We run a rehearsal each week on a Tuesday evening from 6:45-9:30pm (with a break in the middle) and then at least one gig per term but are hopefully offering a wider range of opportunities this year! Repertoire is decided by committee, however we are open to suggestions, and tries to cover a variety of styles to suit everyone's taste throughout the year.

The main focus is to have an enjoyable and fun time whilst also playing charts to a high standard (and cooking like there's no tomorrow!😎). There will be a few main socials throughout the year and smaller ones more regularly to keep that band spirit alive. It is all student led and at the end of the year, anyone has the opportunity to go for an elected role on the committee. 

Auditions will be on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th September and will take the format of: 

1. 10 minutes before in a practice room to unpack and warm up
 

2. Playing the head(tune) of a piece chosen from an email sent 2 weeks before auditions with a live rhythm section (unless you are a rhythm section instrument where you will have a horn playing the head instead)

3. Soloing over the solo section wherever that may be in your piece

4. Playing the rest of the piece and cuing the end

5. Sightread a short extract from a jazz piece

6. Have a quick chat about why you and jazz get on!

Sign ups for auditions https://forms.gle/VKSrBBfrcQh6JmMD9 

Audition charts  for instrumentalists/rhythm are:

Anthropology

Birks works

Groove merchant

My little suede shoes

Nardis

Straight no chaser

Take five

Wave

(If you are auditioning for bass and would like to do either Groove merchant or Birks works send me an email and I will try and source parts)

And vocalists:

All of me

Don’t get around much anymore

Fly me to the moon

Misty

Exactly how you perform them is up to you, but a recommended structure could be once round the piece, solo once or twice round the head then play the last section out – cuing the rhythm section (or horn if you are rhythm) as clearly as you can! There are different style recordings out there but definitely have a listen to the original to get a feel for the piece.

The format of the auditions for each section will be as follows:

Saxes, trombones, trumpets

You will play through the piece of your choice, including soloing, with the rhythm section backing

You will then have a melody line to sightread with a minute to look through and try it out before playing unaccompanied

We will have a chat about what you know and some of the things you told about us – all informal!

Keys, guitar and bass

You will play through the piece of your choice once, including soloing, with the rest of the rhythm section. Then go through the head again accompanying a horn and finally both play the head out to finish - as long as you cue it, it will be fine if it’s a bit different!

You will then have a notated melody line (not chords) to sightread with a minute to look through and try it out before playing unaccompanied

We will have a chat about what you know and some of the things you told about us – all informal!

Drums

You will play through the piece of your choice with a horn playing the melody, then trade 4s with keys or horn over the solo section. The rest of the rhythm section will play with you so make sure to lead cues to them!

You will then be asked to show us some rudiments(e.g. paradiddles, double strokes, triplets)

You will then have notated hits to sightread with a minute to look through and try it out before playing unaccompanied

We will have a chat about what you know and some of the things you told about us – all informal!

Singers

You will be expected to sing your chosen piece, including a scat solo, with the rhythm section backing and cue the cut off at the end

You will then have a range test with some scales

We will have a chat about what you know and some of the things you told about us – all informal!

Music will be provided on the day along with a music stand and a Google Drive folder is attached with them all in - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16C9PS-nhPMhqbDL3wfQF8p5QElY5AxGb?usp=sharing

Come to our Bunfight stall on Thursday 26th September to talk to us and find out more!

Keep in updated here: 

https://www.youtube.com/user/sujosoton

https://www.instagram.com/sujosoton

Listen to our 2024 Rep on Spotify... https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5OqQaK3vezYYYxn4f4szb7?si=cb0d6f4dbbd84cdf 

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The Committee

All clubs and societies within the Students' Union are run entirely by students. The student committee for Jazz Orchestra this year are: