a Bb Blues melody, play it once, and improvise two choruses—improvisation is recommended but not required. This helps us determine your class and combo placement. Accompaniment tracks are available at screenings and in the linked folder. Tempos follow the play-along recordings. **Note: Improvisation is necessary for eligibility in advanced groups**.

(Materials to be announced)

Flute
Alto Sax/Bari Sax
Tenor Sax
Trombone
Trumpet/Clarinet

Sight-Reading

This will be a short jazz excerpt of music you have not prepared or seen in the past that will be first shown to you at placements.

What to Bring?

Guitar

¼ inch patch cable
Amps are provided for rehearsals, but guitarists may want to optionally bring a small practice amp for personal use.

What to Prepare?

Big Band Literature

CLICK HERE (Materials to be announced) to open music. Please play the entire page.

Bb Blues

(Materials to be announced)

CLICK HERE to open music. Choose one of the Bb Blues melodies provided. Please play the following:

Melody 1 time
1 chorus of comping based on the chords provided
2 choruses of Improvisation.
- Improv isn’t required, but is highly recommended to help us assign your class and combo. We’ll provide an accompaniment track at placements, with playalongs available in the linked folder. Tempos are based on these recordings. **Please note that improvisation is required in order to be eligible for the most advanced combo groups**

Play-Alongs Folder: Click this link to find play-along recordings we will use as backing tracks for the Bb Blues portion of your placement screening.

Sight-Reading

This will be a short jazz excerpt of music you have not prepared or seen in the past that will be first shown to you at placements.

What to Bring?

Piano

Pianos are supplied. Please do not bring your own keyboards

What to Prepare?

Big Band Literature

CLICK HERE (Materials to be announced) to open music.

Page 1: Play the chart as written.
Page 2: Comp using the chords provided for 2 choruses from 41-52. There is no need to play from 53-end.

Bb Blues

(Materials to be announced)

CLICK HERE to open music. Choose one of the Bb Blues melodies provided. Please play the following:

Melody 1 time
1 chorus of comping chords
2 choruses of Improvisation.
- Improv isn’t required but highly recommended to help us place you in the right class and combo. Don’t be shy—give it a try! We’ll provide an accompaniment track at placements, and the playalongs are in the linked folder. Tempos follow the recordings. **Please note that improvisation is required in order to be eligible for the most advanced combo groups**

Play-Alongs Folder: Click this link to find play-along recordings we will use as backing tracks for the Bb Blues portion of your placement screening.

Sight-Reading

This will be a short jazz excerpt of music you have not prepared or seen in the past that will be first shown to you at placements.

What to Bring?

Bassists

Acoustic bassists should bring a bow
¼ inch patch cable
Amps are provided for rehearsals, but electric bassists may want to optionally bring a small practice amp for personal use.

What to Prepare?

Big Band Literature

Excerpt 1: CLICK HERE (Materials to be announced) – Play the first 8 measures as written. For 9-17, read the notes as written or improvise your own walking bass line based on the chords provided.
Excerpt 2: CLICK HERE (Materials to be announced) – Play the entire page, without the 1st ending and repeat. Play the written notes as notated and improvise a walking bass line based on the chords provided. If you do excerpt 2, you are free to omit excerpt 1. If you do not understand how to play this one, you may omit it. **Please note that excerpt 2 is required in order to be eligible for the most advanced combo groups**

Bb Blues

(Materials to be announced)

CLICK HERE to open music. Choose one of the Bb Blues melodies provided. Please play the following:

Melody 1 time
1 chorus of creating a walking bass line based on the chords provided
1 chorus of an improvised solo based on the chords provided
- Improv is optional but recommended to help us place you in the right class and combo. Don’t hesitate—give it a try! We’ll provide an accompaniment track or a live musician for your placement, with playalongs available in the linked folder. Tempos match the recordings. **Please note that improvisation is required in order to be eligible for the most advanced combo groups**

Play Alongs Folder: Click on this link to find play-along recordings that we will use as backing tracks for the Bb Blues portion of your placement screening.

Sight-Reading

This will be a short jazz excerpt of music you have not prepared or seen in the past that will be first shown to you at placements.

What to Bring?

Drummers

Bring your own cymbals (including hi-hat cymbals)
Bring your own hi-hat clutch!!
Vibraphone mallets if you’d like to try to utilize the 1 vibraphone that we’ll have on site.
Congas are available on site
Bring small Miscellaneous Percussion (if you like).

What to Prepare?

Big Band Literature

Excerpt 1: CLICK HERE (Materials to be announced). Play the entire page. CLICK HERE for reference recording
Excerpt 2: CLICK HERE. (Materials to be announced) Play the entire page. CLICK HERE for reference recording

Bb Blues

(Materials to be announced)

CLICK HERE to open music. Choose one of the Bb Blues melodies provided. Please play the following:

Comp the melody for 1 chorus
Comp for 2 choruses as you would play behind a soloist.
Optional: 12-measure drum solo

Sight-Reading

This will be a short jazz excerpt of music you have not prepared or seen in the past that will be first shown to you at placements.