Jazz Ensemble: 2009 (New material, posted May 23)
Chair for 2009: Arthur White
Greetings from Tahlequah! Much has happened recently that impacts the All-OMEA Jazz Ensemble directly, so read below, and contact me with questions.
First, it is no secret that the International Association for Jazz Education was dissolved by way of Chapter 7 bankruptcy. How this will affect the Oklahoma chapter has yet to be decided. However, the OK-IAJE executive board, of which I am a member, is determined to continue the advocacy of jazz education in our schools. Now is the time to get involved. Jazz education has progressed significantly in Oklahoma. Do not let it regress! Stay tuned to the OMEA jazz website page or to www.okiaje.com for further updates.
Second, a change in our 2009 guest clinician has occurred. Vince Norman, originally scheduled for the 2009 conference, had to bow out due to contractual obligations with his position as an Army musician. We hope to have Vince as a clinician in the near future.
Because of this unforeseen turn of events, our new 2009 OMEA Jazz clinician will be pianist/composer Matt Harris. Matt is the director of jazz studies at California State University- Northridge, is a long-time fixture in the Los Angeles studio scene, and toured as pianist for Maynard Ferguson and Buddy Rich. Matt is also a celebrated composer, arranger, and orchestrator whose music is published by Kendor, Walrus, and Heritage Jazz Press. He has conducted clinics and has been commissioned to write original charts for all-state bands all over the country. We are certainly fortunate to have a great jazz educator like Matt Harris as our guest clinician for 2009. Go to www.mattharrismusic.com for more information.
Third, our 2010 clinician will be the always-inspiring Byron Stripling. Byron is well known for his time as a featured soloist and lead trumpet with the Count Basie Orchestra, and for his role as Louis Armstrong in the Broadway-bound musical Satchmo. He has performed with symphony orchestras around the world, recorded with luminaries such as Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Dave Brubeck, Lionel Hampton, and the GRP All-Star Big Band, and conducted workshops, seminars and masterclasses all over the world. Currently, Byron is the artistic director and conductor of the highly celebrated Columbus Jazz Orchestra. We could not be more thrilled to announce the residency of Byron Stripling for the 2010 OMEA conference.
Auditions for the 2009 All-OMEA Jazz Ensemble will be held November 15, 2008 at Midwest City High School. Fees are $15 per student, $7.50 for secondary instruments. There are two deadlines: September 26, 2008 and October 3, 2008. The audition process is as follows:
1) Prepared piece: Horns, Guitar, Piano, Bass, Vibes: Etude 2, from Etudes for the Developing Jazz Musician, by Will Campbell (Stone Mill Publishing, 2608 W. Kenosha, Suite 232, Broken Arrow, OK 74012, www.stonemillmusic.com). It is recommended that rhythm section performers use their own gear for the audition.
Drummers: ‘I’ll Take Romance’, from For Drummers Only (Music Minus One), beginning through measure 65. Drummers must also play sixteen (16) bars of each of the following styles: rock or funk at 110 bpm, swing at 110 bpm, double-time swing at 220 bpm, double-time trading fours (4 bars of time/4 bars of solo), samba at 220 bpm, and jazz waltz at 220 bpm. Play each of these six styles in the prescribed order as one continuous etude. After a short pause, play eight bars of ballad (swing 8th notes) with brushes at 80 bpm. Students wishing to use their own personal drum set must have it set up in the designated audition room by 7:30 AM on the day of the audition without exception. There will be a neutral drum set provided.
2) Sight Reading: All students auditioning will sight-read in the appropriate audition room.
3) Improvisation: Improvisation is not required, but highly recommended, as it could add five additional points to the overall score. Students who wish to improvise will play two (2) twelve-bar blues choruses in the key of F, at a medium-up tempo. The accompaniment source for the audition is from Nothing but Blues, CD Track #10 (Jamey Aebersold, Inc.).
Starting this year, there will no longer be a separate audition for bass trombone. Per the recommendation of OK-IAJE, all trombones will audition together for the top five slots. A bass trombonist will be selected from the top five candidates. Additionally, the selected rhythm section for the band will also perform with the All-OCDA High School Jazz Chorus at the OCDA conference January 15-17, 2009. Please consult the OMEA website for audition forms and additional materials. Updates and notices will be posted at the website as needed, so check the site often. Please contact me at whitea@nsuok.edu with any questions.