Skip to main content

VOCAL JAZZ AUDITIONS 2017

CLICK HERE FOR AUDITION INFORMATION: VOCAL JAZZ AUDITION INFORMATION 2017
Vocal Jazz Audition Information 2017

Here is the information for upcoming vocal jazz auditions. Auditions will be held at 12:20 on June 12 and 13 AND 19th in the choral room. Audition information is posted on Edmodo and the Westwood Choral Blogspot page. There is a sign up sheet posted on the choral room office window.

Part 1: The audition song is “Fly Me To The Moon” by Frank Sinatra. Refer to this recording while practicing:

  2. This karaoke will be used for the audition:
    Use a microphone, "make this song YOUR OWN" i.e. add melodic embellishments; jazzify the song in your own way; add some improvisation - using the text or with scat syllables; and, remember really PERFORM the song by moving to the music and completely engaging in the tune. Sing from memory, and if you forget the lyrics, take a page from Ella Fitzgerald's book, and scat or improvise your way through until you remember.
  3. PART 2: Scat over the changes of the C section of Westwood Blues. The ability and willingness to scat/improvise are essential to a successful audition. Please see Improvisation: The Next Steps AND Ways To Practice: More Tips (below) for additional ways to practice.  Scat over the changes of the C section of Westwood Blues.
  4. Part 3: Sight-read four bars of rhythm and melody. A starting pitch will be given and a chord will be played to establish the key.  Sing it at your own tempo.
  5. Auditions will be audio recorded.
Frank Sinatra - Fly Me To The Moon

Fly me to the moon
And let me play among the stars
Let me see what spring is like
On Jupiter and Mars
In other words, hold my hand
In other words, baby, kiss me

Fill my heart with song
And let me sing for ever more
You are all I long for
All I worship and adore
In other words, please be true
In other words, I love you (repeat after bridge with melodic improv)

In other words
I love... you
Improvisation: The Next Steps

Melody-based improvisation – study and practice by singing the “head” of the chosen jazz standard, illustration of the five solo techniques:
  1. The original melody – exactly as written on the lead sheet
  2. Back phrasing – singing slightly behind the beat
  3. Front phrasing – singing slights in front of the beat
  4. Embellishment of the melody – adding decorative notes above/ below/ around the melody notes
  5. A final, original version from you

Ways To Practice: More Tips

  • Singing several standards in warm-up, following the lead sheets and accompaniment tracks of Jamey Abersold’s and Ronald McCurdy’s Vocal Jazz Standards.  
  • One Note Rhythmic Improvising – try using one note over several chords and use only the rhythm to tell the “story”.
  • Using actual lyrics/ text/ story lines, sing or improvise your part of the story.  Going around the room and having each singer add their own segment of the story. By concentrating on the story and the subject, the melody often develops on its own.
  • The study of music theory and piano will help with your improvisational growth.
  • A note on the syllables – Try not to be self-conscious of the specific syllables that you’re using. Concentrate on the melodic and rhythmic ideas pertaining to the contour of the line. The syllables will begin to come to you naturally. Overall, vocalists are imitating the instruments and instrumental timbres. Think about harder sounds and consonants that are more appropriate for a swing feeling. The softer consonants will feel more appropriate for liquid and fluid feels used while playing a ballad or Latin tune.


Comments

Post a Comment